Alabama Dance Festival

Brianna here! This past week dance has COMPLETELY consumed my life ten times more than it normally does (which I didn't think was possible!) I've had two amazing events happen in the last two weeks that I'm going to break into two posts (I don't like lengthy posts) So here's the low down on the Alabama Dance Festival:

Last weekend, I went with my dance instructor to Birmingham, Alabama for a dance conference. I felt really anxious because I had never really been to a conference for dance and I feared that I would be way out of my league. Luckily, I didn't feel that way at all! I took 4 classes and they were all such an amazing experience!

Modern Partnering: My modern partnering class was instructed by Margi Cole and it was SUCH a great class! Margi had an amazing personality that made you feel comfortable and her warm-up exercises made me really aware of my body and the connection that my body has to itself and the floor. Unfortunately, we learned a lot that I had already been taught about modern partnering but it was really nice to be able to focus on the basics to perfect the basics!

Musical Theater Jazz: I. Love. Musical Theater. There, I said it and I'm not ashamed. But this class was the one class I really struggled in, and it may be due to the fact that my instructor was Jeff Shade who was trained by THE Bob Fosse...I know-I died a little too. He was brilliant and amazing, but he moved so quickly in choreography that sometimes I just couldn't pick up. Though I struggled in it, I wouldn't trade the experience of taking a class from him ever!!

Creating With Intent: This was one of my absolute favorite classes! It may have something with that fact that it was a class on choreography! My instructor, Diana Green really made me extend my thinking as a choreographer and really taught me how to envision what I want before I tell my dancers what I want. I wish I could take more classes from her. The link I posted is to her book she has recently finished writing. I'm buying mine A.S.A.P.! She also really inspired me because she told me that I would make a great choreographer one day and that made me smile from ear to ear for the whole weekend!

Contemporary Lyrical Jazz: My last class I took was extremely intense, but it became so emotional for me as a dancer. My instructor, Derek Mitchell really inspired me as a dancer, and that's not something I ever really feel (as a dancer). he felt strongly about us not watching ourselves in the mirrors because we (especially girls) like to like to ourselves when we look in a mirror and tell ourselves things we think we need to do to approve how we look, so why would we think differently just because we're dancing. He really wanted us to be raw with our dance and to not hold back. As soon as I actually did that, I truly felt the choreography and it was the only time I didn;t really struggle with the choreography. He really helped me find that drive as dancer and he helped me to remind myself to keep pushing.

I also got to watch the Merce Cunningham Company and they were breath-takingly amazing and there are not enough words to express how intriguing their performances were! Since the Alabama Dance Festival I have felt so driven to push myself beyond my limits as a dancer because that's the only way you can improve yourself. Always push, always persevere, always stay determined!

To drive and hardwork!

Brianna<3

The Audition

So Anne already told you about her (not so bad) audition so I figured I should tell you about mine!! This was really my first time ever auditioning for something dance related and I was quite nervous! As we all know, I am NOT a ballerina, so the longer we stayed at the bar, the longer I felt the pressure. I thought for sure I'd be placed in the beginner classes! As the audition continued I could feel my nerves calm more and more...and then it was time for solos. I had originally planned to dance to "Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago but when I heard Elephant by Damien Rice, I knew that that was the song I was suppose to dance to. I listened to it unceasingly. Before I went into the dance room for my solo, I prayed and took a deep breath. I was prepared for it as much I could be, and before I started dancing, I reminded myself that this is what I love to do. Later, someone took me aside and showered me with very flattering compliments that I didn't expect at all! And I wasn't put in beginner classes! So, though I didn't have any technical issues or anything, I felt the pressures of my audition, badly. The best advice I've ever heard, and this goes for anything you ever do in life, is to do what you have to do to be prepared. I was as prepared as I could be, so that's the attitude I went in with. So ask yourself, "Am I prepared?"

To preparation,

Brianna<3

Finding Balance

Hello everyone! My oh my how quickly time has been flying! Well this year my life is going to be completely insane! I thought I had done a super amazing job making an awesome schedule, but I'm already having conflicts! I have 22 credit hours, 3 jobs, and dance practices. The problem I'm having currently is that I can't be in certain dance pieces I was originally in because I'm working. It sucks SO bad. So now what I'm learning is that I may have a very organized schedule but, especially with dance/dance practices, certain parts of my schedule are going to fluctuate. So next semester I'll be more prepared to learn how to balance my schedule. The key to remember is that an organized schedule doesn't mean a balanced schedule. I honestly didn't take in the account of having harder classes meaning more homework and study time, or making sure I leave time to eat and sleep! So if you're like me and Anne and love to have a lot of stuff on your plate, make sure you're still well balanced to be able to SUCCEED in everything you've put on your plate! To well balanced lives and schedules!

Brianna<3