Experimental Choreographic Study, Trial #1

[meisymei]

Just a quick question.

I'm about to go on point but i really want to know what it's like first.

Could you tell me please?

Thanks!

[celestialheath]

Oh my gosh! Haha, to fully answer that question would be anything but quick, but well... I'll try to give you the gist of it...? It's really important that you have good solid technique on demi-pointe first, as pointe work is really just an extension of what you've already learned, but your experience will also depend on what kind of feet you have.

[celestialheath]

As a general rule, the more flexible your feet, the harder it will be to gain strength, but don't get discouraged no matter what your feet are like! (I have "good feet" as they say, but I was on pointe for a full year before I could even do a proper relevé on one foot without hanging onto the barre, and I STILL struggle with hops on pointe!)

[celestialheath]

And I won't lie, it does hurt quite a bit at first, but really, it's like everything else in ballet - it takes a lot of time and work to make it look and feel natural, so you probably won't be super good at it at first, but if you keep at it and don't cheat yourself by developing bad technique habits, it will pay off, I promise! I love pointe now. As cheesy as it sounds, Billy Elliot pretty much hit the nail right on the head; once you get going, "It's... like electricity." :D

[meisymei]

haha, ok thanks a lot!

:)

[EmilyTheKeks]

your kinda mean and suck

[celestialheath]

Lol... yes? What about my "kinda mean and suck"?

Oh... You meant, "you're." You might try constructing actual sentences. I really think it will help your insults pack that punch you're looking for. Thanks and best of luck! :D

P.S. Sorry. I know grammar correction is insanely annoying, but my mom was an English/Writing teacher. She drilled it into me! I can't help it!

[maraj021]

If you're trying to break out of the ballet mold, try first feeling the music not as lines but as shapes,rhythms,or current pulsing through you like color across Jackson Pollock's paintings, initiating what you hear from your body in images or sounds as you feel it, letting go of the need for steps, extension,line,carraige, or choreography but letting the music dance you through it. Hope that helps:-) Basically,just move and you'll find your dance voice! Let your soul move you,&G-d bless.

[balletman]

I was just reviewing the "Learn your choreography at home video series" again and I noticed this one.

I used to do this all the time... pretty much every day for three years, I'd find an empty studio and improvise for hours. It was my crack, my cocaine, my morphine. I'm going through withdrawals.

Constructive criticism? Keep dancing. I can't put it any simpler than that. Keep dancing.

[celestialheath]

:) That's what my ballet teacher from my studio in Seattle always used to say, emphasizing it especially as he slowly lost in a fight against brain cancer. And truth be told he could be a bit... insensitive at times, but I still think he had the right idea. Unfortunately my efforts to keep dancing seem to keep resulting in me performing in, um... less than ideal settings (as you've recently seen more closely than you probably wanted to). I do however, have access to a bit of crack... want some?

[boywithshades]

why not try working with ballet vocabulary AND idea-based material?... or simply true movement exploration.

there is only so much you can do once you box yourself into a corner of classical movement.

lets push dance and art forward... this is stagnant.

no offense, i respect your desires and talents i just think you could use your obvious talent to create something more individual, and thus more rewarding for yourself.

[celestialheath]

No offense taken. The feedback is much appreciated and for the most part I agree. I didn't say it very well in the description, but it was just spur of the moment flailing which resulted in me mostly doing the same shit over and over. Unfortunately the vast majority of my training has been in ballet, so that's what comes out when I'm not actually thinking about trying to choreograph anything specifically. I almost feel like I've been boxed in by having done primarily ballet for so long...

[celestialheath]

If that makes any sense? But you're right. In this video I'm doing nothing to actively try to break out of that box either. I'd love to hear your ideas for finding better choreographic methods though. Can you explain a bit more about what you mean by "idea-based material" and "true movement exploration"? Or even just... I guess a starting point for going about that kind of exploration maybe?

[moviefanatic777]

I like it in the beginning 2 minutes-ish when you are closer to the ground and then come up to full height. I think that the changing of heights in moves looks really cool. I find that I am most creative when dancing when I have flowy songs on like Enya. Everyone's different, so I don't know if it would help you at all, but it's just a suggestion. Good idea to film and then watch though!