No Pain, No Gain

My world has been a little crazy lately, so I apologize for the delay in posting. I have a feeling this is what it's going to be like throughout my contract with D2. I've been spending 7-8 hours a day commuting to and dancing with Philadanco while also working in the mornings. Situations like this stress the importance of enough sleep, stamina, and a healthy diet. I drink a lot of water while I dance, and if I don't drink enough, usually my body will let me know by giving me a headache or fatigue. I've also been experimenting with what kinds of snacks and how much works best for a long night of dancing.

Basically, since I've last posted we've had 2 weeks of ballet and are currently in our Horton week. Last Wednesday we had our first performance (which is the reason why this post is titled "No Pain, No Gain"). But first, let's talk about ballet. It's interesting how 2 people could be teaching the same exact style of dance, but their classes are so different. That's what happened when we had 2 teachers for ballet 2 weeks in a row. The first teacher spent a lot of time at the barre and a lot of time talking about the objective and the anatomy of what we were doing. His barre exercises would switch back and forth from one side to the other without stopping, whereas with the other teacher we would do one side and then pause before the other side. The teacher for the second week didn't talk as much as the first; He would give corrections here and there, but it was mainly about enhancing our technique by doing.

Some tidbits I learned in ballet the past 2 weeks:

• Everything at the barre prepares you for the center.
• Keep breathing (I tend to forget this a lot).
• Ballet is not a tense, held, statue-like position. It is a living, breathing thing.
• The center of gravity in ballet is your solar plexus (the center part at the top of your ribs).
• Turn out even more when you let go of the barre for a balance.
• Where you are in space is part of the step; It's not only how it's executed, but where it travels.

I talked about "Concerto" in my last post, and that was the dance that I performed at City Hall last Wednesday. "Concerto" is the hardest dance I've ever done. It feels like I'm having an asthma attack by the end of it. I am in every section of the piece and I'm constantly going on and off stage. But every time I rehearsed it full out, I felt my stamina growing a tiny bit. Donald always reminded us to breathe in rehearsal. I think it's funny that we have to be reminded of that, but when you're focused on getting through a piece and doing it well, you forget about breathing! He also told us to pace ourselves, which was great advice. Most of us were trying to go all out and give it our all throughout the whole piece because that's what we're taught, but then by the 3rd section we're so tired that we can barely get through it and that's visible to the audience. Since we want the whole dance to look good, he told us to conserve our energy and find places where we could hold back a little bit. I think that's good for any strenuous dance. Also, the stage we performed on was outdoors and it didn't have wings, so we had to look presentable while we were waiting for our cue and running backstage, despite the fact that we were dripping with sweat and couldn't catch our breath.

You would think that being outdoors would cause less than perfect conditions for dancing, but it couldn't have been more perfect! The stage was set up in the center of City Hall and it was huge with brand new marley floor. The weather was beautiful, we were in the shade, and the turn out was amazing (pun intended). The bleachers were filled as soon as we started rehearsing an hour before the show! We had great support and a wonderful reaction from the audience members. They even clapped for us after we marked through the dances during rehearsal. Donald is very hard on us during rehearsal; The movement and the spacing always has to be perfect. So performing for the first time was very, very nerve-racking. Not only do I want to live up to the high standards, but I had just been thrown into this piece less than a week before. At one point when I was off stage I almost forgot where I had to go next, but everything went off without a hitch.

Here are all of the photos that my mom took of the rehearsal and performance:

https://plus.google.com/photos/113627323652062854299/albums/5769533525495221441

No pain, no gain is like the motto of dancing for many reasons. It refers to physical pain as well as mental and emotional challenges. There was physical pain at the performance because of the texture of the brand new floor. Since we dance with bare feet, by the end of our rehearsal I had bubbles and blisters all of the bottom of my feet. One girl even had a blister that split open and started bleeding. When we performed, every time I went off stage and came back to reality for a second, I realized that my feet felt like they were on fire. The floor was beautiful and we're so grateful that we had an amazing stage like that, but the point is, the show must go on no matter what happens. I already mentioned the emotional challenge of being nervous and trying to dance up to high standards. Your stomach might be in knots before a performance, but all you can do is try your best and if you truly believe everything will go well, it will. A mental challenge that I constantly have as a "newbie" in the company is remembering so much choreography. Since our performance we've been working on 3 other pieces for future shows; 2 of them were performed last Wednesday, and the newbies are just getting caught up because Donald wants to add us to them. The third piece is called "Bound" and we had to learn that one off of a tape. This seemed like a daunting task at first because you can't slow down a tape and you have to reverse everything. But, I found out that I am really good at picking up choreography quickly that way :)

As I said earlier, we are currently taking Horton with the one and only, Milton Myers. Milton is a resident teacher and choreographer at Philadanco, and a master of the Horton technique. Horton is probably my favorite style of modern, and I think it's because I like the challenge. I always leave a Horton class sweating and tired, not to mention extremely sore the next day. We do something called laterals where you take your entire torso from side to side, so my abs and sides are killing me! This technique has a lot to do with the torso either bending forward in a flat back, to the side in laterals, or twisting in a spiral. During all of these exercises your legs and pelvis stay stationary and your torso is isolated. That's why a Horton class is such a good workout. The Horton technique is very strong, sharp, and linear, although it may have some other qualities in choreography. It is the foundational technique for modern companies such as Philadanco and Alvin Ailey (Philadanco's sister company). I look forward to building upon what I already know and growing even more in the next 2 classes.

Next week we have modern/contemporary, then Dunham. D2 also has another performance coming up on August 17th, so stay tuned!

Getting Into the Swing of Things: My First Week as a D2 Member

Monday, July 9th began the newest chapter of my life. As you probably know, I received a contract to be a part of Philadanco's second company, D2. The contract lasts one year and begins with the six week summer intensive. The summer intensive includes an evening class Monday-Friday, followed by rehearsal Monday-Thursday for D2 members. This week's classes were Graham technique taught by Mary Barnett, a graduate of the Juilliard school and a master of this technique.

Since we only have Ms. Barnett for five days and it is an intensive setting, we got a broad overview of the basic Graham technique. This is not to say that she rushed through the exercises to get everything accomplished. On the contrary, she took her time teaching us the foundational concepts and combinations so we truly knew them and felt them in our bodies. Her class structure was about starting with the basics and building upon that to gain a better understanding of the technique, because as she always says, "Learning is accumulative."

Ms. Barnett treated the technique class like academic-type class. On the second day she brought in a huge notepad, tore off a piece of paper, taped it to the mirror, and wrote down all of the basic concepts and exercises that we learned on the first day. Each day we reviewed the list and added to it. As the week went on, we were expected to remember every exercise and do it in sequence so we could move through the class at a faster pace. Each combination was like a pop quiz; She asked us if this was a test, would you pass? These teaching techniques truly benefited me because when we reviewed the concepts everyday, I learned the combinations faster, and the added pressure of being expected to know the sequence always helps me "get on my game". Not only did I memorize the combinations well, but I truly understand what it's supposed to look like and how it's supposed to feel. There were always some members of the professional company who would demonstrate for Ms. Barnett, so she would break it down and show us how every little detail should be.

The Graham technique is based on contractions, which is where you hollow out your middle and let your chest and head relax. It's like making a C shape with your torso, and you have to keep your shoulders over your hips. The opposite of the contraction is when you straighten up and stretch the sides of your body, then you look up to the ceiling and open your chest and throat. The exercises involve both closing and opening the torso, so they counterbalance each other. This technique is especially about alignment, so you always have to be aware of where your body is in space. The first part of the class is done sitting, and most people like to sit with their torso forward from their hips; It's just more comfortable that way. But you have to push back so you're sitting directly on your sits bones and your back is straight, or as Ms. Barnett would say, "Get on your legs!"

Another element of Graham is spirals through the body. There are spirals of the shoulders and head, which is just a partial spiral, but there is also full spirals, which start with the pelvis, then middle, then shoulders, then the head is last. It's like you're a human barber shop pole! With all of these elements to think about, you also have to remember to breathe. You would think that comes naturally, but when you're working so hard, sometimes it can be forgotten. The breath is what moves the body. For example, you start a contraction by breathing in, and when you release the breath, that's what makes the abdomen contract. Even though we spent a lot of time on the floor and the movement seems simple, it was very challenging and requires a lot of strength and focus. The muscles should always be engaged no matter what you're doing. That's why I was extremely sore the next day even though we barely went across the floor! One of my favorite things that Ms. Barnett said was to surrender to the movement. She told us that if you surrender to the movement and also practice surrendering in daily life, everything will become easier. There is no point in fighting what is. Embrace it no matter what, and you will find life to be effortless and free. I could not agree more :)

As I said before, the second part of our evening is rehearsal. I don't really know how to describe the rehearsal process other than crazy, challenging, demanding, exhausting, and possibly the hardest thing I've ever done. They don't mess around here at Philadanco! Within the first night, the "newbies" (There are five new members including myself) were learning multiple sections to a piece called "Concerto". This piece is danced to music by Vivaldi, and it is contemporary ballet with a modern flair. The piece has three sections and is probably over 5 minutes long, but I can't say for sure because I've only actually seen bits and pieces. What I can say is that it's A LOT of choreography to learn in such a short amount of time. I learned the entire piece in 3 rehearsals. Not to mention that I was assigned as a swing, which means that I have to learn everyone's part for every dance. We learn either by watching a tape or asking one of the senior members who already know it. Freaked out, overwhelmed, frazzled, and confused does not even describe how I felt in the middle of the week. At one point the newbies had to show Donald (our company director) what we knew from the piece, and after we were done I was still shaking from nerves.

I think this week was so challenging because the majority of the company has already been there for at least a year, so they know some of the choreography like the back of their hand, and they don't slow down just because some of us are new. We had to get caught up immediately and get on their level. Despite this challenge of working our way into the already established group, I had a breakthrough yesterday. The day before I was a mess because I literally had no clue what I was doing and I have never felt like that before. But yesterday I worked my butt off to get caught up by taking initiative and asking everyone I could for help. For almost the entire 3 hours, I was reviewing everything that we have learned. I did it over and over and over again in order to remember it the best I could. We also wrote down the order of the sections because remembering the sequence was probably the hardest part. So, things are finally coming along and we're definitely making progress.

It has only been 4 days and I already feel like I'm transforming into a better and smarter dancer. Company work is unlike anything I have ever experienced, and I'm so grateful that I get this opportunity to challenge myself. Someone once told me that when you feel uncomfortable like a fish out of water, that's when the growing is taking place. I found that to be true this week. On Wednesday I felt like giving up during rehearsal, but instead, I did my homework and tried even harder the next day, and I came out of it stronger. I can feel my technique and body being enhanced, as well as my mind being more focused on the task at hand. Conquering the hurdle of the first week has inspired and motivated me to keep growing and overcoming those obstacles.

When Real Life Begins

I have wonderful news...I got a contract for an apprenticeship with Philadanco! The apprentice company is called D2, and they take class, rehearse, and perform on a regular basis. D2 performs over 25 times a year and the dancers are sometimes included in Philadanco performances. If you've been following my blog, you know that I've seen many Philadanco performances and I always rant and rave about them. Now I get the chance to work and perform with them!

One of the differences between Philadanco and D2 is that Philadanco dancers receive a salary and benefits, while D2 members get paid for performances. Even though I won't be getting a salary, this is my first ever dance job, and I could not be more ecstatic! Dancer's spend their entire lives dedicating themselves to training and practicing for this moment. Every experience up until now has been about paying to train so that eventually you can get paid to dance. I've finally reached that point where it's the start of a career, and it feels so good. It's like spending your whole life in school, and then finally getting a real job. I will not make a living by being in D2, but many dancers in apprentice companies work their way up to the professional company, which is the ultimate goal.

I'm glad that I auditioned for the apprentice company first because I get to continue to enhance my technique, gain more performance experience, and work with professionals, all without paying a tuition. Also, the Philadanco dancers (including D2 and the youth program) are like a tight-knit family. It's almost like the directors and company members are mentors to the other dancers, so they get to know each other very well. If you are already well-known and work hard in D2, you are more likely to get picked for the professional company. They have auditions in January and June, so I plan on auditioning for the professional company after I've had some experience in D2.

The audition experience seemed a lot tougher this year. Mrs. Brown (founder of the company) told us before the audition that they have had some funding cuts and therefore, did not have as many spots available. Despite having less openings, there were just as many dancers in the audition as there were last year. Last year, they never made any cuts, so all of the dancers were included in the entire audition, then at the end they called the numbers that they wanted to keep. There were at least a dozen dancers picked for D2, including myself. This year, they made a large cut after about 40 minutes, then another cut later on. The number of dancers picked for D2 this time was at least half compared to last year, if not less. I feel very fortunate and honored to have a second chance at being a part of this dynamic company.

 Friends Dann, Emily, and I before the audition!

Philadanco is a very traditional and strict company. It is mostly modern based with some ballet. In the auditions, Milton Myers always teaches a Horton class. If you don't know the Horton style, I would describe it as extremely disciplined with linear movements that require a lot of strength. Although that is not the only style that the company does, I would say that it's the foundation. This is a big change from the type of dancing I was doing in New York. I took a lot of jazz, contemporary, and lyrical, since that is what I concentrated in. Those genres are more new and less strict, whereas Philadanco and their style of dance has been around for decades. I believe that every dancer who wants to succeed should train in multiple styles so they become more versatile, so I am excited to see where my work with this company takes me.

Philadanco has a six week summer skills enhancement series for all of the companies. I start on July 9th, and each week focuses on different styles of dance. We have Graham, Ballet, African, Horton, Contemporary/Modern, and Dunham. We will be taking these classes Monday-Friday from 5:30-7. Then D2 and company members stay until 10:30 on Monday-Thursday for rehearsals. Our first show featuring the D2 dancers is in the beginning of September. After the 6 week intensive, we have our fall schedule, which is class Monday-Wednesday from 5:30-7, then rehearsals on Monday night, Wednesday night, and Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. So, with D2 we are dancing four days a week, but we still have time to fit in a work schedule.

Stay tuned to hear more about my experience with this amazing company. I will be posting updates as often as I can! I truly appreciate everyone's genuine excitement and support; it really means a lot to me. I wouldn't want to be doing anything else :)