On a recent Sunday night, I was sitting at the Red Fez in Boston having a cocktail and chatting with my boyfriend. There was a slight buzz of excited anticipation in the air. Suddenly we were called to join a woman who introduced herself as our “Time Troll.” We gathered around, and suddenly we were being thrown into a journey that I know I will never forget.
This was the start of Within the Lines- the creative dance experience put on by Urbanity Dance, and created by their artistic director Betsi Graves. My sister, Chantal Doucett, is a company dancer, and I was so glad that she asked me to come see this show. It was unique, it was creative, it was thought-provoking, and even better- it was aesthetically beautiful.
Our “Time Troll” was played by Judith Kalaora. She was FANTASTIC! I’m not sure if she’s a professional actress, but she truly was unique. The role of the time troll was to be our guide through the journey of the performance. When I say “journey” I mean it. Our group was first ushered to a gallery where we met Constance (danced by Kayla Skerry) and her family portraiture consisting of Lucy (danced by Emily Sulock), Eleanor (danced by Lara Park), and Abigail (danced by Chantal Doucett- my beautiful sister!). The four were framed in time as a family. The diversity in movement was wonderful. It ranged from serious to quirky and even had a “traditional” type dance. Constance desires to break away from the family and move outside her family portrait and we began to follow her on her journey…
Our time troll brought us to the next gallery where we were told we would be facing our fears. As we shuffled into the space, a lone dancer stood statuesquely in the middle of the room encompassed by a long, beautiful black and red cape, glowing sinisterly in a red lighting. This is Vanilicious ( danced by Danielle Pastuszack). She began to move slowly, and suddenly hands were emerging from the cape (truly frightening, if I might add; like something out of a horror flick). As the dancer moves, the hands disappear but then are revealed as more dancers, or fears. Constance timidly walks in to the space to face her fears by facing off with Vanilicious. The dancers were intense. The corps work was danced well, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off Danielle. Her dancing and intense gaze drew you in. It was no wonder that Constance was tempted to follow here- I would have! But Constance managed to defeat her fears and move on to the next section.
The group was next led to another gallery where we were in a moment of time where we would experience both being old and being young at the same time. A group of “nanas” were dancing as young girls dressed in sparkly sequined dresses. As Constance is taken aback by the feisty little old ladies, their moments are interrupted by young children who are dancing as though they were the old ones. They were dressed in simple outfits in dark colors. The juxtaposition of old and young was fascinating and was shown through Constance’s curiosity. In truth, this was my least favorite part of the show. The choreography for the first whole part didn’t seem to work for me. It was as if someone else a little younger and a little more inexperienced had put it together. While I understood the reasoning behind the sparkly cocktail dresses, I found them extremely distracting, and all I could think about was how miraculous it was that the sequins hadn’t caught and messed the dancers up. This section was redeemed when the children danced, and the ending part showed maturity in both the dancing and the choreography. The nanas left, and so did Constance, and we followed her to the next section.
In the next room we were introduced to the Pristinellas- ice goddesses that were allowing Constance, and our group, to be a witness to their ceremonious dance. Our time troll had told us that winter was on its way (my boyfriend and I turned to each other and said “Winter is coming” as she described that. Yep, we are Game of Thrones nerds). The four dancers that play the Pristinellas were tall, long-legged, and beautiful. They were dressed in nude tops and bottoms, and were “exposed” to show their vulnerability. The floor was scattered with paper “snow”. It was absolutely beautiful. I was completely enchanted by the graceful and solemn movement. I fought back tears as the girls extended their legs and pointed their toes and temps de fleched into the air. I was truly touched that these ice goddesses (the so-called “ballerinas” of the company perhaps?) had allowed us to witness their world. Even Constance just sat and watched in awe and wonder. To be touched through dance like that is what I look for in performances, and I’m so glad we got to see that.
After our journey through winter, we were told it was time for a commercial break. How fun! We were ushered into a little smaller space for what must have only been a few minutes to watch 2 male dancers in Urbanity-wear dance and show us that there were tank tops on sale! What a unique way to promote! I thought it was very fun, and creative way to get our attention.
Next we “stumbled” upon a group of dancers in a playground. A group of younger dancers monk eying around in a playground. It was so much fun! They were dressed in coats and leggings and boots (good job for keeping those kids warm!). This was a great site specific piece. The kids used the swings, the slides, the seats that spun, etc. It was even set up that they pulled an “unsuspecting” member of the audience into their playtime (it was soon revealed that he was part of the show. After a rollicking 5 section version of “Gangnam Style” he revealed a t-shirt that said something about living, and proceeded in blowing bubbles from the slide).
Our final stop brought us into the Urbanity studios. 2 screen projectors were set up and Constance danced between them as images of her in rural scenery flashed on the screens. The added multi-media effect really impressed me. Personally, I’m not a big fan of multi-media dance performances, but this fit very well, and got the point across. Our Time Troll then had a volunteer help her move the screen projectors to reveal a paisley wall. I’m pretty sure my great-grandmother had a wall similar to this! As the music started, hands protruded from the wall (again, something out of a horror flick!). Two dancers emerged (Brian Hernandez and Sindy Katrotic) and began to dance and climb and do unimaginable feats on the wall! I was amazed by Brian’s strength, and even more impressed by Sindy’s ability to keep up with him! Their bodies moved and flowed with the design of the wall (they were dressed in costumes that matched the design! Flashback to the shirt scene in the movie “Garden State”). They were dubbed as “wallflowers” in the program.
In the end, Constance returns to the family portraiture a changed woman, and although she didn’t seem to fall back into line, she was able to return and yet keep her new found sense of self. The choreographer and dancers took their bows, and I was honestly a little sad to have it end. We were invited to head back to the Red Fez or to go on our merry way.
Overall, the performance was enchanting and captivating. Even my boyfriend, who has a theater background, but doesn't often go to dance shows, enjoyed it! I was thoroughly impressed with the level of dancing overall. The choreography was complex, but not overdone. It was refreshing to see Betsi’s sense of musicality fit the choreography. Often times I feel as though choreographers try too hard to match the music, or try too hard to go off beat. Betsi found the sweet spot. Not to mention her choice in music was fantastic!
If all of Urbanity’s shows are this fantastic, you can count me in to be there for every single one from now on! Bravo dancers, Betsi, and everyone who was involved! I highly suggest you all check them out at www.urbanitydance.org, or on Facebook or Twitter. I follow them myself!
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Through The Eyes of a Child
It is less than a week away until dance classes start. During the time that I’m not at my other job or trying to enjoy my last few days of freedom, you can find me at my computer putting together lesson plans and searching for music. One of the things I begin to think about is teaching in general. Most years I think about what worked last year, what didn’t, what I experienced from other teachers over the summer, and what material I may have read over the past few months. I put all that together and create what I think will equal out to be my best teaching yet.
For recreational classes one of the biggest tools I use is putting myself in the place of the child. I teach multiple ages. For the older kids, it’s not too hard to imagine what they want out of a class. If they are in high school and in dance class, they’re there because they want to be. So teaching a full out class is easy. Middle school is a little more difficult. These are important years because usually this is the time that they begin to branch out to school activities, and many times, they leave dance behind. You want to make the class mature so that they feel like the older kids, but at the same time, they need to be nurtured like their younger counterparts.
Elementary school age is probably the easiest for me to teach. I am 28 years old, but I swear I’m a 10 year old at heart. I love being silly, even if I do have to hold a sense of authority within the classroom. Often times I come up with fun imagery. For example- this past summer I had my little ones imagine that they had diamond necklaces around their necks so that they would “show it off”. This pulled them up, and showed off their collar bones. Some of the kids became so attached to the idea that in the last few days of their dance camp, they were bringing in various sparkly necklaces to make the imagery come to life. It was a fun way for both them and me to see the excitement of something working.
I love seeing the world through the eyes of a child. As we all grow older we think about the seriousness of dance, and the maturity needed for it, and the complicated world of technique and choreography. Often times, I find it wonderful to just step back from it all and watch as the children dance. It’s a reminder that dancing isn’t just about the technique. It’s not about the steps. It’s the love and passion that the kids have for it. It’s a good reminder about life, too. Adults like to think about the steps- what is the next step in my life? What do I have to do to get from point a to point b? Where will point b take me? We don’t step back often enough to look at the sunset on our way home from work, or watch as our friends and family grow into people we enjoy even more on a daily basis. We become competitive and narrow-minded. Children don’t think that way.
Children live their lives in the moment. They go to dance classes to learn, and they are learning something that they enjoy. They have fun doing something that is enriching their minds, bodies, and souls. They are becoming well-rounded people. To watch children grow is amazing enough, but to watch them blossom as the result of dance classes is something that I am honored to do. It is wonderful for me to know that my career is letting me go back to being a child. I learn as much from them as they learn from me, and that is one of the most amazing aspects of being a teacher.
For just a second today, I ask that you stop and watch a young child in the street. Watch their curiosity, their happiness. Watch how they don’t think much about what they are doing, but how much fun they are having while doing it. Watch the smiles on their faces, and then try to remember what it was like when you were that young. Put yourself in the shoes of that child, and prepare to be amazed at what will come of it.
For recreational classes one of the biggest tools I use is putting myself in the place of the child. I teach multiple ages. For the older kids, it’s not too hard to imagine what they want out of a class. If they are in high school and in dance class, they’re there because they want to be. So teaching a full out class is easy. Middle school is a little more difficult. These are important years because usually this is the time that they begin to branch out to school activities, and many times, they leave dance behind. You want to make the class mature so that they feel like the older kids, but at the same time, they need to be nurtured like their younger counterparts.
Elementary school age is probably the easiest for me to teach. I am 28 years old, but I swear I’m a 10 year old at heart. I love being silly, even if I do have to hold a sense of authority within the classroom. Often times I come up with fun imagery. For example- this past summer I had my little ones imagine that they had diamond necklaces around their necks so that they would “show it off”. This pulled them up, and showed off their collar bones. Some of the kids became so attached to the idea that in the last few days of their dance camp, they were bringing in various sparkly necklaces to make the imagery come to life. It was a fun way for both them and me to see the excitement of something working.
I love seeing the world through the eyes of a child. As we all grow older we think about the seriousness of dance, and the maturity needed for it, and the complicated world of technique and choreography. Often times, I find it wonderful to just step back from it all and watch as the children dance. It’s a reminder that dancing isn’t just about the technique. It’s not about the steps. It’s the love and passion that the kids have for it. It’s a good reminder about life, too. Adults like to think about the steps- what is the next step in my life? What do I have to do to get from point a to point b? Where will point b take me? We don’t step back often enough to look at the sunset on our way home from work, or watch as our friends and family grow into people we enjoy even more on a daily basis. We become competitive and narrow-minded. Children don’t think that way.
Children live their lives in the moment. They go to dance classes to learn, and they are learning something that they enjoy. They have fun doing something that is enriching their minds, bodies, and souls. They are becoming well-rounded people. To watch children grow is amazing enough, but to watch them blossom as the result of dance classes is something that I am honored to do. It is wonderful for me to know that my career is letting me go back to being a child. I learn as much from them as they learn from me, and that is one of the most amazing aspects of being a teacher.
For just a second today, I ask that you stop and watch a young child in the street. Watch their curiosity, their happiness. Watch how they don’t think much about what they are doing, but how much fun they are having while doing it. Watch the smiles on their faces, and then try to remember what it was like when you were that young. Put yourself in the shoes of that child, and prepare to be amazed at what will come of it.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Self-Discipline in the Dancer's World
Several months ago, I thought my life was going to hit a dark place. I was fortunate enough to realize that it wasn’t a time to go to a dark place, but rather a place of light and happiness. However, I sought friendship from people that I hadn’t talked to in a long time, and surrounded myself in a group of people that I knew would help in that journey. In this time, I conversed with a friend that I hadn’t had a significant chat with in ages. In the process of catching up, he suggested to me that I read a book to help me with my dancing and teaching. It was only recently that attained this book and started reading.
I’m only halfway through and it has changed my perspective on everything as a teacher.
I don’t know about any other teacher out there, but I know that there are days when using the week be fore’s lesson plan is easier than making up a new one. Whether it’s the fact that you’re tired from that second or third job, or you had an opportunity to have lunch with a friend instead of create the lesson plan that you’ve put off doing all week, or your creativity for the week has seemed to run dry, there are situations that prevent us all from getting done what needs to be done. These “situations”, however, are just excuses.
The book that I am reading talks about personal resistance. It’s not being able to get over that hump. It’s about saying “I can totally do this later” or “I can definitely use last week’s lesson plan instead of creating one that will further enrich my students.” These are situations that we create within ourselves. These are situations that are easily moved past. These are situations that require a self-discipline.
One thing that I have always loved about dance is that it is a necessity to acquire self-discipline. You can’t be a student and expect to grow and develop without taking the initiative, and feeling the drive and motivation to better yourself. As a dancer, you need to stretch before you come into class. You need to know that if your ankle is feeling tight you need to go home and rest it instead of going out with your friends. If you’re a competitive dancer, you sacrifice a lot of your social life to be able to go to classes and competitions on the weekends. If you’re a ballerina in a performing arts school, or a ballet school, you sacrifice having any sort of life outside of ballet. Many dancers learn at a young age that they have to become independent and self-driven to achieve their dreams of becoming something great.
From a teaching perspective, there is a required amount of discipline as well. Not only are you in charge of a group of children, but you are in charge of their development. That is a heavy weight to carry. On top of students’ development, a teacher is in charge of their own development as well. Whether it’s taking the time to go take a class, or reading up on choreographers, or taking more courses in school that help you better understand a dance class, it’s about broadening your own horizons so you can pass the knowledge on to your own students.
Being a dancer and being a dance teacher is a wonderful journey. You are constantly learning- there is no point where you will know it all. The industry itself is in constant state of evolution. Legs are kicking higher, revolutions in turns are becoming more, the dances are becoming faster, and there is an overall desire to create stronger and more flexible dancers. As the industry demands more, we as teachers must demand more. That includes not only from our students, but from ourselves. This is our self-discipline.
Take the time each day to enrich your dance life. Take the time to finish that biography on Twyla Tharp. Got no one to go with to see that ballet you were interested in? Go by yourself! Take that class from that teacher that you’re terrified of being judged by. Overcome that demon inside that is telling you to slack, or the one that is telling you that you can’t do as much as you’d want to. Not only will it better you and your students, but the sense of accomplishment you will feel afterwards will be worth it all.
I’ve overcome my first personal resistance of the day now. How about you?
I’m only halfway through and it has changed my perspective on everything as a teacher.
I don’t know about any other teacher out there, but I know that there are days when using the week be fore’s lesson plan is easier than making up a new one. Whether it’s the fact that you’re tired from that second or third job, or you had an opportunity to have lunch with a friend instead of create the lesson plan that you’ve put off doing all week, or your creativity for the week has seemed to run dry, there are situations that prevent us all from getting done what needs to be done. These “situations”, however, are just excuses.
The book that I am reading talks about personal resistance. It’s not being able to get over that hump. It’s about saying “I can totally do this later” or “I can definitely use last week’s lesson plan instead of creating one that will further enrich my students.” These are situations that we create within ourselves. These are situations that are easily moved past. These are situations that require a self-discipline.
One thing that I have always loved about dance is that it is a necessity to acquire self-discipline. You can’t be a student and expect to grow and develop without taking the initiative, and feeling the drive and motivation to better yourself. As a dancer, you need to stretch before you come into class. You need to know that if your ankle is feeling tight you need to go home and rest it instead of going out with your friends. If you’re a competitive dancer, you sacrifice a lot of your social life to be able to go to classes and competitions on the weekends. If you’re a ballerina in a performing arts school, or a ballet school, you sacrifice having any sort of life outside of ballet. Many dancers learn at a young age that they have to become independent and self-driven to achieve their dreams of becoming something great.
From a teaching perspective, there is a required amount of discipline as well. Not only are you in charge of a group of children, but you are in charge of their development. That is a heavy weight to carry. On top of students’ development, a teacher is in charge of their own development as well. Whether it’s taking the time to go take a class, or reading up on choreographers, or taking more courses in school that help you better understand a dance class, it’s about broadening your own horizons so you can pass the knowledge on to your own students.
Being a dancer and being a dance teacher is a wonderful journey. You are constantly learning- there is no point where you will know it all. The industry itself is in constant state of evolution. Legs are kicking higher, revolutions in turns are becoming more, the dances are becoming faster, and there is an overall desire to create stronger and more flexible dancers. As the industry demands more, we as teachers must demand more. That includes not only from our students, but from ourselves. This is our self-discipline.
Take the time each day to enrich your dance life. Take the time to finish that biography on Twyla Tharp. Got no one to go with to see that ballet you were interested in? Go by yourself! Take that class from that teacher that you’re terrified of being judged by. Overcome that demon inside that is telling you to slack, or the one that is telling you that you can’t do as much as you’d want to. Not only will it better you and your students, but the sense of accomplishment you will feel afterwards will be worth it all.
I’ve overcome my first personal resistance of the day now. How about you?
Thursday, May 24, 2012
The Importance of Sound
The other evening I was sitting at a restaurant watching the Tvs that were on. They were displaying some sort of music awards (sadly, I do not know which one it was). Since there was music playing, they did not put the sound on the televisions. At one point, a friend of mine and I happened to look up to see a gentleman break dancing with only one leg dressed in an old school military uniform with C-Lo Green in the back. We both looked at each other with the inquisitive expression of “what is going on?” Had the music been playing, or the sound in general had been on, we may have had a better idea as to what the point was of this particular act in the show. It hit me then- music is SO important!
Dance is typically a visual art. However, there are so many aural aspects to it that one may not typically think about. The best example is lyrical dance. Lyrical dance in itself is about the lyrics in the music. Without the music, you may not be able to fully understand exactly what the dance is trying to convey. A dancer could be clasping her hands together to show that she is holding flowers while the song portrays a wedding, and without the words, you would just think she was clasping her hands. It would not be understood that she was a “bride” so to speak.
As a choreographer, I find that it’s best to choreograph with music. I took many classes where, and know many choreographers who can create a dance just based off of movement. I personally love to listen to a piece of music over and over again and find the nuances of it. When I can get my hands on the composed music itself, I like that even better. I am fortunate to have taken music classes for a long time (flute player in band for years!) so I can read music on paper and understand it and follow along while the song plays. This of course is more so with classical type pieces. It helps me to find parts of a song that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up on had I not had the physical written composition in front of me.
Even with pieces that do not have music, I feel like hearing the breath of the dancer, or even the soft swooshing movements of a foot along the dance floor, or hands clapping, or the sound of a turn, are essential to any dance. Without those, I would feel like any particular piece would be flat and emotionless, even if the performer put all the emotion they could into it. Sound creates the full experience. It’s similar to being able to have lighting for specific pieces. It just makes all the difference!
Had I heard the music on that night in the restaurant, I may not be wondering right now what it actually was that I was seeing. Not to mention that I missed a performance by C-Lo Green whom I love! Next time, maybe I should just ask the server to turn up the sound!
Dance is typically a visual art. However, there are so many aural aspects to it that one may not typically think about. The best example is lyrical dance. Lyrical dance in itself is about the lyrics in the music. Without the music, you may not be able to fully understand exactly what the dance is trying to convey. A dancer could be clasping her hands together to show that she is holding flowers while the song portrays a wedding, and without the words, you would just think she was clasping her hands. It would not be understood that she was a “bride” so to speak.
As a choreographer, I find that it’s best to choreograph with music. I took many classes where, and know many choreographers who can create a dance just based off of movement. I personally love to listen to a piece of music over and over again and find the nuances of it. When I can get my hands on the composed music itself, I like that even better. I am fortunate to have taken music classes for a long time (flute player in band for years!) so I can read music on paper and understand it and follow along while the song plays. This of course is more so with classical type pieces. It helps me to find parts of a song that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up on had I not had the physical written composition in front of me.
Even with pieces that do not have music, I feel like hearing the breath of the dancer, or even the soft swooshing movements of a foot along the dance floor, or hands clapping, or the sound of a turn, are essential to any dance. Without those, I would feel like any particular piece would be flat and emotionless, even if the performer put all the emotion they could into it. Sound creates the full experience. It’s similar to being able to have lighting for specific pieces. It just makes all the difference!
Had I heard the music on that night in the restaurant, I may not be wondering right now what it actually was that I was seeing. Not to mention that I missed a performance by C-Lo Green whom I love! Next time, maybe I should just ask the server to turn up the sound!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Coming Out of My Dance Shell
So I have been very absent from this blog lately. I have been absent from my Twitter page as well. This is due to some major changes in my personal life over the past few weeks, and I am sad to say that these were the first few things to go the wayside. However, I am slowly building back up to something along the lines of normalcy in my personal life, and I thought, what a wonderful way to bring it back through a blog!
So not to divulge too much about my situation, but let’s just say that I have released something in my life that was holding me down for too long, and it has rocked many of the foundations that I have built over the past few years of my life. However, with this rocking of foundations has come with certain realizations of myself. One of those realizations is that as a dancer, it is not just what I do, but part of who I am.
When this release happened, the first thing that I wanted to do was DANCE. I wanted to choreograph. I wanted to channel all those emotions and conflicts inside my head into bodily movement to tell my story. And you know what? I did. I took the time to go into a dance studio recently and just dance my heart out. I haven’t taken a dance class since the summer, and I was scared to know what I looked like. I had no mirrors in front of me to see how I was doing and I was barely awake with only half a cup of coffee in my system. I recorded my dancing, and to my surprise, I looked decent. We all have a tendency to be our own worst critics, but certain things surprised me.
There is one song that stood out for me when I improvised. I put on the song “Breathe Again” by Sara Bareilles, and just went for it. Little did I know that 1- it would turn into looking like a put together piece, and 2- that I would start crying in the middle of the dancing. The song is about leaving someone behind because you’re looking for something more, and hoping someday you’ll find it. It hits home a little too much right now. One movement where I let out all the air in body suddenly became an epic moment in my life. It was the realization that dance would always be there for me.
People ask all me the time- “well, what are you going to do when you can’t dance anymore?” People look at me like I’m crazy for wanting to be in a career where you don’t get paid a whole lot, and when you need to search out your own benefits, if you can get any. People wonder why I choose an art for a career.
This is my answer- I have known since the age of 7 that I wanted to be a dancer. Sure, I went through stints where I wanted to be a marine biologist or a writer, but I always knew inside that it was always going to be dance. I don’t care if there are hardships, or struggles. Those are just channeled into the choreography and dancing, and enhances my life experiences. Financially it may not be sound, but dancers find ways, and we make sacrifices so that we can do this. I do not get upset from having to have another job to pay my bills. If anything, it teaches me more discipline and responsibility. While I may have needed guidance in those areas for a while, I have grown to become an incredible person from my dancing. I have learned so much from being a dancer, and I continue to learn from it, and my mentors, teachers, and peers within the field.
Dance is not something that grew into my life. There was something in my soul and my spirit at conception that was implemented so that I would be able to share my talent with the universe. My purpose in life is to dance, and therefore, is part of me. It is part of who I am, and not just what I do, and how many people get to say that in this lifetime? Very very few.
I hope to continue to learn the various forms in which this purpose is going to manifest. I am excited that this realization came while I am still young enough to take full advantage of it, and I am looking forward to even more realizations in other parts of my life.
And you can bet that I will be back here more to talk about my journeys!
So not to divulge too much about my situation, but let’s just say that I have released something in my life that was holding me down for too long, and it has rocked many of the foundations that I have built over the past few years of my life. However, with this rocking of foundations has come with certain realizations of myself. One of those realizations is that as a dancer, it is not just what I do, but part of who I am.
When this release happened, the first thing that I wanted to do was DANCE. I wanted to choreograph. I wanted to channel all those emotions and conflicts inside my head into bodily movement to tell my story. And you know what? I did. I took the time to go into a dance studio recently and just dance my heart out. I haven’t taken a dance class since the summer, and I was scared to know what I looked like. I had no mirrors in front of me to see how I was doing and I was barely awake with only half a cup of coffee in my system. I recorded my dancing, and to my surprise, I looked decent. We all have a tendency to be our own worst critics, but certain things surprised me.
There is one song that stood out for me when I improvised. I put on the song “Breathe Again” by Sara Bareilles, and just went for it. Little did I know that 1- it would turn into looking like a put together piece, and 2- that I would start crying in the middle of the dancing. The song is about leaving someone behind because you’re looking for something more, and hoping someday you’ll find it. It hits home a little too much right now. One movement where I let out all the air in body suddenly became an epic moment in my life. It was the realization that dance would always be there for me.
People ask all me the time- “well, what are you going to do when you can’t dance anymore?” People look at me like I’m crazy for wanting to be in a career where you don’t get paid a whole lot, and when you need to search out your own benefits, if you can get any. People wonder why I choose an art for a career.
This is my answer- I have known since the age of 7 that I wanted to be a dancer. Sure, I went through stints where I wanted to be a marine biologist or a writer, but I always knew inside that it was always going to be dance. I don’t care if there are hardships, or struggles. Those are just channeled into the choreography and dancing, and enhances my life experiences. Financially it may not be sound, but dancers find ways, and we make sacrifices so that we can do this. I do not get upset from having to have another job to pay my bills. If anything, it teaches me more discipline and responsibility. While I may have needed guidance in those areas for a while, I have grown to become an incredible person from my dancing. I have learned so much from being a dancer, and I continue to learn from it, and my mentors, teachers, and peers within the field.
Dance is not something that grew into my life. There was something in my soul and my spirit at conception that was implemented so that I would be able to share my talent with the universe. My purpose in life is to dance, and therefore, is part of me. It is part of who I am, and not just what I do, and how many people get to say that in this lifetime? Very very few.
I hope to continue to learn the various forms in which this purpose is going to manifest. I am excited that this realization came while I am still young enough to take full advantage of it, and I am looking forward to even more realizations in other parts of my life.
And you can bet that I will be back here more to talk about my journeys!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Music to Make You Warm
Snow fell this week in New England, and it got me thinking- again- about warming up in dance! This time, however, it got me thinking about the music I use to warm up my students.
Typically, the warm up music dictates what kind of class a student will be involved in. If it's jazz, I'll typically put on some Dance or Electronic music. At least, that's what I've been using lately. If it's lyrical, I'll put on some slow, pretty sounding music, albeit usually sad. While I usually let the barre be the warm up for a ballet class, if I do a stretch in the center, I'll put on a piece of music that I found on a Finis Jhung and Scott Killian cd entitled "Atmospheric Stretching". Lately, however, I've been into something a little different.
For my younger classes, I've stuck with keeping genre of dance with the genre of music. For my older students, I've been straying the beaten path. I've been going down a more modern/contemporary route. I've been using the soundtrack to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" movie (US version). The music is done by the same pair that did the soundtrack for "The Social Network"- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. When my students who are on the younger side hear it, they usually say something like "this is weird." Well, it is. But I love it! It's slightly ominous, while being atmospheric. Having read the book by Stieg Larsson, but not having seen the movie yet, it seems to capture the essence of the story. However, I'm not quite going for that violent, thriller/crime theme in the dance class. Instead, it provides a feeling of strength for the dancers to relate with.
For a while before I was using that soundtrack, I was working with Balmorhea's self-titled album from 2007. My students liked the aspect of typewriters and sandpaper-sounding tones. It allowed for me to warm up the students at a slow-ish pace, but also allowing me to gauge how the students were feeling and either speed it up or slow it down, or even work a little longer on specific areas of the body. Without specific or consistent time signatures, or even beats, it provided more of an atmospheric soundtrack, than a downbeat driven class.
What kind of music do you like to warm up to in class? Do you like faster music or slower? What kinds of warm ups get your blood flowing faster?
Typically, the warm up music dictates what kind of class a student will be involved in. If it's jazz, I'll typically put on some Dance or Electronic music. At least, that's what I've been using lately. If it's lyrical, I'll put on some slow, pretty sounding music, albeit usually sad. While I usually let the barre be the warm up for a ballet class, if I do a stretch in the center, I'll put on a piece of music that I found on a Finis Jhung and Scott Killian cd entitled "Atmospheric Stretching". Lately, however, I've been into something a little different.
For my younger classes, I've stuck with keeping genre of dance with the genre of music. For my older students, I've been straying the beaten path. I've been going down a more modern/contemporary route. I've been using the soundtrack to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" movie (US version). The music is done by the same pair that did the soundtrack for "The Social Network"- Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. When my students who are on the younger side hear it, they usually say something like "this is weird." Well, it is. But I love it! It's slightly ominous, while being atmospheric. Having read the book by Stieg Larsson, but not having seen the movie yet, it seems to capture the essence of the story. However, I'm not quite going for that violent, thriller/crime theme in the dance class. Instead, it provides a feeling of strength for the dancers to relate with.
For a while before I was using that soundtrack, I was working with Balmorhea's self-titled album from 2007. My students liked the aspect of typewriters and sandpaper-sounding tones. It allowed for me to warm up the students at a slow-ish pace, but also allowing me to gauge how the students were feeling and either speed it up or slow it down, or even work a little longer on specific areas of the body. Without specific or consistent time signatures, or even beats, it provided more of an atmospheric soundtrack, than a downbeat driven class.
What kind of music do you like to warm up to in class? Do you like faster music or slower? What kinds of warm ups get your blood flowing faster?
Friday, December 30, 2011
A Reflection of 2011
Ah, yet again, I have been terrible about keeping up with this blog. The inspiration is always there- it’s a matter of remembering to put the inspiration into words and finding the time to do it! I’m sure most of you out there can relate!
I have decided to take the time to reflect on my personal year in dance.
The first part of 2011 was muddled with some personal problems that I was working through, however, I realize that the dance studio was my place of respite. From fine-tuning my competitive choreography, to creating for my recreational dancers, I found comfort in throwing myself into the world of dance. In some classes, it proved to be the drive that I needed. In others, I found myself struggling to be inspired.
2011 was the first year that I had a group lyric dance in competition. While it did not win any major awards, I was very proud of the choreography, and extremely pleased with much of the feedback that I got from judges. It was the same with a ballet piece. It was the first time our director was entering a group with a ballet dance that wasn’t the top level in the studio. They held their own, and proved to be able to handle a ballet piece with positivity, hard work, and a little grace.
Recreationally, 2011 was a mix. While the kids were great, and the dances wound up being good, I had some difficulty choreographing. With one class in particular, it seemed I had different people out every week, and since I wasn’t good with keeping the same notebook in my bag, I had no idea where anyone was spatially in the dance. It was, on a grand majority, my fault. On the other hand, I had a class where the choreography was done in almost record time, and we almost over rehearsed it for the recital. It paid off, though- it was one of my favorite and most fun pieces I ever created.
2011 was also the first year I acted as a judge in the dance world. I gained a whole new respect for dance competition judges. I had judged for a one day competition that started very early, but ended at a pretty decent hour. I was exhausted and wiped out by the end. Even with breaks for lunch and coffee, and having the opportunity to get up and walk around, I was amazed at how draining it was! However, I would never pass up the opportunity to do it again. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it, and loved being able to see different dancers out there.
The summer proved to be a long one this year. I typically take the summer off. The craziness from January to May usually gives me the feeling that I have the right to take this time off from dancing. I had the opportunity to go see some of my dancers at a Nationals competition in Boston where they did very well. After that, though, it was a long way to August. I wound up taking up jogging just to get myself back into a physical place. It paid off, though. I felt in top physical shape!
When August finally came around and I started teaching for the summer program, I felt ready to be inspired and boy was I! If you check out some of my previous entries, you’ll read about some of my experiences I had with taking class. It sparked the flame in me. My desire to return to my best year yet had been stoked.
The fall season began with a few minor hiccups, but I am proud to say that I believe this is going to be the best year yet! I am finding my stride as a choreographer. I am better aware of my students as dancers, and I am more aware of my choreography on stage. I know what inspires me, and hope that I can pass the inspiration on to my students. I adore working where I do, and can only hope that 2011 will be the year that my dance/teaching/choreography skills expand and move to new heights.
Looking back on 2011, in all aspects of my life, I believe it was a growing year. While I believe that some years are filled with more growth than others, I felt as though I walked into 2011 humbly, knowing that I had a long way to go, and that I needed to grow in certain ways in my life. I am walking confidently this year into 2012 with a better sense of where I am, and with an ever-increasing hunger to learn from my peers and superiors.
I am most looking forward to creating more dances in 2012. What are you looking forward to the most?
I have decided to take the time to reflect on my personal year in dance.
The first part of 2011 was muddled with some personal problems that I was working through, however, I realize that the dance studio was my place of respite. From fine-tuning my competitive choreography, to creating for my recreational dancers, I found comfort in throwing myself into the world of dance. In some classes, it proved to be the drive that I needed. In others, I found myself struggling to be inspired.
2011 was the first year that I had a group lyric dance in competition. While it did not win any major awards, I was very proud of the choreography, and extremely pleased with much of the feedback that I got from judges. It was the same with a ballet piece. It was the first time our director was entering a group with a ballet dance that wasn’t the top level in the studio. They held their own, and proved to be able to handle a ballet piece with positivity, hard work, and a little grace.
Recreationally, 2011 was a mix. While the kids were great, and the dances wound up being good, I had some difficulty choreographing. With one class in particular, it seemed I had different people out every week, and since I wasn’t good with keeping the same notebook in my bag, I had no idea where anyone was spatially in the dance. It was, on a grand majority, my fault. On the other hand, I had a class where the choreography was done in almost record time, and we almost over rehearsed it for the recital. It paid off, though- it was one of my favorite and most fun pieces I ever created.
2011 was also the first year I acted as a judge in the dance world. I gained a whole new respect for dance competition judges. I had judged for a one day competition that started very early, but ended at a pretty decent hour. I was exhausted and wiped out by the end. Even with breaks for lunch and coffee, and having the opportunity to get up and walk around, I was amazed at how draining it was! However, I would never pass up the opportunity to do it again. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it, and loved being able to see different dancers out there.
The summer proved to be a long one this year. I typically take the summer off. The craziness from January to May usually gives me the feeling that I have the right to take this time off from dancing. I had the opportunity to go see some of my dancers at a Nationals competition in Boston where they did very well. After that, though, it was a long way to August. I wound up taking up jogging just to get myself back into a physical place. It paid off, though. I felt in top physical shape!
When August finally came around and I started teaching for the summer program, I felt ready to be inspired and boy was I! If you check out some of my previous entries, you’ll read about some of my experiences I had with taking class. It sparked the flame in me. My desire to return to my best year yet had been stoked.
The fall season began with a few minor hiccups, but I am proud to say that I believe this is going to be the best year yet! I am finding my stride as a choreographer. I am better aware of my students as dancers, and I am more aware of my choreography on stage. I know what inspires me, and hope that I can pass the inspiration on to my students. I adore working where I do, and can only hope that 2011 will be the year that my dance/teaching/choreography skills expand and move to new heights.
Looking back on 2011, in all aspects of my life, I believe it was a growing year. While I believe that some years are filled with more growth than others, I felt as though I walked into 2011 humbly, knowing that I had a long way to go, and that I needed to grow in certain ways in my life. I am walking confidently this year into 2012 with a better sense of where I am, and with an ever-increasing hunger to learn from my peers and superiors.
I am most looking forward to creating more dances in 2012. What are you looking forward to the most?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Search For Music
Sometimes searching for music for choreography can give me a headache.
Last year, I had a class of a large amounts of kids at varying levels of technique that were being introduced to the idea of an “open” piece. I literally searched for weeks for a song. It started over the summer, and I don’t think I decided until the last possible second. I spent many a night in my bed with my laptop staying up until 3AM doing searches on various internet websites related to music. I did finally find the perfect song, and it was worth it with the top scores that they pulled throughout the year. However, sometimes I wonder if there could have been an easier way.
This year, I had an opposite experience that was extremely uplifting. It started out in panic mode. I had created an idea in my head over the summer regarding the “theme” of the piece I wanted to do. I knew I wanted a certain style of music, and unfortunately, I got a piece of music into my head that I knew had been used a couple of years ago. I had searched absent-mindedly a couple times in the weeks leading up to the start of dance, but abandoned the project quickly every time because of the song in my head.
This past weekend, I realized that I needed to pick out a song quickly. The time when choreography begins had come up fast, and I had lost track of time. I went into the music searching phase in a cluttered-mind-state. Not a promising start. Somehow, I started looking at the same things I had been looking at before, and wound up on a different path. Within 20 minutes, I was at my computer listening to a song for a third time, with tears coming down my face. I knew that I needed this song. It fit the composition styling I was looking for, and it moved me. It’s very rare that I pick a piece of music that doesn’t inspire me- even for younger children ballet, which often can be the most difficult kind of choreography for me. It was incredibly uplifting to find a piece of music that had touched me in a way I was looking for.
I know that every teacher has different styles of looking for music. Just the other day I was sharing a room with a dance teacher who had an idea of what she wanted to do for a hip hop dance, and she was on a music site looking up songs related to candy in hopes to find a remix. Sometimes our methods provoke a long search that lasts weeks. Other times, our methods provide us with a quick and easy process. It can be extremely frustrating, but in the end, I always feel it is worth it when I find a song that fits the group I am choreographing for.
Now that I have found a song for the group, I am thoroughly looking forward to beginning the choreography process. Although overall it is a group that I’m familiar with, there are a few new additions this year that will make the group a little different, and I’m excited for what that means for them!
I hope that all the other competition teachers out there are enjoying their music searching process!
Last year, I had a class of a large amounts of kids at varying levels of technique that were being introduced to the idea of an “open” piece. I literally searched for weeks for a song. It started over the summer, and I don’t think I decided until the last possible second. I spent many a night in my bed with my laptop staying up until 3AM doing searches on various internet websites related to music. I did finally find the perfect song, and it was worth it with the top scores that they pulled throughout the year. However, sometimes I wonder if there could have been an easier way.
This year, I had an opposite experience that was extremely uplifting. It started out in panic mode. I had created an idea in my head over the summer regarding the “theme” of the piece I wanted to do. I knew I wanted a certain style of music, and unfortunately, I got a piece of music into my head that I knew had been used a couple of years ago. I had searched absent-mindedly a couple times in the weeks leading up to the start of dance, but abandoned the project quickly every time because of the song in my head.
This past weekend, I realized that I needed to pick out a song quickly. The time when choreography begins had come up fast, and I had lost track of time. I went into the music searching phase in a cluttered-mind-state. Not a promising start. Somehow, I started looking at the same things I had been looking at before, and wound up on a different path. Within 20 minutes, I was at my computer listening to a song for a third time, with tears coming down my face. I knew that I needed this song. It fit the composition styling I was looking for, and it moved me. It’s very rare that I pick a piece of music that doesn’t inspire me- even for younger children ballet, which often can be the most difficult kind of choreography for me. It was incredibly uplifting to find a piece of music that had touched me in a way I was looking for.
I know that every teacher has different styles of looking for music. Just the other day I was sharing a room with a dance teacher who had an idea of what she wanted to do for a hip hop dance, and she was on a music site looking up songs related to candy in hopes to find a remix. Sometimes our methods provoke a long search that lasts weeks. Other times, our methods provide us with a quick and easy process. It can be extremely frustrating, but in the end, I always feel it is worth it when I find a song that fits the group I am choreographing for.
Now that I have found a song for the group, I am thoroughly looking forward to beginning the choreography process. Although overall it is a group that I’m familiar with, there are a few new additions this year that will make the group a little different, and I’m excited for what that means for them!
I hope that all the other competition teachers out there are enjoying their music searching process!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Museum Inspiration
When I was in college, some of my favorite classes were my composition courses. It wasn’t just for the ability to explore new movements, but for finding ways to be inspired to create those new movements. One of my most memorable projects was creating a piece junior year by going to the Hartford Atheneum, picking out my favorite piece of artwork, and basing a 3 minute dance off of that. In a more conservative college setting, I was the girl who picked the Andy Warhol painting, chose Trans-Siberian Orchestra music, and choreographed a piece about views on death. It wound up being one of the most debated pieces that year. I loved that, because essentially as adult choreographers, isn’t that what we strive to do?
However, the point is not that I created a debatable piece, but that I found inspiration in a painting that very few thought even counted as a painting.
I love museums in general. I could probably go every week to museums and spend entire days in there and never get bored. Last week, I dragged my poor boyfriend through 2 of our favorite museums in the course of one day. He likes museums, too, but he also works in one, so the guy gets tired of them real quick. I’m very lucky to be able to live in an area where I have a museum down the street from me, and multiple museums only a half hour away in Boston. It gives me the opportunity to go whenever I feel the desire.
It’s amazing to me to be able to find certain rooms or artworks where I can sit in a gallery and just stare for hours, and feel completely immersed in its purpose. For example, when I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, they had a gallery in the Art of the Americas wing based on George Washington. There was a MASSIVE (and by massive, I mean it took up a whole wall) painting of George Washington on a hill looking out over a battle. I don’t remember the name of the painting, or who painted it, but I stepped back from it, and just stared at it. I studied the expressions on the faces, and noticed the anguish on the soldiers’ faces. I began to wonder what George Washington was thinking at that moment, and how heavy his decisions must be weighing on his mind. I wondered if he was thinking about the well-being of his soldiers, or if he wasn’t thinking, and just soaking in the scene in the few seconds before charging into battle. For a moment, I could feel myself there in the excitement, sadness, glory, and anguish of a war.
When something like that happens, that begins my thought process for movement. In this particular artwork, I did not think of movement, since only 2 years ago I created a piece called “Battle Faces” and the feelings and emotions were the same evoked from the painting. However, there were plenty of other exhibits that sparked interest. From paintings of children sitting and/or playing in fields to the stoic reverence of the imitation of a Buddhist temple, I felt as though I could’ve plucked any of those ideas out of the museum and choreographed them for a stage. I became immersed in the universes of these moments captured by artists.
I love how my composition courses taught me to find inspiration in anything. The purpose of dance has evolved over centuries, but it has remained as an outlet of expression. Expression is something that we all experience on a moment by moment basis, so it is largely relatable. It also gives choreographers the accessibility to create anything from anything. Inspiration can come in the form of sitting in a museum, or it can come from watching a person walk down the street. Personally, I found inspiration in certain paintings at the museum. Some ideas I’ll spare my students from. Others, I can’t wait to get to work on!
Thanks to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for the lovely experience!
However, the point is not that I created a debatable piece, but that I found inspiration in a painting that very few thought even counted as a painting.
I love museums in general. I could probably go every week to museums and spend entire days in there and never get bored. Last week, I dragged my poor boyfriend through 2 of our favorite museums in the course of one day. He likes museums, too, but he also works in one, so the guy gets tired of them real quick. I’m very lucky to be able to live in an area where I have a museum down the street from me, and multiple museums only a half hour away in Boston. It gives me the opportunity to go whenever I feel the desire.
It’s amazing to me to be able to find certain rooms or artworks where I can sit in a gallery and just stare for hours, and feel completely immersed in its purpose. For example, when I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, they had a gallery in the Art of the Americas wing based on George Washington. There was a MASSIVE (and by massive, I mean it took up a whole wall) painting of George Washington on a hill looking out over a battle. I don’t remember the name of the painting, or who painted it, but I stepped back from it, and just stared at it. I studied the expressions on the faces, and noticed the anguish on the soldiers’ faces. I began to wonder what George Washington was thinking at that moment, and how heavy his decisions must be weighing on his mind. I wondered if he was thinking about the well-being of his soldiers, or if he wasn’t thinking, and just soaking in the scene in the few seconds before charging into battle. For a moment, I could feel myself there in the excitement, sadness, glory, and anguish of a war.
When something like that happens, that begins my thought process for movement. In this particular artwork, I did not think of movement, since only 2 years ago I created a piece called “Battle Faces” and the feelings and emotions were the same evoked from the painting. However, there were plenty of other exhibits that sparked interest. From paintings of children sitting and/or playing in fields to the stoic reverence of the imitation of a Buddhist temple, I felt as though I could’ve plucked any of those ideas out of the museum and choreographed them for a stage. I became immersed in the universes of these moments captured by artists.
I love how my composition courses taught me to find inspiration in anything. The purpose of dance has evolved over centuries, but it has remained as an outlet of expression. Expression is something that we all experience on a moment by moment basis, so it is largely relatable. It also gives choreographers the accessibility to create anything from anything. Inspiration can come in the form of sitting in a museum, or it can come from watching a person walk down the street. Personally, I found inspiration in certain paintings at the museum. Some ideas I’ll spare my students from. Others, I can’t wait to get to work on!
Thanks to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for the lovely experience!
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