Tuesday November 9,2010

Tuesday started off a little hectic. Once I got to school, I realized that I forgot to burn Sing,Sing,Sing on to a CD for the recruitment. Luckily, Ms.Mack was able to quickly burn a CD. We didn't check it to make sure it worked so when we got there, we had technical difficulties. The guidance counselor from the school was able to find us another CD player and it even had an iPod dock. I was able to play the song from my iPod. Other than that, everything else went fine.

Later that day, we showed our solos to our peers and Ms.Mack. Ms. Mack was surprised with my work. She started off my feedback with "holy cow!" She also said that she had never seen me so loose (in different words) before. She seemed to be overall satisfied with our class' work.

Monday, November 8,2010

Monday we had Laurie and she had a lot of books with wardrobe from the time period that we are studying. But during 5th period, Ashlei, Shannon, and I ran Fosse because we were doing recruitments the next two days. Once the freshmen arrived, we looked at wardrobe and learned about the dances of the time. Some of the wardrobe was extravagant. One of the dresses looked like it had a table underneath it. We learned more of the court dances. I felt like I had more of a focused face on this week. The more upbeat dances are more fun.

8th period, we worked on our solos that were due on Tuesday. After I got home, I went across to my grandparents' house to finish up my solo. I'm actually satisfied with what I came up with. I saw what Ms. Mack thought of it the next day.

Dance History and Yoga on a Thursday

Today during 5th period, the seniors cleaned the senior piece, while Ms. Mack started a duet with Dana and Rachel. When the freshmen arrived, we went over World Concert/Ritual and Folk dance for the quiz that we are taking tomorrow. After going over the slideshow, we watched some Polka, Bollywood, Bali, Bharata Natyam, Capoeira videos.

Instead of taking a modern technique class, we took yoga today. It felt so good since I've been sore lately. I felt relaxed afterward and I'm less sore than I was.

Wednesday October 27, 2010

Today is Wednesday. I thought this week was going by slow but it started to go by quicker. I was so out of it today because I couldn't go to sleep until 1:30 last night because I found out than an essay I thought was due Friday was due today. During 5th period, the seniors worked on cleaning on what we have for the senior piece because we look like a mess. We really have to clean it up.

When the freshmen arrived, we started working with Laurie. We learned about two styles of dance from her today, but I cannot remember the names at the moment. I enjoyed doing simple moves, but I guess I was so tired I didn't realize that I was making faces. I need to pay more attention to that next time. During 8th period, we ran through the rep a few times and we had to say "HA" for every move that we did. We then continued working on our assignments from yesterday. The duet that Dana and I had to choreograph actually came together well. I'm satisfied with what we have came up with.

Hopefully I can get to sleep earlier tonight.

Sore Tuesday

This morning I woke up really sore. I was dreading going to dance today because of that. Luckily, once we really started moving, it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it was going to. We set some of the senior piece today during 5th period. We did a ballet bar to warm up today and then we went directly to rep. We set the phrase that we learned during 8th period yesterday. I was actually able to absorb the material today. During 8th period, we moved on in the rep. Ms. Mack gave us each separate assignments. Dana and I had to find a way to do a phrase and stay connected and make it so we couldn't do it without the other person. We had a little trouble with it at first, but we fixed it and showed Ms. Mack again and she said it was better than our first attempt. Ms. Mack said that we will set a lot more of the rep tomorrow.

Tonight I have to do an entire essay on Beowulf that is due tomorrow. This should be interesting.

Mondays

Today is Monday, October 25, 2010. During our senior period, we worked on our solos and yet again, I started it over. When the freshmen arrived, we did a quick modern warm up and then went over the phrase we learned last Wednesday. Ms. Mack decided to leave that be for today cause it looked bad. We reviewed our solos/choreo projects and showed them to each other. After we were done showing, we got our snacks and ate them quick after getting a little confused by the Kanye West video/movie thing. We finished up with learning some rep.

When I got picked up from school, I went to New Brunswick to take a ballet class with Peggy at Lustig Dance Theatre for an hour and a half. Now it's time to do some homework.

Wednesday October 20, 2010

Today we went to the little gym because there was a gas leak in the studio and it was making us sick. It was surprisingly warm in the little gym, it felt nice compared to the coldness we feel everyday. We started with a yoga warmup. After the yoga warmup, we did tendus for 4 minutes straight, then we did a rond de jambe combination. We went over the phrase that we learned on Monday and learned a new phrase. I really like the phrase work we are doing this year so far.

I can tell that I am getting sick because I felt weak and really sore today. This is kind of good because I only have to make it through tomorrow then we have Friday off.

Ballet with Laurie

Today was the first day that we had Laurie. We took a ballet class today because the theater kids couldn't make it today. I was actually happy because I was looking forward to taking a ballet class today. During class I thought Ms. Mack was going to have a fit because the freshmen seemed a little hesitant about triplets and waltz steps, which we have gone over again and again in class. When the freshmen left, we finished with a coda. We had our snack and then we reviewed our solos.

About half way through class my head started to feel pressure and my face started to feel hot, which is how I usually feel right before I get sick. Hopefully I'm not getting sick, I can't afford to miss any school or class with Ms. Mack.

The start to the week.

Today was not really a normal day in dance. Our fellow theater friends joined us in shop. During our senior period Gabe joined Ashlei, Shalima, and me while we learned our senior piece. During sixth period, Ms. Alexander observed us and on her way out she said that she enjoyed it. We then went across the floor with glissades moving forward and backward then combined forward, sideways, and backwards. Ms. Mack then called us over and we made shapes on a piece of paper with our eyes closed. We learned a phrase from those shapes and ran through it a few times with Ms. Mack and a few times without her.

When the freshmen left, we had an interesting snack time. It was really funny but inappropriate. After our snack, we added on to the rep we already had done. I feel like whenever we really start to move on in the rep we have to stop.

Ohhh....Thursday

Today is Thursday October 14. Everything was a blur today. When we got to shop we changed then Ashlei, Shalima, and I played the alphabet game two times through. I think we're getting a little better at it, we still suck, but getting better. After that we reviewed and worked more on our solos. I'm know it's eventually going to get a little easier, but it's ridiculous how much of a hard time I'm having with this at the moment. We started warming up a few minutes before the freshmen came today. We did heel rocks and leg swings on the floor. When the freshmen arrived, we started abs and we did a contraction exercise, foot/ankle warmup, and a devlope exercise. We went across the floor with prances, small leaps, turns, and turns and leaps. When the freshmen left, we went over the rep and added on a little more.

Pilates and Solos

Today when the seniors first got to the studio, we went to go find Mr. Brown so Ms. Mack could get a grant signed. After getting the grant signed by Mr. Brown, Ms. Mack, the seniors, and the two sophomores got into a V formation and walked to the superintendent's office in the Board of Education. When we got back to the studio, we just had enough time to change before the freshmen arrived.

We did pilates today and my shins and ankles were in so much pain because I ran the mile in Converses yesterday oops. When it came to pointing and flexing it hurt the front of my shins and ankles. I felt my muscles working today though. After the 3 full time freshmen left, the seniors and share time students worked on our solo assignments. I got more accomplished today than I did yesterday but I still have a lot of work to do.

Interesting Day

Today was an interesting day in shop. Our senior period we had to pick a quote, poem, image, song lyric, or a line of text that we found inspirational. I chose "Some days I think I'll never through it but I know I will some day" which I find inspiring because I think that it means that even though something may seem like the end of the world one day, you'll get through it eventually. We then had to choose one word that summed up the quote and I chose faith. After choosing the word, we had to make a phrase and each movement had to "scream" the word. As always, I had trouble with this, but more than usual.

When the freshmen arrived, Ms. Mack yelled at them for misbehaving on Friday when she was absent. Their punishment is they have to write an apology letter to Ms. B and Ms. Mack. When all was said and done, we had Ms. Mack's birthday party that included doughnuts. 7th period Ashlei and I had to leave to go to a math contest meeting.

When we got back, it was 8th period and the freshmen were leaving. We continued working on our solos. Ms. Mack asked me what I though faith meant and I couldn't give her an answer and she told me to come up with 7 words that had to do with faith. She had Ashlei do the same and we couldn't come up with any. Ms. Mack called us over and had us play word association for about 10 minutes straight and then movement association for the remainder of the time we had left. When I tell my self to just move and not think about it, that makes me think about it even more.

Yoga class on the web

Today is Thursday and I have done all of the blogs so far this week. When Ashlei and I walked into the studio today, Ms. Mack told us to get changed quick because we were going to do yoga. I was expecting the regular yoga class but we took it from a video. It was a good way to start the dance day, even though I was really sore. Today was a modern day and we took a quick class and got to work on our rep. Well that was the plan, but we were kind of a mess today. We got to our rep and added on a little bit. During snack time, Ashlei and I asked the M.E.D student questions about Mason Gross. That got me even more interested in the program. Just when we were going to start rep 8th period, Ashlei had to leave for work. Ms. Mack started a new phrase with Rachel, Dana, Rachel O, and me. For some reason I couldn't pick it up today. I was getting really frustrated.

WOW!!! It's Wednesday already??

Today is Wednesday and the rain finally stopped and it was a little warmer outside, but it was still cold in the studio. Today during our senior period, Shalima, Ashlei, and I continued to learn the senior phrase. I am so excited for that piece. I love dancing with the girls in my class, as in senior class. It's our last Fall Concert so we have to make sure we perform our best!

We started with a little pilates class when the freshmen joined us. I felt a little weak today and my hips felt uncomfortably tight. I have no idea why and I've been sore and achy since Monday. I hope I'm not getting sick. After pilates, we sat down and discussed our cultures. I couldn't think of any communities that I'm a part of besides school and dance. Our pot of culture for the entire class was pretty empty. We started rep for the fall concert. It started with upper body movements and Ms.Mack tried to add feet and it got complicated. We had snack time and watched "Great Day" from SNL. That short is hilarious. It's so hard to not write "haha" but I'm refraining from it. After snack time, we ran through the ballet rep we have been learning and cleaned up some of the spacing cause it was a mess. After we fixed the spacing it felt better.

Here's Great Day :)

A long story from Ms. Mack

Shop was so much fun today. It started with a field trip to guidance because Ms.Mack had to fax something to Rutgers and then she took us to the bakery to celebrate us applying to college. Apparently Ms.Mack looks like a student because first the guy in the bakery asked if she worked here and then one of the teachers in G-hall said "Where are you ladies off to?" We decided that it was Ms.Mack's outfit today that made her blend in with us.

Today was a ballet technique day. It was colder in the studio today than it was yesterday. So we were allowed to wear whatever we could dance in to keep warm. After class today we had to have the "keep extra deodorant in your dance bag" and hygiene speech. After the freshmen left, Ms. Mack had a long talk with us about all of the things that she has experienced as a dancer, such as injuries, etc. It made me realize that you REALLY have to be passionate to make it in the dance world. Yeah, someone could be talented, but if they could care less it won't make much of a difference.

Rainy and Cold Monday

Today it was freezing in the studio and on top of that it was raining outside. That's exactly how everybody wants to start off their week, but class was fun. Ashlei, Shalima, and I started learning a combination with Ms. Mack that I believe is only going to be the seniors. When the freshmen came, we watched some of a section of a Pina Bausch piece. This weekend is her company's last performance and I wish I could make it. I need to start looking online for dance performances that I could attend so I could see what is out in the dance world.

We took a modern technique class today. We started off on the floor with different types of rolls and other floor work. I think I'm actually starting to understand the idea of keeping your head attached to your spine during a roll. When we got up off of the floor, we did prances and little leaps. Ms. Mack had us trace figure-8s with different parts of our body then we had to make a phrase tracing a figure-8 and a shape that looked somewhat like the picture attached. Then we had to partner up twice and show each other our phrases and we had to "steal" one of their phrases and interpret it our way. After we showed the class our phrases we were supposed to partner up again and make an opposite phrase but we took our snack time and then we went over the flash mob piece.

Thursday 9-30-10

Thursday was a little crazy. Ms. Cipperly told Ms.Mack that she wanted Ashlei, Shannon, and me to go on a recruitment with her 3:30 the previous day. Thursday morning consisted of rushing to put Fosse together with 3 people and running around trying to find a blank cd. Ms.Cipperly was yelling at us because we were running late. But eventually everything came together. That afternoon in shop we reviewed the combinations for the skills test the following day. After the freshmen left, we did rep.

Monday 09-27-10

On Monday, we did ballet for the only time this week because we were preparing for a skills test that we were taking on Friday. During our senior period, Shalima and I continued to work on our solos. I started again because I didn't really have much done. I find choreographing to be hard for me because freshman and sophomore year, I didn't make new movements that nobody had never seen before, I put moves (turns, jumps, etc.) together that I knew. I did make my own phrases though. It's a challenge trying to get that out of my mind after doing that for two years. I have been working on changing that though. When the freshmen arrived, we took a ballet class.

Friday 10-1-10

Yesterday was the first day of October. I finished the last September of my high school career. Casey announced it fourth period and Ashlei started crying. I think that's when I realized. In shop we did our first exam which had a plie/contraction warm-up, a tendue warm-up, arm swings, and an across the floor. I did pretty well. Ms. Mack told me that when I lift my leg I tend to tuck my tailbone. She also told me that during the arm swings I need to release my shoulders more, which I thought I felt. I also was leaning forward in one of the exercises.

The freshmen could've done a lot better, but it was their first time. Ashlei and I went over the combos with them before they started each one and some of them were doing it right then changed what they were doing. When we were talking to them they said that they thought they were doing it wrong because they saw girls going the other way. I told them that even when they see other people doing it differently than them, just do what they think is right. I love taking those exams because it challenges me to remember combinations without having Ms. Mack in front of us doing it. It's also good to get feedback from Ms. Mack to know how I'm progressing.

Wake up call...

Today Ms. Mack gave Ashlei and me a wake up call during the first period of dance. I feel that I haven't been working my absolute hardest yet this year, so I understand where Ms. Mack was coming from. After starting some college applications this weekend, I'm starting to feel a little more prepared but I don't feel like I'm ready to graduate at the end of this year. I know it's a little early to be saying that, but I'm afraid of what will follow high school. But I know Ms. Mack will do all she can to help me get into college.

Once the freshmen got to dance, we went over the exercises that Ms. Mack is going to test us on this Friday. About half way through the second period, I got called down to guidance. It turns out I'm in the top 15% of my senior class. When I got back, we finished up the freshmen periods. The last period of the day, we started to do some dance history. This year is World Dance History. We made tables to show the characteristics of folk and ritualistic dances. I plan on getting better at blogging as the year goes on. I will finish catching up on my blogs tomorrow night.

A little behind

I am a little behind on my blogs. I guess I'm not used to being back in school yet. From now on I'll be blogging every day that we have school. Today during our shop time, we had a MED student from Rutger's observing our class. During our senior period, Ashlei, Shalima, and I looked at more colleges. When the freshmen joined us, we took a modern technique class. Our last period we went over the rep that we have learned in the past week. After we did the phrases a couple of times, we did chvastna. It always seems to relax me and I always feel refreshed after.

I can't believe that I'm a senior already. It really occurs to me when the freshmen come in everyday and Ms.Mack calls us seniors. This year, I seem to mess up the most simple combinations when we are warming up. I think I'm just nervous and want to be a good model for the freshmen and I overthink the most simple things.

The Fosse Experience

Fosse...where to begin? When Ms. Mack first told us that she was going to set a Fosse piece on us I thought "Cool, Chicago dance!" I was way off. Fosse is so much more than that. You need to remember to have personality and remember all of the details. Learning Fosse has been a difficult experience but also a fun one. Ms. Mack chose to set Sing, Sing, Sing on the entire dance program.

When we first started learning Fosse, I felt like a spaz. After we had been learning Fosse for a few days, it started to feel a little more natural. At this point, I still don't feel completely comfortable but by the time the show comes around, I'm hoping for it to feel as natural as possible. I will be upset when we won't be performing Fosse anymore after the show.

Teen Arts...

Over the course of the 2 weeks, we have learned phrases for the piece the morning class is taking to Teen Arts and Ms. Mack has set the dance on us. I have tried my best to pick up the phrase work and find the details as quickly and accurately as possible. When we started the piece, Shalima and I were faking the counter-balances but now I feel that we actually go for them. I feel that this piece is helping me release in my body even more. When it comes to the parts where I am lifted, I try to help as much as I can by not giving all of my body weight over.

When Ms. Mack gives us notes, I put them into effect immediately. For example, the other day she told me not to step with my heels first and the next time we did the dance, I fixed it. There is a lot of cleaning up to be done with the dance tomorrow and on top of that there's a half day, which means we'll have to work our butts off tomorrow and hopefully everyone is in school or we're in trouble.

What is on my mind?

I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed right now. Between having an SAT class twice a week in New Brunswick and an Italian class in between those two days, Monday thru Wednesday is pretty busy for me. Sometimes I don't even get home until 10:00 and then I still have to eat dinner and do my homework. Luckily after tonight, my Italian class will be over.

I'm worried about the final for my Italian class because I feel like we didn't learn half as much as we did during the first semester. It feels like we spent two classes, which are two and a half hours each, on one lesson in the book. Last week for our review class our teacher let us out at least a half an hour early. Instead of letting us do the review packet on our own during class and going over it together, the professor just gave us the answers. She is letting us make a cheat sheet that is one page long though and we are allowed to use our dictionaries on the final.

My SAT class consumes a lot of my time because after each session, there is homework that needs to be done in the lesson book and online. Depending on the difficulty of the session, it could take me anywhere from one hour to three hours to complete all of the work assigned. Even though the class seems annoying and time consuming right now, I know that it will help me when I take the SATs in June.

Thinking about food

Over the last few days, I've eaten Chinese food, Cold Stone Cupcakes, an Auntie Anne's pretzel and a smoothie, a sub from an Italian resturant, and 2 bologna sandwiches. Not exactly the healthiest food to eat but good for when I'm in a rush. I felt best energy wise after the sub and the Cold Stone Cupcakes. I felt worst energy wise after the Auntie Anne pretzel and the smoothie.

I felt good and full after eating the sub and Chinese food. After I ate the pretzel and the smoothie and the 2 bologna sandwiches, I still felt hungry. The Cold Stone Cupcakes and the pretzel made me feel bloated. I would have to say that I felt healthiest after eating the sub.

My experience in Tommy's class so far

It has been a new experience so far having Tommy. It's a change from modern and ballet classes. I haven't taken a class like his in 3 years (since I left my studio). He's hard on us but it's helping us get better. When we started his classes, my abs,back,and arms were sore before the day even ended. Now, I hardly even feel it anymore, which I think is a good thing.

I'm picking up movement quicker now since we started his class. Instead of standing there watching him show the choreography, I follow along. I've learned that even if you come in with no energy to dance in the morning, you better get it. You can't work half way and expect to get better. You have to work full out all of the time, even when you're told to "mark" through an exercise or dance because you never know who's watching you. I found that when things were hard, I wasn't putting my all into it.

On Monday, we had to make a 32 count phrase with the gestures in the piece and I felt like I couldn't do it. When we had to go up one by one I had to improv it and when it was my turn, I just looked down at the floor and gave up in the middle. He told me that I was ashamed of every movement I was making. I was ashamed because I felt self-concious about what I was doing. When he gave us another 5 minutes to fix it up, I got over the self-conciousness, and started over. I wasn't ashamed of what I came up with in the end. Having Tommy has been an eye-opening experience for me and I will carry what I have learned and will learn in his class with me

Blog for March 15th (done on March 17,2010)

I feel that my technique has developed more this year. I've learned how to grande jete without develope.I've learned to let loose in my body. I accept corrections from my teachers better. Even today Ms. Mack pointed something out that no one has said to me during my 12 years of training. I put my weight towards my pinky toe on releve and that my knees can straighten more than I though they could. Other teachers just told me that I was jerking my supporting leg in my grande battemates, they didn't tell me why it was happening. I don't feel lifting in my hip as much as I used to.

I also feel more comfortable doing modern than I did at the beginning of this year. I learned to let loose a little and not be so stiff all of the time and it feels better when I dance. My contractions have gotten better and I try to work on my lower back flexibility during technique class when we do roll downs. When we do ab workouts in class, instead of jumping up, I pull myself up by grabbing on my legs to also work on my lower back.

When I'm at home, I work on strengthening my feet by doing the exercises Ms. Mack showed us. By the end of the year my goal is to be able to at least lift the three middle toes off the ground without any other toes coming up. I finally grasped that you don't crunch your toes to point your foot, you have to lengthen through the foot and ankle. My plan for the rest of the year is for my technique to keep growing.