Chapter Six

It was a balmy 91 degrees today, way too hot to endure an unairconditioned gymnasium. I walked in and noticed the presence of large mirrors. Oooh goodie, we get to see how lovely look in our outfits and notice how poorly we are "dancing". Seriously, I know mirrors are an important part to any dance instruction, and it did help to be able to follow the prof better. Nonetheless, they did very little for my self-esteem.

The prof was running a little late, and ran in rather frantically wearing a hot pink leotard and black pants. "Can you gather the attendence cards?" she asked the girl sitting next to me while she ran into an office. The prof emerged with two folders filled with a stack of papers. So here it is, I thought to myself, our requirements for these performance reviews. Lay it on me! The stack finally passed by me, I took a paper, and my stomach sunk.

Select one question for each event and answer in a complete, comprehensive form. Submit your work (no more than two pages, but must be two pages) in a typed format (1.5 spaced, 12 point font). Each performance evaluation is due the class following the event.

Question #1

Elicit three characteristics of the technique observed in this perfomance or master class (note where each occured). There was technique? We'll I'll be! Include your personal response to this event as part of the question.

Question #2

What themes were evident in the choreography you viewed? Include your personal response to the choreography as part of this qeustion.

I'm already struggling with this. That last performace I saw on Thursday evening was an "abstract" piece, as the prof described it. Yes, I understand what "abstract" is. We have "abstract" in the visual art world. But I'm left wondering how I'm supposed to find "characteristics" when I dont even understand what's going on. Nor, do I know what the positions are, or what's proper technique! So I dared to ask "What do you mean by characteristic?" The prof answered, "Anything that is repeated throughout the choreography" OOOOH! I get it, like all those flailing arms and legs that I saw, that's a characteristic of the dance! Gotcha! Man, I wished so badly I could have said that. Well, I did, sort-of, just not quite so abrupt. But after some more "intense dialogue", I did finally grasp what she meant by characteristic...sort of. The sucky part is, I might end up having to go to a different performance just because writing about Sundari is going to prove mighty difficult. Then it means I wasted my time and energy that could have been better spent elsewhere last week. Sigh. Well, I have managed to b.s. my way through many a critique I didnt believe in, so maybe I can come up with something for this.

The rest of the class time was spent doing our "warm-up" as the prof calls it. I call it torture. Make me do forty-five minutes of that stuff and I'm ready to spill everything. I will say that I think I might be getting in better shape. I didnt hurt quite so badly today. I was able to walk out of the gym without feeling like I was going to die. We continued with our pelvic press, pleating contractions, side contractions, and our second position split "groin wrenchers". She added another position, believe it or not, called the "swastika," but it was tolerable.

At one point, the prof had us lay backwards onto our elbows and do some circle, brushing thing with our feet. I wanted badly to participate in this (sure I did) but about a week and a half ago I fell down the stairs at five in the morning. The mister's alarm clock went off, and I woke up immediately, as did my bladder. So I wandered half-consciously down the attic stairs only to step on a precariously placed magazine. I'm talking that thing was slipperier than snot on a doorknob. I slid down several stairs knocking my elbow hard causing a numbness in my fingertips and a pain I will never forget. I probably should have gone to the doctor, but I hate the waste of time, energy, and money when the doctor would have just sent me for x-rays and said "Nope, nothing's broken." But now a week and half later, I'm still in a bit of discomfort and thinking perhaps I was being too stubborn. Eitherway, my entire elbow and part of my arm on either side turned a lovely shade of purple, and then a sickening green. Today I noticed the green was almost gone, but it still is uncomfortable. At least I didnt need to pop any ibuprofen today. And honestly, I didnt notice my elbow until I had to recline on it. And can someone please tell me why I keep bumping the darn thing? How in the heck is it supposed to heal if I keep clobbering it?

But I'm not keeping a blog to whine about my injury, I'm writing to document my experiences as an uncooridinated, unathletic person being forced to participate in a phys ed course which in my case happens to be dance. One thing I am gaining from this class is a deep appreciation for how physically fit dancers are, because the poses and warm-ups are killing me. Until wednesday...