Geez, what a night. It's amazing how one week off can totally throw you off your game. I felt like a total klutz today, stumbling my way through layers. Eventually my legs just gave up and said "You know what? We are not going to shimmy anymore. You're on your own with this one." Class was challenging physically and emotionally, that's for sure. It's so hard sometimes to force myself to do something that I'm doing poorly at.
More practice is definitely the answer. I've been so caught up in working on specific performances that I have not been putting enough time into my general skills. I'm getting a little sloppy from the lack of drilling.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Moving
Oh my goodness it feels so good to be back to things after being sick!
Tonight, Choreography class was a total misnomer, because we spent it doing a spontaneous movement meditation thingie. A little New Age woo-woo, but whatever. I just had fun exploring movement and trying some different ways of expressing myself. My meditation was mainly on how damn good it was to not be stuck at home in bed.
Then we had troupe practice, which was spent refining the finished choreography and working on the next one which is REALLY REALLY HARD. It's going to be a struggle for me to get some of those moves right! It's a good thing that I like a challenge.
Tonight, Choreography class was a total misnomer, because we spent it doing a spontaneous movement meditation thingie. A little New Age woo-woo, but whatever. I just had fun exploring movement and trying some different ways of expressing myself. My meditation was mainly on how damn good it was to not be stuck at home in bed.
Then we had troupe practice, which was spent refining the finished choreography and working on the next one which is REALLY REALLY HARD. It's going to be a struggle for me to get some of those moves right! It's a good thing that I like a challenge.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Sharon Kihara
Hello there, internet. Did you miss me? I was sick in bed for a week. It was wonderful *eye roll*
I got well just in time to head up to Tempe for the Sharon Kihara Spring Intensive at Plaza de Anaya! I had only purchased one workshop this time around, since I decided to spend all my fun money on a tattoo, but I also bought myself a ticket to the show, because really, $15 is a STEAL for the sort of show that Plaza always puts on for the intensives! It felt really strange to be at the show and not have been at workshops earlier in the day, though, and then it felt strange to get up this morning and have a few hours to hang out instead of rushing to the workshop!
The one workshop that I did take was SO MUCH FUN! It was all about creative collaboration in a group setting. We were split up into random groups and we had to come up with a story, and then a choreography to express it. I found it really amazing how much 7 people from varying dance backgrounds could accomplish together in just an hour. All four groups came up with really beautiful choreographies, it was great to just sit and watch them. I had a wonderful time working with my group, I was lucky and ended up in the same group as two of my former Anaya troupe mates and a few other people I knew!
Sharon struck me as a very warm, friendly, and fun person. I didn't get much of a sense of her teaching style, since this particular workshop was more geared towards group interaction with her guidance, but friends who had taken the entire weekend spoke really highly of the more technical ones, so I have a feeling I'd enjoy learning more from her in the future.
Now I'm ready to throw myself back into dancing this coming week. I can't wait to see my Fire & Gold troupe mates tomorrow night!
I got well just in time to head up to Tempe for the Sharon Kihara Spring Intensive at Plaza de Anaya! I had only purchased one workshop this time around, since I decided to spend all my fun money on a tattoo, but I also bought myself a ticket to the show, because really, $15 is a STEAL for the sort of show that Plaza always puts on for the intensives! It felt really strange to be at the show and not have been at workshops earlier in the day, though, and then it felt strange to get up this morning and have a few hours to hang out instead of rushing to the workshop!
The one workshop that I did take was SO MUCH FUN! It was all about creative collaboration in a group setting. We were split up into random groups and we had to come up with a story, and then a choreography to express it. I found it really amazing how much 7 people from varying dance backgrounds could accomplish together in just an hour. All four groups came up with really beautiful choreographies, it was great to just sit and watch them. I had a wonderful time working with my group, I was lucky and ended up in the same group as two of my former Anaya troupe mates and a few other people I knew!
Sharon struck me as a very warm, friendly, and fun person. I didn't get much of a sense of her teaching style, since this particular workshop was more geared towards group interaction with her guidance, but friends who had taken the entire weekend spoke really highly of the more technical ones, so I have a feeling I'd enjoy learning more from her in the future.
Now I'm ready to throw myself back into dancing this coming week. I can't wait to see my Fire & Gold troupe mates tomorrow night!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Smorgasbord
Oh, how I love that word. Smorgasbord! It's fun to say. It's fun to type.
Today's practice was a little of this and that -- some snake arms with glow fans, some layered shimmies, some fast turns with spotting, some 3/4 shimmies, and of course some choreography (where I completely skipped the 16 counts of taxims, oops!).
I think I overdid it on the glow fan snake arms, though, since my arm is trembling as I attempt to drink. Uh oh!
Today's practice was a little of this and that -- some snake arms with glow fans, some layered shimmies, some fast turns with spotting, some 3/4 shimmies, and of course some choreography (where I completely skipped the 16 counts of taxims, oops!).
I think I overdid it on the glow fan snake arms, though, since my arm is trembling as I attempt to drink. Uh oh!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Indecision
The hardest part about practicing at home is deciding what to practice. Some things are a given -- right now I have to practice the F&G choreography, and I have to work with my glow fans. But what else should I work on? Layering over shimmies? Improving the range of motion in my taxim? Freshen up my ITS, which has been a bit neglected lately? More emotionality? Hands? Sword? Veil?
I should probably sit down and come up with some sort of plan and schedule, to make sure that everything gets practiced. Otherwise I tend to neglect things. And let's face it, if I want to work my way up to being a professional belly dancer (and I do!), I need to develop good practice habits.
As for tonight, I decided it was a great idea to do snake arms with glow fans. I should probably do that every day to build up a little muscle! And I did some shimmies with a bit of layering on top.
I should probably sit down and come up with some sort of plan and schedule, to make sure that everything gets practiced. Otherwise I tend to neglect things. And let's face it, if I want to work my way up to being a professional belly dancer (and I do!), I need to develop good practice habits.
As for tonight, I decided it was a great idea to do snake arms with glow fans. I should probably do that every day to build up a little muscle! And I did some shimmies with a bit of layering on top.
Ow
Class tonight was canceled, due to a family emergency, so I was left to my own devices. Apparently when left to my own devices, I eat a steak dinner and sit around doing beadwork and watching silly movies. But of course I also practiced, including trying to learn how to spin my glow fans... which resulted in me scratching up my arms. Just inside my elbows. OW! What an obnoxious place to get scratches. Maybe I should wrap that part of my arm in bandages until I learn to stop hitting myself. As it is, I have to practice over the couch so that when I inevitably drop a fan, it doesn't get banged up on the tile floor.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Halfsies
Even dedicated, committed people need a little break sometimes. I was feeling really cruddy and run-down today. I almost skipped class altogether, but I really should save that for when I'm genuinely sick or out of town, so I decided to compromise and only take one of the two classes tonight. And it was a good class, jam-packed with dancers, a pleasant temperature in the studio, and we got to do some arm drills, hip work, and traveling across the floor.
Maybe after a cookie and some tea I'll even feel well enough for a little extra practice!
Maybe after a cookie and some tea I'll even feel well enough for a little extra practice!
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