Crossing the Barre...

As I reach the end of the quarter and say goodbye to this ballet class, I find that the last couple of weeks have been monumentally important in my training this quarter.

Analyzing my performance in class and giving myself a grade turned into an extremely introspective assignment. I became aware of many of my proclivities and saw where I had been coming up short.

To summarize: I struggled learning the sequences of the exercises.

This last week of class I've had my first small break-through with this process. After the grade-defense, I took a serious look at my habits, and to improve, I tried physically following every exercise as it was demonstrated rather than simply watching. This helped me to understand better the sequencing of the exercises and I went through many of the steps without missing counts or having to rely on watching the dancers around me.

I know that I have a long way to go, but this quarter ended on a high-note for me and I think that I now have a better way of approaching ballet technique next quarter and onward.

Also, Jessica told me I should look up the ABT Ballet Dictionary: http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html and I've set a bookmark for myself on my safari page and think that reviewing the vocabulary and becoming more comfortable with the basic steps will be very helpful for remembering sequences in the future and I am much looking forward to crossing the bar into winter quarter's ballet technique with my new tools in hand.

Woo!

~Brian

Different Mind Set

When I first started ballet when I was seven it wasn't because I wanted to or because I begged my mom to sign me up for classes like most little kids. It was a requirement. In order to be in the preforming group at my studio we had to meet a requirement of at least one ballet, one jazz and one elective class a week. As I grew older the requirements changed from one ballet class a week to two and then two to three. It wasn't until I was in high school that I actually enjoyed going to ballet class. I knew that it was important for good technique, I had heard that from every teacher that had ever came to my studio.

I always loved tap and jazz and hip-hop but ballet was always just a requirement that I needed to fill in order for me to continue to train, perform and compete in the styles that I loved. As I approached my senior year and was auditioning for different college dance programs I realized that the styles that I took at my dance studio were not the type of classes that I would be focusing on if I decided to peruse dance in college. After auditioning for programs with a strong modern focus I realized how different it was going to be and that I had to go into school with an open mind. I had never taken modern before so I knew it was going to be a big adjustment and it still is. I am used to all of my movements being set and precise and having reason behind them but in modern it is all interpretive and free flowing. I think because of this difference in styles I have began to like and appreciate ballet even more. After getting into a routine with my first quarter semester I realized that I was only taking two technique classes and was dying to take more. When faced with the option of classes I was eager to take another ballet class to continue to work on my technique and become stronger in order for my foundation to be solid so that I could build on that in my modern class.

When I called my mom to tell her I was taking an extra ballet class she was surprised because she knew that it had not always been my favorite. I have a different appreciation for ballet and when I am in class I am in a different mind set then I used to be. Instead of thinking that I am just in class to fill a requirement, I know that I am in class because I want to be, in order to get better and keep up my technique to become a better and stronger dancer.

Finally a light bulb has gone off.

Recently I have come into realizing that my hamstrings abdominals have never really been used in the way that they are supposed to be. For example I stand in what I believe is my neutral or relaxed state which is slightly pitched back over my axis. But if I engage my abdominals then I can bring my body into proper standing position. Which honestly I feel is forward then I should be but that is due to the fact of being back for so long so I need to re-train my body. Also my hamstrings are now engaged and more forward so that I am always (well mostly always) on top of my legs. I have found this new balance that I have never had and I have to say that I dig it.

The Next Generation

Becoming a professional ballerina is one thing, but teaching dancers how to become one is a whole other ordeal. I have had plenty of teachers who were nothing short of beautiful ballerinas with very successful careers, but sometimes, when they have moved from the performance stage to the standard classroom of students, something gets lost in the translation. A well versed and well educated teacher is vital in order for that teacher's student's prosperity. If I am taking a technique class, I need a teacher who can recognize my body type and understand how it works. I need a teacher with a plethora of metaphors, similes, and descriptively painted pictures to relate to my body. I need a teacher with the skill level that I am pursuing for myself, someone who is as good as I want to be.

How do we, as the next generation of dancers to perform and teach, learn to teach good ballet, proper ballet? I can think back to all of my old teachers and think of methods I do and do not like, or things that have and have not worked for me for a start, but where do I go from there? I know I can't simply teach myself how. I haven't always been interested in teaching, but the older I get, the more I find myself thinking about the possibility of doing so. Is this something that you learn how to do by taking many different classes under many different teachers with varied teaching techniques, or can this be taught in a classroom like atmosphere? I'm really interested in learning how to excel in this category. I want to be able to push and inspire my students in a atmosphere conducive to learning. I want to work hard for them so they will be willing to work hard for me in return.

I'm glad that Jessica mentioned that our generation has to be able to teach good ballet, and teach it the right way. So Jessica, want to give us our first official lesson in how to do so?

Post from Theresa Niermeyer: Ballet Vitamins

Ballet benefits our dancing like vitamins benefit our bodies. Growing up, whenever I complained to my mother about being tired or feeling a bit sick, she would always ask “Have you been taking your vitamins?” Therefore, it was instilled into me that for everything to work properly, I needed sleep, eat good food, and could not forget to take my vitamins. In my dance career, a similar formula seems to apply. If I want to be successful I need to focus my mind, strengthen my body and cannot stop practicing ballet.

I used to think that if I worked really hard and got good at ballet, then my quota would be filled and I could just keep it in my body, but maybe wouldn’t have to take ballet classes anymore. This is not true. The concentration and muscular control that the practice of ballet demands is necessary in order for my dancing to reach it’s full potential. This is something I should always be working on. Of course, it is best to be a well-rounded dancer, trained in a variety of techniques and styles. However, muscles accessed and isolated during ballet will positively inform the rest of the movement practices. I love watching ballet, and when see a dancer like Barishnikov or Marianela Nunez I am so inspired! They seem invincible! The work they are accomplishing and the control they have in their backs and legs is astonishing. Is there anything they can’t do? It’s times like these that I think about my modern classes, and my composition classes, where ballet  training is infinitely helpful, but there is also a whole different set of skill levels needed. I have to be able to drop my weight, and harness momentum, while releasing unnecessary tension. Ballet doesn’t really prepare me for this, and vitamins don’t give me protein. A healthy balance is key, while I don’t want a deficiency, I also know that taking a lot of extra ballet or extra vitamins may not really be helpful to my career. All things in moderation!

Bottom line is, this year has made it clear to me that I will always be taking ballet classes as long as I am dancing, because it is cumulative and I cannot microwave technique. It is an ongoing process, not a bullet point on my checklist. 

Post from Tyisha Nedd: Ballet for your Body Type

As I mentioned before ballet in the past had always been a genre that I felt less than beautiful. While thinking about my experience with ballet here at OSU in comparison to previous experiences the origin of my former resentment became quite evident. It was the teachers who tailored the structure of his/her classes based off of one body type and mine was not in that category (which they seemed to have a  thing for making sure that you knew that). However, now I have a whole new appreciation for ballet and my hatred no longer exists. I owe this to teachers such as Courtney and Jessica who understand the many anatomical varieties that are in a class. They not only recognize and respect our differences but they educate us on how to maximize our potential and how to work with our bodies  to produce safe , effective, technically sound and beautiful movement(such a breath of refreshing air).I was inspired to talk about this because of Jessica's comment about how we need to be the next teachers who actually teach GOOD ballet. Though have no inclination to ever teach a ballet class I can rest assure that nieces, nephews, future children... or just the next generation of dancers will be in good hands with anyone in our class and will not be subjected to the forced turn out , tucked booty syndrome.

My Ballet Revelation

In the last two weeks of ballet I miraculously found my hamstrings. I didn't know it till half way through class when I realized that my hamstrings were soar from working and I was on my leg. The entire class I felt so amazing. I could tell that my dancing had improved a lot, just from finding my hamstring I felt more confident in my dancing. The rest of class I found it easy to get on top of my leg in releve. It was absolutely amazing. This revelation didn't only apply to my ballet but also improved my modern as well. In class when I found myself engaging my hamstrings I felt a new kind of stability. I use to dance mostly using my quads and it hasn't been the greatest for my knee, but now that I found my hamstrings I hope my knee will start feeling better.

There's a reason the Primas are so into themselves...

These past few weeks have been full of revelations. Revelations dealing with my alignment, my body, what has to be done, and what, as of yet cannot physically be done. It has been a humbling experience, which oldy enough, has driven me to dance proudly and declare in with power, that I'm learning. And I can't be expected to do much else but train my hardest and learn my fastest, and of course, never forget to dance things. Getting into that mindset that ballet is a DANCE class, not just a technique class, has helped me bounds. Finding my inner diva, ( a humble diva) has helped my balance, my alignment, and of course, to remember, if all else fails, dance it. At least go out with a bang instead of a ppft. I am one of many dancers who get anxious and let a combination go to bits after the first mistake, trying to make ourselves smaller by withdrawing into ourselves and screaming in our heads " please don't pay attention to me!" It's not helpful, and quite frankly, it's a disservice to myself. I'd rather be bold and wrong and trying, than to give up and pysche myself out.

Did I Really Just Put the Fred Step in my Senior Project?

To me, there is something really intriguing about the look and feel of ballets that focus more on a narrative and less on a Classical arrangment. Ashton, Tudor, Nijinska, etc. all had works that contained classic technique, but with the focus less outward towards the audience, there seemed to be a more calm, less urgent state that the dancers put on. Looking at pieces like Jardin aux Lilas or A Month in the Country, it is very pleasing to my eye to see dancers moving in ways that make them appear like rippling waves. As a choreographer, I am very much interested in what constitutes perceived serenity. In ballet, I am trying to find a way to mentally feel comfortable with the movement given so that my entire body can relax, on average, allowing the muscles that need the work the space to work. I find myself using these classical ideals of serenity and grace in my own senior project, albeit in a contemporary setting.

good ol Sullivant

In an effort to avoid sounding whiny, I want to express how much I miss Sullivant Hall not only for the advantage in seeing nearly everyone in the department on a regular basis in the halls before and after classes, but for the precious mirrors and floors.
This year in ballet I have been forced to feel and experience real proper alignment in my own self-discipline without the assistance of mirrors on one or multiple walls. In modern I have found this to be somewhat advantageous for me because I have an awful habit of being easily distracted by my hair or clothes, or how the movement looks to my eyes. This year none of that matters because all I have to do is trust the work that I am doing and the alignment that I feel. Having had more experience with modern and having it "in my body" more, I feel like not having the ability to check out what I'm doing in a mirror has been beneficial. Ballet on the other hand, is a different story.
Because my pelvic region has not yet adapted to the proper, stable place it needs to remain in throughout the entirity of a ballet class, I have found that being in 205 in Pom has been a good thing. I don't rely on the mirrors there as much (does anyone else think those are fat mirrors or is it just me?) but it has been immensly helpful to glance over and self-correct during barre as well as in center. I know it's impossible to watch and correct every student at every second of the class, so self-correcting is a vital part of ballet, and every style of dance. I believe that my brain can detect when I'm out of place but my body doesn't know how to detect that quite yet.
Although the silly distractions from class have been eliminated along with the mirrors, I find that they are still a vital aspect to my growth in ballet. I realize that my only real option is to force proper alignment into my muscle memory as quickly as possible!

Osiel Giros

One thing I really struggle with in Ballet is doing pirouettes. I have always had trouble with keeping my balance and being able to do many turns. The video Jessica put on Carmen, Osiel Giros working in the studio, is incredible. Giros is able to sustain his balance after turning for a very long time. This is because of his alignment, with his pelvis and ribs being directly over his legs. He is not too far back or too far forward in his fourth position. He then takes these beautiful turns one step farther, to the air. He goes from jumping and turning with his leg in retiré to doing the same jump with his leg in arabesque. During both jumps, his alignment remains in perfect accordance with his body. It is beautiful to watch.
What I struggle with most is being able to go back to my perfect alignment between exercises. Finding my center of gravity is difficult because of the bad habits I have developed over time. With more practice I am sure I'll be able to find it more easily and naturally during class. This video shows me that it is possible to maintain alignment during a long period of time and I am hoping my work with turning will translate into my jumping exercises later as well.

Great Dancers

There is something about watching someone who is a great dancer move. I will define what constitues a "great dancer" of course this is my opinion. One who embodies the movement he or she has been given to the degree where one would think the movement was choroegraphed solely for them. One who has stage presence the audience can not but help watch them... from their being exudes a magnet of sorts that draws others eyes to them. One who has the strength, stamnia, and flexiblity to make anything that they do seem other worldly. So... I just describe Barishnokov, he is great dancer. Some of the things I used to describe what a great dancer is, are innate, meaning that they come from the inside and cannot be taught. Stage presence can only be taught to a degree and ones ability to embody movement truly can only be taught to a degree. In other words, can some be trained enough to be the next Barishnokov? I don't think its possible.

"So you just dance all day?"

I had a very frustrating conversation with someone I met this weekend. I'm sure that we've all had this conversation on more than one occasion, but for some reason this particular one struck a chord with me and the way I have been feeling lately.

It all starts with the typical question, "What's your major?" And then after my reply the "oh, that's really cool." But after a couple of seconds of thinking it over, they always come back with the dreaded after thought-- "So do you just dance all day? Do you have to take, like, normal classes? What do you want to do with that?" I realize that this person is not trying to be rude or hurtful- they truly just have no idea what being a dance major entails. Sometimes I wish that we could have a "switch your major" day, where everyone has to go experience another major for one day.

They would realize that dance majors can't just sit in the back of a lecture hall on facebook or twitter during their classes. They have to be physically and mentally involved with every single class they walk into. Lose focus for any amount of time and risk being behind the whole class, or even worse, injuring yourself or someone else. They have to be ready to put themselves out there and take risks at the drop of a hat. Don't feel like going to class? Not really an option. Dance majors push themselves everyday to keep their bodies and minds in shape. Not to mention that we fulfill all of the same requirements that any other arts & sciences major completes…and a good majority of us are double majors taking way past the limit of credit hours (much to Jessica's dismay…) And as far as the future goes, we all have ideal career goals that we would like to accomplish. But we aren't in this program to have concrete pathways or financial security for the rest of our lives (wouldn't that be nice?). We're here because we genuinely love what we do and it's worth the risk and the fear of the unknown.

I've met some of the most intelligent, hard-working people I know in the OSU Dance Department. I just want to thank everyone for showing me what dedication and passion really look like. I am so fortunate to wake up everyday and get to do something that I love to do with people who push me improve myself in every way possible and support me on the days that it's hard to keep pushing. Even though people on the outside don't necessarily understand what it means to be a dance major, I am so grateful to be a part of a department that not only has amazing dancers and students, but just plain incredible people.

I love you guys! :)

Bad Habits, A thing of the Past?

Every dancer has bad habits and probably will for the entirety of their dance career. Whether its relaxing turn-out, hiking up shoulders, or much more minuscule things, they're there. The goal then is to break those habits, but this is much easier said than done. The main reason its so hard is the simple fact that now the correct habits feel weird. Over the quarter I've been working on using my rotaters and focusing on my pelvis placement (e.g. while in 4th position). For a while I was struggling with my rotaters because I didn't have enough strength to use the correct muscles. Because of the bad habits I had acquired over the years I was compensating with global muscles like my quads in order to make ballet happen on my body. Now that I have been pushing myself to work harder in ballet, I have finally started to find and apply turnout in everything I do. I still find myself falling back into my bad habits from time to time, but the difference now is that I realize and physically feel when I am doing it and can correct it on my own. This is also the case with my pelvis placement. At the beginning of the quarter I was in the habit of sinking back into my heels rather than lifting and holding my pelvis and weight evenly between my feet. At first this correction felt very weird on my body. I felt like I was too far forward on my front leg and that there wasn't an even distribution with my back leg, but now I am finally starting to retrain my body to know when I am in correct placement and not falling into old habits. I still have habits that need correcting but now that I have started this life-long process of correcting all my bad habits I fully understand that it takes time and a lot of hard work, but in the end it is one of the most worthwhile things a dancer can do.

Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

As I have been constantly told throughout my life, from class to master classes to even competition conventions, ballet technique is the basis for all movement. For one to become successful in other genres of dance, it is necessary to first master even basic ballet vocabulary. I have found this true in almost all different techniques; without my training in ballet, although small, my ability in other areas would be slimmer. And though I still believe this, it wasn't until this quarter that I realized that it is sometimes necessary to forget those basic ballet technique principles, specifically in Abby's contemporary class. Since my time at OSU, i have been encouraged to let go of my center, engage elsewhere, and throw my body around in ways that in fact, were uncomfortable on the body at first. Growing up and being constantly reminded of the erect posture it is necessary to hold, Abby's movement felt extremely awkward. Her contemporary African style asked us to throw our weight off center, push the pelvis in front or behind the heels, to displace our ribs, and to flail our arms around like madmen. Although our core is still always engaged, as it must be in ballet, this African movement is more grounded and seemingly organic than what I had ever experienced in ballet.

Although I am more likely to notice the differences between my ballet and contemporary classes this quarter, there are still some similarities. For one, we are constantly being told to engage our inner thighs and abdominals. There is also a similar sense of attack I've become aware of in both classes. There is always a sense of exactness and precision that we must pay attention to. Although these two genres seem to be almost on the opposite ends of the dance spectrum, it you look hard enough, there are ideas that may overlap.