Dance Log

Warning : This is a dance post, about my personal dance & pilates prac and what I've discovered about my own body. Run away while you still can.

Somehow, today's practise was infused with weariness. A weight of sorrow and tiredness damped my spirits but I made myself do just PDC work, because I've class tomorrow and I absolutely NEED to practise before class, otherwise I'll just suck. I need to revise the movement and fire up my muscle memory so that I'll be able to work on improving things tomorrow instead of strategizing ways not to end up looking like a damn fool. AND I HAVE TO PRAC JAZZ SOON..can hear Celeste in the background * shudders * Must improve, and get better, and improve, and get better,

Ok here goes...

Started with a 30min cardio blast. Shins were hurting, heart wasn't beating fast enough to keep up with the machine's pace, blood flow didn't increase rapidly enough for me to look like a nonchalent jogger. But I digress. I still did the necessary cardio to warm up my legs. Inner thighs fired up, but I could tell the rest of body was reluctant to participate in the warm up. Bad body.

Did Pilates to fire up my core muscles. Dancers have to dance from the core, Elynn of all people, helped me to see that. Engkau buta la Steph.

By order of the exercises : Spinal roll down, Ball hip release, Shoulder protraction and retraction, ab prep on ball, 100's, single leg stretch, oblique twist, double leg stretch, ab pulses, a Teaser variation, side abs with ball, push ups, stretching...

Seemed a lot more when I was doing it.Why does listing things down make them look less significant ? Nevertheless, proceed.

PDC Ballet - Did 5 barre exercises.

1. Plies - smoother transistion, find your ab connection & inner thigh muscles & WORK YOUR TURNOUT fr here. Be careful of the arm position in 2nd, lift palms up okay ?
2. Tendu - 5ths !!! And you have to use the metatarsal !!! The ronde has to feel like a sail, growing 150% longer ! Extention, Push, Pull, Turnout, Ab connection, CORE
3. Glisse - the fast glisse in 2nd position has to be faster ! 1 + 2!, 3 + 4! Don't forget the coupe position during the petit develope, very important to be clean and clear in demonstrating every movement.
4. Rond De Jambe - By this time, my back was aching..and this ex has a balance in it. The Rond de jambe Jete was not inspiring enough Steph, you can ronde and throw it even higher ! Pull it out of the hip socket !!! And don't forget, a rond de jambe must work the turn out EVENLY on both legs !!! Supporting leg hang on there and ram strongly into the ground ! The balance ! Think of the core, the rib to hip connection, the inner thigh shadow solid into the ground, both arms and legs must grow in the opposite direction !!! HOLD the balance for 3 counts at least !!!
5. Adage - my back was hurting so badly by this time. But my penche in this ex was much better. Must think of Zhou Lao Shi screaming ' LONGER , then HIGH ' . Fondu's were surprisingly very fine too, must be all the fire in the inner thighs. But the fondu devant on rise must be higher ( working leg, at least 150 degrees ) and stronger/straighter ( supporting leg, pull up your saggy knee cap la ! ) Don't forget the turnout in BOTH legs, NO TIME FOR NEGLECTING , when you melt the leg in.. And your fouette was pathetic, Steph. Mana ada orang henti in the middle of the ex, just to catch her breath ? And this is adage, already you are tired. How are you gonna last the class ? * K Steph, stop berating yourself ala Celeste, and go sleep early tonight. And overdose yourself on chocs * EXTENSION !!!!!!!! MELT !!!!!!!!!!! ARMS !!!!!!!!!!!! POSITION !!!!!!!! LENGTH OF THE PENCHE AND STILLNESS OF THE FOUETTE !!!!!

Did the 3 centre exercises - Port De Bra, Pirr, and finished practise of with the Amen Adage ( I like to call it that because in the middle of this particular exercise, during the pivot in arabesque, the songs sings AHHHHH and I always sing MENNNN silently to compliment it because after that LENGTHENING pivot, we need to do a long penche in a torture worthy set of 8 counts...I need to say my prayers for that kan?

Port De Bra - STIFF !!! Yo, why does it look so awkward and constipated...keep it looking natural, lengthen, and whip that double pirroutte into shape ! Keep the arm position, wind beneath your armpits - haha, where did I get that from ??? - Feel like pushing the water away, going UP UP UP and finishing in a perfect closed 5th..ah, the taste of pirrouttes. I'm so hooked up / fixated / OBSESSED with getting perfect doubles. I CRAVE triples........

Pirr - HAVE TO PRACTISE THIS !!!! Remember Ms Adeline's tips about the arm position and shoulders and the core !!! and remember how a really good one feels like ! PRACTISE !!! DON"T GET DISTRACTED BY THE STUPID PEOPLE WHO WALK PAST AND STARE !!!

Adage - I nearly wanted to pass on this, but I couldn't. Okay Steph, be careful of your elbow, the shoulders square-ish but the upper back turns to create that aplomb line ! Remember to have the " long line " when you pass the leg fr devant to derriere, Extend till the muscle fibres pull the bone, NEAT and CONTROLLED balance and Pas de bourree,ATTITUDE PIRR !!! , and that double ronde de jambe thing on 1 leg - QUICK CONTROL !!!.

Penche's are pretty easy really, just remember to extend the leg higher and higher to PUSH / TILT the body forward - which is the exact translation of penche actually, penche means to lean/tilt no ? - Recovering from one takes a LOT OF CORE WORK !!!. Ecarte side developpe must be higher, OFF AXIS !!! And that rombasse - push off into releve and arch the back, make it look like a real circular movement, don't cheat!!! Gather the flowers and swish the rond !!

Fine finesse and you've clinched it ! Remember, Zhou Lao Shi wants more "fine feeling' from you. Be subtle and powerful. Ballet is internal.

GO TO BED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SLEEP !!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow's another hectic day. People please pray for my sis too, she got a food allergy. I just received the news. Wish I was home more often. But really, it's my fault.

* Jon Fam..you can be a real puzzle sometimes. *