I apologize for the fact that this blog has been a little dormant. Dance season started, and it seemed to just ricochet off into a crazy lifestyle! Things are starting to slow down now, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to sit down and write a new entry!
Today's topic- choreographic process!
I love choreography. Everything about it just makes me ooze enthusiasm. So far this year I've completed two pieces, and am 1-2 classes away from completing another. Every time I see a part emerge from my brain and into reality, I get so excited! Perhaps it's the dance nerd in me, but I don't know many other teachers that want to cry when their pieces materialize into their vision.
Every teacher seems to have a different process. Some teachers plan and create for weeks, while others take the energy of the studio and create on the spot. I'm always reminded of my composition classes in college, where if we had procrastinated too long, we threw something together the night before in 20 minutes, then ran off to class the next day to show something that usually half of us couldn't remember, and wound up making it up on the spot. While composition classes taught me a lot, nothing taught me more than my experiences with teaching. I could create as much as I wanted in college and put pieces on college students, but nothing compares to taking students who are younger, ready to learn, and eager to please and creating a piece for them and their many styles/talents.
I've found that I have a very specific process. I walk everywhere, so I always have an ipod on me to listen to music. When I've found a piece of music that has hit me as what I want to use, I listen to it over and over and over and over and over... etc. Visions begin to form in my mind. Whether it's patterns onstage, or a specific move that fits perfectly with a lyric or a phrase of music, an overall feel develops in my mind. I always start with that feel. I create certain sections without steps, knowing what kind of things I want at different points.
8,
I then start to choreograph the steps within the studio without the students. I usually wait to see the kids in front of me before I put people in their specific places. When eventually the steps are created, I get to actually teach it! In almost all cases, though, I hit a road block. There's a bar of 8 that I can't wrap my brain around, or a section where I have no idea what I want to do, or there's a transition that I can't come up with. This is the time that I either tell the kids to skip it and we'll move on to the next, or I experiment.
This year, I came across a unique situation. I was in process of creating my three pieces, and I had hit a choreo block. Two of the pieces had not materialized quite the way I had wanted them to, and one had a whole section I didn't know what I wanted to do with. I wasn't happy about it, and I was frustrated. I started teaching the ballet piece, and I was in the studio with the students trying to figure out what I wanted to do. All of a sudden, as I'm listening to the music, and I'm trying to lift my mental shades, I came up with an idea for the ballet. I became very animated teaching to the students, and got far into the dance. The class ended and as I packed up and walked out the door, I stuck my headphones in my ears.
It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt lighter, happier. I then wound up planning out the rest of all the dances. Each one had an ending. Each one had a middle! No phrases unaccounted for. I'd never had an "A-HA!" moment like that before, and it was special, and I was actually very happy to have the students that helped with it share that with me. It was lovely, and very important. It taught me that not everything can be plotted or planned. Sometimes you just need to have that "moment."
Nothing is more rewarding, though, than when you have finally finished the piece, and you see it in its entirety for the first time. I had to create my first competitive lyric dance this year, and I was nervous about it. I wanted to create something beautiful and wonderful that would accentuate the talents of the kids. Throughout the process I thought it would look good, but then the full run-through happened. Music and dance combined to form this beauty. I started tearing up at certain points, just because it was so emotional for me. It was what I had envisioned, and it was coming to life. The students loved it, and you could see that they put their hearts and souls into it.
The ballet was different when I finished. It was very similar, but I started yelling because I was so excited. I was shouting counts, because it was a vibrant and lively ending, and the music was loud and building, and all I could do was shout! It wasn't in a bad way. It was in a good way. The music built as did the excitement in my chest.
I'm looking forward to finishing the third piece. Pretty soon I'll be working on a bunch of ballet pieces, and a couple other different kinds of dance for recital pieces. But then again, that won't be until after winter break.
Can you believe it's almost time for winter break? Time seems to fly...
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Fall Will Soon Be Here...
In the past couple of days, there have been hints of fall in the air. With the incessant rain that the North Shore got here, the temperatures dropped a bit, and the coolness sparked the thoughts of dance into my head.
I love the fall. It’s absolutely my favorite season. Even without being in school anymore, I get the luxury of “going back.” While most people only have their jobs that continue, and merely get to look forward to the change in seasons, I get to return to the excitement of a new season of dance!
The anticipation of starting a new year is always a joy. It’s a time to reflect on the previous season, and look forward to the new one. At the studio I work at, we have a two week summer intensive for the competitive students, so I get to also reflect on that, and take what I saw in their classes and apply it to the new year. I get to think about all the returning students that I’ve grown to love, and the new ones that will quickly adapt to their new dance surroundings. I also get to think about all the new steps and combinations that I will have the opportunity to teach them, and how quickly (or slowly) they will pick them up, and how the progressions will make them, and me, feel!
Reflecting on the past, and looking to the future. That’s really what fall is about, right? Fall brings about the reflection of the summer. Summer is about the sunny weather, the time spent outside, and the enjoyment of being able to spend more time with friends and family, whether it’s on a vacation or celebrating the fourth of July at a barbeque. We look back to those good times and the happiness that the lazy days of the warmer seasons brought us.
At the same time, we look forward to the future. In the fall, while many of us move forward with heavy hearts of summer behind us, we begin the excitement of going back to school. With the temperatures dropping, a buzz for everything we are learning and doing grows. Our lives become busier with the hustle and bustle of the new. As a dance teacher, I can hardly contain my happiness when my summer-dormant creative outlets are reinstated.
Just going through music, trying to find and put together play lists for class, gets me hyped up for the year. My brain starts putting together steps and coming up with ideas for new and fun things for class. Sometimes my brain runs away, and I begin to choreograph for classes that I don’t have, but that’s okay. Usually, it leads to an idea for a class that I DO have! This typically makes me think of my students, and I can’t wait to see how they will react to the things I throw at them!
The other minor excitement is getting new dance clothes! Even today, I just received my package of yoga pants that I will be using for the year! I love browsing through all the dance supply catalogs online to see what I might be interested in getting, and to see what I can buy that’s “in” (because really, as a dance teacher, sometimes you have to try to stay “hip” when dealing with adolescents!). I love trying to anticipate what all my students will be attempting to wear in my ballet classes (no baggy clothes, and warm ups only until rond de jambes on REALLY cold days!), or what the recreational students will be bringing in to wear for hip hop! I also love finding the few choice pieces that will pop in my wardrobe, and will keep me within my budget!
All in all, I cannot wait for autumn to begin. I am excited to see my students, and to begin choreographing. I know that many of my students are excited to return as well. I can’t wait for all of us to be happily reunited again!
I love the fall. It’s absolutely my favorite season. Even without being in school anymore, I get the luxury of “going back.” While most people only have their jobs that continue, and merely get to look forward to the change in seasons, I get to return to the excitement of a new season of dance!
The anticipation of starting a new year is always a joy. It’s a time to reflect on the previous season, and look forward to the new one. At the studio I work at, we have a two week summer intensive for the competitive students, so I get to also reflect on that, and take what I saw in their classes and apply it to the new year. I get to think about all the returning students that I’ve grown to love, and the new ones that will quickly adapt to their new dance surroundings. I also get to think about all the new steps and combinations that I will have the opportunity to teach them, and how quickly (or slowly) they will pick them up, and how the progressions will make them, and me, feel!
Reflecting on the past, and looking to the future. That’s really what fall is about, right? Fall brings about the reflection of the summer. Summer is about the sunny weather, the time spent outside, and the enjoyment of being able to spend more time with friends and family, whether it’s on a vacation or celebrating the fourth of July at a barbeque. We look back to those good times and the happiness that the lazy days of the warmer seasons brought us.
At the same time, we look forward to the future. In the fall, while many of us move forward with heavy hearts of summer behind us, we begin the excitement of going back to school. With the temperatures dropping, a buzz for everything we are learning and doing grows. Our lives become busier with the hustle and bustle of the new. As a dance teacher, I can hardly contain my happiness when my summer-dormant creative outlets are reinstated.
Just going through music, trying to find and put together play lists for class, gets me hyped up for the year. My brain starts putting together steps and coming up with ideas for new and fun things for class. Sometimes my brain runs away, and I begin to choreograph for classes that I don’t have, but that’s okay. Usually, it leads to an idea for a class that I DO have! This typically makes me think of my students, and I can’t wait to see how they will react to the things I throw at them!
The other minor excitement is getting new dance clothes! Even today, I just received my package of yoga pants that I will be using for the year! I love browsing through all the dance supply catalogs online to see what I might be interested in getting, and to see what I can buy that’s “in” (because really, as a dance teacher, sometimes you have to try to stay “hip” when dealing with adolescents!). I love trying to anticipate what all my students will be attempting to wear in my ballet classes (no baggy clothes, and warm ups only until rond de jambes on REALLY cold days!), or what the recreational students will be bringing in to wear for hip hop! I also love finding the few choice pieces that will pop in my wardrobe, and will keep me within my budget!
All in all, I cannot wait for autumn to begin. I am excited to see my students, and to begin choreographing. I know that many of my students are excited to return as well. I can’t wait for all of us to be happily reunited again!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Dance- A sport, or an art?
Today my topic stems from an announcement made on So You Think You Can Dance last Thursday. During the usual opening for the show, Nigel Lythgoe told America that Gatorade was now recognizing dance as a sport. The winner of this season’s show will go on to become the first recognized dancer to represent Gatorade. This has sparked a huge debate in the dance world- is dance really a sport, or is it an art?
My first delve into researching this topic led me to trying to define “art” and “sport.” Wikipedia seemed to give me the best definitions.
“Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the sense or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.”
It intrigued me that even though this described dance perfectly, dance was not listed as an art. Choreography is essentially the “arranging of elements.” When one dances, all the elements align and are put together to create a whole piece. Dance hits all the points of that definition, particularly the mode of expression. I don’t know a single dancer who hasn’t been moved by at least one piece that they’ve danced or created in their life. Even my younger students talk about how they’ve felt during a piece. Essentially, as well, aesthetics are a big part of dance. Everything has to look right, whether it’s meant to be aesthetic for the audience, or for the choreographer.
After seeing that dance was not truly considered an “art”, I did a search for performing art, and that’s where I found it listed. It was basically described as the materials for the art being the human form, as opposed to physical objects. This makes sense, but then this is where we get dangerously close to the definition of a sport.
“A sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In a sport the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning or losing). The physical activity involves the movement of people, animals and/or a variety of objects such as balls and machines. In contrast, games such as card games and board games, though these could be called mind sports and some are recognized as Olympic sports, require only mental skills. Non-competitive activities such as jogging and rock-climbing, are usually classified as recreations.”
This also defines dance. Whether we dance in competitions, or in class, it is still competitive. It’s the difference between competing with other people, and competing with yourself. Dancers are constantly trying to one up themselves to achieve that physical perfection. It’s organized with a set of rules for each class, and how each movement is executed. It’s also most indefinitely a skillful physical activity.
So here’s where the arguments come in. Both art and sport define dance.
Nigel said on the episode of SYTYCD that he couldn’t wait for dance to be included in the Olympics. My gut reaction was “No way!” Dance is so SUBJECTIVE. Contrary to some of the arguments I’ve heard, dance is not like gymnastics. While there are the floor sections that might as well be a dance with a lot of flips, there is still a set amount of tricks that need to be performed. That’s all it basically is, though- a bunch of tricks. I hear from so many judges and dance teachers that complain when dances become all about the “wow” factor, and they don’t have the basics to back it up. In gymnastics, I’m pretty sure that the judges aren’t critiquing on how the gymnasts hold their hands or how wonderful their chasses are (I don’t know this for a fact. If a gymnast out there reads this and I’m wrong feel free to correct me). In dance, those are the basics that need to be judged on. Gymnastics is also based on the steps. Dance is typically based on the emotion or the expression. How could a judge critique emotion? You can’t set a bunch of rules on how to judge emotion. One judge may like the fact that they’re making big faces, while the other may think the dancer is doing too much. A syllabus on how to determine that couldn’t very well be made without a huge controversy.
At the same time, though, dance is SO athletic! Why do you think most dancers are thin but muscular? It’s because of the intensity that it brings to our physical beings. If you get the right dance teachers, they’ll tell you that you should be sweating after the first combination that you do in class. Dance is created so that you work right off the bat. The physical demands are so extreme that classes are designed to almost immediately warm up your body. In this aspect, it almost DEMANDS to be a sport. The physicality of it is almost more-so than half the sports out there. I mean, come on, look at curling. If THAT can be called a sport, why not call dance a sport?
Then there’s the comparison of dance and cheerleading, and how cheerleading is not being considered a sport. This just boggles my mind. How can cheerleading NOT be called a sport? Yes, it involves poms poms, and yes, it involves yelling, but seriously, I’d like to see some of those nay-sayers do a split jump in second, or even attempt a back flip! I can’t do it. I’d absolutely put cheerleading in the category of sports. There’s an element of creativity to it, of course, but it’s not really a performing art. The physical demands of dance and cheerleading are very much so the same, with the only differences being the types of tricks that are performed. So if cheerleading won’t be considered a sport, then why is dance now being considered?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and walk that fiery line of being on both sides. I think it’s an athletic performing art. The other performing arts out there don’t put that physical demand on the body. You can’t call acting a sport, right? There isn’t the same level of activity. At the same time, it’s a form of expression and was originally created as a way for people to interact. It’s a performance, not just a regulated series of steps. Essentially, dance is the best of the both worlds. It’s the only performing art that requires that physicality, while at the same time is one of the few sports that require the creative aspect along with emotion.
The next time you talk to a dancer, give them some credit. They’re always being told that they’re one thing or another, when really they’re all the good things of the categories they’re being defined as rolled into one. I really think that dance stands on its own, and is in and of itself its own entity. Thanks for the nudge, though, Gatorade! We appreciate the recognition!
(Just a little note- thanks to www.wikipedia.com for the definitions! I am not endorsed or anything to use their site or anything like that, though! I don't own those definitions!)
My first delve into researching this topic led me to trying to define “art” and “sport.” Wikipedia seemed to give me the best definitions.
“Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the sense or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.”
It intrigued me that even though this described dance perfectly, dance was not listed as an art. Choreography is essentially the “arranging of elements.” When one dances, all the elements align and are put together to create a whole piece. Dance hits all the points of that definition, particularly the mode of expression. I don’t know a single dancer who hasn’t been moved by at least one piece that they’ve danced or created in their life. Even my younger students talk about how they’ve felt during a piece. Essentially, as well, aesthetics are a big part of dance. Everything has to look right, whether it’s meant to be aesthetic for the audience, or for the choreographer.
After seeing that dance was not truly considered an “art”, I did a search for performing art, and that’s where I found it listed. It was basically described as the materials for the art being the human form, as opposed to physical objects. This makes sense, but then this is where we get dangerously close to the definition of a sport.
“A sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In a sport the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning or losing). The physical activity involves the movement of people, animals and/or a variety of objects such as balls and machines. In contrast, games such as card games and board games, though these could be called mind sports and some are recognized as Olympic sports, require only mental skills. Non-competitive activities such as jogging and rock-climbing, are usually classified as recreations.”
This also defines dance. Whether we dance in competitions, or in class, it is still competitive. It’s the difference between competing with other people, and competing with yourself. Dancers are constantly trying to one up themselves to achieve that physical perfection. It’s organized with a set of rules for each class, and how each movement is executed. It’s also most indefinitely a skillful physical activity.
So here’s where the arguments come in. Both art and sport define dance.
Nigel said on the episode of SYTYCD that he couldn’t wait for dance to be included in the Olympics. My gut reaction was “No way!” Dance is so SUBJECTIVE. Contrary to some of the arguments I’ve heard, dance is not like gymnastics. While there are the floor sections that might as well be a dance with a lot of flips, there is still a set amount of tricks that need to be performed. That’s all it basically is, though- a bunch of tricks. I hear from so many judges and dance teachers that complain when dances become all about the “wow” factor, and they don’t have the basics to back it up. In gymnastics, I’m pretty sure that the judges aren’t critiquing on how the gymnasts hold their hands or how wonderful their chasses are (I don’t know this for a fact. If a gymnast out there reads this and I’m wrong feel free to correct me). In dance, those are the basics that need to be judged on. Gymnastics is also based on the steps. Dance is typically based on the emotion or the expression. How could a judge critique emotion? You can’t set a bunch of rules on how to judge emotion. One judge may like the fact that they’re making big faces, while the other may think the dancer is doing too much. A syllabus on how to determine that couldn’t very well be made without a huge controversy.
At the same time, though, dance is SO athletic! Why do you think most dancers are thin but muscular? It’s because of the intensity that it brings to our physical beings. If you get the right dance teachers, they’ll tell you that you should be sweating after the first combination that you do in class. Dance is created so that you work right off the bat. The physical demands are so extreme that classes are designed to almost immediately warm up your body. In this aspect, it almost DEMANDS to be a sport. The physicality of it is almost more-so than half the sports out there. I mean, come on, look at curling. If THAT can be called a sport, why not call dance a sport?
Then there’s the comparison of dance and cheerleading, and how cheerleading is not being considered a sport. This just boggles my mind. How can cheerleading NOT be called a sport? Yes, it involves poms poms, and yes, it involves yelling, but seriously, I’d like to see some of those nay-sayers do a split jump in second, or even attempt a back flip! I can’t do it. I’d absolutely put cheerleading in the category of sports. There’s an element of creativity to it, of course, but it’s not really a performing art. The physical demands of dance and cheerleading are very much so the same, with the only differences being the types of tricks that are performed. So if cheerleading won’t be considered a sport, then why is dance now being considered?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and walk that fiery line of being on both sides. I think it’s an athletic performing art. The other performing arts out there don’t put that physical demand on the body. You can’t call acting a sport, right? There isn’t the same level of activity. At the same time, it’s a form of expression and was originally created as a way for people to interact. It’s a performance, not just a regulated series of steps. Essentially, dance is the best of the both worlds. It’s the only performing art that requires that physicality, while at the same time is one of the few sports that require the creative aspect along with emotion.
The next time you talk to a dancer, give them some credit. They’re always being told that they’re one thing or another, when really they’re all the good things of the categories they’re being defined as rolled into one. I really think that dance stands on its own, and is in and of itself its own entity. Thanks for the nudge, though, Gatorade! We appreciate the recognition!
(Just a little note- thanks to www.wikipedia.com for the definitions! I am not endorsed or anything to use their site or anything like that, though! I don't own those definitions!)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
National Dance Day
Happy National Dance Day everyone! Take a moment to celebrate, even if it's just a little boogie down in front of the mirror before you take off to enjoy the day! I know I'm going to try to!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Egyptian deaf and mute dance company: Dancing without borders
The Egyptian deaf and mute dance company: Dancing without borders
This is an article about an AMAZING dance company. I am so touched by the inspiration! It just goes to show that dance is truly universal.
This is an article about an AMAZING dance company. I am so touched by the inspiration! It just goes to show that dance is truly universal.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Benefits of the Most Important Class For a Dancer
Today I’m going to talk about something that I’ve been hammering into my students’ heads since I started teaching. It’s a concept that a lot of non-dancers don’t know about or realize. It’s something that a lot of recreational dancers don’t think about. It’s something that my competitive dancers can relay back to me anytime I bring it up. It’s something that needs to click in the minds of young dancers.
Ballet is the most important class that a dancer will ever take.
Most of my students cringe at the thought of a tough ballet class. When I’m teaching 7-18 year olds, it’s difficult to find that place where ballet is entertaining, engaging, and yet educational and beneficial. The balance is a tough one, because you want them to be serious enough to improve on a regular basis, but at the same time, have fun. I’ve found that it’s all about establishing the boundaries, and explaining why ballet is so important.
When you first enter a ballet class, you should be somewhat warmed up. I always tell my students to take a few minutes in the lobby before class to do a little stretching to get their blood flowing. A class begins with the students at the barre, doing a series of exercises that work through muscles that will build up for larger movements. After the exercises are done, we move to the center to do exercises that focus on balance and basics. Eventually, we reach the goal of traveling across the dance floor with their movements. These essentials all combine to the point of being able to use what they learn in choreography, and have it transfer to other styles of movement.
Flexibility is an obvious benefit of taking ballet. The dance form itself requires a great amount of it. The goals are to get your legs as high as possible, and to get the split leaps. These can only be achieved through the flexibility in your thighs and hips. It’s also been proved that the flexibility that you attain in your earlier years through ballet can last you throughout your adult life. Anyone over the age of 20 can attest to the fact that this helps when age starts to catch up.
Posture is another obvious benefit. How many kids do we see these days slumping over desks while they take notes in a classroom? How many tall teenagers do we see that slouch because they’re self-conscious of their height? Part of the reason I was put into dance classes in the first place when I was young because the doctors predicted I would grow to be 6 feet tall. While they were off by about 4 inches, I can tell you that my posture is a lot better than my peers that are my height or taller. Because of the fact that ballerinas are always trying to “pull up” (this is a technique used where you lengthen yourself by pulling your torso up and away from your hips, and stretching your neck to achieve maximum height), they learn to use their abdominal and back muscles in such a way that strengthens their positioning. Dancers learn how to align the head, neck, shoulders, back, and hips so that they carry themselves in stronger positions, and form a good basis for balance. They are less likely to have problems because they know how to hold their carriage.
Younger children in the dance world, as well as non-dancers, may not think about this next benefit- discipline. Ballet is a rigorous, methodical, and structured class. It is essentially a school of movement, and it teaches kids to move in an organized way. They learn through watching and hearing how to pointe their toes, or jump in the air in a very specified way. They learn to take instruction, and how to think about the way their body flows in space. As they get older and more serious about dance, they usually end up realizing that they have to continue their training at home. I always tell my students to stretch while they’re watching tv, or to put their feet under the couch to stretch them while they’re doing homework. It’s a sense of self-discipline and self-motivation that grows within them early on. A personal observation is that the students who do the most on their own are usually the ones who are the most self-motivated and -disciplined outside of the dance world as well. This benefit is one that transfers into their reality of the bigger picture.
Some of the more detailed benefits come from within the structure of the class. Ballet teaches a dancer all the basics that they need in order to continue on in their other forms. Turn out is the number one basic that is needed. The concept of turn out is simple. Stand with your feet together; toes and heels parallel to each other, weight evenly distributed. Rotate your hips outward from your body so that your toes are now beginning to point away from each other. I always tell my kids to imagine their hips to be doors opening up to flatten against the wall, since the eventual goal is to get that 180 degree turn out. This is the essential aspect of ballet, only second to alignment. It is used in almost every movement in the world of ballet, and in opposition, it teaches a dancer how to be parallel as well for their other styles.
The strength needed for movement can be found in ballet class. Class itself trains the muscles how to be used. A non-dancer can’t even imagine the amount of strength that is needed. Ballet dancers don’t have the typical bulky muscles that are associated with strength. This is because we are trained to use our muscles in a way that won’t bulk us. Not only do we have to find that strength, but we have to find it and still stay aesthetically pleasing. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine Hulk Hogan in a tutu, and anyone taking him seriously. Dancers have to have his strength, not his look, and that’s one of the most difficult accomplishments to achieve.
Ballet class builds on basics. A class starts with the simplest of movements and gradually gains momentum to moving across the floor. The basics are where the dancer gains the ability to do more difficult steps. The pieces that they must eventually put together are learned from their teachers, and put into play within the usual hour and a half class. The smallest essentials become the building blocks for the tricks that will “wow” their audiences.
Musicality is also learned. From having to count music (“…and a five, six, seven, eight!”), and put those steps to music, young dancers can train their ears to place the count of the music, with the count of the step. When they coincide, the dancer has learned the very basic sense of musicality. Eventually, they will be taught to pick up the subtle nuances in songs, and they will be able to use their bodies to emphasize these nuances.
Last, but not least, a certain amount of respect is learned from ballet. The classroom is not necessarily build as a hierarchy. We’ve all heard the stories about the prima ballerinas getting the prime spots in class, or the best roles, or the best attention. This is not necessarily true in classes. I certainly try not to give preferential treatment. The classroom is a place of learning, and a place to try to better yourself. It is not a place to cause restlessness amongst the troops, so to speak. A dancer learns, first of all, to respect the teacher. I always make sure that my students say please and thank you, and that they raise their hands to speak. They listen, and do not talk back. A dancer learns to respect their classmates. They do not correct each other, unless asked to. They speak to each other without being mean, or judgemental. They also learn that they need to work as a team, and that the team works best when everyone is being mindful of everyone else. Finally, a dancer learns respect for themselves. They realize that they are there to improve upon their skills. Their body is their temple, and they must take care of it, so they respect themselves physically, as well as mentally.
With all these benefits, it always amazes me that more people don’t dance- particularly adults. I know that often times ballet is dubbed as boring, but put the right music to class, and you have a great teacher, it isn’t so boring! Even if I weren’t a dancer from the age of 5, I would find it constantly fascinating. Dance doesn’t just engage one physically, but mentally as well. It’s almost like a game of Simon (remember that game with the lights that lit up in certain order with sounds, and you had to mimic that?)- the lights are the steps, and you have to do them in the order that was given to you. I also know that most adults don’t exactly like the idea of having to wear tights and leotards, but a lot of studios that offer adult beginner courses understand that feeling, and usually are very lenient with the dress code. Heck, I’ve been to adult intermediate courses where most of the dancers were wearing warm ups almost until the very end!
I know I sound like a walking salesperson for ballet classes, but essentially this is just me talking about how great ballet is. Anytime I take a class to brush up, it’s always ballet. It’s so rewarding, and it feels like I’m not only immersing myself in a part of our culture, but also in a part of our art. And with all these outstanding benefits, wouldn’t you like to look and feel like a work of art?
Signing Out
Ballet is the most important class that a dancer will ever take.
Most of my students cringe at the thought of a tough ballet class. When I’m teaching 7-18 year olds, it’s difficult to find that place where ballet is entertaining, engaging, and yet educational and beneficial. The balance is a tough one, because you want them to be serious enough to improve on a regular basis, but at the same time, have fun. I’ve found that it’s all about establishing the boundaries, and explaining why ballet is so important.
When you first enter a ballet class, you should be somewhat warmed up. I always tell my students to take a few minutes in the lobby before class to do a little stretching to get their blood flowing. A class begins with the students at the barre, doing a series of exercises that work through muscles that will build up for larger movements. After the exercises are done, we move to the center to do exercises that focus on balance and basics. Eventually, we reach the goal of traveling across the dance floor with their movements. These essentials all combine to the point of being able to use what they learn in choreography, and have it transfer to other styles of movement.
Flexibility is an obvious benefit of taking ballet. The dance form itself requires a great amount of it. The goals are to get your legs as high as possible, and to get the split leaps. These can only be achieved through the flexibility in your thighs and hips. It’s also been proved that the flexibility that you attain in your earlier years through ballet can last you throughout your adult life. Anyone over the age of 20 can attest to the fact that this helps when age starts to catch up.
Posture is another obvious benefit. How many kids do we see these days slumping over desks while they take notes in a classroom? How many tall teenagers do we see that slouch because they’re self-conscious of their height? Part of the reason I was put into dance classes in the first place when I was young because the doctors predicted I would grow to be 6 feet tall. While they were off by about 4 inches, I can tell you that my posture is a lot better than my peers that are my height or taller. Because of the fact that ballerinas are always trying to “pull up” (this is a technique used where you lengthen yourself by pulling your torso up and away from your hips, and stretching your neck to achieve maximum height), they learn to use their abdominal and back muscles in such a way that strengthens their positioning. Dancers learn how to align the head, neck, shoulders, back, and hips so that they carry themselves in stronger positions, and form a good basis for balance. They are less likely to have problems because they know how to hold their carriage.
Younger children in the dance world, as well as non-dancers, may not think about this next benefit- discipline. Ballet is a rigorous, methodical, and structured class. It is essentially a school of movement, and it teaches kids to move in an organized way. They learn through watching and hearing how to pointe their toes, or jump in the air in a very specified way. They learn to take instruction, and how to think about the way their body flows in space. As they get older and more serious about dance, they usually end up realizing that they have to continue their training at home. I always tell my students to stretch while they’re watching tv, or to put their feet under the couch to stretch them while they’re doing homework. It’s a sense of self-discipline and self-motivation that grows within them early on. A personal observation is that the students who do the most on their own are usually the ones who are the most self-motivated and -disciplined outside of the dance world as well. This benefit is one that transfers into their reality of the bigger picture.
Some of the more detailed benefits come from within the structure of the class. Ballet teaches a dancer all the basics that they need in order to continue on in their other forms. Turn out is the number one basic that is needed. The concept of turn out is simple. Stand with your feet together; toes and heels parallel to each other, weight evenly distributed. Rotate your hips outward from your body so that your toes are now beginning to point away from each other. I always tell my kids to imagine their hips to be doors opening up to flatten against the wall, since the eventual goal is to get that 180 degree turn out. This is the essential aspect of ballet, only second to alignment. It is used in almost every movement in the world of ballet, and in opposition, it teaches a dancer how to be parallel as well for their other styles.
The strength needed for movement can be found in ballet class. Class itself trains the muscles how to be used. A non-dancer can’t even imagine the amount of strength that is needed. Ballet dancers don’t have the typical bulky muscles that are associated with strength. This is because we are trained to use our muscles in a way that won’t bulk us. Not only do we have to find that strength, but we have to find it and still stay aesthetically pleasing. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine Hulk Hogan in a tutu, and anyone taking him seriously. Dancers have to have his strength, not his look, and that’s one of the most difficult accomplishments to achieve.
Ballet class builds on basics. A class starts with the simplest of movements and gradually gains momentum to moving across the floor. The basics are where the dancer gains the ability to do more difficult steps. The pieces that they must eventually put together are learned from their teachers, and put into play within the usual hour and a half class. The smallest essentials become the building blocks for the tricks that will “wow” their audiences.
Musicality is also learned. From having to count music (“…and a five, six, seven, eight!”), and put those steps to music, young dancers can train their ears to place the count of the music, with the count of the step. When they coincide, the dancer has learned the very basic sense of musicality. Eventually, they will be taught to pick up the subtle nuances in songs, and they will be able to use their bodies to emphasize these nuances.
Last, but not least, a certain amount of respect is learned from ballet. The classroom is not necessarily build as a hierarchy. We’ve all heard the stories about the prima ballerinas getting the prime spots in class, or the best roles, or the best attention. This is not necessarily true in classes. I certainly try not to give preferential treatment. The classroom is a place of learning, and a place to try to better yourself. It is not a place to cause restlessness amongst the troops, so to speak. A dancer learns, first of all, to respect the teacher. I always make sure that my students say please and thank you, and that they raise their hands to speak. They listen, and do not talk back. A dancer learns to respect their classmates. They do not correct each other, unless asked to. They speak to each other without being mean, or judgemental. They also learn that they need to work as a team, and that the team works best when everyone is being mindful of everyone else. Finally, a dancer learns respect for themselves. They realize that they are there to improve upon their skills. Their body is their temple, and they must take care of it, so they respect themselves physically, as well as mentally.
With all these benefits, it always amazes me that more people don’t dance- particularly adults. I know that often times ballet is dubbed as boring, but put the right music to class, and you have a great teacher, it isn’t so boring! Even if I weren’t a dancer from the age of 5, I would find it constantly fascinating. Dance doesn’t just engage one physically, but mentally as well. It’s almost like a game of Simon (remember that game with the lights that lit up in certain order with sounds, and you had to mimic that?)- the lights are the steps, and you have to do them in the order that was given to you. I also know that most adults don’t exactly like the idea of having to wear tights and leotards, but a lot of studios that offer adult beginner courses understand that feeling, and usually are very lenient with the dress code. Heck, I’ve been to adult intermediate courses where most of the dancers were wearing warm ups almost until the very end!
I know I sound like a walking salesperson for ballet classes, but essentially this is just me talking about how great ballet is. Anytime I take a class to brush up, it’s always ballet. It’s so rewarding, and it feels like I’m not only immersing myself in a part of our culture, but also in a part of our art. And with all these outstanding benefits, wouldn’t you like to look and feel like a work of art?
Signing Out
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers
It was December 3rd, 2009. I remember sitting down to watch another episode of So You Think You Can Dance. My attention had been waning that season, becoming bored of the usual format, and not really becoming interested in any of the dancers or the choreographers. I had not seen the episode the night before, but was curious to see who would be cut. What I didn’t know was that my life was about to be changed forever.
Cat Deeley made her usual dramatic introduction for “our special guest.” I remember not really catching the name of who was about to perform, but figured if I was amused by them, I’d go back later and watch it to find out who they were.
An ensemble of string music began to fill the air, and a single spotlight shone on a man dressed in a suit and a fedora-style hat. I was instantly pulled in by his robotic movements, and how precise he seemed to be. I had never seen a person do that style of dance so well.
As the dance continued, I realized the song was a string quartet version of “Yellow” by Coldplay. Dancers were coming on and off stage, mixing styles of b-boy, breaking, krumping, contemporary, martial arts, and so many more! The styles entwined with each other as the dancers effortlessly and elegantly interacted on stage. Even the moments of extreme power and aggression seemed to flow and ebb with the lyrical music. Within 20 seconds of the piece I was bawling my eyes out.
This group, my friends, is known as The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, or quite simply The LXD.
The performance on So You Think You Can Dance launched the nationwide interest in The LXD. Previously, many people, including myself, had never even heard of them. I had no idea what they were about, or what they were doing in the world of dance. All I knew was that their performance was so unique, and touched me in such a profound way, that I had to know more.
7 months later, I am an LXD addict.
The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers comes from the mastermind of Jon M. Chu. For dancers and dance fans alike, you may know him as the director of Step Up 2, and the soon-to-be-out film Step Up 3D. You may also know him from the Adam/Chu Dance Crew (aka “ACDC”) which became popular on youtube.com through their battles with the M&M crew (aka Miley Cyrus and Mandi Jiroux). His new concept is what I have to tell you about today.
Imagine for a moment that superheroes existed in society today. Imagine still that these superhero powers were not the typical ones we see in comic books and movies . Imagine even still that the superhero powers that they possessed were those of dance-like proportions. This is the premise for the LXD. It is a web series that defies what most web series have been. Jon Chu has certainly set the standards high for what the future of web-based series will be.
Described as an “online dance adventure”, The LXD is a series that, in true comic book form (which is what they‘re going for!), showcases a battle of good vs. evil. It has only been out for a total of 3 weeks, but it will be premiering it’s next 2 episodes this Wednesday. You’ll want to be catching up.
In every episode, a narrator gives us an overview for what the theme of the day will be. The first episode, entitled “The Tale of Trevor Drift”, explains how there has been a recent uprising and how we must “start in the middle” and learn about each member of The LXD. It seems to be the word that the first season is solely to learn about how each LXD member learned of what their power is, and what they choose to do with it. As of yet, after 3 episodes, it is not clear as to what The LXD actually is, and how it will play a role in these peoples lives.
The choreography is out of this world. The geniuses behind it are Harry Shum Jr. (or you may know him has Mike Chang in Glee) and Christopher Scott. Not only is it intricate and difficult, but it really makes you believe that these characters have super powers. In the episode “Anti Gravity Heroes”, the viewer really will believe that they can defy gravity! In a video posted on Hulu, Travis Wong who plays Jimmy Angel in this episode, talks about how he uses martial arts, dance, and parkour to create the illusion of flying. The best part of it all is that there are NO special effects! Everything you see is the pure talent of the dancers! It also doesn’t hurt that the cinematography is phenomenal. Between the angles they shoot the stunts at, and the perfectly timed slow motion setting on film, it left me in awe. Even the musical score drives the story along. It truly culminates into this beautiful story.
I am always looking for dance that inspires me, and I can find that in the LXD. It’s not what we typically see today. Of course, we have shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars, but that’s almost like watching reality tv with a dance theme. The series is not a documentary or a movie. It’s not even a tv show. It’s a web series that features dance, and is brilliantly pushing it out into the mainstream world.
I feel privileged as a dance teacher to be part of that world- to be able to watch a series from the start, and follow it as it grows. It’s making such a splash (I’ve seen more than one non-dancer on my facebook post their videos) that I can’t wait to see where it goes! I always mention it at random moments to my students of all ages, and have even made my boyfriend watch their stuff. While the boyfriend may not be able to fully appreciate it as much as I do, even he has said that the dancing is “pretty cool.” I pass the word on about the LXD as much as I can, because I believe that this is something to watch. I believe it’s the start of the future of dance!
Tune in every Wednesday to check out The LXD. Add them on facebook. Go to their website. Look up their past videos on youtube.com (in particular, check out their participation in TED- you won’t look at dance the same way again!). Join the fan base that is growing on a daily basis!
And on a final note- I have become such an addict that I just named my new fish “Trevor” after my favorite character so far. I think it may be time for an intervention…
Signing out
Cat Deeley made her usual dramatic introduction for “our special guest.” I remember not really catching the name of who was about to perform, but figured if I was amused by them, I’d go back later and watch it to find out who they were.
An ensemble of string music began to fill the air, and a single spotlight shone on a man dressed in a suit and a fedora-style hat. I was instantly pulled in by his robotic movements, and how precise he seemed to be. I had never seen a person do that style of dance so well.
As the dance continued, I realized the song was a string quartet version of “Yellow” by Coldplay. Dancers were coming on and off stage, mixing styles of b-boy, breaking, krumping, contemporary, martial arts, and so many more! The styles entwined with each other as the dancers effortlessly and elegantly interacted on stage. Even the moments of extreme power and aggression seemed to flow and ebb with the lyrical music. Within 20 seconds of the piece I was bawling my eyes out.
This group, my friends, is known as The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, or quite simply The LXD.
The performance on So You Think You Can Dance launched the nationwide interest in The LXD. Previously, many people, including myself, had never even heard of them. I had no idea what they were about, or what they were doing in the world of dance. All I knew was that their performance was so unique, and touched me in such a profound way, that I had to know more.
7 months later, I am an LXD addict.
The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers comes from the mastermind of Jon M. Chu. For dancers and dance fans alike, you may know him as the director of Step Up 2, and the soon-to-be-out film Step Up 3D. You may also know him from the Adam/Chu Dance Crew (aka “ACDC”) which became popular on youtube.com through their battles with the M&M crew (aka Miley Cyrus and Mandi Jiroux). His new concept is what I have to tell you about today.
Imagine for a moment that superheroes existed in society today. Imagine still that these superhero powers were not the typical ones we see in comic books and movies . Imagine even still that the superhero powers that they possessed were those of dance-like proportions. This is the premise for the LXD. It is a web series that defies what most web series have been. Jon Chu has certainly set the standards high for what the future of web-based series will be.
Described as an “online dance adventure”, The LXD is a series that, in true comic book form (which is what they‘re going for!), showcases a battle of good vs. evil. It has only been out for a total of 3 weeks, but it will be premiering it’s next 2 episodes this Wednesday. You’ll want to be catching up.
In every episode, a narrator gives us an overview for what the theme of the day will be. The first episode, entitled “The Tale of Trevor Drift”, explains how there has been a recent uprising and how we must “start in the middle” and learn about each member of The LXD. It seems to be the word that the first season is solely to learn about how each LXD member learned of what their power is, and what they choose to do with it. As of yet, after 3 episodes, it is not clear as to what The LXD actually is, and how it will play a role in these peoples lives.
The choreography is out of this world. The geniuses behind it are Harry Shum Jr. (or you may know him has Mike Chang in Glee) and Christopher Scott. Not only is it intricate and difficult, but it really makes you believe that these characters have super powers. In the episode “Anti Gravity Heroes”, the viewer really will believe that they can defy gravity! In a video posted on Hulu, Travis Wong who plays Jimmy Angel in this episode, talks about how he uses martial arts, dance, and parkour to create the illusion of flying. The best part of it all is that there are NO special effects! Everything you see is the pure talent of the dancers! It also doesn’t hurt that the cinematography is phenomenal. Between the angles they shoot the stunts at, and the perfectly timed slow motion setting on film, it left me in awe. Even the musical score drives the story along. It truly culminates into this beautiful story.
I am always looking for dance that inspires me, and I can find that in the LXD. It’s not what we typically see today. Of course, we have shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars, but that’s almost like watching reality tv with a dance theme. The series is not a documentary or a movie. It’s not even a tv show. It’s a web series that features dance, and is brilliantly pushing it out into the mainstream world.
I feel privileged as a dance teacher to be part of that world- to be able to watch a series from the start, and follow it as it grows. It’s making such a splash (I’ve seen more than one non-dancer on my facebook post their videos) that I can’t wait to see where it goes! I always mention it at random moments to my students of all ages, and have even made my boyfriend watch their stuff. While the boyfriend may not be able to fully appreciate it as much as I do, even he has said that the dancing is “pretty cool.” I pass the word on about the LXD as much as I can, because I believe that this is something to watch. I believe it’s the start of the future of dance!
Tune in every Wednesday to check out The LXD. Add them on facebook. Go to their website. Look up their past videos on youtube.com (in particular, check out their participation in TED- you won’t look at dance the same way again!). Join the fan base that is growing on a daily basis!
And on a final note- I have become such an addict that I just named my new fish “Trevor” after my favorite character so far. I think it may be time for an intervention…
Signing out
Monday, July 12, 2010
And In The Beginning There Was Dance...
Welcome to the world of Ballet J!
I come to you all today (those of you who are actually reading this, anyway) as a blogger. Most know me as a dance teacher, but as a dance teacher, I am always looking for ways to enhance my experiences and techniques, and constantly looking to push myself forward in the dance world. After having a recent conversation with my sister, I decided that using my writing skills could help me cultivate this desire. So here I am, ready to bring to you a vast array of dance thoughts, opinions, and knowledge. It will be all dance, all the time, ranging from ballet to bollywood to hip hop to tap to modern to renaissance and beyond! I look forward to bringing you all into my world, and hopefully get DANCE out there into the universe of blogging!
An actual entry will be on its way soon!
Much Love
I come to you all today (those of you who are actually reading this, anyway) as a blogger. Most know me as a dance teacher, but as a dance teacher, I am always looking for ways to enhance my experiences and techniques, and constantly looking to push myself forward in the dance world. After having a recent conversation with my sister, I decided that using my writing skills could help me cultivate this desire. So here I am, ready to bring to you a vast array of dance thoughts, opinions, and knowledge. It will be all dance, all the time, ranging from ballet to bollywood to hip hop to tap to modern to renaissance and beyond! I look forward to bringing you all into my world, and hopefully get DANCE out there into the universe of blogging!
An actual entry will be on its way soon!
Much Love
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