UNIT 25 Dance Improvisation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLD5whky4E&feature=youtu.be
Here is us learning how to do some Buto, Japanese dance. We are doing an end of year showcase, featuring multicultural dance, including this style of dance.
16/09/15
We met the teacher at the beginning of the lesson. We then began to focus on movement. We warmed up and moved our bodies id position to stretch them out. It was painful as it felt different, but it felt good to warm up so that movement  is easier.  We then continued by moving from point to point, moving in to high positions, and lower ones.   The music was tribal and I had four poses. A star on my back, a tall postion with hands joined. Alio, a steoped position and one on the floor with my legs long in front of ce and my feet touching.   I learnt that we could also mirror people in dance, by postioning yourself to match others' movements.   Overall, I learnt that movement has no limits, and dance can be vary varied.

10/11/15
We began a warm up in the style of Martha Graham. Following this, we looked at making a dance  with a partner. We had to make our bodies in to shapes such as circles squares and triangles. We had to use contrasting heights and directions. I worked with a fellow student and our team work helped us make a two minute dance. I was very pleased with our achievement!

20/11/15
Conbined, Callum and Laura lead a warm up. After this, we all began to focus on the use of props. Selecting props, during music we had to dance up to someone and swap props. We discussed using our canes as dance props. We also carried out work on dance and movement. after moving to the music,  Laura gave us a description such as a bridge, Eifel Tower, and fridge. We, as a group, had to create these forms. This was easily managed with concentration and team work.

0711/15
To start off, we warmed up our bodies. We then began considering a oew dance, the Charlston, with the use of our canes as props.  This took practica, everyone struggled with a step at least once.  We had a sequence without canes, and then we brought  them in to the dance. I feel I accomplished a lot, as I really had to work on space,  timing  and learning new steps.  I had never properly used  a prop in a rehearsed dance before.

18/11/15
After a sincere warm up, we began to look at techniques of dance. We did this by meeting another person in the group, and traveling with them, touching certain body parts together, like an elbow and a back.  We also looked at  how we moved as we swapped places with the person.  This  worked  but sometimes  our sense  of direction  or movement  clashed  so we didn't quite achieve  our aim.  We also continued with the Charleston and discussed colaborating moves from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins.  We all developed our improvisation  and choriography  skills, by looking at certain pieces  and choosing particular  moves.

26/11/15
We warmed up, and then looked at the assignment brief. Our aim was to create once upon a memory, looking at a dream sequence with all of our childhood memories. For the entire lesson, we brainstormed  stimulus  ideas,  and talked  about  our own childhood memories and  things we used to like as children. It was a productive brainstorming session  and next week we will be collecting our ideas and starting the piece.

30/11/15
After a warm up, we reviewed our ideas for our assessment, and the brief. After a long talk about the sequence, our ideas, and a list of parts to the dance,  we walked it through.  Emily in bed,  callum with Chitty  car,  Emily reading  me story, jump in to book and ballet, casting a spell on Emily,  costa cups dance, Dancing  with Wolves,  There's no plce like home, Emily in bed. We walked it through and foundhe timing was sufficient.

13/12/15
Dance Assessment
It took us a week to plan the assessment, a week to practise, and a week to tie up before performing. Together, we compiled everyone's childhood memories in to one sequence. Everyone gathered props needed for the final performance. The f3pst section, was Callum in his Chitty Chitty bang bang car, using a car from back stage. After this, Emily stood from her pretend bed, and they both danced be old bamboo with my canes. I then stood, pretending to jump in to a book, and did ballet steps, using a wand. After this, there was. Steps from Popular, from wicked! We danced with plastic cups, pretending to be popular. Callum and Emily followed with dancing with Wolves. Finally, Emily said there's no place  like home  and  the  dance closed. During  rehearsal, everyone was very  nervous. We made  many prop mistakes  likes wand in the wrong place,  and a a book  left on stage. However,  the audience enjoyed  it and the piece was successful. We all used a variety  of skills for improvisation. A lot of research was involved,  and I think we all achieved very well.  I hope I passed the assessment, as I put plenty of energy  and time into the piece. 20 June  This week was our dance performance,  where I had a few solos. In rehearsals I lacked confidence. However, the show  itself  went very well. Apart from a few  mistakes, the performance went very well. It The choreography was very good.  I found  the team worked well together. IT was very successful as I was given my costumes in time to come on stage, as I had 3 costumes. Most of my work was improvised  and  I was able to use Skinner release technique and the Buto training. I was very proud of myself. I can tell my confidence has grown amazingly since  September. I felt uncertain and less connected to my dance as I did not really know how to. Next year, I want to perform a whole solo piece by myself, not just part of the piece. The team was so supportive of each other, and I'm pleased with our flow and cooperation.   I think I have learnt how to be more flexible, and more creative. When I started dance, I didn't know what to do or how to create a piece. I didn't understand dance, or know how to put things together to make emotion or a particular style. Since then I have helped to choreograph dance,  and have given many new ideas. I think next year my confidence will grow more and more. I would like to have my own solo dance where I can show all tha new techniques like Skinner release that I now know. I also know how to improvise, which at the start of the year, I really struggled to do. I now improvise confidently, which I am proud of.