Control, Good Pirouette Days & Yoga
We're back to classes this week after our semester break, and things have been going really well so far.
Going from 4 to 14 people in Lyrical is really strange. There is a very wide range of ability with the newcomers-- from what I can tell some of the newbies haven't danced at all, or not for many years. I can definitely relate to that phenomenon, but wouldn't you kind of expect beginners to join a dance basics/ballet class? Up until semester break we were working on complicated turning combinations and leaps and such, and I worry a bit that absolute beginners could result in a watered down recital number. I really enjoy those complicated combinations-- they are like my gauge for how (or if) I'm progressing. Time will tell!
My control has improved this year, I noticed recently that I'm able to hold a battement devant just above 90* for several seconds before muscle fatigue sets in which is pretty exciting! That means my core work is paying off! I'm also getting better at controlling my arms and balances more, the hang time I suppose.
In other news, ballet was great this week! We ran through a lot of pirouette drills, and that night I was able to let myself relax into them a little bit. I've been flustered with pulling my pirouettes together lately, but last night I focused mainly on keeping my balance until I was ready to come down from the turn and keeping my arms from falling down towards my pelvis after they meet. I don't know why I have this bad habit, it started some time last year.
We did several different turning combinations with primarily single turns. 4 consecutive single pirouettes. Then alternating singles & doubles. I like piecing together multiple turns like that because it means I don't have time to sit and think about each and every thing I might be doing wrong. You just turn, and usually I end up doing better turns with multiple rotations when I practice them this way. Our last turning combination was a single pirouette followed by a single turn in attitude devant that closes into passe and continues for a second rotation. I NAILED this one and it felt great. I could have probably continued on to a triple if I'd held my form and kept spotting!
Part of what I need to work on with pirouettes is trusting myself to not fall flat on my face when coming out of a turn. I am able to execute multiple turns when I keep strong in my position (no sitting down into the supporting leg when the turn is about to complete!!) and hold my arms at the appropriate height. Making sure my head stays level and my chin doesn't tip up throwing off my spot is another thing I need to work on. I wish I was one of those turning prodigies!
Oh, speaking of turning prodigies-- I got a PM from an anonymous someone criticizing my Dance Moms references, how DM is the trash of the dance world and I'm making myself look less professional by talking about it. I couldn't help but laugh.
A.) I'm not a professional dancer.
B.) I don't care how crappy and dramatic the whole thing is, you can't deny that those little girls have talent.
That's what I watch it for. If that makes me some sell out wannabe dance noob or whatever, you can promptly unsubscribe or close your browser window. LOL. Good dancing is good dancing. One of the guys who works for Liberty Tax Service in my area dancing on the street corner in a Statue of Liberty costume (in February, in Wisconsin!!) is a good dancer too, dude has some WICKED impressive moves. I don't see how any of that makes a difference with my "street cred" as Anonymous so kindly worded it. Thanks for the laugh, sir or madam. :)
Finally, I'm starting to incorporate yoga and daily stretches into my routine. When I was trying to get my splits, I stretched almost every day. Since I've gotten my right splits and almost my left, I've started to slack in the stretching department. I'd like to go from splits to oversplits this year if it's possible, and I can't do that unless I work on it. Yoga isn't something I've enjoyed very much in the past. I've taken classes here and there, and it just didn't seem to be my thing. I picked up a Jillian Michaels DVD that's a yoga/cardio/strength fusion type of thing, and it's more my speed. This DVD will definitely help with my upper body strength, which I'm going to need for our recital pieces... but more on that later.
This post is getting to be a wee bit novel-ish, so I'll stop now. Happy Dancing, and stay warm out there!
RB
Going from 4 to 14 people in Lyrical is really strange. There is a very wide range of ability with the newcomers-- from what I can tell some of the newbies haven't danced at all, or not for many years. I can definitely relate to that phenomenon, but wouldn't you kind of expect beginners to join a dance basics/ballet class? Up until semester break we were working on complicated turning combinations and leaps and such, and I worry a bit that absolute beginners could result in a watered down recital number. I really enjoy those complicated combinations-- they are like my gauge for how (or if) I'm progressing. Time will tell!
My control has improved this year, I noticed recently that I'm able to hold a battement devant just above 90* for several seconds before muscle fatigue sets in which is pretty exciting! That means my core work is paying off! I'm also getting better at controlling my arms and balances more, the hang time I suppose.
In other news, ballet was great this week! We ran through a lot of pirouette drills, and that night I was able to let myself relax into them a little bit. I've been flustered with pulling my pirouettes together lately, but last night I focused mainly on keeping my balance until I was ready to come down from the turn and keeping my arms from falling down towards my pelvis after they meet. I don't know why I have this bad habit, it started some time last year.
We did several different turning combinations with primarily single turns. 4 consecutive single pirouettes. Then alternating singles & doubles. I like piecing together multiple turns like that because it means I don't have time to sit and think about each and every thing I might be doing wrong. You just turn, and usually I end up doing better turns with multiple rotations when I practice them this way. Our last turning combination was a single pirouette followed by a single turn in attitude devant that closes into passe and continues for a second rotation. I NAILED this one and it felt great. I could have probably continued on to a triple if I'd held my form and kept spotting!
Part of what I need to work on with pirouettes is trusting myself to not fall flat on my face when coming out of a turn. I am able to execute multiple turns when I keep strong in my position (no sitting down into the supporting leg when the turn is about to complete!!) and hold my arms at the appropriate height. Making sure my head stays level and my chin doesn't tip up throwing off my spot is another thing I need to work on. I wish I was one of those turning prodigies!
Oh, speaking of turning prodigies-- I got a PM from an anonymous someone criticizing my Dance Moms references, how DM is the trash of the dance world and I'm making myself look less professional by talking about it. I couldn't help but laugh.
A.) I'm not a professional dancer.
B.) I don't care how crappy and dramatic the whole thing is, you can't deny that those little girls have talent.
That's what I watch it for. If that makes me some sell out wannabe dance noob or whatever, you can promptly unsubscribe or close your browser window. LOL. Good dancing is good dancing. One of the guys who works for Liberty Tax Service in my area dancing on the street corner in a Statue of Liberty costume (in February, in Wisconsin!!) is a good dancer too, dude has some WICKED impressive moves. I don't see how any of that makes a difference with my "street cred" as Anonymous so kindly worded it. Thanks for the laugh, sir or madam. :)
Finally, I'm starting to incorporate yoga and daily stretches into my routine. When I was trying to get my splits, I stretched almost every day. Since I've gotten my right splits and almost my left, I've started to slack in the stretching department. I'd like to go from splits to oversplits this year if it's possible, and I can't do that unless I work on it. Yoga isn't something I've enjoyed very much in the past. I've taken classes here and there, and it just didn't seem to be my thing. I picked up a Jillian Michaels DVD that's a yoga/cardio/strength fusion type of thing, and it's more my speed. This DVD will definitely help with my upper body strength, which I'm going to need for our recital pieces... but more on that later.
This post is getting to be a wee bit novel-ish, so I'll stop now. Happy Dancing, and stay warm out there!
RB
You know what? I like to read trashy novels in the bath. Not to say that I don't enjoy a good dose of sensible/philosophic/non-fiction literature. It's just that I'm not going to restrict myself into what is socially acceptable or read only things that broaden my horizons. DM is like that :)
ReplyDeleteMeant to add this in my last post. Please keep blogging. If some nasty people are posting comments just hit delete. Don't read it, don't put that hatefulness in your head. Seriously there are some really mean people out there, especially in internet comments. Cowards. I read how discouraged it made you in an earlier post. It is very brave for you to put yourself out there, especially since you don't fit the average dance stereotype. Since I started dance in middle age I don't either. So what? Haters are gonna hate. You go girl!
ReplyDelete