dan02sg

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was the last rehearsal

                                         (7th Dicember, 2017)

The end came and with it the last lesson. We did nothing but rehearsed and continued with all our work and effort on the choreographies. Each time we got better bales and no doubt there was a measurable improvement in each one of us. It was not easy to assimilate that this would be the last class we would have but luckily, we faced it with greatness and we continued forward with a smile on the face. Always with a smile.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a Costumes’ choice

                                                                                          (16th November, 2017)

Street Dance

The two hours of class were based on having a 100% of the knowledge of the choreographies and being able to perfect everything and perform it in the direction of the audience as until then, we had only practised looking at the mirrors. It was quite hard at the beginning but fortunately, after a couple of time, I felt comfortable looking that new way.

Afterwards, we spent about 15 minutes deciding what costumes we would like to use and talking about how much we had developed our skills during all this time.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a final song

                                                                                          (10th November, 2017)

Street Dance

During the lesson, we learned so quickly the last song that we started the previous week. It was a good ending song that gave me the choice to improving my skills and give all my potential from the first minute.

WWW

     -     I had a good elaboration of the choreography.

     -     I learned it faster than the other ones, which meant that my body was becoming wider than before.

EBI

     -     I should be less tense and let the body flow more easily.

     -     Now that I know how my movements are, I should avoid looking always at the mirror, because on Cabaret I would not have it.

Indeed, I knew I had the right way to did the dance, but I had to practice it more to develop more my skills. At the same time, I was a bit sad as it was the last choreography I was going to learn.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a men/women separate dance

                                                                                           (2nd November, 2017)

Street Dance

The lesson of that week was quite fun since we learned boys on the one hand and girls on other different choreographies and we had more time to put in our dance whilst girls were learning their part. Due to the absence of one of the boys we did not know well the dance position that we were going to take each one, although without a doubt this was not a problem as we were moving around the stage changing places.

WWW

     -    Because we were just two and we had time enough I could learn the choreography easily.

     -    Between the other boy and I, we could help each other with the other dances.

EBI

     -    I should have warmed up that day as my legs were not feeling well and I could not do the end bit as I would have wanted.

After this and a quick show of the dances to each other, we began to learn the next and last dance that we would do at the Cabaret. However, we could only learn the first set.

[dan02sg]

‘‘No-one knows me like the piano...’‘.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was an exam

                                                                                              (19th October, 2017)

Contemporary Dance

There were two songs with different rhythms that we had to dance with the same choreography. The lights off, the chairs of the stage taken out and the famous table there as always, but this time facing the stage with three chairs located behind it. Examiner chairs I guessed. I started to getting change when the stage lights came on. I stopped, took a step back and let the light caressed my pale skin. I used to spend the year with a tan colour. I was born and raised in Spain for 16 years, and once in London, I lost my dark skin, being in an important nuclear target. Then I heard Federica's voice calling me from the door. I was waiting for her to prepare myself so I could take a seat and be called to dance. Being honest I wasn't afraid, but I felt quite nerves. It was the first time I was going to be marked and punctuated by dancing a choreography made by me. I had been examined years ago at school, but I was a kid and the steps and music were given to us by the teachers. PE is what it has sometimes, it's not always sport and sweating. I then went to the fitting room, once there I get changed. So I left to sit in the audience chairs. I have always considered leggings a comfortable and practical tool for dancing, and it with a maroon shirt I felt ready to give everything. We selected the song '' The mirror '' from 'The Danish Girl' and ''You're the one that I want'' from the musical 'Grease'. The main idea came from the first song. The choreography dealt with the inner sexual identity where a boy starts at the top and realizes that although it seems that he has everything, something is missing inside him. On the other hand, there is a girl on stage which represents the feminine side of the boy who has always been there, but inactive. When the dance progresses, the femininity comes to life and the boy has a fight within himself where he struggles to retain him or to be happy as a woman. At the end of the song, the main character becomes the girl where after the fight wins and succeeds the inner happiness of the character leaving behind his life full of insecurity and empty of love. In the case of the second song we try to adapt it in a different way, with the same choreography, but in a more cheerful and loving way, being the main theme of the dance the adolescent love. I certainly enjoyed what I did and I came away very happy with my efforts and the dance we did, full of passion and strength. However, while the dance was flowing I made a mistake. Whilst I was holding Federica in my arms I stumbled and let my partner out sooner than expected. Although I could certainly do it according to the music and in a way that did not appreciate the least. We were marked and in a matter of days, we got the notes. After these, I had to repeat the second song again to help improve the score of my partner, something I liked since I was able to return to the dance at another time and perform my beloved choreography.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a group choreography

                                            (12th October, 2017)

This class was quite different and for me the most original and fun of them all, as we had the opportunity to create our own choreography in groups. Although, with a list of rules. It could not be a dance without rhythm or coordination. The teacher told us that in our dance we had to include 4 sets of 8 steps. So, we created our own dance with one of the sons that the teacher gave us and we showed it to the other half of the class to get a useful feedback. After that, we were able to rehearse the previous dance that we learned during the last two weeks.

WWW

     -    We were able to create an original choreography in groups.

     -    As a group, we all did an exceptional work together and we worked in a positive and hardworking way.

     -    I could contribute in a positive way, creating new movements and helping the others to learn them.

EBI

     -    I should have to pay more attention to the difficult ones because at the beginning I thought I could do them but I end up with some difficulties on them.

We had a positive feedback that made us see that our work during the lesson was good and productive.

[dan02sg]

‘‘Plié’‘.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a puzzle reconstruction

                                                                                                (9th October, 2017)

Contemporary Dance

The relationships began to narrow over the course and with it fights. There was already a group created and because of the lack of love, everything went to hell. The pieces that composed it were decomposed and scattered around the school. Nothing was the same anymore.

The lesson of that day had a lot to do with the pieces that were beginning to break off around me. I arrived at the theatre and I got ready as usual. As I said, the lesson was about composing and in this case, I was trying to start choreographing the continuation and end of the weekly song in groups of 4 '' No One Knows Like The Piano ... '' However, before we had to do the warm-up routine. '' Rolling Down-Up '' as normal, '' Arms Floating '' to not vary and certainly the most complicated for me '' Flex ''. I practised at home lots of times and I really put effort, but there was no way. That exercise for me was very complicated.  Once spent most of the first hour doing this, the teacher started dictating what had to be done. The theme was to be able to imagine steps and put them together according to a certain order and always taking into account 7 important aspects: Floating, Travelling, Rotating, Falling, Stillness, Elevation and Construction. (Later on, we would learn the movements of Labban Effort). Once the rules were understood, as a team, we put the posters with the names of the different movements in a disorderly manner, joining them as pieces of a puzzle so that they connect positively with the names of the movements that had to be used and in a matter of half an hour we achieved the challenge. We exposed it to the rest of the groups and the teacher and with it, we finished the lesson.

The practice of the papers was easy and there was not much to do to connect that chess. However, the bad feelings and the problems around the class kept increasing and this was not a simple puzzle. It was real and there were no funny moments. Not for the moment.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a continuation

                                          (5th October, 2017)

During this lesson, we learned the rest of the choreography from the previous week. The class did not finish giving me very well because until I practised the piece of music many times it did not come out with more fluency and without thinking about the movements.

WWW

     -     I could learn the learn the whole choreography

     -     I gave 100% to learn to choreography very well.

EBI

    -    I could have learned it more quickly as it took me a long time to get the dance in a fluid and better way

Hopefully, I end up knowing the whole dance, making some mistakes but it was just more rehearse and practice.

[dan02sg]

‘‘Arms Floating’‘.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a class in pairs

                                                                                               (2nd October, 2017)

Contemporary Dance

The next class arrived and in pairs, we helped to improve the mistakes of the partner so that person could correct them. My partner that day was Kathy. The class began slowly with the exercise '' Rolling Down-Up '' to warm up. I did it first. I wrote down her criticism and I tried to improve for the next lesson. In the case of the first exercise she told me that I had a good execution of the movements, but that I had to be careful with my back, try to make it straighter when it goes down and up. For the next activity, we did '' Plié '' with the help of a chair next. Since this was not my favourite exercise and we had not practised much, Kathy told me that I had to focus more on the position of the back and in the third position, the position of the legs and feet. Despite this, I was happy with my concentration and the effort given to the movement, trying to make it perfect. The next exercise was '' 8 ''. This was one of my favourites and she could not give me any feedback apart from good things, which made me proud of my weekly improvement and my effort. The fourth exercise was new and unlike the previous one, it wasn't worth it. It was about flexibility, hence its name '' Flex '', and it was composed of three contiguous parts where you worked your back, concentration and stability of the body in the butterfly position in the first part; a full stretch of the legs with contraction of hands and feet in movement with the arms in the second part; and a leg opening full of stretch with tense feet moving the arms stretched towards the feet in the third and last part. As in the other exercises, my big problem was mainly my back. It was too hard for me to straighten up. As well, the contraction of the feet at the same time of the tension of the legs was another problem to improve. However, again the practice and perseverance were the aspects that helped me to improve. With this and the piano song, which I knew by heart and in which I did not receive more than a positive feedback, we finished the lesson and I went to the grey table for my things to get dressed and go to the next class. Without a doubt the subject advanced. I understood that the lessons were progressing little by little but the good was about to come, and full of emotion, love and passion along with a lot of dedication from me.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a “Seventeen five, same colour t-shirts”.

                                           (28th September, 2017)

The second day started with a 10-minute warm-up, but more intense than last week as we had to endure on the ‘Chair position’ for a long time.

Subsequently, we began to learn the first song that we were going to perform. However, this one was quite harder than the one we learn the first day. It took me ages to can learn it in a fluid and well-done way.

WWW

     -    I was focused on my movements and I could learn the beginning bit of the song with no difficulties.

     -    Good understanding of the dancing techniques and the sets of 8 movements.

EBI

     -    I had started 100% from the first minute of the class, as it goes very fast and if you miss a bit you will not learn it on the way it works.

     -    I would have known the beginning in a better way, as I did know how to do it and for me it was very hard.

I was a bit tired that day, but fortunately, it was a good lesson and everyone helped each other with the difficult bits of the son, showing fellowship.

[dan02sg]

‘‘8’‘.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was an example

                                                                                         (25th September, 2017)

Contemporary Dance

Third day of contemporary. Five to nine in the morning, like the previous two weeks, I had prepared myself at the wooden door to see what would wait for me again in that future class after crossing the thick daily barrier. I deposited the usual daily arsenal at the table and prepared me for the class when then, an unknown voice sounds in the distance. I turn around and there was the person who would voluntarily be with us for the rest of the year. I ended  preparing myself and afterwards I began my walk towards the unknown. We started a conversation and I discovered how sweet and nice that woman seemed. Suddenly the tender and endearing voice of the teacher sounded, calling us as always to start the class. We were a pretty chatty group. During the lesson I was called by the teacher to show my classmates the execution of an exercise, which I was very good at. They took me as an example and I could teach the proper functioning of the muscles in the section. But before continuing talking about the example, let's go to the beginning of the class. Undoubtedly, that was one of the most normal and least novel classes of them all. There was not much to learn and basically I was trying to improve and move forward with my skills in the area of ​​Contemporary style. I made some mistakes because it was the first time I danced and I was aware of it. But I was proud of my work and the classes started to flow like a waterfall. We started as the two previous classes with '' Rolling Down-Up '' where for the first time I realized how curved my back was in the descends and ascends while doing the exercise. The next activity was '' Arms Floating '' to activate the body a little bit before the class and then we continued with the exercise we just learned the previous week, '' The Walk ''. I could coordinated legs, feet and head but I did not know where to put the arms. What could I do with them? Anyway, these things happen. Once again we did '' Plié ''. At the end of the day, it is not as effeminate as I thought and I end up liking it. I did the exercise with precision and care, very focused and trying to perfect each movement. Lessons were continued in the afternoon and between them we had time to drink water and rest for 5 minutes. On my way to the drinking fountain, barefoot and sweating, I came across a person whose face was very familiar to me. I was going to talk to her, but then my legs walked towards the fountain and on the way I thought about the ridiculous thing I could have done if I would ask that person. I understood that making a fool of myself was not something that mattered to me, but why talk to her? I had just arrived in the country and honestly it seemed very difficult to coincide with any of my hometown. After those 5 intense minutes, I went back to work. Then something came up that made me excited. It made me feel strong and understand that every effort has results. It was with the exercise '' 8 '' with which I highlighted that day. I have never liked being the centre of the class, just that I liked the ability to teach a movement to those college students. It was funny for me, how was an apprentice dancer going to teach an exercise to professional dancers? Did not it sound crazy? I started then and taught the demonstration of the perfect execution of the exercise. I heard then the song from the previous week, '' No One Knows Me Like The Piano ... ''. I liked that song, it was a pity that I could not understand what its lyrics said. I felt the music in my body, but just the instrumentation beat. Because I could understand no more than what the title said. We continued to lengthen the choreography that our teacher facilitated us and with this we finished the class for that day. I left happy that day. I met a great woman and I increased my qualities in dance. The only thing that kept purring in my mind was the face of that stranger in the corridor. It did not know who could be, but I had to stop thinking about that. The school was very big and the schedules were different. It was almost impossible to find her again.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a street dance beginning

                                              (21 September, 2017)

The lessons started with a 5 to 10 minute of warm up. It consisted on never stop and keep moving the body. We did push-ups, running on the place and back, arms and legs stretch. After it, the teacher showed a piece of dancing that we were going to learn during that first class. It was a simple choreography but very useful for the first day and it was easy to dance it during the whole song, as it was around a 16 movements choreography and the song had the same rhythm all the time.

WWW

     -   I was able to learn it, as it was the first time I did this kind of dance

     -    When the lesson finished I could perform the dance in a well-done way, with fluid movements and a perfect connexion with the song’s rhythm.

EBI

     -   I would have been more focus at the beginning of the lesson. It was quite difficult for me to learn it as quickly as others and I needed to rehearsed many times.

     -   I should look more in the mirror to observe my mistakes and correct them.

Once we learned the piece of dancing we went to the table to write down comments about the lesson and talk about the styles of music we like to can adapt them into our street dance lessons and use songs for Cabaret.

[dan02sg]

Once upon a time, there was a video

                                                                                         (18th September, 2017)

Contemporary Dance

A new day. After all, a week had passed and everything was different. What on the first day felt like nerves at that moment it became eager. I couldn't wait to start a new class and learn more exercises. However, this time the wooden door was not a shield that protected me from what was inside the room, but an obstacle to starting what I was going to do. My life was completely different. Singing on the streets, sudden dances and some other moments of drama without coming to mind. It was the moment to do it. So, once the things were deposited in that hot table by the radiator of the wall to which it was fixed, I set out as I did the last time to cross that cold stage, and I did it in a really satisfactory way.

Once everyone was in the centre of the theatre, the teacher surprised me by holding a tablet in her hands. The class would be recorded. I went out then shot towards the mirrors to look at my hair, as I usually do, and behind me a crowd of the group.

The class started with a basic warm-up where we did exercises like '' Rolling Down-Up '', with a clear improvement reflex in all the times of descent and ascent; '' Arms Floating '', where we added a small extension of jumps to which I adapted wonderfully; or a new exercise that we learned that I called '' The Walk '' wherein pairs we walked from corner to corner of the stage taking soft steps supporting the heels after two points. Therefore, we performed the exercise called '' 8 '', wherein a combination of eight postures a beautiful choreography was created that could be done from left to right and vice versa. In this specific one, I had a great improvement during the lessons. At the beginning the problem was fluency. I have always been a very tense person and in subjects of dancing, even though I liked and struggled, I did not get a fluid body. The final exercise was the dance of the song ''No one Knows me like the piano ...'' in a distributed way, the first half of the group and then the others. I could see the improvement regarding the practice during the afternoon of the first day. With a less tense body, a high feeling with the music and a remarkable improvement at the end of the song, since I did not feel comfortable at the beginning with this one. With this last exercise we finished the session and after a small talk on the square table of the theatre we picked up and left. I remember my feeling at the end of the day, I was happy and at the same time somewhat disgusted by some mistake I made unintentionally. I knew what I was doing, but I understood that it was not even the first recorded class.