Dance

18 September   THIS week we chatted about the course a bit. At the end of the year there will be a main dance performance. We began with stretches, warm ups and things to get our bodies moving. We then started this half term's topic, line dancing. We learnt a set of steps called the boot scootin' boogy. The first steps are vines, so you put your right foot out, put your left behind it, step out with the right, and hitch your knee.  After repeating this. You then do a step forward, and a hitch, another forward and hitch, then back on your right foot until you hitch on your left. Then you do a hip boogy, and a little step turn.  It was very hard for me as I couldn't observe and learn, so it was hard to naturally get used to the steps. Although I slowed the group down, it all seemed to work fine.  My research topic this week was to find out what other dances were done in lines. I found that Bollywood dance, as well as some morris and and Greek dance can be performed in lines. I couldn't visually look at the pictures on youtube, but through research and description, I understood.  

25 september   This week we moved on to new steps, the tush  push. This is hard to describe.  You do heel toes, then faster heal toes, followed by a clap. This was simple as I could relate to last year's Slovakia work. Then the le were hip boogies and grooves, followed by a Pivvate which was difficult as I couldn't work out my direction. The next steps were the wobble, and learning this so soon after the tush push was too difficult as it was hard to memorise. The wobble is little jumps forward, followed by rolling your arms to either side. Then there're are chacha steps which I can almost grasp. Finally, there is a shuffle to a new direction.  We put it all together and did all 3 moves in one go. Luckily, I'd mastered the boot scootin boogy, but I needed time for the others. I had to research  how line dancing varied from other dance. It is very different because, most dances don't have set moves in blocks of 8. There may be small individual moves with names, but not large sets of 4 lots of 8.  

30 September  Today were used all 3 sets of moves. I feel so happy with my progress of the boot scootin boogie, but the other two are all really hard. Our teacher had to go, but we were told to choreograph our own 2. Four lots of 8.  I wanted to choose music a little slower, and less difficult to count, but still with a challenge. In the lecture, I toyed With ideas but am yet to confirm.  I am worried I won't be able to choreograph a food enough dance.   Dance vocabulary  Rhythem, repetition, movement, choreograph, improvise, timing, steps, position, turn, beat, count        

11 October. Today was our assessment, whe had to teach our dance steps to 10 year old students at a local primary school. I was nervous and didn't feel confident at all, as the lesson before, I had been ill and not present. Therefore, no one had seen my dance piece, or checked it, and I was not in it myself. HOWEVER, when we got there, and I was assigned 6 students, they all seemed very enthusiastic. I introduced myself to the children, and then began on my dance. The children learnt about heel steps, hitches, cha-cha-chas and vines. I worked with the kids so they were used To the steps before the music came on. The part I found most difficult was finding the right direction to face in, and describing movement to the children that I couldn't even describe to myself. This is because I work by touch, but I couldn't convey this method to the kids. When the music came on, the kids put their hands on their hips like real cow boy and girls, and danced really well. All of the pupils gave me an enthusiastic yeeehah at the end, and said a very greatful thank you. I feel proud of my effort, the pupils were very happy and enthusiastic, and despite lacking confidence and proper work on my dance, I pulled the short class off well, to the best of my ability.

14 November.  Today we started working with a ballroom dancing company.  We will be working with them for the mext 4 weeks, potentially more.  Today we worked on the zigzag waltz.  I was partnered with the man who runs it, so that I could understand the steps.  We looked at the correct dance hold, the woman's hand on the man's shoulder, and her other hand lightly in his.  The man puts his hand on the woman's waist and leads the dance.  In this dance the woman puts the left foot back then the right foot ioins, then the left foot goes forward and the right goes to join.  I found it hard but eventually, through a repetition process, I got the hang of it.  There was also a whisk, where you do a turn, and a shassey where your foot brushes together with the other.  The turns became more complex which was hard.  I did the waltz a few years ago, and I think I have progressed since then.

22 November.  This week we went over the waltz, adding more turns and doing it to the music.  I was very pleased with how much I had remembered, which is surprising when you have problems remembering the movements through repetition.

30 November.  This week we moved on to the quick step, where it was a bit faster and jazzier.  There were many more turms, and the woman had to move entirely round the man.  The type of dance was similar, but it was up tempo and hard to catch up with.  We started slowly and built up, which helped immencely.  When we practised to the music, I had learnt the steps quite quickly as they were all the same as the waltz, except the hesitation corner was more complicated as the turns were bigger.  I think by the end of the lesson I had the hang of it, and I was very excited at my own progress.

15 January.  This week, Laura was not here so we had to look up musical theatre pieces of dance that we liked.  I looked at Cell Block Tagno from Chicago, Food glorious food from Oliver, Jellical Cats from Cats, and I considered many more.  Although I am unable to see the dance, I was able to pinpoint what music would be practical, and suitable to be danced to.

22 January: This week it was just me and Laura and Emily, so we could plan our show for the end of the year.  We decided on a west country theme, along with so musical theatre and perhaps the ballroom and Latin dance.  I suggested "America" from West side story, and Cell Block Tango (Which I had researched last week) for the latin.  We decided that Callum could be a lady's man, or a bad guy.  We did a lot of planning for the pieces we wanted in it.  We also considered a storyline but we have not worked this out yet.  What we do know is that Emily and I will be the latin girls while Angel and Charlotte are the American.  Sone will kill Callum at the end which will lead to Cell Block Tango.  We need a Waltz and Quickstep, particularly for me and Emily as we learnt it in the last term.

 29 January: This week it was me Laura and Callum.  We discussed our previous ideas and discussed things like solos for Charlotte and Angel, how the show would work chronologically, and the things that we needed to include.  Charlotte and Angel are going to try and use contemporary which we will add somewhere, but, this is difficult to mix with our other styles.  Charlotte may do a solo ! "Another suitcase in another hal" from Evita, which I think would be quite an interesting touch to the show.

5 March.  This week Laura was not here so we had to map out the barn dance, Footloose.  This was so hard as I had never looked at the track before, and it had been a while since I'd done line dancing in the first half term.  It was also difficult because Charlotte and Angel were not there as it was not their lesson, so we found it hard to work out who was going bebe where and when to come in.  It was hard to time the dance while practice the moves.  Also, I was a lot slower than the track as I was just learning the movements, and also the track is quite fast! We did manage to work on learning the dance though, and that was very helpful as I could then practice the tempo and difficult moves in the future.      

12 March. This week we staged the footloose routine. I was finding it hard to keep up, but I can deffinately do the vines. We decided to start with boot scootin boogy which I can do, until Callum's entrance. I will also introduce the show, and be a kind of hostess. I will also lead the West Side Story track.    

19 March. This week we worked on boot scooting boogy, on the 3 sets of steps. I found certain things hard so we had to adapt them, like the leg slaps, and the dig, which we will make a bit simpler. Also in the footloose tra%k, instead of me struggling to catch up, I'll go to the bar, as my character would be very annoyed at the arrival of @Callum's character. It helped to reaffirm the steps, as I find the turns and pivots difficult.      

26 march. This week we entered our assessment period, my target to have more confidence in myself. I think I am improving on this as while devising the America piece, I felt much more confident in myself. I got to do a bit of musical theatre work as on certain words, I can mime like "hurricanes blow" I can sweep my arms like a wind, and "money owing" I can do the money symbol with my hands. This is also widening my knowledge on quite visual hand gestures that I did not know, and will give a boost to my character in our musical theatre piece. I have also added in my own small movements after a suggestion of being more fluid between actions, which is going to make me look more in character. 

20 June. Here is a link to my final performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT7uDpLRAKY