"Work"

In a dance class I think it is mostly internal work. It is up to the dancer to challenge him or her self in order to achieve what it is they would like to accomplish. We listen to the instructors and then do the work by translating what they tell or show us on to our own bodies. I work on remembering to keep my hamstring over my working leg, engaging my abdominals, relaxing my shoulders, working my inner thighs as well as musicality, dynamics exc. I feel that the fundamental work comes mostly at the bar and then we are challenged to apply everything to the center while working on movement, transitions, traveling and much more. Work in ballet is very different for me than in other classes. In modern or contemporary I work on finding moments of release, staying grounded, finding alignment after distorting it, moving in and out of the floor exc. However I go about the work in the same way in every class; by picking specific things to focus on for each combination so as not to become overwhelmed.