rosaharrisonlma32

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Reference List

Bennett, S (2016) A deeper analysis of Heathers [online] Available at: http://airshipdaily.com/blog/so-very-room-237-a-deeper-analysis-of-heathers

Chodosh, S (2019) Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about muscles [online] Available from:  https://www.popsci.com/build-muscle-faq-exercise-experts

Duca, L (2017) Heathers the musical is not Heathers the movie but it is still pretty very [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/31/heathers-the-musical_n_5064485.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG8i8wYnLIMaWnB3DU0vQvMdtkNARST2oqJ3IX5EpuAbEAAoQ_XydLot5GUzXGWpAx8IfseV1Ha-Zc6PetOL9eGsmkLgU65vnyC4xCo8CtM5vp1llOmTRPbjH8kzRAzLNET8vC5fzTro38st0Uk26nWmJ5Q6ySU8CaN4GKwXOnqA

French, S (2016) Heathers the musical [online] Available it: https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/56725/heathers-the-musical/

HealthTl (2014) Warm up and Cool Down for dancers [online] Available from: https://trinitylaban.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/warm-up-and-cool-down-for-dancers/

Heather’s Fandom (2018) Martha Dunnstock [online] available at: https://heathers.fandom.com/wiki/Martha_Dunnstock/Musical

Inspired To Sing (2019) Why are vocal warm ups important? [online] Available from: https://inspiredtosing.com/blog/why-are-vocal-warm-ups-important

Liz, T (2014) 5 of the best daily vocal exercises for singers [online] Available from:  https://takelessons.com/blog/daily-vocal-exercises

Origin Theatrical (2016) [online] Available at: https://www.origintheatrical.com.au/work/8551

Pinterest: Abigal (2019) Discover Ideas About Vocal Range [online] Available from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/753086368917441801/

Reading Eagle (2016) Heathers the musical wicked themes [online] Available at: https://www.readingeagle.com/weekend/article/heathers-brings-wicked-themes-center-stage

Robins, M (2015) Heathers the musical: explore its dark themes with music and laughs [online] Available at: https://www.vancouverpresents.com/theatre/heathers-the-musical/

Reading Eagle (2016) Heathers the musical wicked themes [online] Available at: https://www.readingeagle.com/weekend/article/heathers-brings-wicked-themes-center-stage

SlushieSquad (2017) Martha Dunnstock [online] Available at: https://aminoapps.com/c/heathers/page/item/martha-dunnstock/5BPr_qpqT5Ie7P4oP5Dd8kQa7BRNXmEgY38

Stasio, M (2014) Off broadway review: Heathers the musical [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2014/legit/reviews/off-broadway-review-heathers-the-musical-1201150670/

SlushieSquad (2017) Martha Dunnstock [online] Available at: https://aminoapps.com/c/heathers/page/item/martha-dunnstock/5BPr_qpqT5Ie7P4oP5Dd8kQa7BRNXmEgY38

Swanson, L (2018) Top 3 ‘Go-To’ Vocal Warm-Ups [online] Available from: https://choralnet.org/2018/07/top-3-go-to-vocal-warm-ups-2/

Swatson (2013) 3 Reasons Vocal Exercises are Important [online] Available from: http://borntosingmusic.com/singing-vocal-exercises/

The Ballet Blog (2019) Safe Warm Up and Cool Down [online] Available from: https://www.theballetblog.com/portfolio/safe-warm-cool/

Thompson, A (2015) Semiotics in Heathers [online] Available from:   http://www.mediafactory.org.au/annick-thompson/2015/04/24/semiotics-in-heathers/

Tipple, B (2018) All you need to know about Heathers the musical [online] Available at: https://blog.ticketmaster.co.uk/theatre/all-you-need-to-know-about-heathers-the-musical-39391/

Wikipedia (2019) Heathers the musical [online] Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathers:_The_Musical

YouTube: GeorgeHealth (2014) Know Your Muscle, Grow Your Muscle [online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SVC-j-USPo

Zilberman, A (2014) the bleak genius of Heathers [online] Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/03/still-very-25-years-later-the-bleak-genius-of-em-heathers-em/359828/

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Self Reflection

Overall I believe I have taken onboard all the notes I have received and tried to conduct myself well in rehearsal as a person and in a team. Coming up to show week I am confident in where the show is at the moment and I believe if we continue to go over and over cleaning the slightest things, with full attendance we will be able to perform a great show. I have confidence in the fact that I portray the character of Martha in a believable way and I will be able present the audience with my sad story and life and really get them to connect with the show and the themes behind it of bullying and suicide. I know that I still have areas to improve, them being my dancing as although I can pick up choreography, I am not a confident technical dancer and can sometimes look floppy and misplaced. Therefore I have been and will be continuing to go to a Personal Trainer twice a week and where I can also some extra fitness classes, along with watching what I eat and portion control. These are all attributes which I must continue onto the future along with meditation and self care to get the best results in day to day life and be able to continue in this industry as a confident performer.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Seventeen Reprise (Finale)

For the finale of the show Martha comes onstage in a wheelchair after attempting suicide by jumping of a bridge. She is downtrodden therefore my face is towards the floor hanging my head in shame. She is shocked when Veronica actually speaks to her and wants to be friends again. However after Veronica starts singing and saying she misses her I relax my shoulders and place my hand on top of Veronica’s and join in with her singing. We continue to sing to each other and then Veronica moves to the other side of me and we hold hands facing the audience singing out. We are accepting who we are and trying to start again, and one by one more of us come out on stage to sing and celebrate being seventeen and having your whole life ahead of you. During rehearsals for this some of us including me got quite emotional whilst performing this as it is our last show of 3 years the lyrics are meaningful and relevant to us as a class and individually. After we all had a good cry our tutor reminded us it was important to get these emotions and feelings out during a rehearsal so you are prepared for doing it on stage. During a finale the most important part is to engage the audience and all come together to create happiness and positivity as well as enjoying the moment.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Kindergarten Boyfriend

In the scene before Kindergarten Boyfriend Martha overhears her name being mentioned and realises that JD is bribing Heather Duke with photos of her and Martha in a bathtub when they were younger. She then overhears her say ‘Nobody cares about Martha Dumptruck’ and this is when the crowd in front of me unfolds offstage leaving me stood alone. My feet turn inwards, body closed in and head down looking at the floor, while I twiddle with my thumbs, all of these expressing how uncomfortable she is and how alone she feels. She looks around while people unfold off stage hoping for someone to stick up for her or ask her if she is okay, but as they all leave she is reminded of how lonely and unwanted she is. This is where the number starts, and we see Martha reflecting on what makes her happy the most: Ram. She sings about when she meets him in Kindergarten and how they kissed and she kept a locket of his scab and wore it for a year. It has different emotions wrapped within the song as there is definitely humour in Martha’s dream about a horse with wings and there is chance for comedy here as I can play on her dorky character by snorting laughing after singing about the horse and I fix my glasses, a stereotypical geeky move. However the actual story behind the song is that she is giving up her life to live in her forever dream by throwing herself of a bridge. This dark theme within the song is seen as I change my body language whilst I sing about certain girls destined to being alone, it is then as the audience we realise that the dream she is talking about is her death and forever sleeping. I had trouble at first with the high notes at the end of this song in the word ‘Kindergarten’ but after doing some twang and lip rolling exercises along with changing the vowel sound on ‘kin’ to ‘ken’, I was able to achieve the notes successfully every time, I just need to continue these exercises and focus on pitching correctly as I know in the ‘garten’ note I can waver slightly sharp.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Hey Yo Westerburg

Before coming on it is my duty to use my phone backstage to get the note of E to be able to start off the ensemble piece of Hey Yo Westerburg. We start offstage with 3 sets of ‘whoas’ before coming on stomping and clapping whilst singing. This is just after Heather McNamara tries to kill herself and Veronica stops her just in time. As we come on the atmosphere is intense and the sound fills the stage as this is all sang in a Capella. A note we were given is to really twang the end of the note in the word ‘sound’ and make it high pitched. The choreo is only short and is very similar to Cheerleading style of dancing. After we have chanted and sung we all celebrate and jump around happily as we are excited for the pep rally. 

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Shine a Light

Shine a Light is set in the high school cafeteria whilst TV crews are recording at Westerburg High over the high amount of ‘suicides’ happening at their school and to raise awareness. The assembly has been set up by Ms Fleming who is an old school hippy who isn’t quite mentally stable herself. She is trying to encourage the students to open up about their feelings and not keep them bottled up leading to suicide. During this number I am fed up as I am not in the mood for TV cameras or anything after just finding out that my best friend faked a love note written for me. However while I am stood at the back with Eve we make fun of certain things that Ms Fleming does and says and mimic her a few times, to lighten up my spirit. I also give a quick wave to the TV cameras but try to cover myself as Martha is self conscious and would not exactly be confident in front of camera. As it is part of school we have to join in the choreo with Ms Fleming and my facial expressions are fed up and trying to look like I'm having fun but hating it, fake smiling. The further the number gets on I actually start to enjoy myself and by the end I am feeling in spirits again. During rehearsals I had difficulties picking up the choreo for the rap part of the song as it was fast paced however after a few times of going over it I was able to get all the moves right at the correct timing without looking sloppy. I am continuing to work on my stamina outside of uni by going to the gym and trying to eat as healthy as possible and cutting portion sizes to increase stamina and core strength to be able to dance full out and sing full voice.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Scene with Veronica

Martha approaches Veronica as she believes that JD has something to do with Ram and Kurt being found shot dead. During the scene Veronica is also experiencing contact with a dead Heather Chandler, Ram and Kurt, whom I cannot see, therefore the scene straight away has two levels of depth and therefore is interesting for the audience to watch as Veronica responds to people in both ‘worlds’. I can see that Veronica is nervous which makes me nervous but as she tries to tell me more that Ram was gay I get more and more angry, this is portrayed in my body language as I start to shake my head and cross my arms. When Veronica shouts ‘stop it’ and turns round to where she can see Ram and Kurt, this is when my body language and facial expressions change. I look over her shoulder then walk round with my hands to myself as I would be nervous when she shouts, yet I am also concerned as to who she was speaking to and why she turned round as there is nobody there to me. My face drops and I stop frowning and being angry and I am worried and inquisitive even more into what is actually going on so I continue to explain my reasons for wanting to look in JD’s locker. This is when Veronica turns into Heather Chandler and her whole posture changes, and I react to this by cowering away and turning my body inwards. When she tells me she wrote the note I start to breathe really fast and loud to imply that I am panicking and cannot take all this horrible information and about to have an anxiety attack, I then run off stage crying. 

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Blue

Blue is set in the graveyard after Kurt, Ram, Heather Duke and Heather McNamara visit Heather Chandler’s grave. Heather McNamara has called Veronica to take her place in being harassed by Kurt and Ram. They are singing about being sexually aroused and wanting relief also known as ‘Blue Balls’ hence the title of the number. I am not actually in the scene but come on as ensemble waving from side of stage. Then we run across the back of the stage for 8 and then backwards for 8 before stopping and singing ‘Hot cheese grater’ I react to this straight away with disgust as if I can’t believe I would sing something so disgusting in such a fun lively way. This is shown through my facial expression and body language as I wipe away on my shirt as if I feel disgusting and dirty. I then come offstage and back on again a few lines later to form a line at the back and crouch down whilst anticipating the next move from Kurt and Ram. Myself, Connie and Alicia then form a trio with Connie at the front and me and Alicia just over her shoulders and we pretend to be holding microphones whilst pointing to three points of the audience in a style similar to The Supremes. We then unfold off stage one by one dramatically to add to comedy effect.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Big Fun

This is probably the liveliest number in the show. It takes place in Ram’s house party and everyone in the school is attending, it is a great social atmosphere and everyone is drunk and having a good time. It is an upbeat chaotic number similar to Beautiful expressing the child like qualities of the characters. Big Fun is broken down into different parts of the party and visioned by different characters. Once again I only come in half way through this number, as Martha arrives after everyone else as she was unsure about going. Her reasons for going are that Ram wrote her a note and invited her, but as the audience we know this note was forged and she was not invited at all. The atmosphere changes as I come into this number, as the Heathers spot me coming in and automatically become nasty and sing about Martha being fat and unwanted. During my entrance to the number my body language walking on stage is closed and shy I keep my head down and have my hands close to my body holding a bottle of sparkling cider, my character would definitely not feel comfortable at a house party especially not with the Heathers there.

As I spot Veronica onstage my body language changes and I lean back in my stance and relax my shoulders to imply I am feeling more at ease around Veronica, however the Heathers are teasing me at this point so it is important to also remember to react, I have chose to look over and really take notice of what they are saying when they mention “Well who’s this pig remind you of, especially the snout?” whilst holding a pig shaped piñata. I respond to this by first looking at the Heathers individually, then the piñata, then at the floor and I twist my feet inwards to create an awkward body image and to imply how hurt and low I feel after being compared to a pig. I stay in the same spot on stage   until I announce that I’m going to find Ram and I go to walk away but the Heathers then come over and pick on me again, this leaves me returning to my original position and stance. This not only shows the hierarchy of characters and the power that the Heathers have over Martha, but also gives a real insight into Martha’s character that she is not strong and will not fight back or argue with someone, she lets people treat her this way.

When Ram comes into view, my reaction is distinguished, I straighten up again sharply, start rocking back and forth slightly with nerves yet approach him confidently. My facial expressions are wide and eyes beaming with excitement and I lift my head up to speak to him, something Martha doesn’t do often. At this moment she believes that he is in love with her and has invited him to his party, however the truth is far from that. Ram is drunk and doesn’t understand when Martha says “I wasn’t gonna come, but since you took the time to write that sweet note” as he never wrote any note and he shuns her away nastily by saying she doesn’t act normal. In this short few seconds of dialogue between Martha and Ram we see my character go from being excited and happy to downtrodden and upset over the love of her life treating her terrible. This is conveyed through my body language as once again I close myself in, hunch shoulders over, keep head to floor and turn feet inwards slightly, whilst pulling on my jumper. This suggests that she is feeling embarrassed and uneasy, along with my facial expression which is eyes looking down and face dropped, such a contrast to her happy wide smiley expressions. These help the audience to really understand how my character is feeling and what is important to her.

After this, I walk to back of stage and join in choreography for the end of the number. Some tutor feedback given to us was as we step forward we must travel far by taking longer strides, and we must also land and bend lower, so that the next move with hands above head moving backwards backs straight has a different dynamic, it would not work if we did not get low enough in the first move. The choreography in each chorus is the same so although I was not in the other choruses I picked it up from side of stage and was able to learn it straight away.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Fight For Me

During the third week in rehearsals we did the vocal call for and blocked ‘Fight for Me’ During the vocal call it was important to keep repeating lines, as this is a way that our vocal chords muscularly remember the notes. We also use a technique with the finger in whilst singing to stop you from using your jaw and moving muscles that aren’t needed. It helps to feel the larynx moving and it shows that we all move our jaw too much or open our mouths too wide when it isn’t necessary and doesn’t have to be manipulated.

Part of the choreography for this song is improvised slow motion, and we were doing this in a workshop scenario, seeing what fitted with what and very going with the flow. Martha is shy and introverted, so while the jocks and JD fight, she tugs at her jumper and pulls her hair as she is scared, and her body language is very closed. We all had to use what our tutor ‘tick tocks’ to pass the time with our characters without pulling focus on the main scenario going on. These are small movements and gestures.  For my character, I look at the floor often as she sees herself as inferior to many and doesn’t often look people in the eye. I tug at my jumper and twiddle my thumbs to show nervousness, as well as occasionally fixing my glasses.

For the fight scene, during the slow mo, we also see dynamic in movement, as a clump we shift from one side of the stage to another as if we are exploding at each side of the stage as the jocks are thrown either side by JD. The scene climaxes when the jocks are pulled centre stage by JD and we all clump to stage right. We also needed to practice on coming off on count four in Fight for Me, as everyone was coming off at different times, we had to make sure we are counting a semi breve.

We had to focus on the fundamentals of breathing, as breathing correctly is absolutely key in delivery of a performance. For this we had to focus on breathing through the diaphragm not up in our chest, and to open our vocal folds and relax the stomach. To help with getting used to breathing properly through the diaphragm we do a floor exercise in which lie flat on our backs and count to ten whilst pulling belly button to spine, then release the breathe through another 10 seconds. Another way to help control breathing is to use arms to show when we breathe by expanding our arms upwards when we take a breath, giving us a visualisation of the diaphragm expanding. As we do this we also engage our latts.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Candy Store

For the vocal call of Candy Store it is originally just the three Heather’s who sing, but our class have decided that all the girls will join in with the singing to make a bigger and stronger sound. I am on Heather Duke’s harmony which personally I found really easy to pick up as the notes are not too difficult or too different from the original and the vocal guide is on YouTube to look over when necessary. Obviously in the choreography for this dance it is just the three Heathers’, however my character comes up to the front and speaks towards the end of the song, I step forward and approach Veronica about a letter I’d received from Ram, but the audience and rest of the characters know it was wrote by Veronica and simply laugh and joke at Martha as she stands there feeling so happy. It is important for me to portray Martha’s happiness in this scene as later on we discover that Martha finds out who wrote the letter and is so upset, and there needs to be a contrast of how Martha was once bubbly and happy and then she becomes sad and lonely. At another point during the song while Heather Chandler sings “Say goodbye to Shamu” referring to Martha, I come to front of stage and grab a letter off Chandler, even though I don't have any speech during this part I tell the story purely through my body language and facial expressions. I take the letter off her and unfold it and start to read it, then I fold it back up again and hold it near my chest in a loving manner, before running back to my ensemble group and showing them the letter. During this song it is crucial to keep responding and reacting to what is happening with the Heathers and Veronica as although the song is primarily about them its important to set the background as if they really are in school about to have a fight. The tension should be raised and the body movements from ensemble need to be staccato and quick to keep with the energy of the song.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Beautiful

Due to unfortunate circumstances I was not able to attend the first week of rehearsals in which we were blocking ‘Beautiful’. Jessie stepped in for me and learnt Martha’s part so she could teach it to me and I could catch up. I found that being a week behind people was difficult at first but once I practiced over and over outside of uni it became a muscle memory and I was soon on track with everyone else.

We started harmonies for the opening number ‘Beautiful’. I helped suggesting a note to our tutor that was a third above Veronica’s, and I was then asked to move from the Alto group to the Soprano group for this number as they needed one more person to create a stronger sound. I found it difficult at first adjusting to the sopranos line at first as I had just learnt the Alto’s, but with a bit of practice and repetition I was back on track with the Sop’s group. The musicality in Beautiful is very staccato and accented with many spoken parts also. This changes as the Heather’s enter and it becomes more legato and dramatic. The humanistic theory behind this number is a combination of direct & strong fight effort at the beginning and as the Heather’s enter it becomes a more light and sustained indulging effort. We use Humanistic Theory to help us make decisions about the songs we sing and how we want them to sound and come across, through emotion, acting through song and different styles of the voice. 

The choreography for beautiful is similar to the style of the music itself. Dramatic staccato movement and lots of freeze frames, it is crucial to remember where and when the freeze-frames happen and to create movement big enough to catch the attention of the audience. Without properly portraying your individual characters the whole number does not work, as it is set in a High School and the audience really need to see the story behind it and that can only come to life through every single character and their actions. It is a fast paced dance that needs the acting to keep the energy up as many of the movements are small yet significant. I only come in half way through the number, as my character Martha is introduced to the audience, I have to be frozen still in a position leaning over with my hand out straight, I have to make sure that I use my core muscles to stay frozen as coming out of it can really ruin the effect of the freeze frames and the number in general. During my short scene with Veronica my facial expressions are wide and smiley and my body language is relaxed I move around freely and confidently as I am with my best friend making plans for a movie night. As Ram and Kurt approach whilst shouting my name, I swiftly change my body language into shoulders hunches, leaning forwards, arms to chest and feet pointing inwards stance. This is the first but certainly not the last time we see Martha’s vulnerability and gives a glimpse into my character and her shy, self conscious and scared personality. If I portray this correctly I will be able to have the audience engage with my character and feel for her which straight away is exactly what we want as a cast as it helps them then engage with more characters.

My first part of choreography in this number is the Heathers’ entrance and Veronica’s entrance at the end with the Heathers, I join in then in creating a tunnel for them to walk in. It is important that we are all lined up correctly behind each other as one person out of place can ruin the whole look of the tunnel, and it is an iconic moment in the show where we are first introduced to the Heathers. A note that I was given is to make sure while I am holding my arms up that I keep my fingers apart and stretched out, and my arm needs to be strong enough to not be knocked down. I was also given a note to remember that as we turn and in out of tunnel it is key to remember to bend knees and go low before turning in and out again. 

There is another small section of choreography at the very end when Veronica comes out as her new self, and our tutors note to the class was to look ecstatic  for Veronica because the Heathers have finally accepted a ‘normal’ girl, however my specific character would not be happy because she has intact lost her only friend to the popular girls, so while everyone else is dancing and celebrating, I am pretending to have fun and fit in but also obviously not happy about losing Veronica. The choreo in the end was taken from a section of a dance that we have been doing in our skills classes, therefore I found it easier to pick up as we had learnt it before but slightly different. It is so important in this number more than any other to focus on face and character whilst dancing the whole time because otherwise the moves mean nothing.

[rosaharrisonlma32]

Health and Safety

Fire

It is extremely important to follow the correct health and safety protocol as if you do not follow the guidelines properly you can end up extremely injured. In every group there should be a Health and Safety Officer. The appointee mostly needs to have an administrative background, an analytical mind and the ability and tenacity to work to a tight timetable in the preparation, elaboration and fulfillment of the agreed health and safety programme. (Reference) One of the biggest safety hazards is Fire, and it is important to know the fire drill and what to do in the case of a Fire. In the event of a fire the person responsible for the outbreak location shall raise the alarm. Evacuation from each area is the responsibility of each appointed member. Points of evacuation are to be decided by each appointed members subject to location of fire. No attempt to fight the fire should be made unless it is safe to do so. Danger is not only from flames but also from heat, smoke, harmful gases and lack of oxygen.

Clothing

Although these are the extreme health hazards, there are also smaller ones that are just as important and can prevent injury. It is vital to have a clean tidy rehearsal room without bags or items of clothing spread around on the floor, as someone could trip on a bag or shoe and injure themselves. Another important aspect with safety is the clothing worn whilst participating in physical activity. It is to be all black, body hugging clothing stretchy to not only show the shape of your body and allow you to be flexible while rehearsing, but also to stop from getting caught in anything or obstructing anyone in any way. No jewellery is allowed as it can get caught on your own or someone else clothing and jazz shoes are the only footwear allowed in the studio, to protect your feet whilst dancing at the same time as protecting the spring floor from being damaged. The reason behind the all black clothing is to strip away anything that could possibly pull focus on anyone, we want to be represented by our skills not by what we are wearing. 

Importance of Warming Up

Physical - 

It is important for dancers to warm up before any dance activity in order to prepare the body for longer and global movements and help to decrease tension in the muscles and joints. Through this preparation you can ensure you are able to move without stress and strain during activity. A safe warm up gradually increases the body temperature to a optimal working level and helps to avoid injuries. (HealthTl, 2014) https://trinitylaban.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/warm-up-and-cool-down-for-dancers/

Approximately 639 muscles make up the human body.  There are technically two ways one could gain muscle: Increase the number of muscle cells you have or increase the size (length, width, or both) of the ones you’ve already got.Unfortunately, we stop growing new muscles cells soon after birth, so if you are old enough to read this article, your only option is to increase their size—that’s what people mean when they say ‘build muscle.’“Resistance training (lifting weights) is the most common way of rapidly building more muscle, but all exercise will build muscle,” says David Putrino, a physical therapist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. (Chodosh, S. 2019) https://www.popsci.com/build-muscle-faq-exercise-experts

Our warm ups include a stretch and physical warm up, the stretch being to stretch our muscles to prevent any injuries in pulling, spraining muscles etc and to also gain more flexibility by practising the stretches. The physical being to gradually increase our heart rate and circulation, preparing our bodies for physical activity. These warm ups need to be completed properly as without the correct posture, strength or engaging the core muscles, they are not efficient and are not worth doing, only with proper techniques can results be achieved, For example, we need to remember to keep our pelvis tucked under, engage our core muscles and whilst doing Tendus it is extremely important to point the toes properly and squeeze the muscles in the legs keeping them straight, whilst also remembering to shift balance to each leg without lifting up the hips. 

(The Ballet Blog, 2019)

An effective warm up should:

Prepare dancers both mentally and physically

Improve performance and reduce prevalence of injuries

Increase coordination and proprioception

Increase heart rate and blood circulation gradually

Increase body temperature

Permits freer movement of the joints

Improves the effective muscles actions

Reduce the risk of injury

Improves the transmission of nerve impulses

Should mobilise all the joints that are to be used during the dance class/performance. (HealthTl, 2014)

The cool down is just as important after dancing as this can help to reduce muscle soreness and speed up the recovery process after the activity. 

(The Ballet Blog, 2019)

Without cooling down your body can be affected in many ways:

If the activity stops suddenly the blood will pool within the muscles rather than return the blood to the brain, this will cause dizziness.

Dancing increases adrenaline and endorphins (hormones) in circulations which can lead to restlessness and sleep.

Increase in waste products such as Lactic Acid can cause stiffness and soreness as well as cramps and muscle spasms. (HealthTl, 2014)

Vocal - 

Vocal warm ups are also extremely necessary in keeping the voice healthy and being able to sing properly without causing any injury. Vocal warm ups can  make your lungs stronger to build stamina which then helps to be able to sing longer. They also help to just maintain the voice in general, keeping your voice healthy and prepared to sing all the time, and strengthening the larynx, the muscle that controls the vocal chords.

“Warmups prepare you for the intense vibrations that come along with singing. Controlled, steady vocal exercises will increase acid in the muscles surrounding your vocal folds, which helps those muscles do their jobs more effectively.One of these jobs includes interacting with a tendon in your throat. When that tendon is properly engaged, it’ll stretch, giving you more flexibility and control over your voice.When you properly and regularly exercise your voice, you build upon your abilities and become a much more effective singer.” (Spencer, S. 2017)

In an "ideal world vocal warm up," you should begin with gentle exercises that put as little pressure on the muscles as possible, release any tension in the throat and neck and allow only a small amount of air to pass through the vocal cords. Humming and using lip trills are two great ways to do this. As you progress through your warm up you can introduce more air flow and produce sounds that are closer to the normal singing of words and phrases that you are used to. They don't all have to be short, simple and repetitive, some exercises tend to be longer and more complex - training you for more complicated phrases in songs. (Inspired To Sing, 2019) https://inspiredtosing.com/blog/why-are-vocal-warm-ups-important

Vocal exercises in the morning are of great value as during the night, mucus builds up in our sleep inside our mouths, nose and throats. Warming the voice up gets rid of this mucus by lubricating the throat and adding moisture, therefore loosening the mucus. If you were to go on stage and sing without warming up, the likelihood is you will damage your voice whilst singing. “The benefit of singing exercises is not only physical but also in your projection and pronunciation.  It does not matter how good your voice is, if it is not maintained sooner or later you will lose the projection and power, and when you try hitting those top notes they will not sound so confident if you gracelessly struggle up to them.” (Swatson, 2013) http://borntosingmusic.com/singing-vocal-exercises/ 

A great way to prevent mucus and an acidic throat is to assign a time that you will lie down to sleep, and don’t consume anything other than water for at least an hour before you do so. This will prevent any acidic properties in any drinks or foods from coming back up into your throat whilst you lie down flat as they will have not been digested properly. I was taught this by my singing coach outside of uni as I told him how I would wake up of a morning with a really sore, dry throat. I was eating fruits as a late night snack and drinking flavoured water in bed, which was the absolute worst combination of things to do to create acid sitting in my throat of a night. Once I cut out these things before bed and stuck to plain water I found that I was waking up with my throat at more ease, of course still needing to be warmed up before being vocally ready. 

Some of best daily vocal exercises for singers include: 

1. Lip Buzz

To do this vocal warm up, simply vibrate your lips together without pitch, at first. This will help build up your breath support and stamina while singing.

Next, try adding a pitch to your lip buzz, and hold it anywhere from 3-5 seconds. Pitch can go up, down, or stay on one note. There should be a funny, tickling sensation in your nose and other resonators (the forehead, cheeks, etc.). If you do not feel this, try harder!

2. Solfege

We all should be familiar with “Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do” from the The Sound of Music. Starting on middle C, sing through the solfege up and down the scale, taking your time and really listening to each pitch.

See if you can try this vocal warm up without a piano (acapella), as this will help with ear training! Practicing solfege is not only a great tool for your ears, but it will also help you with sight reading.

3. “Mah-May-Me-Mo-Moo”

This is another one of our favorite vocal warm ups that will help you sing better. Remaining on one note (monotone), sing “mah-may-me-mo-moo” nice and slow, really pronouncing the Ms. It should sound like the first exercise in the video below.

Start low, perhaps at A3, and sing up the scale to an octave above. Take your time and see if you can sing this exercise all in one breath. While you don’t have to sing the warm up well, focus on your intonation to create the best vocal sound. Don’t push – this exercise should be nice and relaxed.

4. The Siren

This is the easiest vocal exercise of all the vocal warm ups on this list. Think of the sound of a fire engine passing by, and imitate it with your voice. Start at the lowest note in your range, and slide through every note to the top of your range. If you can sing the low notes and high notes, then you know you are in good vocal shape!

There are the basic vocal warm ups which will benefit any singer, however there are also more specific warm ups based on certain vocal techniques. For the show Heathers my vocal technique is mainly belt with sob quality for my actual role of Martha, and then while I am ensemble it ranges from mostly twang and speech quality. Therefore I must complete vocal exercises specific to each quality to make sure I can change and warm my voice efficiently to suit the song.  For example, a great warm up for twang is to make a ‘Nya’ sound up and down the scale. (Liz, T. 2014) https://takelessons.com/blog/daily-vocal-exercises 

(Pinterest: Abigail, 2019)

Posture

Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or lying down. Good posture is the correct alignment of body parts supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity. Without posture and the muscles that control it, we would simply fall to the ground. Normally, we do not consciously maintain normal posture. Instead, certain muscles do it for us, and we don't even have to think about it. Several muscle groups, including the hamstrings and large back muscles, are critically important in maintaining good posture. While the ligaments help to hold the skeleton together, these postural muscles, when functioning properly, prevent the forces of gravity from pushing us over forward. Postural muscles also maintain our posture and balance during movement. 

Correct posture will:

Helps us keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that our muscles are used correctly, decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain.

Reduce the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimising the likelihood of injury.

Allow muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and, therefore, preventing muscle fatigue.

Helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain. (American Chiropractic Association)

The key to correct posture whilst standing is: 

Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.

Keep your knees slightly bent.

Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.

Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.

Stand straight and tall with your shoulders pulled backward.

Tuck your stomach in.

Keep your head level-your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders. Do not push your head forward, backward, or to the side.

Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time. (American Chiropractic Association) 

Poor posture can lead to excessive strain on our postural muscles and may even cause them to relax, when held in certain positions for long periods of time. For example, you can typically see this in people who bend forward at the waist for a prolonged time in the workplace. Their postural muscles are more prone to injury and back pain.

Several factors contribute to poor posture--most commonly, stress, obesity, pregnancy, weak postural muscles, abnormally tight muscles, and high-heeled shoes.  In addition, decreased flexibility, a poor work environment, incorrect working posture, and unhealthy sitting and standing habits can also contribute to poor body positioning. (American Chiropractic Association)

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Rehearsal Schedule

It is important to have a rehearsal schedule so we can prepare ourselves mentally and physically in advance to feel organised and have a clear mind as to what is being taught. It allows levels of productivity to rise as there is no fussing round as to what is being done on what day. It also gives us a chance to practice specific scenes or choreography in which we know we will be focusing on in coming days and allows you enough time to learn material. It also helps the tutor as by sticking to a time table they can plan their rehearsals to suit the time limit so they don’t feel pressured leaving certain things to last minute

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Audition Process

After finding out our show would be Heathers I was so excited as it is my favourite musical, I did some extra research into the show and the story behind it as I wanted to dig deeper to what I already knew and get a better feeling of the characters and setting. It’s set in Sherwood, Ohio 1989 in Westerburg High School. Veronica Sawyer is the lead, and it is the beginning of senior year. We are introduced to the different cliques and stereotypes of American high school.

I knew right away I wanted to audition for the part of Veronica as it was a part that I believe to suit me really well and it is my dream role. I watched videos on YouTube of how Barrett Wilbert Weed portrayed her in the original Broadway cast. I focused on how she carries herself whilst walking and I noticed she stayed quite grounded for the first verse and chorus of the song. This can be difficult for me sometimes as I can move about on the spot and I sometimes shake my hands when I vibrato whilst singing. I rehearsed over and over to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible whilst auditioning to eliminate the chances of my hands shaking and moving around.

I decided I would put a costume together for the audition as I wanted the tutor to see me as the character as much as possible and the outfits aren’t too hard to put together as it is a school uniform based look.

Come audition day I was confident in myself and was excited to audition so I chose to go first. I am certain I did well and although the nerves caught up on me a few times whilst singing which made me go off pitch slightly I knew I gave it the best I could. The feedback I received was to be more awkward to the audience once she enters JD’s room, and I understand and took in the criticism and went home and practiced in that way. We were all called back at the end of the first audition day and given recalls for certain characters. I was asked to recall back for McNamara, Martha and Ms Fleming, and Veronica (as did all the people who auditioned for her).

The next day of rehearsals were extremely intense. I was only called in once and that was for Martha’s song and I felt a bit let down that I wasn’t given the opportunity to show how I had worked on Veronica’s song, or any other characters also. However I know that in this industry there isn’t time to be ‘let down’ by auditions if they don’t go your way. After a long, exhausting two days of rehearsals the parts were finally announced. I got the part of Martha Dunnstock, she is a large, bubbly character who gets put down and bullied for her size.

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Characters

VERONICA SAWYER - 17. She burns to be both cool and kind, but doesn’t know yet how to be both at the same time. Fierce sense of right and wrong, keen sense of ironic humor. Thinks she's an old soul, but she's still innocent enough to be blindsided by love/hormones (or shocked by cruelty). Voice: High belting required, up to Ab. Must have dynamic and stylistic range.

VERONICA SAWYER - 17. She burns to be both cool and kind, but doesn’t know yet how to be both at the same time. Fierce sense of right and wrong, keen sense of ironic humor. Thinks she's an old soul, but she's still innocent enough to be blindsided by love/hormones (or shocked by cruelty). Voice: High belting required, up to Ab. Must have dynamic and stylistic range.

JD - 17. He is darkly charismatic, compelling, attractive, charming on the outside yet very damaged on the inside. Keen smarts and strong inventive comedy. Voice: Strong, confident belt to at least an Ab, A preferable; wide emotional range.

HEATHER CHANDLER - 17. Richest, hottest, most magnetic, cruelest girl in town. Relishes power and wields it like a scalpel – no fear, no patience, no mercy. Voice: Strong belt to F or higher preferred. Mezzo for chorus. NOTE: In certain choral songs Chandler can switch parts with her other Heathers as needed.

HEATHER MCNAMARA - 17. Beautiful, innocent, stupid, can be mean on command if Heather Chandler orders it, but actually quite vulnerable and fearful. Voice: Strong belt to Db, D preferred. Soprano for chorus. NOTE: in certain choral songs Heather Mac and Duke can switch vocal parts as needed.

HEATHER DUKE - 17. Whipping-girl of the 3 Heathers. When she finally becomes Queen Bee she wields power like a bulldozer. Alto for chorus. Voice: Strong belt to C, D preferred. Alto for chorus. NOTE: in certain choral songs Heather Duke and Mac can switch vocal parts as needed.

MARTHA DUNNSTOCK - 17. Nicknamed “Martha Dumptruck”, the opposite of hot, confident, or popular. Huge and beautiful soul, optimistic even in the face of rejection. Voice: Strong belt to E or F, wide vocal expression.

RAM SWEENEY - 17, Linebacker. Big, insensitive to the feelings of others, ruled by appetites. Voice: Strong Baritone, belt to G, some Falsetto useful.

KURT KELLY - 17. Quarterback and Captain. Big, chiseled, rude, entitled, cocky. Mean, thinks he’s the brains in the friendship with Ram. Voice: Tenor, strong belt to Ab or A, some Falsetto. NOTE: in certain songs Ram and Kurt can switch choral assignment if, say, Ram sings higher than Kurt.

RAM’S DAD / BIG BUD DEAN / COACH RIPPER - 40 to 45. Ram’s Dad: Former football player turned suburban Dad, has never outgrown his glory days in high school. Hates weakness, but capable of soul-searching when tragedy strikes. Also plays Big Bud Dean: JD’s single Dad. Big jolly personality that barely conceals the enormous rage bubbling just below the surface. Quite possibly a serial bomber. Also plays Coach Ripper: Stalwart, man’s man; quick to defend his players. Voice: Baritone/Tenor – power Country/Gospel belt to Ab, higher welcome. NOTE: Sometimes this actor has played Principal Gowan instead of Big Bud/Coach.

MS. FLEMING / VERONICA’S MOM - 45 to 50. Ms. Fleming: Aging hippie teacher, still yearning for the day the Age of Aquarius reaches Ohio. Hungry for the spotlight, resentful of entitled youth. Also plays Veronica’s Mom: easygoing, distant, yet capable of laying down the law. Voice: Great belt up to C, higher always welcome.

KURT’S DAD / VERONICA’S DAD / PRINCIPAL GOWAN - 30 to 45. Kurt’s Dad: Straight-laced, very conservative, also former football player. A simple guy, not book smart, you’d be happy to share a beer with him. Also plays Veronica’s Dad: Easygoing and distant. Voice: Strong Baritone/Tenor -- power Country/Gospel belt to G, even higher better. Also plays Principal Gowan: Rumpled, burned out, hates conflict. NOTE: Sometimes this actor has played Big Bud/Coach instead of Principal Gowan.

BOY 1 - Bitter Geek 16-18. A put-upon, bitter geek. Voice: Bari (up to F#) or Tenor (up to A).

BOY 2 - Blowdried Preppy 16-18. A blowdried 80’s preppy. Voice: Bass (up to E) or Bari (up to G#).

BOY 3 - Hipster Dork 16-18. Thinks he’s Ducky from ‘Pretty In Pink.’ Voice: Bari (up to F#) or Tenor (up to A).

GIRL 1 - Goth Girl 16-18. A sullen goth girl. Voice: Belt to at least C# (a Soprano up to high A/B is also a plus).

GIRL 2 - Stoner Chick 16-18. A fuzzyheaded stoner chick. Voice: Belt to at least C# (a Soprano up to high A/B is also a plus).

GIRL 3 - Young Republicanette 16-18. A tennis-playing, uptight Student Council type. Voice: Belt to at least C# (Soprano up to high A/B is also a plus).