Unit 13 and 14 Analysis of Progress, Development, and Opportunities

 Progress: 

• Stamina 

Throughout this year I believe I have really improved and developed my Stamina. Particularly in SIX the musical in November, where I was required to sing while performing very energetic and tiring dance sequences. I successfully maintained high energy and didn't let my performance falter in any way, and I achieved this through regular practice and rehearsal - and I built up my stamina through exercise over the course of the weeks leading up to SIX to ensure my cardiovascular system and muscle strength could sustain the entirety of my performance. Here are some video examples where I feel I show good stamina.

 

• Musicality 

I have also developed my musicality lots this year, in terms of really listening to the music, keeping rhythm in mind, and ensuring my movements match the songs and that I am conveying emotion and interpreting the music in a sensitive way. I feel I showed this well in El Perdon, as I showed good understanding of the rhythm, music and emotion of the song. I also made good use of a range of dynamics and achieved this through listening to the song and paying attention to the details in the score. I have developed my musicality throughout this year by researching and considering the notation of each song and paying attention to the beats per bar, dynamics, lyrics, and rests etc. Here is a video of our El Perdon assessment where I feel I demonstrate a successful understanding of musicality.

• Kathak style 

Another area I was able to develop this year was Kathak. I had never experienced this dance style before and I feel that I successfully adopted it's key techniques such as hand-eye co-ordination, the triangular shaped default stance, fluidity, extension, and communication - as well as its signature movements such as chakkars, tatkars, and mudras. I watched back rehearsal videos and was continuously reflecting on my progress, and through consistent rehearsal and peer and teacher feedback, I was able to accurately apply these key techniques to our final piece and demonstrate a fairly strong technical performance. 

• Co-ordination 

One of the areas I have improved in the most is co-ordination. Before ONE I really struggled with co-ordination and using different body parts at the same time. Through breaking down movements and also consistently practicing I have managed to begin moving different parts of my body cohesively, simultaneously and fluidly, and I feel I showed this particularly well in SIX and All That Jazz, as the movements were all extremely fast and required excellent concentration and co-ordination. Here is a particular moment in six where I feel I demonstrate good co-ordination, due to the complicated and detailed nature of the movements. 

• Expression

Finally, another area I feel I have made good progress in is my expression. When I first started here I was extremely nervous, shy, and stiff and I was so focused on getting the movements right that I didn't even think about expression and how to convey emotion and meaning in my dancing. However now it is the most important element for me as it allows me to fuel and power my movements, and expressing these emotions to the audience that I feel I have really improved in. El Perdon was such a dramatic and emotional piece and I feel that through dynamics, facial expressions, and musicality, I was able to convey the sadness and desperation of the piece. 

Areas for Development:

• Balance

An area which I would now like to work on and still need to develop is the physical skill of balance. On it's own, my balance is good, however when I apply this to my work it is clear that this area needs more practice. I lose my confidence when performing and tend to either stumble or not complete the movement full out, particularly in turns, which leaves me feeling disappointed. I noticed this in Kathak, as because I was so nervous, I was unable to hold the balanced pose and I really held back during the Chakkars because I was so worried about falling or stumbling. The root of my struggle is my nerves, which cause me to lose that grounded feeling. To improve on this, I will practice consistently and not only use balance exercises but also incorporate trickier balance movements into dance sequences to get used to completing them in the context of a piece. 

Link to Kathak Performance

• Jazz

One of the areas I struggled with the most was Jazz dance, which I felt was too technically advanced for me. I struggled with the strength, balance and flexibility elements and with the turns, jumps and floor elements of our sequence. I also felt extremely unconfident and embarrassed and so I became quite demotivated. To improve this I would like to research the dance style in more detail so that I have a deeper understanding of it and can approach it with a good idea of the criteria. I also feel that since I have developed my skills a lot since we did Jazz, with some frequent rehearsal I will be able to improve much more easily than before. 

• Extension 

I feel that I definitely want to improve and make extension a primary focus in my dancing, because I have found that when I am dancing I feel like I'm performing full out but then when I watch videos back I notice I am not extending my limbs properly and am holding back, which makes my performance look less clean/ polished and not very engaging. I noticed this within contemporary dance, where performance skills are paramount and extension can really bring performances to a new level. To improve my extension I will rehearse sequences in front of a mirror so I can adjust my movements in real time and make it become muscle memory. 

• Flexibility 

A physical skill which I want to develop is flexibility, as this will allow me to become a more versatile dancer and will allow me to attempt more advanced and impressive movements. I noticed that flexibility is one of my weaker physical skills particularly in our class warm-ups and within the contemporary El Perdon sequence, which requires good flexibility of the spine and torso. In the performance I feel I could have been more fluid and extended/reached out more had I taken more time to develop the flexibility of my muscles. To develop this now, I will create a routine of stretches which target all areas of the body and which I can complete regularly, cater to myself, and adjust over time.

• Strength 

I noticed that another weakness of mine is strength, which holds me back and makes me struggle with sustaining low movements, such as bending down or floor work, and lifts. This is particularly evident in El Perdon, where lifts were a key element, and the Jazz sequence, in which floor work and holding my own body weight was a big element. I really struggled with both the lifts and floor work as I have not really developed strength as a physical skill. To do this I will create exercise routines to target muscle building and strength, as well as practicing more dance floor sequences so they feel less alien to me. 

Opportunities:

Reflecting back on this unit I can see the vast range of opportunities I have been provided with throughout this year. 

For example, I have really learned about my body and its development of physical skills, and in turn have been able to assess the best next steps and ways to improve my skills quickly, successfully, and safely. For example, upon learning and researching skills such as stamina and strength I was able to put in place progression plans and warm ups to aid me in my development. 

I have also been given many public performance opportunities in a range of different styles which have allowed me to build my confidence and gain useful dance experience. I am really not very confident in dance so receiving audience feedback and getting used to people seeing my dance has really helped me grow more resilient and therefore be more open to consistently practicing and improving. 

We regularly film our progress, and watching these back and reflecting on my personal progress has been extremely useful for me. Not only do I have a clear timeline of my improvement which motivates me greatly, but I am also able to watch back each video in detail and set really specific and personal targets for myself to help me in the future. 

I also received regular feedback this year which was specific to me. Both teacher and peer feedback have motivated me, and highlighted when I am doing things correctly, which I am not very good at seeing as I'm quite hard on myself. Constructive criticism has allowed me to grow more resilient, and has guided me towards appropriate next steps and improvement plans.