Weekly Reflection Numero 3

This week wiped me out.I think that so much was going on at the same time that I got so tired by the end of the week. I finished the last touches on the choreography such as editing music, corrections and got the dance piece to look awesome! This week I also worked on perfecting my scene for my drama class for when I when performed it last week. The last thing that I did this week was the musical. I worked extra hours in the dance studio so that I would build the confidence I wanted for all of the times that we performed the musical.

I enjoyed everything that I did during this week. As the week progressed I got more and more sad, because I did not want everything to come to an end. this experience has been awesome. I enjoyed working with my group of dance students. They have made me want to teach more dances and maybe become a dace teacher some day. As for the play, all I have to say is that I will remember memorable moment that I had. I wouldn't change this experience for the world.

This week was full of surprises. I had no idea that the choreography that I created was going to look so good. I sometimes don't myself enough credit for the choreography's that I create. However this experience has made me realize that I could really do this in the future.

and the sadness comes!

Today most things came to an end. I had my last acting class at Proctor Academy,from 1:30 to 2:30. This is my last daily blog entry of my Senior Project. Today I met with my class from 3:00 to 4:00 so that we could go over the modern dance in the theater. So that it will look awesome Tuesday during assembly. Today was the opening night of Cabaret!!!!! It was a great show, and I am very sad that all of this is coming to an end.  

Yes !!!!

So today was an awesome day!!!!! From 11:00 to 12:30 I went through dances magazines in the library. I browsed through the magazines so that I could get some ideas for what costumes we are going to wear in the modern dance on Tuesday.

From 3:00 to 4:00 I met with my dance class. We went over the dance various times in the dance studio. I answered all of their question's. After practicing the choreography in the studio we went on stage so that we could figure out the spacing. I saw my group of dancer's do the piece and all I was thinking to myself was YES!!!!!!!!!! It looks SO good! I am very proud of them.

We had an open dress rehearsal today, so that means that we had an audience. It was weird to have a small audience at the beginning. the show went by a lot faster tonight because most things ran smoothly. We shall see how it goes tomorrow!!!

towards the end

So today from 10:00 till 1045 I went to Drama Major. We worked on our scenes, and got angrier and angrier in the scenes. John and I are really happy people and we do not get mad that often, so it is a real challenge for us to get really mad in our scene. Friday is our last class and we get to perform it in front of the classroom for the last time.

This afternoon was very laid back since we just went over the notes for the musical from 12:30 to 2:00. We had the rest of the afternoon free.I went to my room and finished editing the music. Tomorrow I get to ran through the choreography with my group from 4:00 to 5:00.

As usual we went through a run through of the musical. We were called in at 6:00 and we will probably end by 9:45 pm. I am really sad that everything is coming to an end.

The beginning!

    Today from 11:00 to 11:55 I wrote the whole choreography on paper. I did this so that I wouldn't miss anything. We just have to got over the choreography over and over. We had a lot of fun in drama class today, from 11:55 to 12:45 we did improvisations. These improvisations turn out to be very funny and I think the correct word to describe them would be random. 

    I wasn't able to work with my class today because they went to perform their other dance pieces at the New London Hospital. they also performed the modern dance choreography so that they could use it as practice. From 3:15 to 4:15 we worked on curtain call and Michael read to us some notes on the musical. I can't believe that we have done this production in only 7 weeks. It is crazy!!!From 6:00-9:15 to we did a run through of the musical. 

Complete!

Today was an amazing day!I edited my music and put all the pieces together from 8:30 to 10:30. The music sounds really good, and the dance changed a little bit, but I think it is for the best.I was really excited to teach my class in the afternoon what I had done with the dance.

From 10:55 to 11:55 I went to Drama class. Today was a bit challenging for me because I had to really express a lot of anger for my scene. I have found this class helpful in expressing my emotions. I just have to say that it is bit challenging expressing such anger since I don't really get mad that often.

During the afternoon I helped with scene changes in the musical from 3:15 to 4:00. I then went to teach my dance class for an hour. The dance looks beautiful. We put all the pieces together, and I became speechless. It looked even more beautiful than I had ever pictured it.

We ran through the whole musical tonight from 6:00 to 9:30! It was tiring but it just gets better and better. Production week is exhausting but it is reallyexciting.

Weekly Reflection Numero 2

        This week was a bit more chaotic. I had to balance teaching and musical. Sometimes I became limited from working with one group more than the other. This week was more chaotic because it is the time when the choreography, the musical and  drama classes are in the middle stage. I have practice the choreography with the whole, the musical has to fix things here and there and drama class is coming to an end soon. Everything is soon going to come to an end.

        This week was the first week that I ever taught dance for two straight hours. I have to say that it wasn't really my body that was numb, but my brain was exhausted when we finished.I think it is something that I could see myself do in the future. To be a dance teacher you need to be creative, specific and fun! I have had many dance teacher who even though they are tough and crazy jokes during class. I also have had very strict and mean dance teachers, who I didn't like as much. This experience had made me realize how much credit dance teacher's should get. They always make it look easy to teach dance, but it is not as easy as it seems.

     I will benefit from this week's activities by learning more about myself as a teacher. I truthfully asked my peers what they though were my strengths and weaknesses. They told me what they though, and then I worked on making the corrections. Before this experience I always thought it would be easy to teach dance. It is not easy especially when you are around the same age as your peers and it is hard for you to feel like you have complete control. I have achieved so much. It is hard to teach the basics of modern, a choreography, across the floor technique  and some of the different types of modern techniques in two weeks. This next week I will the perfect the choreography with my group of dancer's and hopefully be able to present it in assembly. 

         

       

Smoothly

        Hello to everyone that has been reading my blog!!!!!I know that my blogs have lately been repetitive, This would be because I do the same things every day. However every day I learn something new, every day I build on my choreography, every day the dances in the musical look better, every day I learn more on how to be better. 

       From 11:00 to 12:30 I went to the danced studio. I stretched, got my body moving and went through the choreography various times.

       From 3:15 to 5:15 I went to the meeting house. We ran through act one and then took a break until 6:15. We learned a part of the new dance and then we went through the second act. The musical ran through smoothly. I want to work with class on the modern dance and perfection it. 

There is no such thing as too much dancing!!!!

        Yesterday I dance the afternoon away. From 1:30 to 3:15 I completed the modern dance choreography. I put all the pieces together and finally finished the dance. At 3:15 to 5:00 I taught my class the rest of the choreography. By the end of those four and a half hours  of dancing and teaching I was wiped out. However I was very happy on how the danced looked. 

       I then took a 45 minute break and got dinner. From 5:45 to 7:30 we went through the rough spots in the dances. Once we were done cleaning up the dances, we learned the beginning of the kick line!!!! The play is next week. So that means that  production week is next week. At the same time I am trying to finish the modern dance so that the beginner dance group can show what they have learned. 

Chaos!

      Even though today was chaotic, it was still a good day. From 10:00 to 10:50 I went to Drama class. We warmed up and then we went through our scenes. As the days go by the scenes get better and better. I have to get very angry in my scene. It was hard for me to act like I was mad, but them Michael explained it to me and I understood why I was angry. From 1o:50 to 11:30 I went to the dance studio to go over the counts in the choreography.

     Today we did a run through of the musical from 12:30 to 4:15. It was long rehearsal and was full of chaos. It came out rather well. When we finished going through the musical  at 4:20 I went to the dance studio to teach a couple dancer's the material that they missed. We went through the dance various times, until they were more clear with it. We just have to practice what we have and learn the rest of the dance. 

So much dancing!!!

      My day started early today. I danced and did some researching from 8:15 to 10:15. I talked to my class and we agreed that it would be best if we worked on modern and on samba and no other technique. In order for them to really learn the basics of each technique, we need to not move on so quickly. 

     From 11:55 to 12:45 we worked in perfection our scenes in Drama class. I then practiced for a special role in the musical. 

    For the first part of dance I worked with my dance class. We went though the choreography set by set because there were some people who were completely lost. then I taught them a new section of the choreography. It is looking really good. from 4:30 to 5:15 I worked with Joey on a dance for the musical.

    At 6:15 i went back to the the meeting hall and we went though two dances. I finished dancing at 8:0o pm and quite frankly am ready to sleep. 

Week two is here!!!!!

       I got to sleep in a little to day and started to dance at 9:15. My whole body was really sore so a stretched for sometime so that I could dance modern instead of dancing like a robot. I am choreographing the modern dance for my class and plan on starting African dance classes tomorrow. So I we will be going through the modern choreography as well as the new material. At 10:15 I took a break from the choreography. 

     From 10:55 to 11:55 I went to Drama class. We worked on memorizing ten more lines of my scene. I find that dance and acting  are very much alike. While you act you have to do specific  blocking which is kind of like a dance. I feel that taking this class has helped me become more aware of the emotions that I communicate. This helps to put more emotion into dance. At 11:55 I went back to the dance studio to finish a section in the modern choreography. 

     From 3:15 to 5:15  I went to the dance studio. I first worked with my dance class , we went through the modern dance various times. I then danced with the musical group. We made some adjustments in the dances.Tomorrow I plan to prepare my African dance class and extend on my modern dance piece. 

Weekly Reflection Numero 1

   This week I learn many things about choreography and teaching. One of the most important things that I noticed this week was that it is a lot harder than a thought to be a real choreographer. Throughout the week I realized that it was hard to go every day to the dance studio with inspiration. I think it is hard to be an artist and always be inspired. The days that I wasn't as inspired I took a little break and started again. This helped so that I could try again and come up with the new material and not give up.

        

    I really enjoyed having the luxury of having so much time to dance everyday.  I really like 

creating dances for other groups. It makes me have a set goal. i can dance by myself all the 

time and do not need to write all the steps down. However to teach i do have to write all the 

choreography down because I want it all to be very clear. It amazes me how I come up with an 

idea, I then teach it to them and it looks just like I wanted it to. It is like having one of your dreams come true right in front of your eyes. 

        

  I will benefit from this week of teaching dance, by realizing my weaknesses and my strengths as a dance teacher.Before this week I had no idea what kind of teacher I was. I now know what I need to work on. I had never taught more than five people a choreography 

before. Now I am teaching more than ten! I was surprised in how this group of dancer's 

understood everything that I have taught them. We moved though all the material so much 

faster than I would have ever thought. this experience will be unforgettable because of them.  

 

Just the way I wanted

         My day started as usual, with dance. I  danced  today from 8:00 to 1o:00 on technique, flexibility, choreography and a little bit of flamenco. At 10:50 I went to the meeting house to lean more about lighting. it is important to learn about lighting so that I can ask for specific lighting effects for my dances. 

         

       From 1:30 to 2:30 I went to  Drama class. We worked on the same scenes. However it came out differently today. For the first time I actually became my character and wasn't acting.

       

        At 3:15 I worked with my class and taught them the new choreography. It came out just as I had wanted it too. I love creating something and then getting dancer's  to make it come to life. My day ended at 5:15 after dancing the musical pieces on stage.  

Speed things up!

    I danced today for three straight hours!I began at 8:00 and finished at 11:00. I started it out with a lot of energy, but by the end of the third hour I was wiped out. I did a thorough stretch for half and hour and then for fifteen minutes I did some ballet stretches at the bar. At 8:45 I searched for a new song, so that I could start the modern choreography. It took me a while to get the right song.  i achieve my goal by 11 and got twelve eight counts to teach my class.

    This afternoon, we danced out side so that we could enjoy the nice weather. We went through all of the dances from both of the the musical group and the afternoon activity group. At the end of the class we went through the modern exercises across the floor. It was different today because "speed things up" and made the tempo faster. They did a good job in following. Tomorrow i will teach then the choreography, i am excited to see how it looks with all the dancers. 

Bits and Pieces

      I went to Drama Major class from 9:55 to 10:40. Our homework last night was to memorize the first twenty lines of our play, so that today we would be able to run that small section of the play without our scripts. The play became easier to do, because I did not have to worry about looking  at my  script. I could instead focus on acting the scene full out. 

    Once drama class ended I went to the dance studio from 10:45 to 11:30. I worked on extending my material for my afternoon class. I had to add on to our routine across the floor plus adding a few steps that were a little more challenging.

    At 12:30 I went to the dance studio to teach my modern dance class the new material that I had come up with. The class was a loads of fun, they catch on very quickly.I then had to switch gears and go with the Cabaret dancers. We ran through bits and pieces of Act one. We finished with rehearsal at 3:30. 

Second Day May 6

     From 9:15 to 10:15 I went to the dance studio to do some research on how to teach Horton dance technique. I found some videos on the Internet and wrote down  notes on the technique. I then started to write an outline  on the warm up for class that I taught today. It was important to be specific on what steps I was going to teach the class. 

    

     From 10:55 to 11:55 I went outside and wrote down step by step of the warm up and across the floor so that I could teach it in the afternoon. I have to say that it took  a while to write a forty five minute class on a piece a paper,however I accomplished my goal by noon.

    I took a break from dancing and then went to Drama class from 12:00 to 12:45.We worked on memorizing twenty lines of our play, as well as working with props for our scene. 

   From 3:15 to 5:00 then the real fun began!For the first part of the class we stretched and worked on our flexibility. Then we worked on the musical, today we learned how to a double cart wheel. After this I started to teach my class. This week I am teaching the group how to dance Lester Horton's modern dance technique. 

    

    

May 5-9, 2008

Today was my first day of Senior Project! I was so excited to see what I would be doing for the next three weeks. My day started at 9:15 in the morning. I went to the dance studio and did a a thorough stretch. Once I was stretched and ready to dance I did some research to come up with ideas for my next choreography that has to have the essential things of modern dance technique. Such as contact dancing, improvisations, release technique and more . I researched and came up with several songs for my choreography. 

I took a break from dancing and then moved on to my Drama class with Michael Littman. This class went from 10:55 to 11:50. throughout the trimester we have been establishing many skills, but today we worked on improvisation.

At 11:55 I went back to the dance studio, until 12:45. It was taking me a while today to come up with simple choreography for the group. But as soon as I decided on a song I was able to develop the dance a lot faster. By the beginning of noon I came up with the basic outline for the the dance piece. 

From 3:15 to 5:15 I  went to dance  afternoon activity. We spent my time working on the musical. We worked on the songs , then we danced the Kit Kat Club numbers and the finally  connected  the  dancing with  the singing. 

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Get ready for the upcoming posts!