I think that this week's class (the one that we have had) went very well. It was nice to do more work in the center and across the floor. It was also very revealing to work with our eyes closed. OH proprioceptors, why do fail me?
I really enjoyed doing the exercises with my eyes closed. When there are all these people around me it is hard to focus on what I am doing. I focus too much on what other people are doing. This ballet class is so much fun! I remember being in ballet a 6 years ago and I had a ton of fun but most of the girls were so serious about their careers in ballet and we never got to let loose and enjoy dancing like when we were younger. I danced with the same girls forever so we did goof around a little, but I felt so intimidated by my instructors and by the competitiveness between all the girls. In the class I have now, it feels like everyone is working on their technique and learning a lot, but they are really enjoying the improv and respecting each other no matter their level of improvement. It's been so fun!
wow, that video was fricking adorable. I really like the incorporation of improvisation into the dance routine. I think improv allows us to break up and reassemble our beautiful ballet forms. I especially like the contrast of going from upright, beautiful, and strong ballet dancers to rolling on the ground like flthy little piggies to standing up and regaining a sense of beauty and strength before continuing the excercise. I can see how it is a helpful drill.
I found the exercises with our eyes closed to be very interesting. I found myself feeling more confident with the combinations. It also allowed me to find my balance a lot better than I would if my eyes were open. I really enjoy working across the floor and I was glad to see we did a lot more of that this week.
isgustingly adorable. i love the little girl hanging off the barr like a jungle gym. Sometimes i feel the way those little girls must feel..."ok, i guess i'll follow along even though that woman looks like a crazy person with her toe on her knee..." Yes louis, you look like a crazy person most of the time... But i think sometimes it is good to follow along just for the sake of doing something new everyday. Even if it's something crazy.
Wow, what a poorly written paragraph. Everyone can just ignore all of that.
The eyes closed exercises were invigorating. I found that, when forced to remember a combination, I was able to 'download' it much faster and more accurately. Also, with eyes closed i found i focused much of my energy towards my core, which felt so stable and so much more comfortable as a ballet position. Wednesday's class was excellent. Oh! I also loved the combinations across the diagonal of the room. I love dance that travels. -erika bergman
I thought that this week's classes have been really good, I got so into talking about it after Wednesday's class that one of my friends wants to take ballet next quarter! Doing the exercises with our eyes closed made such a huge difference, it really made me realize how much musculature is required for doing even the smallest things in ballet. My balances were pretty much a disaster, but it made me want to work that much harder on them. I also really enjoyed that we got to do more movement across the floor than we have been. I even started to enjoy the improv more this week. :)
Oh yeah- when I was in ballet when I was little I ALWAYS got yelled at for hanging on the bars. It was nice to see a kindred spirit.
i think this week classes is interesting, with my eyes closed and all. i think its a little difficult for me, because sometimes i forgot the steps, and also its hard to keep balance. But true, with eyes close, i can focus much better, without the need of looking around the room
omg, i love kids! i don't remember being that little, but i hope that i looked that cute! this week during class made me realize how off balance i am! i closed my eyes to do the exercise and i felt dizy! i have no idea how to improve that, but if anyone has any suggestion i am listening!
I had a really important thought at the end of class today, after Louis had Thomas dance with him in front of the class so we could see how far they traveled when they danced.
I made a big connection here with the space we take up when we dance and our gender socialization. This is something I've discussed in some of my women studies classes before, but I hadn't thought to relate it to how I move when I dance.
I feel like, in general, women and girls are socialized to take up as little space as possible - we are supposed to sit with our legs crossed and hands folded and be small, proper, complacent, precise, and not make a big deal out of ourselves - definitely not loud, aggressive, bold, and taking up a lot of space. So I think for men and boys (who aren't socialized this same way), taking up space comes much more naturally to them than it does to others who have been been taught subconsciously (or even explicitly) that we should not be bold and take up a lot of space.
This thought came to me after watching Thomas and Louis dance, and thinking about how most of the other men or boys I've dance with have also seemed to naturally take up a lot of space, and after hearing Louis tell us a few more times to travel, and wondering why doing so seemed so foreign and awkward to me.
Basically, I realized that I wasn't traveling or taking up a lot of space because I never really had before and felt like I wasn't really supposed to.
I have really enjoyed dance class this week. We have started getting into more complicated combinations, and while some of them are very challenging I have really enjoyed seeing how far I can push myself. I can tell that we are working hard because every day when I leave dance my legs are SO sore. I love that feeling, because it lets me know that I have accomplished something.
I really enjoyed this weeks classes. It seems like we really stepped it up and started incorporating a lot of new technique and also increased the activity level. I liked that, it felt good to really work. Working with your eyes closed was also a good addition, its incredible how different it all feels and how much harder you have to work when you don't have your vision. Ballet is definitely coming back to be a lot more as we progress as a class, I can feel myself improving.
I think it is always a good exercise to try and cover more length when we're moving across the floor. It really gets me thinking about how to take the technique I've learned and make it my own. I start thinking more about how the motions feel inside of me versus what I look like from the outside. It has a similar affect on me as the improv; I have to forget my technique in a way and just let go.
It was interesting to attempt to dance with your eyes closed. I've never done that and it was a completely new experience. Also, it really points out weaknesses which are necessary for improvement. I agree with some of the other students, I also really enjoy getting away from the bar. I realize it is crucial to use to bar to grow as a dancer but I think it's more fun to have the freedom to move around. Overall, I think this week’s classes went very well.
I love trying to balance with my eyes closed - it just adds a whole new dimension of difficulty. It also really makes me aware of where I am in a new way because I have to focus in my mind rather than on a wall or something physical. Lastly, I think it proves how much we depend on each other in this class as shown by how we all ended our beginning exercise on different counts. Overall, I think it's really beneficial though and I loved learning all of the new moves on Friday!
I loved this class so much that I took painkiller and tried to ignore my sprained ankle. I think I am improving in memorizing movements while I feel frustrated that I still can not move as I want due to the injury. This weekend I was so shocked to find my ankle has been still horriblly swollen. I went to hospital and the doctor prohibited dancing for a week. How stupid I am! This is what I least expected to happen.
I think that video was adorable. Like the older gentleman we watched doing ballet it again proves that you can dance at any age. Although a lot of the children don't follow every move they do pay attention and mimic a lot of the moves.
I also agree that i enjoyed doing more middle of the floor activities and i really like doing across the floors. Its a lot more fun then bar work even though i know bar work is a must.
Also i never realized how much your eyes affect dancing ability. It was so much harder to do moves with my eyes closed. but on the other hand it made me concentrate more and forced me to memorize moves more.
This weeks class was interesting in both how difficult it was to dance with eyes closed, and trying to get the class to "download the exercise." I guess the main difficulty I have with remembering the exercise as a song is that if I miss/forget something, I tend to get lost for the rest of the routine. I'm used to remembering by counts, so if I miss something or hold something for too long, I know that there's a tondu on count 4 or whatever, and then I have a chance at getting back in. but when the exercise is demonstrated without counts, I have a hard time adding the counts in (my head is full). Does anyone else have this problem/have advice?
Aww the kids are so precious! I agree with Tara's thought. It can be awkward to move so much. I don't want people to really look at me while I'm dancing and learning the combination because I don't want to feel embarrassed about doing it wrong. It's all part of learning how to dance though and a lot of time we're asked to step out of our comfort zones.
This week's class was interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about dancing with my eyes closed. In some ways, it makes me feel more connected to the movements and other times, I just felt dizzy and didn't want to anymore.
I enjoyed this week's class more because I felt like I had to really work on finding my center and balance. I learn just as much from dancing as I do from watching others and learning from them. Although closing my eyes is suppose to help us focus on our own movements and following the music, I sometimes think it can be a distraction because I'm so focused on trying to remember the exercise and following the music, that it is hard to do all that and relax and finding a balance all at the same time.
- Moving big...Every dance teacher I've had has told me to travel more and use up the space across the floor. I think it really helps in connecting the movements together and transitioning from one movement to the other. Traveling more is somewhat harder but I think when I do it and get the hang of it, it requires a lot less thinking and a better flow.
I enjoyed the classes especially the new jump combinations. What I really get alot out of this class is how sequential the class is structured. I was happy to have Friday;s class dedicated to focusing on articulating feet (which is one of my focuses). Also I enjoyed moving across the floor while engaging with other members of the class and holding hands while we jumped was such a challenge yet the exercise allowed me to develop musicality and coordination
I loved this weeks class...i like how it feels like we are progressing really quickly. I have had many ballet teachers in the past and I never really felt like I was moving that quickly along with my technique but this class has really helped me so far.
I enjoyed this last week's classes. I think they were fun, but I also think they are getting more difficult. I found working with our eyes closed very hard, but kind of freeing. It was especially hard for me, because I couldn't rely on other people to keep me on time with the music. The balancing wasn't too much of a problem for me. One of my favorite parts of class was musical bar. It gives us a little time to relax and switch things up. I think that this is a very innovative idea.
This past week has been particularly challenging to me both mentally and physically. Mentally, it has been a brain stretch to memorize all of these new combinations. I like Louis' concept of "downloading" - it forces me to really zoom in and concentrate on the task at hand. Sometimes I find that the mental stretch is really more about needing to find the confidence in my own capabilities (more so than my ability to memorize). THis has also been a physically tough week for me too. That darn ankle - it's healing, but it just doesn't have the strength that it used to and it aches toward the end of class. Sometimes it steals the smile off my face. It's been frustrating because I LOVE to dance and this is my last year here at the UW - I don't want to waste any opportunities to be a part of the dance program. So I'm just staying strong and doing my best :)
Last week's class, which was kind of a while ago- was an enlightening experience. Doing the combinations on the bar with my eyes closed really made me realize how much I use my eyes when I dance either when I don't know a combination, forget a move, and especially when balancing. Working with my eyes closed was really an "eye opener" (hahaha....had to say it) to the aspects of dance that I need to work on. For myself they would be working on internalizing the movement and focusing on "downloading" combinations when Louis is demonstrating them. I also really enjoyed the "musical bars" center-fun. I especially liked the do si do and hokie pokie :)
Last week's class was fantastic! I just LOVE doing our exercises with our eyes closed. It doesn't matter what the rest of the class is doing and I did what felt right versus was looked right..
I feel this week i had improved my body balance. I remember 2 weeks ago, i still have a hard time to balance my body when i tried to do some certain movement. I really enjoy to do the exercise this week but i found out that one of my chanllege is to closed my eyes and do the movement at the same time. I keep forgetting the movement that i just learned. I tried to closed my eyes on every single piece of dance that i learned but i realize is very hard. I believe as a good dancer, even with the eyes closed , you can still make a beautiful movement. I think i really have to learned and chanllenge myself with the dance so that i can become a better dancer and eventually someday my movement will become prettier.
Doing with ballet with my eyes closed gives me a much more centered feeling and helps me focus on every movement I am making. It much more helpful to focus on what you are doing than what others are doing. Also, I like that this ballet class actually feels more meditative like yoga!
I really enjoyed during more center work across the floor. It was tough to do the exercises with my eyes closed but it also allowed me to lengthen my body more.
Well, this comment is a little after the fact, but from reading others' posts, I am able to recollect the week of doing exercises with eyes closed..... how difficult that was! Mainly because I suddenly doubted what I knew - timing and sequence. Yet, at the same time, it's amazing how something as simple as closing your eyes can help you develop a new relationship to your body. It's almost as if the head turns off and all you have left is feeling - how it feels inside your body to do the movement. It was such a perfect exercise for me since that is exactly what I have committed to doing very recently - feeling what the movements feel like in my body rather than mentally analyzing whether or not I am doing them 'right.'
I love little kids and the freedom they have to do whatever they like.
Working with our eyes closed is such a test of whether we know a phrase or not. I will be honest, sometimes I dont download as well as I could because I assume I can just look at somebody else and pick it up, or that Ive done it enough Ill remember. However, I realize that that mental connection is so crucial to progression.
35 comments:
I think that this week's class (the one that we have had) went very well. It was nice to do more work in the center and across the floor. It was also very revealing to work with our eyes closed. OH proprioceptors, why do fail me?
I really enjoyed doing the exercises with my eyes closed. When there are all these people around me it is hard to focus on what I am doing. I focus too much on what other people are doing. This ballet class is so much fun! I remember being in ballet a 6 years ago and I had a ton of fun but most of the girls were so serious about their careers in ballet and we never got to let loose and enjoy dancing like when we were younger. I danced with the same girls forever so we did goof around a little, but I felt so intimidated by my instructors and by the competitiveness between all the girls. In the class I have now, it feels like everyone is working on their technique and learning a lot, but they are really enjoying the improv and respecting each other no matter their level of improvement. It's been so fun!
wow, that video was fricking adorable.
I really like the incorporation of improvisation into the dance routine. I think improv allows us to break up and reassemble our beautiful ballet forms. I especially like the contrast of going from upright, beautiful, and strong ballet dancers to rolling on the ground like flthy little piggies to standing up and regaining a sense of beauty and strength before continuing the excercise. I can see how it is a helpful drill.
I found the exercises with our eyes closed to be very interesting. I found myself feeling more confident with the combinations. It also allowed me to find my balance a lot better than I would if my eyes were open. I really enjoy working across the floor and I was glad to see we did a lot more of that this week.
isgustingly adorable. i love the little girl hanging off the barr like a jungle gym.
Sometimes i feel the way those little girls must feel..."ok, i guess i'll follow along even though that woman looks like a crazy person with her toe on her knee..." Yes louis, you look like a crazy person most of the time...
But i think sometimes it is good to follow along just for the sake of doing something new everyday. Even if it's something crazy.
Wow, what a poorly written paragraph. Everyone can just ignore all of that.
The eyes closed exercises were invigorating. I found that, when forced to remember a combination, I was able to 'download' it much faster and more accurately. Also, with eyes closed i found i focused much of my energy towards my core, which felt so stable and so much more comfortable as a ballet position. Wednesday's class was excellent. Oh! I also loved the combinations across the diagonal of the room. I love dance that travels.
-erika bergman
I thought that this week's classes have been really good, I got so into talking about it after Wednesday's class that one of my friends wants to take ballet next quarter! Doing the exercises with our eyes closed made such a huge difference, it really made me realize how much musculature is required for doing even the smallest things in ballet. My balances were pretty much a disaster, but it made me want to work that much harder on them. I also really enjoyed that we got to do more movement across the floor than we have been. I even started to enjoy the improv more this week. :)
Oh yeah- when I was in ballet when I was little I ALWAYS got yelled at for hanging on the bars. It was nice to see a kindred spirit.
the video is so cute ! :)
i think this week classes is interesting, with my eyes closed and all. i think its a little difficult for me, because sometimes i forgot the steps, and also its hard to keep balance. But true, with eyes close, i can focus much better, without the need of looking around the room
omg, i love kids! i don't remember being that little, but i hope that i looked that cute! this week during class made me realize how off balance i am! i closed my eyes to do the exercise and i felt dizy! i have no idea how to improve that, but if anyone has any suggestion i am listening!
I read this far on 1-24-2008
I had a really important thought at the end of class today, after Louis had Thomas dance with him in front of the class so we could see how far they traveled when they danced.
I made a big connection here with the space we take up when we dance and our gender socialization. This is something I've discussed in some of my women studies classes before, but I hadn't thought to relate it to how I move when I dance.
I feel like, in general, women and girls are socialized to take up as little space as possible - we are supposed to sit with our legs crossed and hands folded and be small, proper, complacent, precise, and not make a big deal out of ourselves - definitely not loud, aggressive, bold, and taking up a lot of space. So I think for men and boys (who aren't socialized this same way), taking up space comes much more naturally to them than it does to others who have been been taught subconsciously (or even explicitly) that we should not be bold and take up a lot of space.
This thought came to me after watching Thomas and Louis dance, and thinking about how most of the other men or boys I've dance with have also seemed to naturally take up a lot of space, and after hearing Louis tell us a few more times to travel, and wondering why doing so seemed so foreign and awkward to me.
Basically, I realized that I wasn't traveling or taking up a lot of space because I never really had before and felt like I wasn't really supposed to.
Just a thought!
-Tara
A very interesting thought, Tara! How do others feel about moving big?
I have really enjoyed dance class this week. We have started getting into more complicated combinations, and while some of them are very challenging I have really enjoyed seeing how far I can push myself. I can tell that we are working hard because every day when I leave dance my legs are SO sore. I love that feeling, because it lets me know that I have accomplished something.
I really enjoyed this weeks classes. It seems like we really stepped it up and started incorporating a lot of new technique and also increased the activity level. I liked that, it felt good to really work. Working with your eyes closed was also a good addition, its incredible how different it all feels and how much harder you have to work when you don't have your vision. Ballet is definitely coming back to be a lot more as we progress as a class, I can feel myself improving.
I think it is always a good exercise to try and cover more length when we're moving across the floor. It really gets me thinking about how to take the technique I've learned and make it my own. I start thinking more about how the motions feel inside of me versus what I look like from the outside. It has a similar affect on me as the improv; I have to forget my technique in a way and just let go.
It was interesting to attempt to dance with your eyes closed. I've never done that and it was a completely new experience. Also, it really points out weaknesses which are necessary for improvement. I agree with some of the other students, I also really enjoy getting away from the bar. I realize it is crucial to use to bar to grow as a dancer but I think it's more fun to have the freedom to move around. Overall, I think this week’s classes went very well.
I love trying to balance with my eyes closed - it just adds a whole new dimension of difficulty. It also really makes me aware of where I am in a new way because I have to focus in my mind rather than on a wall or something physical. Lastly, I think it proves how much we depend on each other in this class as shown by how we all ended our beginning exercise on different counts. Overall, I think it's really beneficial though and I loved learning all of the new moves on Friday!
I loved this class so much that I took painkiller and tried to ignore my sprained ankle.
I think I am improving in memorizing movements while I feel frustrated that I still can not move as I want due to the injury.
This weekend I was so shocked to find my ankle has been still horriblly swollen. I went to hospital and the doctor prohibited dancing for a week.
How stupid I am! This is what I least expected to happen.
I think that video was adorable. Like the older gentleman we watched doing ballet it again proves that you can dance at any age. Although a lot of the children don't follow every move they do pay attention and mimic a lot of the moves.
I also agree that i enjoyed doing more middle of the floor activities and i really like doing across the floors. Its a lot more fun then bar work even though i know bar work is a must.
Also i never realized how much your eyes affect dancing ability. It was so much harder to do moves with my eyes closed. but on the other hand it made me concentrate more and forced me to memorize moves more.
This weeks class was interesting in both how difficult it was to dance with eyes closed, and trying to get the class to "download the exercise."
I guess the main difficulty I have with remembering the exercise as a song is that if I miss/forget something, I tend to get lost for the rest of the routine. I'm used to remembering by counts, so if I miss something or hold something for too long, I know that there's a tondu on count 4 or whatever, and then I have a chance at getting back in. but when the exercise is demonstrated without counts, I have a hard time adding the counts in (my head is full). Does anyone else have this problem/have advice?
Aww the kids are so precious! I agree with Tara's thought. It can be awkward to move so much. I don't want people to really look at me while I'm dancing and learning the combination because I don't want to feel embarrassed about doing it wrong. It's all part of learning how to dance though and a lot of time we're asked to step out of our comfort zones.
This week's class was interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about dancing with my eyes closed. In some ways, it makes me feel more connected to the movements and other times, I just felt dizzy and didn't want to anymore.
I enjoyed this week's class more because I felt like I had to really work on finding my center and balance. I learn just as much from dancing as I do from watching others and learning from them. Although closing my eyes is suppose to help us focus on our own movements and following the music, I sometimes think it can be a distraction because I'm so focused on trying to remember the exercise and following the music, that it is hard to do all that and relax and finding a balance all at the same time.
- Moving big...Every dance teacher I've had has told me to travel more and use up the space across the floor. I think it really helps in connecting the movements together and transitioning from one movement to the other. Traveling more is somewhat harder but I think when I do it and get the hang of it, it requires a lot less thinking and a better flow.
I enjoyed the classes especially the new jump combinations. What I really get alot out of this class is how sequential the class is structured. I was happy to have Friday;s class dedicated to focusing on articulating feet (which is one of my focuses). Also I enjoyed moving across the floor while engaging with other members of the class and holding hands while we jumped was such a challenge yet the exercise allowed me to develop musicality and coordination
mhowis3 is ashley howisey!
I loved this weeks class...i like how it feels like we are progressing really quickly. I have had many ballet teachers in the past and I never really felt like I was moving that quickly along with my technique but this class has really helped me so far.
I read this far on 1-28-08
I enjoyed this last week's classes. I think they were fun, but I also think they are getting more difficult. I found working with our eyes closed very hard, but kind of freeing. It was especially hard for me, because I couldn't rely on other people to keep me on time with the music. The balancing wasn't too much of a problem for me. One of my favorite parts of class was musical bar. It gives us a little time to relax and switch things up. I think that this is a very innovative idea.
This past week has been particularly challenging to me both mentally and physically. Mentally, it has been a brain stretch to memorize all of these new combinations. I like Louis' concept of "downloading" - it forces me to really zoom in and concentrate on the task at hand. Sometimes I find that the mental stretch is really more about needing to find the confidence in my own capabilities (more so than my ability to memorize). THis has also been a physically tough week for me too. That darn ankle - it's healing, but it just doesn't have the strength that it used to and it aches toward the end of class. Sometimes it steals the smile off my face. It's been frustrating because I LOVE to dance and this is my last year here at the UW - I don't want to waste any opportunities to be a part of the dance program. So I'm just staying strong and doing my best :)
Last week's class, which was kind of a while ago- was an enlightening experience. Doing the combinations on the bar with my eyes closed really made me realize how much I use my eyes when I dance either when I don't know a combination, forget a move, and especially when balancing. Working with my eyes closed was really an "eye opener" (hahaha....had to say it) to the aspects of dance that I need to work on. For myself they would be working on internalizing the movement and focusing on "downloading" combinations when Louis is demonstrating them. I also really enjoyed the "musical bars" center-fun. I especially liked the do si do and hokie pokie :)
Last week's class was fantastic! I just LOVE doing our exercises with our eyes closed. It doesn't matter what the rest of the class is doing and I did what felt right versus was looked right..
These are all such excellent comments. Megan sorry to hear your ankle is still bumming you out!
Seems like the eyes closed exercise was a hit. I'll have to keep that one.
Also, seems like folks are having fun and that is KEY!
Louis
I feel this week i had improved my body balance. I remember 2 weeks ago, i still have a hard time to balance my body when i tried to do some certain movement. I really enjoy to do the exercise this week but i found out that one of my chanllege is to closed my eyes and do the movement at the same time. I keep forgetting the movement that i just learned. I tried to closed my eyes on every single piece of dance that i learned but i realize is very hard. I believe as a good dancer, even with the eyes closed , you can still make a beautiful movement. I think i really have to learned and chanllenge myself with the dance so that i can become a better dancer and eventually someday my movement will become prettier.
Doing with ballet with my eyes closed gives me a much more centered feeling and helps me focus on every movement I am making. It much more helpful to focus on what you are doing than what others are doing. Also, I like that this ballet class actually feels more meditative like yoga!
I really enjoyed during more center work across the floor. It was tough to do the exercises with my eyes closed but it also allowed me to lengthen my body more.
Well, this comment is a little after the fact, but from reading others' posts, I am able to recollect the week of doing exercises with eyes closed..... how difficult that was! Mainly because I suddenly doubted what I knew - timing and sequence. Yet, at the same time, it's amazing how something as simple as closing your eyes can help you develop a new relationship to your body. It's almost as if the head turns off and all you have left is feeling - how it feels inside your body to do the movement. It was such a perfect exercise for me since that is exactly what I have committed to doing very recently - feeling what the movements feel like in my body rather than mentally analyzing whether or not I am doing them 'right.'
I love little kids and the freedom they have to do whatever they like.
Working with our eyes closed is such a test of whether we know a phrase or not. I will be honest, sometimes I dont download as well as I could because I assume I can just look at somebody else and pick it up, or that Ive done it enough Ill remember. However, I realize that that mental connection is so crucial to progression.
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