Ballet Mid-Term Video

Ballet Mid-Term Video 2013

Today, in Ballet class, we discussed about the video we watched from our Ballet Mid-term. This is a great way to see improvement, the habits that are still there, and the habits that have been improved throughout the semesters.

In general, as a group, we sometimes lack feeling each other as an ensemble and maybe is because we are very aware of our combination, or the things we have to work on. I think being an ensemble and also working on our own specific things are equally important to a dancer. Moreover, we were asked to watch the class as a group as well as to look at us individually and take notes based on what we saw from the video.  I knowers that some dancers keep their weight shift backwards and they also seat on the lower spin and that is why is very hard to balance. This placement can cause back pain as well but it can be improved by lifting from the top of the head. There were a lot of problems with sickling feet in tondus, passes, cut de pie, etc.

In addition, when executing grand plié, we have to make sure to push our knees back so that they do not get injured. We have to remember that rotation starts from the inner thighs. When we execute passé, I see a lot of us not finishing it by going through the leg, fifth, and plié. That would help us for pirouettes. Also, feet are not pointed to the maximum and this can be improved by lengthening the whole leg.

When performing any combination we have to make sure to stay alive at all times; keep that stage of presence in the body and mind. I think that it also helps improve the energy level of the class.

Furthermore, I saw things that I need to work on as well; for example, my elbows tend to rise sometimes and that keeps tension in my back. When I do plié from fourth position I have to keep an eye on the leg behind to make sure the knee does not stay slightly forward. I knowers that my arm in fifth had a different line shape on this video and I think is because I was not putting life through the arms.

I enjoy seeing my fellow dancers and I take the class from a different view to learn from everyone strengths and weaknesses. This is a great experience that I will hold for the rest of my career and even apply to my own teaching method.

Process

My process this semester has been very productive. I have taken everything I have learned from previous semesters. I can say that I have become much better with time management. I plan my schedule a lot better. My consistency and responsibility for my school assignments keep getting better as I get wiser and mature. Throughout my years at HCC I have know-es that my body has gotten a lot stronger. I now I feel much secured and stable on top of my legs. The quality of movement in my body is more grounded and fluid.  I am founding my own signature movements by searching and focusing through body gestures. I keep getting such large knowledge of movement executions. I feel more comfortable with the fluidity of my steps, especially in Modern class. Before, I have to say, I used to categorize myself as a ballerina. I used to say I was not good enough in Modern and it was not my thing, until I saw the creativity and uniqueness behind every movement. I have such an open mind for every particular gesture or action. I have to say that my current Modern professor completely changed my prospective of modern dance. Anything we set our minds to can become possible.

My personal life has improved as to what I really want to do for my future. I always knew dance was my passion but I did not know if it was a good decision and if I really had the possibility to strive for better things as time passed by. Even though I have difficulty proving a person wrong, I still have people that believe in me. I know I can become a successful professor and dancer and I also know it takes a lot of wanting to learn something new every day to become talented but I am shooting for that goal, the highest pick of the mountain. I have acquired the patience to know what is wrong and what is right, and that is why I keep furthering my education to open resources to a great and successful future. Despite the responsibilities from a young age and putting any negative thoughts or disappointments aside, I still believe in my strengths and what makes me happy.

I am more confident to go anywhere and conquer any obstacle. I have a bigger purpose to continue what I already started. I have no fear and I am prepared to keep enriching my passion for dance.

Ballet Mid-Term Video 2013

Today, in Ballet class, we discussed about the video we watched from our Ballet Mid-term. This is a great way to see improvement, the habits that are still there, and the habits that have been improved throughout the semesters.

In general, as a group, we sometimes lack feeling each other as an ensemble and maybe is because we are very aware of our combination, or the things we have to work on. I think being an ensemble and also working on our own specific things are equally important to a dancer. Moreover, we were asked to watch the class as a group as well as to look at us individually and take notes based on what we saw from the video.  I knowers that some dancers keep their weight shift backwards and they also seat on the lower spin and that is why is very hard to balance. This placement can cause back pain as well but it can be improved by lifting from the top of the head. There were a lot of problems with sickling feet in tondus, passes, cut de pie, etc.

In addition, when executing grand plié, we have to make sure to push our knees back so that they do not get injured. We have to remember that rotation starts from the inner thighs. When we execute passé, I see a lot of us not finishing it by going through the leg, fifth, and plié. That would help us for pirouettes. Also, feet are not pointed to the maximum and this can be improved by lengthening the whole leg.

When performing any combination we have to make sure to stay alive at all times; keep that stage of presence in the body and mind. I think that it also helps improve the energy level of the class.

Furthermore, I saw things that I need to work on as well; for example, my elbows tend to rise sometimes and that keeps tension in my back. When I do plié from fourth position I have to keep an eye on the leg behind to make sure the knee does not stay slightly forward. I knowers that my arm in fifth had a different line shape on this video and I think is because I was not putting life through the arms.

I enjoy seeing my fellow dancers and I take the class from a different view to learn from everyone strengths and weaknesses. This is a great experience that I will hold for the rest of my career and even apply to my own teaching method.

A Teacher Who Keeps Them on Their Toes (Article)

On one of my Ballet classes, our instructor assigned us to read an article. The article talks about a 73 year old professor, by the name of Wilhelm Burmann who danced with New York City Ballet and Joffrey Ballet but now focuses his career on teaching. I thought this article resembles my idea of the arts and how I see myself teacher in the near future. This instructor focuses on stage presentation and personality in movement. The class price is $17 which is affordable for the dancers and it is a great opportunity to train with such a talented and aficionado instructor. He says that he is not tough, the profession is. I completely agree with him. If an instructor does not set rules and it is not serious about his career, now one will take this person seriously. One needs to set discipline, consistency and work ethic in order to have integrity throughout the process of learning.

On another note, I want to point out some relative phrases he says: "It's not about the steps. It's how you put it to music.” “I love good, honest dancing people who have something that you cannot explain." It’s not one, two, three, four. It’s one, two, three, fooooour. Musicality should come from within us. If we are true passionate dancers, musicality should come really easily. I started learning how to count steps just about months ago after I took my Music for Dance class. Before that, I only when where I saw the music moved me to go to the next step and for me that is the best way to move through a dance, only thinking about your movements, knowing the music well, and feeling the steps. He is a sharp professor, meaning he would say the ballet combination once, cued the pianist and the dancers are supposed to do as told because then the instructor just focuses on going around correcting the dancers.

I like a phrase he says at the end of the article: It’s not that I was the greatest teacher, we were the greatest together” This to me means that this career is not about ourselves individually only but our cast as well. It is about being an ensemble and sharing the knowledge and support to one another. Working together and feeling every single dancer in a single space is much more powerful than having individualism.

This article was such a great thing to keep for the rest of my life. When my teaching career begins, I am sure I will go back once in a while and read through this remarkable article to keep reminding myself of what a wonderful career I will have in the near future.

Arabesques

Arabesque is one of the basic poses in Ballet. Arabesque takes its name from a form of Moorish ornament. In ballet it is a position of the body, in profile, supported on one leg, which can be straight or on demi-plié, with the other leg extended behind and at right angles to it, and the arms held in various positions creating the longest line from the fingertips to the toes. The shoulders must be held square to the line of direction.

There are different types of Arabesques. The Cecchetti method uses five principal arabesques; the Russian School (Vaganova), four; and the French School, two. Arabesques are used to conclude a phrase of steps; it could be in adagio movements or allegro movements.

In the Cecchetti Arabesques we have first, second, third, fourth and fifth arabesque. First Arabesque is executed with the body held upright from the waist and is supported on a straight leg with the other leg extended and at right angles to the supporting leg. The shoulders are held square to the line with arms extended, palms are down, so that the extended fingertips of the forward arm are in a line with the center of the space between the eyes, and the extended back arm slightly lowered so that the arm are in one straight line. The forward hand should be slightly turned outward. Second Arabesque is executed with the arms reversed so that the forward arm is the opposite of the supporting leg. The head is slightly inclined and turned toward the audience. Third arabesque is executed with both arms extended forward to the side of the supporting leg. The fingertips of the arm farther from the audience are in a line with the center of the space between the eyes while the arm nearer the audience is in a line with the shoulder. Fourth arabesque is executed with supporting leg nearer the audience and is in demi-plié. The arms and head are held as the first arabesque with the am on the side of the raised leg being forward. Fifth arabesque is executed with arms and head held as in the third arabesque with the arm farther from the audience being the higher. The supporting led is the le nearer the audience and is in demi-plié. The fourth and fifth arabesques are taken facing the right front corner of the room or stage if the supporting leg is the left, or facing the left front corner if the supporting leg is the right.