If you are anything like me, you view video footage of your performances with equal parts of glee and dread.
My own view path is - obsess about how fat I may look, obsess about how moves I thought were fabulous look like nothing and obsess about how I made such and such mistake at this or that point.
I'm more inclined to be obsessing about mistakes in choreography with my troupe. Because I'm more inclined to be making errors there. I don't learn choreography easily. It takes me a very very long time, which must have been a tedious pain for my past teachers, and my students! Sorry guys. This is quite frustrating because I even do this during my own choreography's. My deduction, that I made the mistakes because the choreography's of my teachers didn't flow in a way that made sense to me is nullified by my oopses in my own! I've realised that if I run through a choreography without doing all the moves properly - this fumble through is what I present - not the real dance as it was intended.
For an Improv performance I find that I fall into patterns - hip drops anyone? What's interesting about this is that I don't think of hip drops as being my favourite move. They are so well installed in my muscle memory they are now the go-to move...where I go-to too often.
I will see that I'm not executing some movements as clearly as Id like, pops and locks look like gentle slides and lack oomph, or travel steps and turns lack the energy I was trying to convey.
I might see that I've developed same bad habits, I had no idea that my arms had sunk to waist level. since this is a pet peeve of mine, best I sort that out! Elbows up!
And posture - whats going on with my posture? And of course there are moments of WTF was THAT?
I may be being overtly critical of myself. I may not be. these things I'm picking out are important aspects of how Id like to represent my dance. I ask myself - is what you were trying to convey being seen. Is the cheeky mood you hear in your music visible to the audience? Or are they so underwhelmed by sagging posture and half done moves that that goes right over their heads? Wheeee!
How I looked - Make sure my costume looks and feels great from all angles so I don't get a surprise malfunction on the night or in the dvd. Remember that film adds on 5kgs, for future reference....
Lacklustre moves - practice - every time I drill it must be with a consistent intensity, so that the isolation's are clear and clean every time I perform them.
Choreography Mistakes - practice, being confident in the choreography will mean I'm less nervous and if I'm calmer I wont fluff up. Focus, being right there in the performance instead of in the head of the nearest audience member who's face shows they don't get what you're doing or the really excited lady stage left who's whistles and howls of enjoyment are trying to distract me from what comes next in the dance.
Stretching beyond the go-to - practice again, if I need more variation I need more moves that come to me naturally in the heightened adrenalin heavy performance state.
WTF Moments - I suspect that there will always be some of these in my Improv. :)
I realise that I'm beginning to sound repetitive - practice practice practice and more practice.
Aside from the technical aspects of looking at what I need to work on in my dance. I find it quite emotionally draining. I look at my work and think - you know nothing! And with that comes intense feelings of sadness and disappointment. Ive found the quote below to be of some comfort:
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others"
— Martha Graham
Monday, September 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Syncopate 2 - The gathering
The first weekend of spring begins bright and sunny - I start my day by ironing some silk veils I hope to sell at Syncopate , Johannesburg's only community based bellydance event. Which features many other dance styles. I'm looking forward to meeting dancers from all over South Africa.
The hall is already set up when I arrive at 9am, organisers are busy adding the finishing touches to the decor. they've had to change their plans somewhat drastically as the stage cant be used because the resident drama group has neglected to remove their set from the stage - rendering it useless for dancers - despite having a month's warning and repeated requests to remove it. Drama Queens
My stall gives me a great view of the hall and dancers begin to arrive to attend the workshops on offer. I'm a bit jealous as my workshop fund had to go towards buying a new microwave - I'll have to wait till Amira decides to do another sword workshop to figure out what to do with the thing other than wear it as a hat.
I get to meet quite a few facebook friends for the first time and I sell some of my old stock. My profits are quickly chewed up by the food stalls and the mehndi Artist at the stall next to me.
The day flows by quickly and soon dancers begin to arrive for the evening show, which starts almost on time... not due to late dancers but to late guests.The most memorable performance for me was the Classical Indian performance by 6 dancers 2 of which were tiny 4 or 5 year olds. They performed with precision and grace exactly like the older dancers. I admired their dedication.
There were, flamenco, tango, bollywood, sword, fire, hip hop, greek and bellydance fusion, ATS, folk and cabaret performances from beginners, professionals and hobbyists of varied skill levels.
Sunday is a little quieter - though no less fun my Mehndi stall neighbor has been replaced by a tarot card reader and his partner selling angel cards and esoteric books.The smell of yummy samosas and incense waft through the hall. We are performing in tonight's show and my preperformance nerves begin to appear. This show features different dancers and styles from the night before, I don't get to see as much of it as Id like as the hall is full and I have to peep round the corner of the doorway. We are in the last last set so I have lots of time to build up the nerves. Happily this time I don't make any big mistakes and we get a nice round of applause. The show ends with drummers and the dancefloor is filled with dancers and audience members happily wiggling with joy to the beat.
Highlights - Dancing of course! - and the Classical Indian dancers, getting to visit with my bellydance friends, meeting dancers from outside of Johannesburg, seeing so many great dance styles, costumes and performances.
Lows - not having the stage, though everything works well in the end the stage would have have allowed more movement in the hall, as once it was full there was no way to get to the food stalls at the back or for dancers to get to the few available seats on the other side of the hall.
Was it fun? Yes it was! Should you go next year? Definitely!
The hall is already set up when I arrive at 9am, organisers are busy adding the finishing touches to the decor. they've had to change their plans somewhat drastically as the stage cant be used because the resident drama group has neglected to remove their set from the stage - rendering it useless for dancers - despite having a month's warning and repeated requests to remove it. Drama Queens
My stall gives me a great view of the hall and dancers begin to arrive to attend the workshops on offer. I'm a bit jealous as my workshop fund had to go towards buying a new microwave - I'll have to wait till Amira decides to do another sword workshop to figure out what to do with the thing other than wear it as a hat.
I get to meet quite a few facebook friends for the first time and I sell some of my old stock. My profits are quickly chewed up by the food stalls and the mehndi Artist at the stall next to me.
The day flows by quickly and soon dancers begin to arrive for the evening show, which starts almost on time... not due to late dancers but to late guests.The most memorable performance for me was the Classical Indian performance by 6 dancers 2 of which were tiny 4 or 5 year olds. They performed with precision and grace exactly like the older dancers. I admired their dedication.
There were, flamenco, tango, bollywood, sword, fire, hip hop, greek and bellydance fusion, ATS, folk and cabaret performances from beginners, professionals and hobbyists of varied skill levels.
Sunday is a little quieter - though no less fun my Mehndi stall neighbor has been replaced by a tarot card reader and his partner selling angel cards and esoteric books.The smell of yummy samosas and incense waft through the hall. We are performing in tonight's show and my preperformance nerves begin to appear. This show features different dancers and styles from the night before, I don't get to see as much of it as Id like as the hall is full and I have to peep round the corner of the doorway. We are in the last last set so I have lots of time to build up the nerves. Happily this time I don't make any big mistakes and we get a nice round of applause. The show ends with drummers and the dancefloor is filled with dancers and audience members happily wiggling with joy to the beat.
Highlights - Dancing of course! - and the Classical Indian dancers, getting to visit with my bellydance friends, meeting dancers from outside of Johannesburg, seeing so many great dance styles, costumes and performances.
Lows - not having the stage, though everything works well in the end the stage would have have allowed more movement in the hall, as once it was full there was no way to get to the food stalls at the back or for dancers to get to the few available seats on the other side of the hall.
Was it fun? Yes it was! Should you go next year? Definitely!
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