Malta- week eleven

Monday

I’m awake, I’m beyond happy, the sun is out- I am ready for today. I get into class to find both my ballet teachers. Mondays are normally with Dorian going over exam work (which I am improving little by little each day) but with his upcoming work we had Kostas (where I get to visit fundamentals and have a slightly longer tuition between each exercise. Even though I still struggle when coming to the ‘petite allegro' section of class I cannot atop being proud of where I have come so far. Even a fellow classmate said she noticed my improvement which just boosted me even more. It was the reassurance I needed from a technically trained dancer.

Classes and rehearsal flew by, and I was soon walking home passing Christmas lights- AND NOW I FEEL CHRISTMASSY.

TODAY MARKS 2 MONTHS of dancing in Malta.

Tuesday

We recovered yesterday’s ballet class, and I’m really starting to dancing the barre (even if its in my mind). Enjoyment can be found in the most mundane of task, and is achieved by giving it all your focus and being playful within your limitations of space and time. After class, I spoke to my teacher to clarify how to do a tombe-pas de bourée into an assemble. I ended up adding extra footwork than was needed, and by asking a question in the safety of an empty studio I got to revisit how to execute the las de bourée and now understand its mechanisms. My teacher told me he sees that when I know what I’m doing I do, but sometimes struggle with the intention or function of the move (I look aesthetically instead of internally). He told me to ask after every class about a move (known or not) so we can revisit how it works and my vocabulary will expand in more depth. At my halfway point in technique (end of semester) I will post a video of “basics” showing all the ballet fundamental moves I learnt, how to do it and what it should feel like. Ballet is possible for everybody and should be just as accessible, feeling comfortable enough to ask without thinking everyone came out of the womb developing to their head.

Body conditioning focused on our legs and glutes, and I realised the extent to my leg imbalance of flexibility and strength. My right leg is so much weaker but more flexible and strong in performance, while my left is naturally loosed and i find doesn’t get tight like my right, yet when comes to showing this it cannot find the right placement and now that I am correcting it- I kick LOW.

With my afternoon off, I will be filming new videos for my YouTube channel (I have been super busy and tired) and developing my Graham and Horton technique.

Wednesday

Instead of contemporary this morning (which I was so excited for), we had our ballet exam class.

These were today’s questions which turned into major understandings;

- Where do arms go in grande plie

- Lifting from outside ribs

- Picking up combo quickly

It gave me a list of questions I wasn’t sure on but the information stayed in my body and went through the exercises without memory issues. A new sequence was taught on the Thursday I was absent but I surprisingly got most of it.

Today has been productive but the gap between rehearsal and my next class makes the day seem much longer.

My afternoon class, though I was sleepy for the first half, was incredible. I use this word as it showed me hard out my flaws in moving. We were looking at a new mode of analysis, which stemmed from Laban’s and in it trying out each movement quality. We looked at fluidity, articulation, fragmentation and disassociation. I LOVE fragmented movement and occasionally add a little but I limit it to the arms. Exploring out of this was difficult and even harder to create a phrase, so I will be working on that in the coming weeks. To find my style I need to break out even further into movement and perfect ways that I cannot do, YET.

Knowing this was now my earliest finish for the week before my rehearsal on Saturday, I set out to get the fabric for the upcoming event. Omg did I get lost in an area I thought I knew well, Sliema, going through side roads. Sliema is bigger and more beautiful than I once thought and I saw an array of restaurants unjust cannot wait to try out- ONE WAS A CASTLE. The little detoire did make me he home later, super tired and hungry and with so much to do before the day is up.

Thursday

Ballet exam class again. Funny enough I was watching Kathryn Morgans q&a's last night where she spoke about the pros and cons of dance competitions. One of the cons was that if the routine is all you do, yes you’ll get better, but you become lopsided or do not focus on other aspects. Repeating the class is good for muscle memory but I’m of learning any new terminology, and only know the routines from visual and not oral. I feel progressing, even if I’m not at that level will really help me and others. By doing harder things and getting used to speed of transitions, what you were working on prior will seem easier and you may even better understand the function of the step.

Today’s Cunningham class was one of my favourites. We created choreography in his style, and made them into a duet working on the sustained quality worked on yesterday. At the end of the showing, we received written feedback on our technique so I know what I DO and DONT carry through into a performance.

My afternoon lecture was on referencing, which was nice to see the first years react how I did when first exposed and now I was helping teach them. This moment reiterated what I once saw as hard I was now teaching and finding easier so the same will happen in my newly learnt techniques.

Friday

I was dreading having to come into ballet and feel invisible but a miracle happened. I didn’t recieve just one but 3 compliments from my teacher about how I have progressed. He noted my stronger looking arabesque, clean pas de chava, and a general compliment. I am still by no means his ‘favourite pupil' but it came at a time I needed to be praised by a teacher on my technique. My classes every morning will lead me to wrote a blog for ‘tips for teaching' and ‘how to be a better student\what to do if you feel invisible'.

Improvisation class was with the addition of large sticks as props. Having another object instead of our hands forced us to look at how we make contact with others and how clear our instruction with it is.

Miss 23\25 here for my first first aid assessment on a practical I thought went horribly wrong. I cannot wait to hold my full qualification and know I have learnt another personal growth skill and can potentially save someone’s life.

Saturday

With 5\6th of my piece completed, the rehearsal was the most mundane where we looked at where the music fit, ques and practicalities with set. It was great that today we could contrast this mood with a light-hearted section to create of the piece that left us all laughing. I’m so excited to showcase this work and love the direction it has taken. At first I was worried about using dance theatre for the theme and now I am seeing it as one of the best choices!

Tonight will be date night for me and Lee and well be heading to an open mic to watch some live music and get Lee to perform his new songs.

Sunday

Christmas movies and dance readings.