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“Participation points”

Kara Titus- “Strings”

Statements of Meaning:

Your head snapping up in the beginning followed by going into releve was a very captivating start to your piece

The way you slowly drug your hands/arms down after your backwards roll followed a different timing than other movements and was intriguing 

Your arms continuously reaching throughout the piece had me drawn in, good job!

Questions:

Was there a reason you didn’t travel across the room until 50 seconds into the piece?

What was the inspiration for your piece?

You face many directions during the piece, but rarely the audience itself. Is there a reason for this?

Opinions:

LOVE the emotional connection throughout the entire piece!

Your small hand movements while simply standing caught my attention and were very effective!

The use of a mixture of small hand movements and larger tricks/jumps was an effective combination!

Kalyn Kubbs- “Per te Nonna”

Statements of Meaning:

The control in your movements makes the piece easy to watch!

Hand/arm movements while turning makes the piece less “dancy”. Very nice job.

Excellent direction and level change

Questions:

Is there a reason you redid several moves facing different directions or on different levels? (not a bad thing, just curious)

Was there a reason you ended the piece the way that you did?

Opinions:

The eye wipe move you do in the middle of the dance was very emotional and effective

I enjoy that you constantly use your arms no matter what your legs and body are doing. It adds to the dance nicely

Excellent use of the entire floor during your piece! Your constant change of direction and facings was captivating

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Week of 12/4

Summary of Semester

Unfortunately, this semester did not go as I had planned or hoped for. By fall break it seems as if my dancing, physical health, and mental health took a steady decline. 

The first few months of school were a huge adjustment. Dancing at a university has been such an eye-opener compared to studio and competition dancing. In just the first month, I learned a plethora of terminology that I was never taught at my studio. I was hit with the realization that most of the “technique” I was taught, was actually incorrect and the reason for several previous injuries. Trying to transition to dancing each day as opposed to two days a week was difficult. I faced many injuries just by dancing so much more than before.

My favorite class, however, was definitely Comp because I was able to dance with my heart and how I wanted, with fewer restrictions. The first few months I saw a drastic difference in my dancing. My technique improved and I was able to explore so many concepts I had never been introduced to before. With each piece I could see my mind and dancing evolving. I matured through my dancing and had begun to thoroughly plan out each step and beat. I had never taken into thought each shape, the way I faced while making that shape, or the timing and energy used to move through each shape or transition. 

Right before fall break I ended up losing my best friend suddenly, and it struck really hard. Normally dance is my outlet for all tough life events and struggles. I thought my dancing would hit a break through and I’d finally reach my peak. But something about this tragedy was just different. I struggled with grieving and nurses changed my anxiety and depression medication thinking it would help. Instead, I struggled and missed classes consistently. My dancing was basically put on hold. When I was finally sure I could return, I injured my back suddenly. I was excited to heal and present my final comp piece as my last piece to show I could overcome, but instead was told I could not return at all this semester and was left with numbness that prevented me from even walking.

I believe the semester started off well and ended pretty rough, but I am hopeful for next semester and hopefully returning to dance so that I may re-explore the elements discussed this semester. 

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Week of 11/27

** if I were to have been able to dance

If I had been able to create a final comp piece, I would want my piece to be moving/emotional. My goal was to compare it to my previous assignment “Minor setbacks”. I was hoping to be able to bounce back from my back injury, much as I was able to heal from losing my best friend (the inspiration for my first piece). Based on my ability to dance, my goal was to explore all elements we discussed this semester. The piece is meant to pour my heart out on the dance floor, showing just why my major is dance and why I am so determined to overcome this major setback. Most likely, there would be many moves I’d realize may not work due to my inability to fully move and attack each move fiercely like I prefer to do. One thing is for sure, however, my breathing and emotion that is present in most pieces would still be present in my final piece.

The beginning of my final piece would start out on the floor, most likely center center on the floor. The beginning 16 counts would focus on struggles, more than likely some sort of leg movements or different shapes on the ground. My goal is to use low-energy moves in the beginning to represent the hurting I was going through. These are more emotional moves, exploring a low level. To get off the ground, I would do a back roll to get onto my knees, perhaps facing to the side, presenting a new facing for the audience. This would be followed my breaths and reaching moves, which would transition to the same breaths and reaching movements at a medium level. In order to represent the struggle I am going through, I’d want to do minimal movements, not fully extended, and no jumps until towards the ending 30 seconds of the piece. In order to present the breakthrough (which I was hoping for before the semester was over), I want to be facing the audience and a sense of relief come across my face while doing a flexed foot developpe forward. 

After this move, my goal is to present the comeback portion of my dance journey recently. Turns, leaps, and large movements will take place across the entire floor as a way to show my true dancing. The rest of the dance would feature smiling or a pleasant look, as I’m finally able to do what I love. One thing I want to change from the previous study is the traveling. The previous study had a set shape to travel in. For my final piece I want to use the majority of the floor, facing different positions, and using different levels. 

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11/13/18

Journal #21 - Class Notes

ENERGY - continued...

Movement qualities --> used to discuss and define movement

Examples: sharp, soft, fast, slow, big, little, specific, robotic, flow, gooey, juicey, melty, growing, bouncey, fidgety, intense, dramatic, limp, toss, clunk, energetic, peel, scrub, brush, thrown, smooth, drip, swingy, punch, flick, gliding, springy, dig, carving, scoop, swoop 

Percussive (staccato)

nature of being “detached”

sharp start and stop

sudden, abrupt

Sustained (legato) 

nature of being “smooth”

flowing, drawn out

streaming

^^^^^ not the amount of ENERGY, but HOW it’s expended

How movement is initiated/Not the speed it occurs

sustained --> range of duration <-- percussive 

Percussive - fast - high energy 

Percussive - fast - low energy

Percussive - slow - low energy

Percussive - slow - high energy

Sustained - slow - high energy

Sustained - slow - low energy

Sustained - fast - low energy

Sustained - fast - high energy 

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11/8/18

Journal #20 - Human Movement Observation 

*girl sitting in BOD eating lunch with a friend*

-clearly talking about something important to her or bothering her because her right arm is extended out like a “pizza server” and she keeps bobbing her head 

-every time she eats a spoonful of soup she stirs the soup first and then eats it using her right hand

-when she talks she leans back and forth towards her friend and then back in her chair

-grabs her drink and grips it on the top of the lid

-clearly ranting because she keeps cupping her hands, clapping, and leaning toward her friend more

-opened laptop to do some sort of work but is now leaned back in her chair texting

-playing with straw for 1 or 2 minutes

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11/6/18

Journal #19 - Notes

Energy

    energy, force, dynamics, qualities (movement)

energy --> potential for force, capacity of action, and for overcoming resistance and gravity

movement energy is expended by any degree by or on a mass (body), it becomes force and produces movement 

since it is potential, we can choose whether or not to use energy

Active vs. Passive 

Active: employing, force

Passive: foregoing, energy potential 

Force --> magnitude or intensity of energy exerted, expended, released

Strong <---------> gentle

strong:

positive: authoritative, bold, dominant 

negative: inflexible, hard, tough, stubborn

gentle

positive: soft, adaptable, subtle, pliable, caring

negative: submissive, weak, mindless, wishy washy

Dynamics --> interaction of force and time

be specific in exactly what they are (movement qualities)

movement qualities: distinctly observable attributes or characteristics produced by dynamics and made manifest by movement 

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11/1/18 Class

Journal #18 

1. https://youtu.be/xb1Nw8DarUI 

I think the instrumental version of this song posted by Robert Mendoza is very inspiring. I love the instruments used, especially how it starts with piano and goes to violin. You can still tell the original volume build when you get to the chorus because the violin gets louder but there’s still sounds like the original version of the song. The way the song picks up and slows down really brings it to life and I love the different volume and intensity changes in the music and instruments. 

2. A quote that inspires me daily is the quote “Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react to it” by Charles Swindoll. This makes me want to move in different ways. I try to give each of my pieces a story. Typically, they are about serious issues or things I/other people struggle with. I envision more of a modern/contemporary style. I see movements of breath as well as different shapes and levels. I see smaller movements, floor work, breaths that display the things that happen to you, followed by movements that may be on any level or any shape. This is how you “react” to the life event. I typically follow low movement with another low movement or perhaps middle leveled movements and transitions. I typically just don't do higher leveled movements. I also use the quote in how I react to the movement to determine the facing. If I’m scared, I won’t be making direct eye contact with my audience or facing directly forward. I will typically be looking down or facing backwards. 

3. An image that inspires me to create a story/narrative: 

4. A dance/dancer that inspires me: 

https://youtu.be/5JuEt0R4Z5s 

For some reason I just find this dance solo to be very intriguing and inspiring. The movement of the piece mixed with her simple emotion and breaths is what inspires me. The way she abruptly hits shapes and movements and then extends, to create a drag of time and movement really captures my eye. All her moves flow together, even with difficult level changes or tricks. The way she uses her energy in extending her arms or legs and then uses resistance to hit a shape or shows resistance even when she is putting her hands on her neck or head. When she goes from very quick, sharp movements and follows it with a movement that flows through her whole body, it makes me want to do the dance with her or at least be able to dance with these transitions and flow. She does lunges or leg extensions and then pulls it straight into turns. But her turns aren’t basic turns that make you stop watching. They pull her arms into different shapes or she flexes her foot and it makes her turns even more captivating to watch. I’ve never watched other dances by Gabby Barra, but based on this dance it makes me believe that they’d all be very well put together and intriguing. 

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10/30/18

Journal #17

This week’s piece was titled “The Hunt”. I wanted to base my piece off of the Hunger Games because I feel as if time is very tricky in this movie. In the beginning you’ll see my moving slowly, but then following it with a quick shape or movement to represent something big or scary happening. The first pause is when Katniss volunteers to take her sisters place. You’ll then see slow walks, portraying the members walking or traveling to the arena. The rest of the piece represents the movie as a whole. There are slow movements when you’re watching for other people or waiting for the night to end and the new day to start. Then, the quick movements are often representing fight scenes. I portrayed her drawing her bow and letting go into a turn. The parts where everyone gets in her head, and then her final stance with three fingers. I think the 30 second version is the best because it allowed me to draw out longer parts but still contrast the quick movements of being hunted or hunting other people. Overall, I really enjoyed this piece but I felt as if I didn’t have as much movement as other people did in their pieces. Maybe I should add more? However the movement I did correctly portrayed the time and movie i was trying to get across.

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10/25/18

Journal #16

My inspiration for my post this week is the first movie in the Hunger Games series. I chose this idea because of the significant changes in time as the movie progresses. In the beginning of the movie time is slow but then frantic when she realizes her sister was chosen for the Hunger Games. I want to display this slow movement into a quick pause or shape. As they get into the arena, time is very random. There should be slow movements or long pauses when they are hiding from others or perhaps waiting for the following day. Then, I want there to be. quick movements. Whether they look frantic like I’m being hunted or chased through the arena, or if I am fighting someone. I want to incorporate her confusion at times but also her bravery/fierceness in other parts. I think this may be one of my favorite pieces or best piece. I am overall excited because I really enjoy working with time and moving slowly using breaths but then utilizing quick movements as well. I hope that my piece is able to convey the overall story of the movie through different levels of time and different speeds. 

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10/23/18

Journal #15

Time

Tempo: the speed of the beat

can determine the response/attitude of the dancer

the response/attitude of the dancer can determine the tempo

rapid: rush, chaos, fear, intense amount of joy, dazzle (tap/musical theatre) 

slow: indulging, sad, fatigue, pain

Momentum: implicit affinity for energy

increasing: builds intensity, can happen in the entire piece or just a small phrase

decrease: slowing down, winding down, decelerate, typically towards the ending, weakening, can be a nice contrast to a high point

Duration: length of movement determined by how long it takes to do it (each specific movement)

a relationship of the movement to the beat

how many beats at a given tempo the movement takes

Clock Time: daily time

can feel restricted, like it must follow a schedule

“Why is this piece so long?””Why is it over? I want to see more”

Regular/Irregular: 

Regular: comforting, supportive, deadening

Irregular: unpredictable, no constant element, can be difficult to teach/record/anticipate, can be fun

Accent: emphasis or stress

creates a sense of impulsive/beginning 

the place where the accent falls tends to feel like starting

when an accent occurs at regular or irregular intervals meter is produced

Meter: grouping of beats around an accent

establishes regularity in timing

can be constant tp use or to contrast against

Stillness:

If time is flow, it also contains its opposite: stillness = when the flow pauses

It is not inaction

gather in past, hold present, anticipate future

contains past and future 

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10/16 -/10/18/18

Journals #13 and #14

** doctors note, based on first piece only

What I liked:

the breaths, contractions down that displayed setbacks, reaching for the moments in each move before hitting setbacks. My pathway didn't seem like I was trying too hard (most of the time) and my story was able to flow through the pathway and still developed, they didn't collide with each other. I also like the different emotions I was able to portray. This is one of the first pieces I incorporated more than one emotion and it wasn't a struggling/sad emotion.

What I disliked:

I personally was not impressed with the overall quality of my dance. While others shared that they were impressed with the way the movements flowed and fit with the pathway, I did not feel as if my movements were my usual style. The jump that I changed for my second version was easily the most disliked move I had in my first version. It was originally supposed to represent reaching for another goal or dream and then the lower movements after represented the setbacks.

Which Version Looks better:

Personally, I liked my second version better. Even though I don’t have it recorded, I took out the jump and turned it into a jump that grabs, as if it was grabbing for the goals/dreams. There were a couple other small moments where I reached in order to make it less dance-like and relate to my title more. 

Are there still areas you think need developing?

I think there are a few more things that could be developed. Honestly, I’m not sure 100% what I would change. Perhaps making the moves that are supposed to be reaching before the “setbacks” a little bigger, perhaps at higher levels. This would create more levels and more dramatic distance between the goals and the setbacks. 

If you could continue with this study what would you do?

As stated in the question before, I would create more levels. I believe the dance follows the pathway well but doesn’t capture all the levels and transitions I typically use. Perhaps this is one reason I’m not as fond of this assignment as I was with previous. 

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10/11/18

This piece titled “minor setbacks” is based on my current life situations. I feel as if this wasn’t my best piece but it was still very personal. Lately I’ve felt like my life has been a few good moments followed by many minor setbacks. This explains the breaths or collapses after reaching for a big (high) dream or goal.

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10/9/18

Journal #11 

** absent, personal reflection

Based on my last reflection post, I feel as if my predictions were true. I am not myself. My choreography is not progressing how I feel it should. My piece this week, titled “minor setbacks” is just a glance into how I’ve felt recently. Whether it be with school or life, every time I am feeling confident and happy again, I hit a setback. Recently, with the passing of my best friend, it has felt more as if I’m being thrown major setbacks. Without him, it has made it hard to sleep, dance, etc. I know this is gods plan and that it will eventually benefit me as a dancer, making me connect even better with my audience. But, right now, the struggle to choreograph or even pull myself to class is hard. 

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10/4/18

Journal #10

Notes- Space Continued

use the full stage -> chart this

Circle -> never-ending, unity, togetherness

spiral -> hypnotic, inward = end, outward = freedom

geometric -> lines/angles, sharp, snappiness

retreat: backwards

chase: forward

jump: up / fall: down

sneaky/shifty: sideways

authority: forward, towards audience, assertiveness

greater significance/demands attention -> moving downstage

scenes of intimacy: downstage L / unimportant: upstage left

“Seem” smaller: upstage, larger = downstage

sense of present: center stage

closeness: downstage center -> immediate, “here and now”

right = past

left = future

modern = USR -> DSL

ballet = USL -> DSR

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10/2/18

Journal #9 

** absent, reflection post

With such a tough situation this week, I think it will be hard to grow in my pieces. Having to go home made me feel really distant from the campus, as well as my dance classes. I felt as if I wasn’t personally growing in my education. I feel as if the next few weeks will also be hard to be able to choreograph, as I can barely focus on my schoolwork, let alone choreographing pieces. However, perhaps dance will continue, instead, to help me express the emotions I have been dealing with. Dance has always been my source of expressing feelings, whether they be happy or sad. Perhaps this will be my way of grieving better. 

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9/27/18

Journal #8 - Injury (watching other dances)

** absent, based on Tuesday

Another piece I thought did a great job with the assignment given was Kalyn. Her levels were always changing and she was one of the few people who I didn’t have to question whether they were low, middle, or high. Her levels and transitions were always clear as to what they were. One major component that drew me in was her title. “Confident(tiality)” Her piece accurately displaced this. Her moves were bold and confident, but then her positions were sometimes facing away from the audience, which was subtle but very effective. 

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9/25/18

Journal #7- Injury (watching other dances)

I really enjoyed how everyone portrayed the assignment differently. Austin’s piece, titled “Unsteady” really caught my eye the most. When you think of unsteady, you think of a constant, slow struggle. His immediate pulling of his hands down with force in the beginning was captivating and drew me in. As the dance continued, his levels changed tremendously and with ease. Towards the end there were several moments where you believed the piece was over but then he continued to dance again and it recaught the audience’s attention.