Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Weekend

I miss writing out my classes in detail.  I am so much more receptive when I write things down and it really changes the way I think.  So much to say about class tonight, taught by a guest dancer.  He had so many good things to say, he told us to think about using our arms more because we all may have limitations with what our legs can do due to physical structure, but we have the use of our arms, mostly more.  If we think about our arms, it will make us look like thoughtful dancers...

Also, dance the exercises at barre because we must never forget to dance.  Move the torso more at the advanced level and do not be so academic.  Follow the fingers, use the head, go into movements, turn away from the audience slowly...what else...extend yourself because it feels good to expose yourself to he moment.

The exercises and steps made me feel like I was flowing more and I thanked the teacher after class, saying that, for me, it feels best to stretch the body and get out of achy joints and tight spots.  We spoke about the benefits of Bikram yoga, something I want to try, and just the good old tennis ball or even a kong.  So, I will rob my puppy's toy...

I look forward to being in this dancer's class again, as he will be subbing for my regular teacher next week and I will try to write down the exercises so I remember the class, too!  Since I am out of practice with this, the following is not quite accurate.  It seems like the memory must be exercised as well...

Class:
Barre:  We began facing the barre in parallel, point forward, turn out foot each side, tendus en croix through 1st, plie, releve balance.
1. Tendu point flex front, back, sides.
2. Tendu fondu pique fron, back, sides.
3. Degages front, back, side 1st 5th, 1st 1st 1st, 5th.
4. Ronde jambes 4x, battement front through passe to arabesque, ronde jambes side, balance in attitude, promenade to penche.
5. Fondu developpes en croix, ecarte front and back.
6. Beats with frappes en croix.
7. Battements front, side to tendu, fondu side developpe, repeat back.
Center:
1. Tendu croise devant chasse to other leg tendu, chasse back to tendu derrierre, other side, pirouettes from 5th.  Pirouettes from 5th each side, chasse pirouettes from 4th.
2. Waltz in line, chasse pas de bourre pirouettes, detourne pirouettes en dedans, soutenu pique arabesque...tour jetes, tour to attitude, chasse pas de bourre, grand jete or jump of choice...
3. Jumps: 2nd to changements, soubresaut, coupe, coupe, assembles.
4. Echappe faille arabesque, fouette jumps, pique arabesque, tours en tournant...
5. Glissade jete, ballotte ballotte, pique developpe a la seconde, pas de bourre en tournant, glissade ballonne, jete, brises.
6. Fouette turns.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Wednesday...

This is something the children learn, you should know better, the teacher said as we did temps leve passe in a circle.  She came around to me at barre and, placing a stick upon my back, said, don't stick out.  Finally I understand not to hold tension in the back.  We all try to muscle through things and sometimes it is just not necessary.  So my new habit will be to relax my back and not grip everything.  Just hold the muscles and allow the flexibility to happen in the back.  It will take time to understand this feeling, but it will make me a better dancer, I know.

Then today there was a small class and we did pique turns, waltz-in-lines with pas de bourre detourne to pirouettes.  We also did the tendu combination with arms, tendu croise, coupe, tendu epaule, then to back, coupe, efface...  We worked on inside pirouettes: lunge, releve attitude, faille, then turns...

I went to Pilates class at the gym after doing some shopping with Yasir.  He has a new collar and leash which are much stronger than his small collar, also more expensive!  But, this time is so special, his puppy time, like having a young child, it will not come back, this time to savor with your "baby." So now I am tired and puppy is sleeping and I am content that everything is the same and all is well.

In Pilates, the trick of coming up from the ground with a strong back is all in the stomach and abs; that is, you must engage the muscles around the lower back and breathe and come up with a straight back.  Since the teacher did all the exercises with us, I followed her movements to understand what I was supposed to do.   This I think is the best way to learn, to shadow someone more experienced.