Monkey Time! Survey Time!

If you would be so kind as to complete the entirety of my survey pilot which has been created for PROFESSIONAL DANCERS on the subject of learning choreography. Thank you very much your time and effort is appreciated especially as lots of us are creating them right now!

Click here to take survey

Any extra feedback on the survey would also be appreciated, as it no doubt will have flaws. It took three sittings to get it to this stage, as I had to return to what I actually wanted to find out and delete the pointless questions I had entered.

Anyway, thank you x

More Rehearsal Pictures: Alice In Wonderland

A Document of Rehearsals For My First Ballet Choreography

Alice In Wonderland

Only photos of the senior group have been taken due to obtaining permission.

These photos are the "dream scene" which is part of the street ballet section towards the end of act 2. The music is Sweet Dreams by Eurhythmics.

Another Project On The Go: Alice In Wonderland Ballet

The beginning of the dream scene, where Alice has "had enough"
The end section of Alice in Wonderland where Alice is ending her adventure.

I am currently choreographing my first ever ballet for YEM Theatre School with around 40 children. You may remember my Alice in Wonderland posts from a while back, when I was in the research of ideas and themes and characters. Rehearsals are now well under way but still have a long way to go.

The music was my first starting point. So, iTunes was an absolute must to download music, but also Spotify to test it out and listen to it first. Of course being me, I didn't just look for classical music, I searched through a few themes and ideas to collect my final play list. I have incorporated tracks from Madonna, De Bussy, Hartly and Eurythmics so as you can tell; quite a diverse range. I integrated tracks to create my story line and cut the music accordingly. I now have a two act ballet of four minutes per act. From past shows ballet has always been the slow down for a fast paced show, but not this year I hope. Especially since this is the first ballet to include "street ballet"!

I took some photos of rehearsals in action (with permission) just to document the work taking place. I am working with five different classes. Each group meanders around the choreography I just hope it will work once all dancers are put together. Not only have I got the five ballet classes, but also three jazz groups to build up numbers (as we lost some students after the last unethical teacher).

Comments Please

If anyone could share any comments on my post "The 100 Words (ish)....." I would be very grateful THANKS

Learning Diary Three 14/3/10

Monday 14th March 2010

So, I was thinking more about my topic and thought I was in on an idea of processes of teaching dance/choreography. I spoke to the Principal of one of the schools I teach at and she said she thought I had a very good method of teaching my dances. As complimentary as this was, it wasn't constructive. Yet, it made me doubt my idea as I wanted it to be useful. After reading a blog where they had asked "outsider" opinions, i.e. family members what they thought. I gave this a try as it would give a different and objective view of the situation.

One idea put across to me was to look at forms of communication in terms of teaching. They also said my first idea was fine and that no one's perfect; there are always areas in which one can improve. I agreed with this and since no one has ever taught me to choreograph and I've never thoroughly researched it; there is bound to be much more I can improve on in the area. I argued it had to be of use and beneficial to someone or something.

I spoke to another impartial family member, who suggested collecting different styles of choreography from different countries and try to replicate their way of teaching dance. Obviously this would require a budget if I were to research this in the flesh.

After all this, again I felt somewhat overwhelmed by all the different directions I could take. So I took a step back and made some points clear of what I wanted to take from this research.

1. something that interests and excites me.

2. something to benefit my career

Answers

1. I love choreographing but I need this to be education related to go on to a PGCE

Teaching

-inspiration

-communication

-accuracy

-performance

-tools

-efficiency

-processes

-choreography

-styles

-techniques

Out of these the ones that interest me are performance, styles, accuracy and efficiency

To find the best methods for teaching and teaching choreography I could look at

-talking to and researching different choreographers

-finding how students think they learn best

-finding out how professionals learn a routine best

-their opinions

-trying different techniques and methods on classes I teach

It would benefit

-myself as a choreographer/teacher

-the success rate of students I teach

-the school if the students succeed/improve

I am looking forward to exploring some of these ideas further and narrowing it down to just a couple to concentrate on.

Attempt Two; Easter School

So after agreeing to run my own Easter school for The YEM Theatre School I now realise why they don't do it!

I started organising a timetable and how much to charge and where to go. I then found that none of this matters if you have no children attending. Advertising is the key!

I need ten pupils at least to attend. I've sorted out an assistant. The hall hire is done, with how much and covering costs.

It is worrying when you start a project like this on your own. I think it takes a lot of nerve. Luckily I have the YEM School behind me. It will be beneficial to them as it promotes the school and could potentially give the main school more students.

I think though, as it nears Easter I should hopefully get more interest.....

The 100 Words (ish) Topic Idea, Comments Please!

I know that I enjoy and feel passionately about CHOREOGRAPHY and TEACHING DANCE, so this is problem number one solved of not getting bored during this project. I also know that I want this degree to continue with a PGCE later on in my career, therefore my topic should be education related.

If I were to do a project on "the most effective methods of teaching a class a choreography/dance routine" then this could potentially benefit myself as a teacher/choreographer, the classes I teach, the schools I teach for and also other teacher/choreographers. (Note; this title will need redrafting so it is accurate to what I research)

I would use an age group that I regularly teach, though this will bring ethical and parental permission issues. I teach students over 16, but not as many.

There is already lots of information about how to teach dance, but not specific to choreographers, which is where my research might strike.

• I could look at successful past/present choreographers and find out details of how they worked to achieve results.

• I could take surveys/interviews of dancers on how they believe they learn best with choreography.

• I could experiment with different processes and observe which works best.

• I could observe other teachers and how they work with their classes.

• I could interview choreographers and teachers.

So many options! Too many? Useful? Pointless? Does this interest anyone else or just me? Comments if you would please.....