Malta- week four

Monday

It stormed. I woke up to a storm. Just as I left for university storm. It was ridiculously satisfying watching the water whirl down the hill but very frustrating knowing you will not make it in time for ballet. Calling a cab was another story, everything was booked up and I had been waiting an hour and a half. As it cleared up, I left for the walk to the studios to join for contemporary and dance theatre. Never in all my life did I think my heart would shatter from not being able to do ballet, even though I’m getting extra lessons on top, guess its shows how much I am enjoying them. Tomorrow I will find a back up bus route; which for now seems impossible to find.

Contemporary was pushing me more mentally is week. We were learning new phrases which looked more complicated that it was (our teacher assured us). We were thrown into new moves and a complete one-weilded focus making us adjust known movement for what was asked. This challenge helped understand more about “basic movements” and the most energy efficient way to dance.

After a break we had dance theatre, where we were told we were to create a piece for viewing in December. The theme is something personal that can be politically challenged. To me just brought up two ideas. 1. A big vulnerability without knowing my class that well or 2. Something I am very passionate about. To me dance is about risk and exploring our inner selves but also creating dance for change. These two themes will be spiralling around my brain until I know what to do. My vulnerability so far seems to be taking shape in my dissertation so it is either doing a separate dance piece or a small part 1 of my dissertation to come

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

What was this morning, I thought Malta was a warm country but its stormed most of the morning I have wanted to walk in. Nethertheless my dedication to dance prevailed and I walked 40 minutes in a storm to ballet. Funny enough my spare clothes were dry but my spare socks soaked.

In the spirit of world ballet day, we did a floor barre class (exercised on the floor to improve and strengthen) that we can do everyday. In Dorian’s words “if you do this 30minuites a day you will be fantastic”. To me these exercises that focus on all sides of the ankle and foot help me to bets understand my alignment when standing and the kind of pressure I am expected to put into the floor. For me its amazing having short daily exercises specially aiming on what I need- strength and turn out.

Trying to do something every day, even if 5 minutes done properly, can have major short term benefits.

Instead of contemporary today, we began Cunningham technique. At first I was skeptical as the only experience I had of Cunningham was watching a filmed piece of work that I didn’t enjoy much. However, to my surprise I loved the class. We started easing into it, learning the pure (made my the man himself) material. The balletic aspects were the perfect balance of what I already had in my body and qualities such as, in a tendu shifting weight back to the centre before the next tendu, being

what was innate to me. Having this understanding has shown me that I need to shift weight more in ballet and relax in Cunningham. The mathematical elements of changed could ting, supported by maths background and kept me engaged whilst working on my technical improvements. I am looking forward to more classes with my amazing teacher, Sara.

Today was a new module day for me, starting dance as communication which is a first year module. To me, you can never go over the foundations too much. Analysing performances within the class opened me up to more practitioners and pieces giving more influences for future performances. I was especially taken with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's pieces that I got to re-watch. It was nice to see a practitioner I had been so engaged with return from the back on my mind. I am getting more and more excited to create both my dance theatre piece here and my dissertation.

Friday- workshop day

The morning starts as usual, ballet by this time with the first year students joining. It was a weird sensation going from a small class to one you’d expect at home, 25-30 people on 4 standing barres and the ones on the side. This change shifted my focus in class more on learning from others, seeing what the current third years could have picked up from when they were in the first years shoes. I am starting to see more miniscule pointers in technique that I could correct on others, meaning in the next few months these should transpire in to my body.

After the 1.5 hours we had a short break before our workshop with Malta’s only dance company Zfin Malta. I reminded myself that they were people too and not potentially the only main contact I could easily get out here. We learnt three pieces from their new repitoire and then worked on, in their opinion, main elements of a dance and meaning. These were space around the body, direction, pathways, axes, levels, initiation and fluidity. We looked individuals at each aspect in the rep and then zoned in on one to improve performance quality. I found looking at my imitation point and changing it adapted the feel of the movement greatly. In these pieces I innately led with a shoulder but when trying a foot much prefered the feel. We ended the 2.5 hour session creating a short phrase based on two elements taken from any one of the rep. I chose shift of weight and levels. I loved the session and the worry I had before they day quickly left and allowed for my creativity to flow. I’m loving the opportunities already given by the University of Malta.

What is a Friday night without a trip to bar Native and learning a little more Latin dance?

Saturday

After a relaxed morning, I’m ready to head into Valletta for Notte Bianca but not before getting my choreography done for a last minute session collaborating with the University Music students.

Notte bianca was one of the best experience yet. The streets were literally filled with big brass bands are faitylights hanging from the sky. Every road you took led to another event such as tango, or an open museum or stage. Wandering the streets of Valletta was so much more exciting knowing wherever you wanted to go was open. I ended up in underground tunnels and politician boardroom, as if the whole of Malta was exposed. The performances allowed me to see the standard of events and get brochures of local theatres. I know so much more of where to go if I want more culture and even looking at ballet performances this coming month. The event lasted all night and I was home by 1am exhausted by the walking.

Sunday

After a well needed lie in and research, Lee and myself headed into the Sliema shopping centre 1(which was shut of course) but soon headed down a beautiful rock-formed stairs to the coast seeing Valletta a shirt swim away. We sat and saw the waves crash into the Earth and then jumped between the sea rock by rock. It felt so beautiful being so close to nature, the sun on your face and feeling at ease.

The rest of the day was sat with snacks films and face timing home for my mums belated birthday.