Malta 2018- week twentyseven

Monday There’s not too much I can say about today. It was a public holiday for one of the Maltese saints meaning all schools, university and most shops were shut. This was all well and good but I am out of my usual routine- 2 days and that’s it for me- so even the thought of getting up for tomorrows USPA fair seems daunting. Today I spent the day relaxing and finishing off one of my log books, finding references and journals on interdisciplinary performance.

Tuesday I wasn’t up too early- 8:30- being a lie in for me. Even though the fair doesn’t start until 10 on campus I need to get down early to hopefully finish my module conundrum once and for all and then help set up. The office wasn’t open until 10 (the ERASMUS office is only open for two hours which I find astonishing if someone needed help or had a busy schedule or was in class at these times such as myself).

The USPA stage was set up with blankets, and pillows scattered on the floor with benches in a perimeter. It was so cute. We began the day with a 30 minute yoga flow, which focused a lot on the hips which was what I needed. I cannot wait until Ivan get my matt back on the roof at home and stretch in the sun again, feelings close to nature was amazing and helped in my meditation and is a treat I can’t rally do in the UK with the weather.

I went back to the ERASMUS office, to get some papers to have to go to the post office to pay to go back to the office to sign forms. The system here is something I really can’t understand, with a lot of useless running around and more effort on the students part than the actual staff {my opinion}. I love the dance department here but the office and administration of the university I am not a fan. My highlight of the fair, apart from seeing talks and performances across three disciplines, was a workshop k wasn’t expecting to enjoy. Susanne Thomas from Northern School of Contemporary Dance lead a site specific workshop. We first began with authentic movement based in the principles of Mary Whitehouse, where in pairs one person closes their eyes and dances to their inner music with the other person keeping them safe from an obstructions. I found my fear of leaning backwards was completely eradicated as soon as my eyes were shut, and became something I played with more. I loved the movement I created and refound my style after having technique’s drilled into me. IF YOU EVER LOSE YOURSELF AS A DANCER I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TASK TO DISCOVER YOUR ESSENCE.

We then moved to an area we personally found inviting, and lay on our own with our eyes shut to absorb the space. When a memory came we would rediscover every sense we can, sight, smell, feeling of this memory and then write it down. Returning to our partners we take them to our place and read out our memory. They will then dance in response for 4 minutes, to which we then dance ,4 minutes in our response. It was amazing to see your imagery fragmented and how simple or repetitive it can beget still be captivating. I struggled to be still in moving, yet when I was responding to my memory I spent always 4 minutes just walking which went SO QUICK.

Wednesday With the USPA fair again, we started the day with another yoga flow. This one had to be my favourite as we never stopped and had varying intensities and stretches I had never come across. I am becoming more and more of a yogi. Today was a more drama orientated day, though filled with a lack of drama students. I took part in an acting improvisation workshop, which recapped a lot of exersjses I had previously studied. We ended the session performing a scene on the stage- with me ending up a creepy man striping in the park. Moveo company taught some of their rep work, which I had seen at VCT last week- the comedy Meerkats. This drew the largest crowd with us making animal sounds calling our for our mum as we scratched against the floor. I never thought I was a company kind of dancer, but seeing the teaching and workshop aspect grew its appeal to me.

The day ended with a talk from Opening Doors, a charity who I will be assisting this April. It was lovely to hear their unique history, giving me more knowledge to start their blogs.

Thursday

Tody is crazy as it is my first day back at University this week. I am rlly feeling out of my normal routine, normally give me two days and I'm out,so I am coming to class knowing and expecting it to be tough. We were all in a class today, first with release and then ballet as usual.

Surprisingly, today was the first day I got all the choreography first time, and was able to perform even more- it was one of my favourite classes and was more suited to my way of moving.

Everything in ballet hurt today, and it was harder to get through. Though I could keep my control I could feel where it wasn't getting my full effort.

I am in dire need to this holiday and can't wait to just have my fitness upkeep and plan to maintain.

The studios are starting to get hot again, meaning bit will only get tougher and I need to keep a close eye on my fluid intake.

Reflecting on yoga on Wednesday, I am finding more stretches for my turn out fitness.

Friday -Ballet, i have never been so exhausted, after dreaming I was in my final year at Edge Hill I woke up very confused why I was in Malta at 7:30am thinking it was a dream in a dream. I felt like even mid exercises like jumps that I would fall asleep at any moment no matter how hard I tried to stay present. The holidays are defiantly needed. Doing some couple work found out the issues I have with frappe (that apparently at the moment is a global epidemic {tad dramatic} of frappe being the ballet barre with the most issues, that I am not going to my real back and allowing to much rebound action to ripple from my back. Now I know this I know the ‘tension’ felt when going to the back is correct after having several talks. I am noticing my plies are a lot easier and pain free.

Improvisation was with sound migrations malta looking at sound specific work, hearing live music and moving in different qualities based on skin,muscle and bones. These complimentary sounds were then contrasted with the expected movement we did for each task to see how music alters us. It was interesting to find I worked better in the contrast.

Saturday Today is about packing for my ho!I day and home, and filming with sound migrations in Valletta before my evening flight. We Went to the bell in Valletta, near the sea, and it had weird moments of almost silence and then parts where you could hear the cars on the road behind, the people and the commentary on the passing boats, not to for get the children in the park above. I had no idea how I was going to move in such polar opposites. You forget what its like to listen and then when you do get overwhelmed with everything, either we as humans aren’t see to it or we deliberately shut off and listen to what we see as vital.

After a late lunch I got to the airport wit plently of time,and arrived at London Stansadin the early hours of Sunday.

Sunday

After 3 hours of sleep I am back at the airport, for a trip to Poland with my dad.

On the plane I had two revelations. 1. Looking back at old videos of me dancing I understood what held me back and now why it is pushed even more.

2. When an airplane takes off it goes at full speed- trust in its ability to fly and sees its goal. Did you know that an aircraft is safer in the air than on the ground, because that is where it is meant to be. This plane is you. If you don't run at the chance you will never fly, you as born to do what you chase so keep going and trust that goal,adapt,change your flight path but never tiptoe when taking off. - Airport, choir broke out singing - Fee!ing so tired I’m hoping I sleep on the plane.

Sunday

Hq