Malta- week six

Monday

Its safe to say I sucked at Cunningham today. And you what ... That’s good. Now that I can see my mistakes I’m more critical meaning I’ve improved. By understanding my body I can analyse deeper which tells me I’ve done worse. In the next few months I hope to be a pirouetting ballet star (bit dramatic I know).

After my morning technique, I had dance theatre. We have been bringing in our ideas for our choreography project, about a personal political topic. I have so many ides about what I wish to do, yet found class challenging as it was generalised to all our “characters” and did not fit the theme or intention I am planning. Nethertheless, I feel closer to my character.

Tuesday

Again, at the moment I am in the habit of being too harsh on myself in ballet. I’m loving the corrections I’m getting and am able to see what needs to be improved on others, yet my body is stuck in old routines. I know I will improve. To anyone who is an adult or older beginner- do not give up! You may feel: embarrassed, stupid, or like you will never improve. Trust me I have felt it all. As the saying goes, you cannot compare your chapter 1 to someone’s chapter 20, they could have practiced since they were small. Count how far you have come, you never know you may have improved quicker in ahead than they did when they were at the same level. What I’m trying to say is make yourself the competition and not others. I get down too, but keeping these blogs helps me get a better understanding of the time I have spent and the accomplishments i have made. We are our worst critic.

Cunningham today was so much more enjoyable. I felt I put enough from ballet into it and can defiantly feel my inner hips hurting tomorrow. Lee even saw part of out corner work section, where we are developing jumps and coordination. Just knowing someone was there watching me made me jump 3x higher. I need to keep that feeling inside of me.

After my early finish, we spent a few hours walking new roads and discovered “raw Malta”. We came across cobbled streets and beautiful houses. It was so nice to have some time in the sun and getting back to discovering new places like we did when we first arrived.

Unfortunately, my evening class with SoulStreet was cancelled due to numbers. This gave me the evening to get any extra work done and practice my plies. From videoing and replaying I can understand where my body is in relation to where I believe it to be. I am getting a better understand of my arm placement and cannot wait to try it out on Thursday.

Wednesday

Morning contemporary is like my breath of fresh air. The movement is more tailored to my body and I can work on general corrections like getting down into plies and keeping time. These classes, as I’m starting to see, allow me to correct in a calm environment unlike when I’m in ballet focusing on other aspects first.

Today, I felt productive getting everything done I’m in my break between classes. This has allowed me my first evening of coming home and binging on Netflix. I need to not allow my body to get worn down.

My Italian classes I thought were on today, aren’t actually until next semester. Its a little disappointing, but on the positive side I am aiming of finishing my current online Italian course at the beginning if next month meaning next semester will be a refresher.

This year I aim to be able to have a conversation in Italian and pick up either French/Spanish/German being competent by next year in one! Learn everything you can.

Thursdsy

Its 11pm and this is the first chance I’ve had to write my daily occurrences- I love it. End though I have never had some many blisters in one day I have done a ballet, Cunningham and (in addition for today only) hip hop as an opening lecture to collective performance. I believe this is due to the company being cancelled on Tuesday (the workshop I was going to attend) and so it became a compulsory class today.

The company, soul street, broke down the basics of the time genres within hip hop. I re-learnt a mix from popping, breaking and improvising to a beat. I loved being exposed to the real dance industry by gaining as many contacts as possible, something I’m striving from from the University of Malta. In addition, I am feeling closer to my peers as the days go on.

I have recruited 3 first years to become part of my choreography, each with a different style and language behind them, and ready to start the rehearsal processes. I am very fortunate to have had a wonderful year group to pick from, with strong and most importantly GENUINE dancers. Everyone I met here has given me the time of day and we are now getting past polite conversations to a deeper relationship. This one development has picked me up more than anything else, having a safe environment of location and people to push me and embrace my incomfortabilities.

On top of this practically heavy day, I also had a theory lecture which is kinking and giving me more understanding towards Laban notation and therapy.

For me, now I will have an early night and skip additional dance workouts (to save your body its important to know when to rest too)

Friday

Ballet, same as always I am finding my way and the classes are now going at a slower pace to re-teach fundamentals. Happily, I have found mybarabesque. After doing daily exercises it was easier than I thought. I have been scared of opening my hip as much as it can go as I have a tendency to tilt, yet when I was placed in the position I was a lot higher than how I had been getting. After a few practices I can get the hip up then rotate from the knee for the flat “tabletop surface”.

Cunningham has started playing to my strengths. I am very number oriented and so can adjust to chance and change of facings relatively efficiently. For me these classes allow me to work on alignment issues and weight placement that I can reapply to ballet.

MY AFTERNOON LECTURE WAS CANCELLED and I have never been so happy. This week I have been so drained and am learning where to push through and when to take a step back. When I stop, I stop so I find breaks difficult in the day. I will bring the tablet and books wit me and keep up with the blog and corrections but there is only so much I can do at the studio.

Me and Lee spent the afternoon going into Sliema. I got some sparkly socks to get me through ballet classes and remind myself to shine!

Saturday

Chore day. My dance list is long for the weekend. Now that I have my dancers for my December performance I am that more motivated to get the starting solo created for them to adapt and edit.

I have spent the day writing everything I need and start with for the performance, done some research (to carry on tomorrow) and most importantly rested. By giving myself time to recover, I will be stronger for the week ahead.

Exciting things that happened today; I got asked to be in a piece of choreography to be performed in December (alongside mine) about a topic I can personally relate to (body image), I have spent quality time with Lee and spoken about our dreams and how to get there, been motivated to film my first YouTube video for my dance profile.

Sunday

Blogs done. Choreo done. Filming for YouTube done. Today has been a perfect blend of productive and relaxing. I have got everything I need in place for the week ahead, yet done such in a relaxing environment. Blog at the pub while Lee watched the Everton game allowed me to write without feeling guilty that he would be bored, plus a change of scenery was bliss. I have organised to meet studio owners tomorrow to rent out a space for my upcoming rehersahls and even spoke with home to organise the summer.

I am so excited to say me and my brother will be exploring India for 3 weeks, and may even bring our partners. I am beyond excited, and now ready, to explore half of my heritage and learn Bollywood in India.