Malta- week seven

Monday

What a day. Today was the first ballet lesson where I got every exercise. I am now at a stage that I can solely focus on my improvements and not think about what I am doing, plus it was with the quicker-teaching teacher that I hadn’t had in a week. This meant my forward improvement in ballet didn’t come from repetition of the same exercise.

My usual Cunningham teacher is currently on tour, so we had a substitute. Honestly, I found this very frustrating as we were taught a very different class when we were suppose to be learning rep. I’m not looking forward to this week ahead, but will push myself to improve to show my teacher when she returns.

We collaborated with the music students again today, and with clearer insight into my character I know what tempo and scale I wish the music to be. With people now knowing my theme, they are showing interest which is positive with such a bold choice of political matter. I have even been asked to be in a second piece, which I am so honoured by. Locals that have only seen me dance for a month are picking me for their choreography, which fills me with self confidence and a strong bond in the dance community in Malta.

I have visited the studios where my rehearsals will take place and am looking forward to creating and discovering how my theme will fit in dance theatre.

Tuesday

Home by 2pm isn’t ad. After yet another ballet class and the most gruellingly slow learning of Cunningham repertoire and body conditioning I am home. I am feeling stronger and more confident in how I move.

In body conditioning, I always knew abs were my strongest area, I did not know how strong my core was until we were stabilising ourselves in a seated position. If I can learn to engage it the same when in a one-footed balance I’m sure I will improve significantly.

Tonight, I have further reading and research for my presentation tomorrow and first rehearsal on Saturday.

Wednesday

On Wednesdays we wear pink (glittery socks). Contemporary gave me choreographic ideas of directly following a partner, and building in that for made relationships. This is an idea I may play with, within the motif phrase of adding in moments of improvisation and having the other dancers following until the phrase is continued. I have found I am weak in keeping a balance as soon as my heads back.

Partnering, showed me a few new counter-balances but highlighted the vulnerability when working in a new pair. I am very much a throw myself onto someone person, but when seeing someone more held back I limited myself to that place.

This afternoon, is our first assessment giving varying presentations. We are looking at Irmgard Bartenieff.

Thursday

My long day didn’t seem so bad.

Ballet good.

Cunningham- loved learning the rep and feel strong dancing it

Dance as communication- found it easy after working on my analysis skills in yesterdays presentation

Collective performance- not too taxing yet, just sharing ideas around the performances theme and doing group bonding exercises

Home by 9pm, no additional body work for me today but knowing the importance of rest and a film. I will stretch and strengthen tomorrow and have Thursdays as my day off in the week.

Friday

I have never been as bad at ballet as I had today, my body was not feeling anything and I could not remember a thing. It was such a deflating feeling but then I came across a quote that lifted my spirit. It was a paragraph about “i see you, trying showing up, pushing through even though it’s hard...” And so on. We are our worst critics, remember to be kind and that our bodies are not the same everyday.

Improvisation, however, was right up my street. We looked at initiation points and how this led into trust falls and counter balances. We ended the class with the group lifting one individual at a time with their eyes shut. This felt like home, a wave of ten pairs of hands as I snaked up and down through space.

As I’m writing this blog, I am sat in my empty lecture room where my management module was postponed for the second week of four. Its nice to have finished early, but I am an organiser of time and have shifted my day to get to a place on time and hate when that changes.

On the positive side, I have a few hours to spend with Lee before he goes to work and time to edit my blog for tomorrows publishing.

Saturday

My stretch video is published on YouTube! This is exciting to start from a clean slate and really focus my direction.

Today was also another first, I met with my dancers and held the first of many rehersahls. I am so overjoyed with their hardwork and talent, that all my worries about creating a piece vanished. We layered and edited movement and created motif patterns. I am so excited to start creating duet material and playing with found sound metronomes. Bring on Decembers viewing.

Tonight will be spent in the amazing company of my dancer year, having a catch up outside of the studios and heading into town for a few drinks. I love my year. We have all come in with different strengths but are beyond supportive with one another.

Sunday

I came in with just enough time to wake Lee up for work and slept until he returned. A stop at the corner shop and two bags if snacks later I spent my day watching series stuffing my face. This is my first weekend having a lie in and not being as danced focused. I do feel guilty buy at the same time I feel human. I’m of just dance, it does not consume every moment that I don’t have time for me. I’ve created scenes for my performance and got to discuss ideas with my fellow dancers and been practising the set ballet exercises for our exams.

This week I will be beyond dedicated. I am now I’m my second month of technique training and will shift my focus from foot work to arm and head relationship in ballet. Set personal goals and targets and you will be surprised how much faster you improve.