OK! Back to the Summer Dance Intensive! We started off with a ballet technique class, which is one of my favorites:) My teacher, Leslie Hodges, focused on everyone's technique as well as everyone's performance during class. She really helped me see that a dancer should always perform, including class. Class is a great way to practice performing so that it will eventually come naturally to you. She also reminded me about the Laws of Circles when it comes to ballet arms. I'm telling you, she helped me a lot!
The next class we had was pointe/variation. No joke, I was always that girl who was like "YAY! POINTE CLASS!" I know, I'm crazy:) It was a hard class, but I tried to work through the pain by reminding myself that it was good for me. The teacher, Sarah Muncie, really pushed my limits but that's always good! I've eralized I really need to work on my lame ducks and pique turns. In that class, I learned three variations, Odette's Variation, Blue Bird Variation, and Kitri's Variation. I then had to try out for them on Friday to see which one I would perform for the Showcase at the end of the day. I know, I blogged earlier about how I wished I was Spanish, and I still do, but I really loved Odette's! And I was sooo excited when I found out that I was performing it!!!:) Here's the vid:(NOTE: I'm the tan one and I know it's rough. I hope I get another chance to perform it because I see all the mistakes I've made in this run-thru!
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We did Contemporary as well and learned a dance to "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles, which is one of my favorite songs! As you will see in the video, it was quite the bruiser! I had tons of bruises from doing this dance. Chelsea Hodges, my teacher, was a great choreographer and I really enjoyed this dance a lot! Yay contemporary!(NOTE: i'm the one with the green shorts)
I also did some partnering which I was so excited for me because I have never really had the chance to do major partnering. It was very educational for me. Like Brianna said in her last blog about Romeo and Juliet, I had to learn how to work my body for my partner. It was fun:) Here's the vid and the biggest wedgie of my life!
OK! Now for the moment you've been waiting for: Peter Sabasino's classes! He was only there for Monday and Tuesday, but it was so much fun! He taught us tap, hip-hop, and some salsa! We did a vaudeville style tap piece which was a blast to perform! He taught me that in tap, you want to keep your knees bent and bottom out. Which is totally different from ballet. He was such a fun tap teacher! I really wished he could have been there for the whole week because maybe he would have taught me how to master wings!:) For hip-hop, we danced to "Fame" by David Bowie (love!). Not going to lie, I am not as ghetto as Brianna, but I tried! Hahahaha. It was so fun! We then learned some salsa and Brianna was my dance partner (NOTE: she was the guy! pahahahha) I have always wanted to take salsa and this was a good window into it. Someday, hopefully, I will because it is a lot of fun! Also, it will get me one step closer to being Spanish (ok..pseudo-Spanish) I wished I had videos of these pieces but unfortunately, all i have is this photo:
For the days that Peter was not there, we did musical theatre! I am a huge sucker for Broadway (obviously) so it was a blast! In my class, we did two songs from Chorus Line: "What I Did For Love" and "I Hope I Get It." For obvious reasons, I was the voluptuous girl in "I Hope I Get It." ;) I wished I had videos of these as well but my camera ran out of memory:( But just know that it was SUPER fun!
I must sound like a Positive Pollyanna in this because I keep on saying how much "fun" everything is, but it really was! And it was indeed painful (I pulled a muscle in my left hamstring..wah wah waaaaaaah) but it was totally worth it. I feel like I have really improved because of this intensive! And, yes, I did my back exercises during this week and I will hopefully be posting my improvement soon.
Hugs, Kisses, and Sore Muscles!
Anne:)
P.S.:Sorry this was so long, but recapping a week..takes a while! Especially if it was almost a month ago!:)
