Rooster dance self assessment

Improvements:

·         Confidence

·         Timing

·         Vision, focus was much better

Strengths:

·         Concentration

·         Focus

·         Confidence

Weaknesses:

·         Spinnings in painted black

·         Sharpness

·         Extensions

·         Facial expression

·         Characterization

·         Dynamics

Target to improve:

Improve positions in painted black and work on all weaknesses.

What went well:

Timing has really improved; I was not moving or looking around when I’m supposed to stand still.

What went  less well:

Spinnings

Monologue

I chose my monologue book from Agnes By God play by John Pielmeier where a nurse doesn't admit that she killed her newborn baby. I see her as a mental character and because of that I want to do this monologue even more, because it is more interesting. Also I like this monologue because an easy language is used here, no difficult word, what is important to me. Doing this monologue I will go mad, super mad, and at some time calm down and then go to my own world.

Take a read:

I don't know what you're talking about! You want to talk about the baby, everybody wants to talk about the baby, but I never saw the baby, so I can't talk about the baby because I don't believe in a baby!... No! I'm tired of talking! I've been talking for weeks! And nobody believes me when I tell them anything! Nobody listens to me!

Where do you think babies come from?...Well, I think they come from when an angel lights on their mother's chest and whispers into her year. That makes good babies start to grow. Bad babies come from when a fallen angel squeezes in down there and they grow and grow until they come out down there. I don't know where good babies come out.

And you can't tell the difference except that bad babies cry a lot and make their fathers go away and their mothers get very ill and die sometimes.

Mummy wasn't very happy when she died and I think she went to hell because every time I see her she looks like she just stepped out of a hot shower. And I'm never sure if it's her or the lady who tells things. They fight over me all the time

The Lady I saw when I was ten. I was laying on the grass, looking at the sun and then the sun became a cloud, and the cloud became the Lady and she told me she would talk to me and then her feet began to bleed and I saw there were holes in her hands and in her side and I tried to catch it as it fell from the sky but I couldn't see anymore because my eyes hurt because there were big black spots in front of them.

And she tells me things like -right now she's crying "Marie! Marie!" but I don't know what that means. And she uses me to sing. It's as if she's throwing  a big hook through the air and it catches me under my ribs and tries to pull me up but I can't move because Mummy is holding me feet and all I can do is sing in her voice, it's the Lady's voice, God loves you! (Silence) God loves you..

I don't want to talk anymore, all right? I just want to go home.

I separated the text because it makes it easier to learn it. Also I watched some videos of this monologue on internet, but I am sure that I can do better!

Today we were working on "Masquerade" dance. We were learning vogue dancing. I find it really interesting to add vogueing elements to "Masquerade" piece. I have seen voguing before and I find this dance really different. I like how you can play with your hands. I think we need to work on our arms more now cuz majority of moves are arms moves.

We learnt three moves in today's lesson. And we did succeed trying to create a dance from only those three moves. Looking forward to learn more.

More about voguing

Voguing is a modern house dance style. It was found in 1960's.
Now there are 3 different vogue styles:
1. Old way - characterized by the formation of lines, symmetry and precision in the execution of graceful, fluid-like action. Take a look on this interesting hand performance and floor exercises.

2. New way - characterized by rigid moves coupled with clicks and arms control that sometimes includes tutting, locking or illusion of bone breaking.

3. Vogue fem - this style is mostly exaggerated with feminine moves influenced by contemporary, ballet and jazz dance styles. Vogue fem includes hands performance, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance and dips&drops.

Evaluation of my performance

My task was to perform a Suzanne, lesbian journalist. It required some skills which could help me to get in to my character, don’t laugh, in the beginning do journalist voice and in the end get a bit shy because an awkward situation has happened. I found this play weird, but as I understand weird plays are likely to be in theatres because they are less normal.

It was really hard to reveal my character when I was meant to look at the camera all the beginning, but after awkward situation I really started to feel awkward, at that moment I definitely got into my character.

Change: In very beginning of rehearsing I was sitting next to my partner and my faces side was facing the audience. But Sean said that audience is losing my character. They couldn’t see my character. So I stood up next to my camera, because audience could see my face from there and they could see my character more clearly. 

When I went on stage I was feeling quite confident but I still felt a bit nervous. Sometimes I was forgetting that I am on stage and then this feeling was coming back. I still need more experience of being on stage. I haven’t forgotten any words or action, and I spoke quite loudly I think so the audience could hear me. Also in the awkward situation we did a really good eye contact, that’s why that situation became awkward.  I am happy that the audience understood that I was a lesbian, which means I revealed my character and that was my main goal.

Future predictions:

3 Positives:

• Loud voice
• Not too nervous      

2/3 Weaknesses:

• I need to not read my lines in my head, but really listen to what the other actors are saying and reacting to it
• I need to get more into my character

Cabaret (Certificate in Dance)

Everything happens in 1931 in Berlin.

Lady in the beginning is dominant. She is very interesting character. She always has an illusion of being a superstar, she tries to escape from reality.

Main parts of movie are filmed in Kit Kat club.

Dance moves are sexual, also they bend their back - that's Bob Fosses one of the main features.

A lot of make-up is used, even guys use lots of make-up. In dance they really hide who is a man and who is a woman. That is good because it is what they are trying to do.

Dancers wear fluffy dresses or club clothes like tight shorts, crop tops. 

Acting is likely to be used in dances.

Dance performed by Lisa Minnelli:

Personal evaluation about how I have improved in my dance

(Lesson with Dominique)

Action

Now I remember the choreography of our dance but I need to improve my extensions. I wasn't really concentrated on my feet precision and I think my angles and shapes could be clearer.

Dynamics

In our dance we have some sharp and some soft moves. One of soft ones is when we slowly move our hands down trying to curve them, making waves. One of sharp ones is when we pick our left leg and our hands direct different sides, we need to keep strong balance here.

Space

My group found a way how to cross each other’s planes/spaces/patterns even if in the beginning it looked impossible. I think I need more practise with it. Well we all need.

Relationship

During our lesson on Thursday we added some eye contacts. I really felt connection between us and it helps to keep better timing if you feel you group’s dance and connection.