Day 237 - College etc.

Just a quick word about college today as I'm shattered.  Thursday is a long day with college and then work in the evening (and voting as an extra today) and I'm now ready for bed.  A very physically and mentally exhausting day.  Music was the underlying theme for my DDI class today, looking at how to communicate to examiner and pianist the rhythm, tempo and style of the desired piece of music for a particular exercise.  I think of my self as a musical person but this seems to he a hurdle for me.  I plan to make note of how I do this while teaching tomorrow and see if I can develop it further.  I'm wondering if it's being put on the spot that stumps me?!  

After DDI I had an Advanced 1 Ballet class.  I'm still not completely up to doing everything in class because of my knee, particularly jumps, but I think small improvements are being made.  I haven't put my pointe shoes on since the re-injury but today I made plans with some fellow students to do some extra pointe work after half term which is next week.  

Anyway, night all :)

Day 236 - 2 for 1

Here are two excerpts from today.  A bit of phrase development and an improv.

Music = Crimes by A Perfect Circle and Ego Brain by System of a Down.

Day 235 - Feet DTM and Stretching

The need to take good ecare of my feet has been known to me for quite some time and I have been doing this deep tissue massage and stretching exercise on and off.  Since it was shown to us at Dartington I have been developing a set routine of movements, influenced by my Indian Head Massage work, that address the needs of my feet.  However, I really need to be doing this on a more regular basis, particularly after a classes. 

The routine starts with warming the feet up with gentle and then more vigorous rubbing.  Making sure that the toes, heels and ankles get as much attention as the arch and instep.  

Next I start to press a bit harder, still using big sweeping motions, following the lines of the tendons and then crossing them.  These movements can be achieved with the thumbs and fingers and pinching techniques.  

Once the feet are warm and pliable I begin to use more focused kneading under the arch from heel to toes and then around the toe joints. 

Next I take each toe in turn performing small circles over the toe to the nail and the gently pull the toe away from the foot without yanking.  Take all the toes together and ease away from the foot again. 

Keeping that hand on the toes and using the other to grasp the ankle I stretch the instep and then flex the foot to stretch the arch again.

While doing this I and focused on how my feet are responding to each motion. As there are so many bones and tendons within the foot it is crucial that care is taken when doing that may cause harm to them.

Another thing added to my theoretical daily schedule!

Day 234 - Current Penche

Flexibly. Something I have battled with since hitting puberty and post injury.  In the hope of motivating myself into doing some kind of stretching routine on a regular basis, building up to at least once a day, I have done some before shots of my Penche (pronounced pon-shay).

The little niggles in my pelvis, back and shoulders are more obvious here as well as the difference in height, and therefore flexibility, each side.  Hopefully some improvement will show over the coming months.

 

Day 233 - Feet and Grade 1

I saw my guest off for his audition and then made my way to MSN.  While waiting at the bus station and during the journey I listened to the ISTD Grade 1 class music and worked my way through the sylabus guide.  I must have listened to it about 5 or 6 times through with going back to repeat some exercises.  I'm pretty much there with knowing the set exercises from the music and I have a few ideas planned for the free exercises.

After a very nice day chilling in the sun I threw together this little feet piece to Ancora by Ludovico Einaudi.  The quality of my camera close up is getting pretty shoddy, might need to invest again soon.

Day 232 - Dancers Brains

Although normally on a Friday I would be teaching Adult Ballet, it was cancelled today due to the Dress Rehearsal for this weekends show being held in that studio tonight.

As a result I had lots of time to spend getting the house ready for and then entertaining my guest.  An dancing friend from my childhood dance school is staying with me as he has an audition in Bristol tomorrow.  We have have been discussing some interesting things about the way dancers brains work and how this affects us in the real world, that and reminiscing!

During dance classes as children we were encouraged to think several steps ahead when learning exercises or choreography to improve memory and the flow from one movement into the next.  This eventually became second nature and a very useful skill and maybe something that those who didn't have this kind of intense vocational training as children would really truly understand.

Having talked about this at length today we both agreed that this has had an impacted on how we go through everyday life.  The ability to consider the next ten or so things that need to be done can be both an asset and a hindrance. The often subconscious internal mantra which usually goes: I need to do this, followed by this, followed by that, which means this has to be next etc etc etc can be a very useful tool when life is busy and fast paced and needs that extra push to get you through all the many and varied tasks ahead.  However, when trying to relax and de-stress after all that running around, turning the internal mantra off is not easy.

Ok so I'm not a psychologist or cognitive scientist and this may just be an oversimplification of how our brains work and are developed but it's an interesting idea that I am keen on pursuing.  If any one knows where to start I'd be open to suggestions.  I have seen articles about how dancers brains can be a tool in helping to understand the way memories form and further discussions about how this can assist in helping people with memory forming and recognition.  Definitely some further research needed if I can find the time.

Day 231 - Failed Thursday

Ugh, today has been horrible due to a very stubborn headache.  It's clearer now but college and work were both out, just being vertical was a struggle.

So what have I done dance related today you ask? Paperwork.

Teaching = being self employed. Self employed = tax return (next year) so trying to keep receipts etc in order so it isn't a complete nightmare when the time comes.

Day 230 - Monday on a Wednesday Improv and Teaching

It's Wednesday so I headed of to teach ISTD Primary.  For my teaching exam (hopefully at the end of this year) I need to know the exercises from each grade from Primary to Grade 5.  This is just for this level, after that I will need to know these plus Grade 6 and Intermediate.  This is not a straight forward thing for me as I did not do these grades growing up.  I figure that as there are 6 grades I need to learn, with 1 day at college a week, that leaves a grade a day for the rest of the week.  OK so this is a big undertaking but I'm hoping that by the end of this term I will mostly be able to recognize each exercise from the music and at least some of them without this prompt.

On my way to teach today I listened to the complete class about three times (doing the exercises in my head and with my feet on the bus!) and then did the class by myself once I'd got to the hall.  As I have been teaching this grade for 4 weeks now I feel pretty confided about the content of the syllabus, this is mostly through physically doing it as well as teaching. Therefore my plan to at least visit each grade once a week should hopefully be a successful one.

While in the studio I also did a small improvisation to ease my way back into choreographing.  My knee is still a weak so this is very calm and controlled.  Music = Monday by Ludovico Einaudi.

Day 229 - Blog Revamp!

An explanation for my absence:

My last post was on March 6th, not exactly a great day for me or my knee.  I aggravated an old injury which had been behaving very well since an operation 10 years ago, thankful it was so long, but still upsetting and painful.  I just pushed myself too far and, after a busy week of cycling, classes, college and working on things for the blog; my knee gave way.

Two months of (mostly) resting later; getting back to walking, cycling and dancing has been a slow road.  The first couple of weeks held small victories like being about to walk up and then downstairs!  I've been back at college, ballet and teaching (more on that later) for a few weeks now so it's time to crack on with this!

WARNING! WARNING! BLOG REVAMP IN PROCESS!

Okay so after this little slap in the face from reality I have decided this 365 project needs to be more about what I'm doing in my dance life and less about forcing creativity each day.  As a very good friend has been trying to tell me for a while, it's not just about the video's. I'm paraphrasing but she's right.  I do so much in preparation for this project that doesn't really get seen; hence the re-vamp.

This will be a good thing for me and my sanity.  Limiting my personal definition of the word choreography, and my relationship with it, is stifling my creativity (the opposite of what this project was supposed to do).  This is most apparent in the ritual I began to find myself performing everyday for the blog.

Find space,
what to wear,
find music,
place camera,
check placement,
press record,
press play,
dance,
stop,
watch,
record,
dance,
play,
dance,
play,
dance,
stop,
watch,
repeat til kinda satisfied,
pack up,
import,
attach audio track,
trim ends,
fade in/out,
play with visuals,
export, upload, blog and share!

An absolutely terrible way to create.  Or is that just me?  There was definitely a lot more energy going to the creating but I was beginning to feel trapped by the process. A trap of my own doing.

Moving forward with a bit of background.

I normally have a pretty crazily scheduled life but this year it has become pretty bonkers.  Earlier this year I was traveling back home (6 hours each way) most weekends to teach children's ballet classes on Saturday mornings, helping out a friend until a more long term solution could be arranged.  I did this for a couple of months (both before and after the recent injury) and it was a fantastic experience for the teaching course I am also doing at the moment.

Current Timetable:

Through my college I am now teaching two ballet classes in Bristol, again temporary but good experience.  One is an adults beginner class (Fridays) and the other is ISTD Primary (Wednesdays).  The course I mentioned is ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance) Diploma in Dance Instruction, hereafter referred to as 'college'. I do one day a week (Thursdays) plus other classes (usually Ballet on Tuesdays) and going in to do observations etc. (more about these soon).  On top of this I also work part time (Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays) and try to fit in time for study, a social life and this blog!  I said it was crazy.

Onwards!

SO this revamp thing. It will involve all aspects of my life relating to dance.  I'm going to live my life, day by day and being to piece together a picture that somehow resembles my love affair with dance.  And it is a love affair. With all the hurdles that perusing this passion has thrown in my path it must be love for me to keep coming back and not be able to function properly without. Either that or obsession!

Right that's it, enough soul sharing, something creative.

On Wednesday 5th March I went for a lovely walk with some friends and we found a rather large log.  Nice place for a rest and a photo shoot?  OK I couldn't resist having a balance on it, here are the best pics :)