Journey...

My blog is my journey with dance. The ‘blogging’ process has supported my learning in choreography and dance making. It is as helpful as my artist journal but there is one difference: my journal is personal while the blog can be shared with others. With the help of examples I will explain how the blog has helped me in different ways.
First of all, we have already started the process of making our own dance in duets. On my blog I have a lot of posts related to this process. I had the opportunity to share my ideas with other people in different ways as well as to show everyone how I am improving. In addition to that, I put a lot of scores which are helpful in creating process. There is also video about contact improvisation which was developed by Steve Paxton. In this way I can show everyone what exactly I will use in my dance and who was my inspiration. Finally, I have also posted feedback which is strongly related to my duet with Ioana. Before every rehearsal of our duet, I go back to my blog to read the feedback from witnesses over and over again. It is helpful to improve myself and to not do the same mistakes.
The second example which I want to demonstrate is from our improvisation classes. I have posted a lot of scores from these classes which are also helpful in creating and making dances. There is a lot of useful information: drawings, videos and written opinions as well as reflections. The most important thing about this post is that I can use all of this information in my Body Story.
Nowadays we have the fast progressing world of technologies and everyone has access to the internet. In my opinion, that’s why a blog is the best way of documentation. You can go back anytime to your personal blog and remember the whole journey which you have already done.

Movement studies with Katye Coe

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  Today in the studio we were looking at possibilities of jumps. There is a great variety of them: from one foot to another, from 2 feet to one foot etc. But we can jump not only in the high level. In low level during jumps, arms can help us as well.
  Another interesting exercise was to play with levels. We know that the most important and usually used are low, middle and high levels. But between them there is a great variety of levels too :)
  As our 2nd term is going to an end, we had conversation about learning outcomes. My individual learning outcomes you can see in pictures.

Thoughts .... :)

,f


Short dialogue with Nora. Conversation about moving in the studio, duets and solo as well as general development :)

Improvisation

On 14th of March we had an improvisation session with Polly. Every person had to walk in circle ( it does't matter big, medium or small). We had some rules to do that exercise. First of all, everyone had to walk only in his trajectory (to avoid crashes with others). Secondly, we could choose between walking, running, walking backwards or pausing.

Before start, I thought that it is very easy to hit another person, but later I was sure that if you are walking in your trajectory, there is a small chance to do a crash.

We did that exercise few times. After that I realised that I started to move with the aware of others as well as in relationship to others.

My Body Story :)

Everyone knows that different somatic based practises can have many benefits for the dancer. In my body story I will consider how the different techniques we have been introduced to have contributed to my development as a dancer in both formal 'class' settings and in my every day life.
To do that, I will use information which I gained during classes in Coventry University: Skinner Releasing Technique (SRT), Alexander Technique, Improvisation and Contact Improvisation.

I will also pay attention to bones and joints and discuss how these techniques can influence attitudes towards our body.

Questions...

First year dance students!!!! Which one do you like more? The process of creating duets or process of creating solo? Why? I am waiting for your opinions :)

Improvisation

On Thursday we had an improvisation session with Polly. In groups of 4-5 people, everyone had to do an individual score. It could be improvised score or not. Score consisted of very simple movements: walking, running, jumping, falling and recovery etc. When everyone finished his score, we shared them with partners in groups. We had to explain what means every line, every sign. A few moments later, everyone had the opportunity to set a choreography using his score. It was a good experience to see how you can create dance with the help of scores. Finally, every person had chosen a small part of their score, we put them together and made another score, which included 5 individual scores. Session was really interesting. We saw all scores, as we shared our works.

Duet (Feedback)

Feedback is very useful during the creation process. For me it is a stimulus to develop my piece of art. Feedback can be given in different ways. The best one is to receive feedback from others. So, after sharing the duets, me and Ioana, received written feedback.

Puzzles

Work in progress and the assessment is coming soon...

PuZzLeS... PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...PuZzLeS...

Duet :)

Trips

3/8/2011 we went to the Warwick Arts Centre to see the performance presented by PROTEIN and called 'LOL Lots of love'. I have never seen such a technique and enthusiasm of dancers. So about what was this performance?
I think everyone have noticed that on skype or facebook we usually put 'LOL', but no one of us have ever thought how many meanings can have this word. It can be 'laughing out loud', 'lots of love', 'lots of luck' but on the other hand, it can mean: 'lack of laughter', 'lack of love', 'lack of luck'. In addition, it can be 'life on line' or 'love on line' but also for 'losers on line' or 'log off loser'.
Our whole life is starting to become virtual.....

Duet

Duet

First rehearsal, first exploration, first idea = beginning!!!!!

Contact Improvisation

Duet

1st year students of Coventry University - Dance Making and Performance have already started their journey with partners through the exploration.
My partner is Ioana Dabija. Our duet was inspired mostly by work of Steve Paxton. We want to use the contact improvisation during our creation process.
Contact improvisation was developed in New York in 1972 by steve Paxton. It is a partner dance based on the physical principles of touch, momentum, shared weight.
The idea of our duet - PEOPLE LIKE PUZZLES. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution. In our opinion, people work in the same way... And we will try to prove that with the help of movements.

Questions...Duet!!! Let's do it!

Dear 1st year Dance and Theatre students ;) I have one question for You. 04/03/2011 during Choreography Workshop we had work in progress sharing of duets. As you know, my partner is Ioana. Can You write a few words or feedback about what You saw yesterday?

Trips...

Welcome to the 21st edition of the Nottdance Festival, one of the longest running and most esbablished festivals in the UK.It revisits some of the most exciting artists from the last twenty one years, whilst celebrating both established and emerging artists to showcase some of the work Dance4 has been involved in developing, supporting and commissioning over the past year.
They have created a programme that contains something for everyone; from those who may have never watched contemporary or indeed experimental work before. But all the work has something in common. They are all examples of great art...

Trips... Wendy Houstoun

On the same day 2011/03/03 we went also to Nottingham Contemporary. There was performed '50 Acts' by Wendy Houstoun.
Since 1980 Wendy has worked extensively as a solo performer and in collaboration with companies and artists whose work challenges and extends the boundaries of dance and theatre.
'50 Acts' is a physical theatre work which explores the status of older dancers, and the relationship between art and culture.

Trips...

On 3 March 2011, lot of people who are interested in arts, had the opportunity to be the part of NOTTDANCE FESTIVAL (New movements in dance). Firstly, we went to Leicester where in De Montfort University was presented 'Lea Anderson on Screen'.
There was paid attention to dance and film. How we can create dance using the scenes from film? Lea Anderson does that. It was pleasure for me to see a well-known choreographer with my own eyes. Why? Because I saw a lot of her works on DVD, but it is another feeling. In addition to this, she is one of the choreographers who inspired my and Ioana's duet.