ChoreoCreation 2012: Class 1

Class 1 - Footwork and WIP
Technique:
Footwork/Foot patterns
- walk
- grapevine
- step together step
- step touch
Hips
- hip singles
- hip twists
Movement:
- hip singles walking
- hip singles grapevine
- hip singles steptouch
- Basic Egyptian

Choreography -
Remember that your music is important, but don't feel like you have to pick THE ONE. I hope you'll use this class as an opportunity to work on something. Enjoy the process! Then apply it to another piece of music later. Remember that your choreography is a Work In Progress (WIP). Love the progress. Love the process. Like with all things, from movements to creating a choreography, practice is so important!


Class 1 Homework


MORNING PAGES
What are Morning Pages? Basically, it's an unedited spillage of thoughts in reference to a topic or question written in the morning when your mind is fresh. So make it unedited and write whatever comes to mind. It doesn't need to be complete sentences, cohesive, or make sense. Just write! General length of time for writing each topic is 8 minutes.

In your dance journal, write (pen to paper):

Morning Pages Topic 1- "Why dance?" With your answer to that question, then ask why X… and continue until you can't stand it any more.

Example: Why dance? Because I love to move. Why move? Because that how I feel alive. Why the need to feel alive? Because I don't feel alive during the week 9-5. Why don't I feel alive during the week? … etc. etc. etc.

Morning Pages Topic 2 - "Of all the types of dance (ballet, modern, flamenco, hip hop, etc.), why bellydance?"

At the next class, I will check your journal, but I won't read them because I know there can be some personal stuff in there!

MUSIC
1. Listen to your music 30 times. Sing or hum along to it.
2. In your dance journal, outline your music in terms of what the music is actually doing, for example:
- Fade in, quiet
- Question and answer of the violin and flute
- Percussion
- Violin solo
- Flute solo
- Violin and Flute together, crescendo to the end
- End

Don't worry if you don't know musical terms, just describe what the music is doing.

3. Then add the music time of the start of each section, for example:
0:05 - Fade in, quiet
0:43 - Question and answer of the violin and flute
1:25 - Percussion
1:40 - Violin solo
2:02 - Flute solo
2:36 - Violin and Flute together, crescendo to the end
2:59 - End

DANCE
1. Lock yourself up in a room with no distractions and no mirrors. Dance to your music freely without judgement. Just move. Write nothing down. Just move and get connected with the music. Do this at least 3 times before our next class.

2. Plan out how you want to start your piece. Plan an entrance with just the feet. Practice dancing just the feet.