1st Jazz Class of The Year

http://break-a-leg.blogspot.com/2005/01/d-november-24-2004-history-of-jazz.html





MY TEACHER'S LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE ! READ THIS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF JAZZ DANCE IN MALAYSIA ! EVERYONE ( in Malaysia's jazz scene ) SHOULD KNOW ALL THESE NAMES !





Ok, anyway, that's a nice introduction to my teacher, Celeste Theunissen. I wrote an essay about her and even made her a metaphor once upon a time, when I find that essay, I might post it up here. ( haha )





Okay, but this post is about my 1st and 2nd Jazz class of the year. And by the way, yes I got sworn at..dang...and lots and lots of bad bad comments/yellings/screamings/annoyed looks..and yes it was pretty horrible and yes I broke down..





But it was awesome to see her again and go for class and especially POST-class...Pre class is nerve wreaking, class can be a nightmare, post class is really the only thing I look forward to.





So, a post by post analysis of my performance in class last Mon and Tue. Celeste's comments are in blue ( Celestar Blue ) and mine are in orange, a happy, positive, colour ...

Sook Fun and I, during our Celestar Graduation...JAZZzzz..... those happy moments...


Jazz

1. Warmup - RELAX YOUR HEAD & NECK, IT'S A BODY RIPPLE, BEND YOUR KNEES, GO RIGHT DOWN AND UP, DON"T BE SO STIFF,TOES OVER KNEE, TWIST YOUR SHOULDERS WHEN DOING THE QUAD STRETCH, Remember it's -AND- 1, breath!!!, and for goodness sake, sleep at least 7 hours before class...



2. Plies - wider 2nd arms, it's a side bend, LIFT YOUR CHIN, why arn't you getting any better ?!!?, relax, 5th arms



3. Tendu - CLOSE FRONT, TURN OUT, DON"T CRAMP YOUR TOES, WHY CAN"T YOU REMEMBER WHAT I TELL YOU ?!!!,



4. Rond de jambe -EXPRESSION, EYES FOLLOW THE HANDS !, remember the reverse arms,



5. Kicks - WHY IS YOUR BUTT HANGING OUT!!!, STRAIGHTEN YOUR SUPPORTING LEG, POINT, JAZZ STRUTS, she changed the counts, it's so much easier now, dang!..struggling for nothing, my off axis kick still looks like crap...



6. Adagio - YOUR LEG ISN"T HIGH ENOUGH, WHY CAN"T YOU REMEMBER YOUR STEPS, HOLD ON THE POSE, LIE FLAT ON YOUR BACK, CLOSE YOUR LEGS, Try not to count..just relaxxx, expression,

Now we come to my 'fav', Aerobic Spatial exercises. Woo hoo...

My stupid Split Leaps which I've been practising as often as I can, turned out to be wrong. I practised them wrongly. Shoot....I was supposed to use my back leg to spring up and create the split ! Use the power of the back leg !!! And what was I doing ? Totally ignoring my back upper thigh !

Routine !!! HIP HOP !!! WHERE'S YOUR STYLE ???? #$*)#(*$#)($*#()$*#*$#)($*#

I wrote down most of her other comments already in my dance diary...some things are just too personal...Perhaps some of you think I'm obssessing about jazz right now, but seriously, dance is my life.

I'd never stop dancing, even if I get injured or become too old to dance - highly unlikely thanks to all you amazing future doctors and insurance agents and economists and accountants and public servants ( HAHA... ;P couldn't resist lol )

Dancing is the most amazing feeling in the world. It's an electric sensation we dancers LIVE and STRIVE for; when your muscles move in time with the music, and your head doesn't have to count the beat,remember steps, or figure out the technique, when there's absolute concentration in the movement, the beauty of dance shines through.

I seriously believe that one can only dance properly and express oneself with all freedom once technique has been mastered to the fullest extent and the body sharpened to the fittest condition possible. Technique is only the beginning, it doesn't dictate the inner dancer in you.

I actually set out to be a ballet dancer at first but perhaps I was being too narrow-minded. Dancers have to be versatile. But Ballet will always be my first love. People dance Ballet for themselves, not for the money, attention, or calories. Frankly, Ballet doesn't pay as much as it should, doesn't get enough appreciation as it could, and certainly does not BURN AS MANY CALORIES AS YOU THINK - therefore not all ballet dancers are slim - HA.

But Ballet is Internal. Jazz, on the other hand, is external. Jazz dancers seem to feed off from the crowd energy. Jazz is all about energy, excitement, style. Jazz dancers are paid A LOT better -I'm taking this from an actual survey !

I'm starting to really like Jazz. It's fun, albeit tiring, and extremely different. One has to have extreme energy and zeal to learn the proper type of Jazz, not the stupid hip hop cum funk cum cheerleader movements people in Malaysia like to pass off as jazz. Please, give it some credit. Jazz is technical as well, it's not just all about style and Pussycatdolls - I hate this stereotype people have of Jazz, a lot of you think it's all so easy but it's NOT. It's every bit as hard as Ballet.

Iniitally I took Jazz because of ( frankly, in all honesty..Celeste..if you've seen her, you'll know what I mean..) I wanted to learn something new, to improve in my Ballet, and most of all, to discover how to dance. I have to credit Jazz for building me up technically and helping me in my struggle with Ballet.

Along the way, I discovered what Ballet/Dance really meant; Passion. I tell you, it takes a LOT for a person to go to dance class, practise technique AND memorise steps, take exams, and get scolded and scolded by dance teachers. To me, dancers are the only people who need to strive so hard for PERFECTION - they need perfect bodies, perfect technique, perfect knowledge of steps, perfect expression, perfect work ethtics ( Dancers can't get pregnant, drink, take drugs, or smoke, it affects their dancing terribly. They also have to be able to work effectively within a time constraint, incredibly disciplined, hardworking, punctual, self motivated, creative, multi able, and trustworthy. See, doesn't this sound like the perfect employee ? )and a perfect mental attitude.

See ? It's not easy to be a real dancer.

So, why do I dance ?

I dance Ballet to please myself,

to satisfy the inner Aurora/Juliet/Kitri/Giselle in me,

to taste bits of the ' fine de kan chuaeh ( meaning the fine feeling, according to Zhou Lao Shi ) ' here and there,

to express myself in the hauntingly beautiful movements of the adages

to sparkle in the quick, sharp, lively movements of the feet in the petit allegro and batterie,

to fly and SOAR in the grand movements of the grand allegro jumps,

to touch in the solos,principal,and character roles.

There is nothing more beautiful than Ballet. I challenge you.

I dance Jazz to taste the excitement of the crowd,

to strengthen and improve myself as a dancer,

to release my pent up energy and emotions,

to thrill, to stun, to electrify, to shine,

to dazzle, to amaze, to entertain,

to satisfy my inner Diva.

There is nothing more exciting and entertaining than Jazz. I challenge you.

Gosh ! I feel so much better now ! Yay, wish me luck for my Jazz exam next Monday, everyone ! I haven't been blogging lately because I've been too stressed with work and dance. But thanks for reading this post. And I hope to have enlightened and given you insight into the MAJESTY of DANCE.

Whatever makes us happy.

My sis, aunt, uncle, darling cousin Tim, and I.