I was asked today...
"So, tell me again, why is movement so important to you? I would have figured equipment would have been your strength and what you would have been most interested in."
Why is movement so important to me....
Someone very smart said to me once....if you don't have a body, the equipment cant spin its self. Or something like that. I think when he said it, it sounded much more eloquent.
I feel that your body can be so much more expressive that a piece of wood or metal. Nothing should be done on equipment that isn't motivated by the body. Movement is the only thing that can stand alone in the activity and get credit for it.....big movement sections in a show can be so effective. Like if a band is really good at playing loud, they will sound even Louder if their soft moments are softer.
I feel like dance is allot like singing....it can show parts of the soul. Just standing and spinning your equipment doesn't show me your love and passion. So I think that is also why I love it so much.
Also, if someone can learn to really control their body through movement that usually floods over into their equipment and they will have more control in that as well. They will move through the staging better because they understand their bodies and the space around them.
So many reasons why I would always want my guard to be top of the class in movement. There's a reason Bishop Kearney won so many gold medals. Some might think they couldn't spin as well, but boy could they move!!!
This season, if my MS WG is first in movement I will consider that as good as a gold medal. Also, seeing the WHS WG move from 6th in their class in movement to 3rd has really made me happy. For me...there isn't much better than that. Except for Winning the Class at MCCGA Championships.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
My Idol!
If you had the chance to spend a day or even just a few hours with Your Idol, wouldn't you take it?
Well, most people who know me know that I am a HUGE Mia Michaels fan. But over the past year I have become more and more fond of Sonya Teyah. She is amazingly brilliant and I wish I could spend just a day in her head to see how she thinks. To see where her ideas come from and all the corky traits she is famous for.
But here is the thing...I DO have that chance! The chance to "have the ability to sign up to experience a class led by one of the leaders in contemporary dance working today." Sonya will be at the "Day After" at Dayton on Sunday, April 11th!!!!!
When I got the news I completely freaked out! I want so badly to be on that floor learning from her! But I have to teach come Monday and I don't know how to make it work. This will be a chance of a lifetime for me. Like having a pitching lesson from Jenny Finch! I hope I don't have to let it pass me by.
If you are a fan of Sonya then you will understand.....
Well, most people who know me know that I am a HUGE Mia Michaels fan. But over the past year I have become more and more fond of Sonya Teyah. She is amazingly brilliant and I wish I could spend just a day in her head to see how she thinks. To see where her ideas come from and all the corky traits she is famous for.
But here is the thing...I DO have that chance! The chance to "have the ability to sign up to experience a class led by one of the leaders in contemporary dance working today." Sonya will be at the "Day After" at Dayton on Sunday, April 11th!!!!!
When I got the news I completely freaked out! I want so badly to be on that floor learning from her! But I have to teach come Monday and I don't know how to make it work. This will be a chance of a lifetime for me. Like having a pitching lesson from Jenny Finch! I hope I don't have to let it pass me by.
If you are a fan of Sonya then you will understand.....
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Bad Ju-Ju?
Can this be possible? Can it really be here? The thing that every Pride member dreads!!!!
The Cursed Nixa Show!
For many years the amazingly wonderful, kick butt, throwing babies off the balcony, Independent Open Class, Pride of MSU Winter Guard has been cursed with a really BAD performance at the Nixa show! Every year we would swear to break the cycle and never really seemed to do so!
I remember my first year having a guard perform at the dreaded show and wondered if the bad ju-ju would follow me and haunt my sweet Middle School and later Regional A guard.
It didn't seem too!
Then I started looking at my fellow Pride age outs and their guards...the curse didn't seem to follow them to their guards either! Whew! I guess the panic can be over!
OH BUT WAIT!
This isn't only the Nixa show this year. This is the WMS WG first show EVER. Before, when I brought my guards to the show down in Nixa, MO I had the Eureka show prior to it to get out the first time jitters.
But not this time.
What is it about that place that makes me worry so? Is it the bad ju-ju, the curse, the memories of poor performance past whispering to me? I just don't know! What I do know is, come Saturday I will be a wreck on the inside...calm in front of my wonderful guard girls...but still holding back some crazy!
The Cursed Nixa Show!
For many years the amazingly wonderful, kick butt, throwing babies off the balcony, Independent Open Class, Pride of MSU Winter Guard has been cursed with a really BAD performance at the Nixa show! Every year we would swear to break the cycle and never really seemed to do so!
I remember my first year having a guard perform at the dreaded show and wondered if the bad ju-ju would follow me and haunt my sweet Middle School and later Regional A guard.
It didn't seem too!
Then I started looking at my fellow Pride age outs and their guards...the curse didn't seem to follow them to their guards either! Whew! I guess the panic can be over!
OH BUT WAIT!
This isn't only the Nixa show this year. This is the WMS WG first show EVER. Before, when I brought my guards to the show down in Nixa, MO I had the Eureka show prior to it to get out the first time jitters.
But not this time.
What is it about that place that makes me worry so? Is it the bad ju-ju, the curse, the memories of poor performance past whispering to me? I just don't know! What I do know is, come Saturday I will be a wreck on the inside...calm in front of my wonderful guard girls...but still holding back some crazy!
Friday, February 5, 2010
A new direction...
There has been talk about scheduling changes happening for the band and color guard that will help both programs immensely! Right now, in the fall the band and guard practices before school but then the band is broken and half and half of the band practices 1st hour and the other half 2nd hour. Also, for the winter season, the winter guard practices before school (6:30-7:15) but then has to leave the gum for 1st hour.
This only gives the band 45 mins to practice as a complete ensemble and the winter guard only 45 mins a day of tarp time. It is really pushing it to get things done in that short of a window.
But, with the new schedule change the entire band and color guard will be in 1st hour Band together...allowing us to practice from 6:30 all the way through 1st hour which ends at 8:13! Can you imagine a full hour and a half of practice time when you are use to only 45 mins? On top of that, the gym will be left available for the band/guard all year. Therefor, the winter guard will have all first hour to practice with their tarp. Again, doubling our practice time each day!
This will CHANGE OUR WORLD here at WHS!
With all this going on behind the scenes this week...today while I was at morning rehearsal I felt like the WHS Winter Guard took a drastic turn, for the better, this morning!
In the middle of practice today I looked at John and said "Its like a new show!" and he completely agreed. What was once just a skeleton is now becoming the full idea of a show.
I didn't really realize how empty our show was for that first competition till we were actually performing. I was slightly concerned with how much we would need to fill in before our next competition at Nixa. But, writing out our "game plan" each day has made every task feel more attainable for us as choreographers and less random for the girls.
I am just so excited with how this week is ending.
Last night the MS WG wasn't suppose to have the gym because of PE club, but at 3:30 a teacher from the building came in to tell me PE club had been canceled and we could have the gym if we wanted! I was completely elated!
We were able to add a little bit of drill and put choreography with it immediately, like I really love to do. I think that writing drill and choreography simultaneously is the best process. It links the two together...because staging/drill should never really stand by its self. I have learned that from one of the best in the activity in this area!
Tonight I really want to do the staging and work building to Ensemble Flag. The girls already know that work and as soon as we get to that in the staging it will be smooth sailing from there. The show will not be "complete" for their first show, which is ok. There will be a few little places where there is not work, but I think they need that mental break for their first competition. There will be plenty for them to think about that day.
Its been a crazy busy week but it is really ending on a high note. I'm going into this weekend in such a good mood!
This only gives the band 45 mins to practice as a complete ensemble and the winter guard only 45 mins a day of tarp time. It is really pushing it to get things done in that short of a window.
But, with the new schedule change the entire band and color guard will be in 1st hour Band together...allowing us to practice from 6:30 all the way through 1st hour which ends at 8:13! Can you imagine a full hour and a half of practice time when you are use to only 45 mins? On top of that, the gym will be left available for the band/guard all year. Therefor, the winter guard will have all first hour to practice with their tarp. Again, doubling our practice time each day!
This will CHANGE OUR WORLD here at WHS!
With all this going on behind the scenes this week...today while I was at morning rehearsal I felt like the WHS Winter Guard took a drastic turn, for the better, this morning!
In the middle of practice today I looked at John and said "Its like a new show!" and he completely agreed. What was once just a skeleton is now becoming the full idea of a show.
I didn't really realize how empty our show was for that first competition till we were actually performing. I was slightly concerned with how much we would need to fill in before our next competition at Nixa. But, writing out our "game plan" each day has made every task feel more attainable for us as choreographers and less random for the girls.
I am just so excited with how this week is ending.
Last night the MS WG wasn't suppose to have the gym because of PE club, but at 3:30 a teacher from the building came in to tell me PE club had been canceled and we could have the gym if we wanted! I was completely elated!
We were able to add a little bit of drill and put choreography with it immediately, like I really love to do. I think that writing drill and choreography simultaneously is the best process. It links the two together...because staging/drill should never really stand by its self. I have learned that from one of the best in the activity in this area!
Tonight I really want to do the staging and work building to Ensemble Flag. The girls already know that work and as soon as we get to that in the staging it will be smooth sailing from there. The show will not be "complete" for their first show, which is ok. There will be a few little places where there is not work, but I think they need that mental break for their first competition. There will be plenty for them to think about that day.
Its been a crazy busy week but it is really ending on a high note. I'm going into this weekend in such a good mood!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Game Plan
I think one thing that makes the BEST winter guards so good is the "game plan" they set out to reach each year, each season, each month, each week, and each day. Those guards with longer practice times might even break it down into hourly goals.
Because I am an OVER PLANNER by nature I love having these "game plans" mapped out every day. I like to make one for the week and break it down into smaller parts for each day's rehearsal, knowing however, that the daily goals can change slightly if we needed to spend more or less time on a part than I had planned.
With WHSWG's second and the MSWG's first competition coming up in a week and a half, a specific "game plan" was crucial for the success of the members. The girls feeling confident and comfortable with their show going into a competition day is one of my biggest goals. In this way we can set them up to be as successful as the girls can be.
Taking the focus off ourselves as directors and designers and choreographers....realizing that the most important people are the GIRLS who PERFORM the show....will help us realize the importance in making theses goals for our team.
Because I am an OVER PLANNER by nature I love having these "game plans" mapped out every day. I like to make one for the week and break it down into smaller parts for each day's rehearsal, knowing however, that the daily goals can change slightly if we needed to spend more or less time on a part than I had planned.
With WHSWG's second and the MSWG's first competition coming up in a week and a half, a specific "game plan" was crucial for the success of the members. The girls feeling confident and comfortable with their show going into a competition day is one of my biggest goals. In this way we can set them up to be as successful as the girls can be.
Taking the focus off ourselves as directors and designers and choreographers....realizing that the most important people are the GIRLS who PERFORM the show....will help us realize the importance in making theses goals for our team.
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