It's hard, being surrounded by amazing dancing for days on end and then returning to the "day job" with a bump. Nobody cares about slip jigs and globes and ceilis here. I have a head filled with inspiration and choreography and excitement, but no-one to share it with and a pile of real work to do. It's actually been a real shock to the system. But before I get on to that, some ridiculously talented little ones:
I need to sort this out in my own head, so here's where I am.
Ceili Written
I still think I could pass this today. Rather than doing endless practice exams, I recently decided to just type out all of the ceilis with figures and all of the more difficult other ceilis, without the book. I finally got round to "marking" it the other night, and it's not that bad. The ones that need work are:
High Cauled Cap - specifically second figure
The Three Tunes - full review
Trip to the Cottage - small review of the figures
Lannigan's Ball - middle section
So I'll review those over the next couple of days.
Music
I'm starting to get the odd 100% on this now when I practice by putting my iPod on shuffle. This too I think I could pass today.
Ceili Teaching
I'm just not getting the numbers in class to really give this a go. If I had to take the exam today then I'd give it my very best shot - I'm confident I'd get the movements in the correct order and most of them I think I could teach correctly, but I definitely need to somehow get more practice on this.
Solo Teaching
Obviously I do this twice a week now, but it's becoming a slight worry. I don't know what I'd do with a champ dancer as I haven't sorted out my own steps yet, and I'm wondering if I'd remember to pack everything in. You have to ask to see their steps, pick a suitable step instantly, demonstrate, teach, pick up on faults, lilt, correct...and then all of the things that people have told me about that aren't on the syllabus. Someone told me they did a few drills of a specific move in their exam. What?! Are we really expected to do that? Someone got told off for dancing along too much. Will I remember to leave them to it? I don't know, I'm obviously overthinking it but it just kills me not knowing exactly what's expected of me. Praying I get a beginner or primary dancer - I have steps coming out of my ears for those levels.
Solo Dancing
Left til last, as always. I dreamt (literally) a new reel step while I was in Dublin and tested that out last night. At first I thought it was too fast but after a few runs, it was getting into my legs and the right foot is OKish. Most of the left foot is ok apart from the start (very quick transition), and the big jump into little jump into entrechat at the end. It will come. So I now have two steps of a reel which will do me for the exam should I be given reel, and an old right-right one that I still can't let go of. Here's a run down:
Reel - three steps
Slip jig - nothing. I decided to scrap the one I had from my competitive days. It's nice, but not current and I want something fresh. I might use it as a base, however.
Heavy jig - I have three steps. One will definitely be used for jig, the other two may work better as steps for jig sets. They all need a lot of work - they're fine in socks or trainers, not so when I actually put heavies on.
Hornpipe - nothing. Not even anything to use as a base, and no ideas as yet. I don't want to have too much on the go at once so I'm leaving this until jig and slip are complete.
Traditional sets - three of the four learnt, with intentions to get Garden done as soon as possible.
Nine modern sets - continues to fill me with dread. Choreographing that much material seems like an impossible mountain to climb and if I'm to go with my target, I have about a year to do it. That actually doesn't sound like long enough to me. I do have those two jig steps mentioned above which can be used for steps, but hornpipe choreography is non-existant. I know I'll be going for some of the shorter sets on the list, but it's still no easy feat.
So there's me.
I'm at a loss as to how to get more people into my class and am considering moving everyone and joining an existing class, to be honest. Even dancing the ceilis through would be good preparation for the practical exam - I've got to find a class first, though. My fitness is dreadful and I've got several chronic injuries that are going to need looking at so I'm going to try and get some physio. I'm going to buy some type of floor covering so that I can practice heavies at home - there's not much room in the hallway but even treble drills would be progress. I need to get healthier, so after this Bank Holiday weekend, we're back on a health kick.
I will not allow myself to get discouraged. I will stay positive, I will work, and I WILL take this exam.
Thursday 28 April 2011
Tuesday 19 April 2011
Class
I don't know where to start really. I got there about 40 minutes early to do some practice and there began a complete mixed bag of an evening. My new supposedly easy heavy jig (one day to be a jig set step) was actually quite difficult with some funny timing and a treble sequence that I can do in bare feet but not in shoes. I did it a few times over and recorded it to watch back. I still sit on my knees and treble too far ahead of myself. But, I fixed the timing, the double-back is strong on BOTH feet (miracle) and occasionally I hit some clicks. It WAS getting slightly better. Until my arches decided to flare and my Achilles decided to seize up. I tried to persevere - stretched them out, did some exercises - and attempted Job. I was trying to video it and messed it up every single time; it was getting ironically amusing.
Everyone started arriving then (I had three, woo) so I put my trainers on and played teacher instead of dancing along with them like I usually do. All the light solos went ok so I took advantage of the fact that there were four of us and attempted to dance again.
We did the Four-Hand Reel just so that I could get that first figure straight in my head for once. Achieved! We then moved on to the Humours of Bandon which is actually a lot of fun to dance. Last time I taught it, I got the first figure a little bit wrong but this time I had everyone catching the correct hands and it didn't go too badly. But then I felt a burning pain in the arch of my right foot, like something had snapped, so that was it from me. Trainers back on (they are good shoes, good support) and traditional sets attempted. R got St Patrick's Day, all the way through, which I was pleased with as they were struggling with the set a bit. She also managed the step of the Blackbird, as did J, and we moved on to the first half of the set which is coming along.
After a quick check of the Worlds results (look at the grid marks on feisresults.blogspot.com - yesterday's winners were very consistent. Good to see. Jack Quinn = amazing!) I showered then spent the rest of the evening icing my feet, rubbing in ibuprofen gel, and mummifying myself in supports. That routine repeated this morning minus the ice. And I thought to myself, how am I ever going to get good enough to pass the dancing exam if I can't DANCE? I'm confident I could take the writtens today and pass. I'd give ceili teaching a bloody good go and might scrape through. Solo teaching, if I got lucky and got beginner or middling dancers I might get through that as well. Own dancing - only if I didn't have to do jig, hornpipe or any modern sets. Such a shame you can't take this exam in instalments.
I was aiming for mid-2012 and I don't think I'm going to get there. It's already mid-2011 and I can't do any meaningful dance practise - and there's SO MUCH to fix. Turnout - fine in socks, abysmal in shoes. Rhythm, ok, but still unused to the shoes. Clicks, generally not happening. Knees - permanently bent. Not high on toes, not crossing. These are all things I used to be able to do, but only on four classes a week. If I had a week off, everything would be gone and I'd have to start again. I know what I'm like.
Then on the way to work I just realised - I only have to put up with pain, ice, stiffness and bandages until the exam is over. After that I choose when I dance. And I started to think maybe it isn't so impossible after all.
-----
Off to Dublin on Wednesday afternoon - class resumes on Wednesday 27th.
Everyone started arriving then (I had three, woo) so I put my trainers on and played teacher instead of dancing along with them like I usually do. All the light solos went ok so I took advantage of the fact that there were four of us and attempted to dance again.
We did the Four-Hand Reel just so that I could get that first figure straight in my head for once. Achieved! We then moved on to the Humours of Bandon which is actually a lot of fun to dance. Last time I taught it, I got the first figure a little bit wrong but this time I had everyone catching the correct hands and it didn't go too badly. But then I felt a burning pain in the arch of my right foot, like something had snapped, so that was it from me. Trainers back on (they are good shoes, good support) and traditional sets attempted. R got St Patrick's Day, all the way through, which I was pleased with as they were struggling with the set a bit. She also managed the step of the Blackbird, as did J, and we moved on to the first half of the set which is coming along.
After a quick check of the Worlds results (look at the grid marks on feisresults.blogspot.com - yesterday's winners were very consistent. Good to see. Jack Quinn = amazing!) I showered then spent the rest of the evening icing my feet, rubbing in ibuprofen gel, and mummifying myself in supports. That routine repeated this morning minus the ice. And I thought to myself, how am I ever going to get good enough to pass the dancing exam if I can't DANCE? I'm confident I could take the writtens today and pass. I'd give ceili teaching a bloody good go and might scrape through. Solo teaching, if I got lucky and got beginner or middling dancers I might get through that as well. Own dancing - only if I didn't have to do jig, hornpipe or any modern sets. Such a shame you can't take this exam in instalments.
I was aiming for mid-2012 and I don't think I'm going to get there. It's already mid-2011 and I can't do any meaningful dance practise - and there's SO MUCH to fix. Turnout - fine in socks, abysmal in shoes. Rhythm, ok, but still unused to the shoes. Clicks, generally not happening. Knees - permanently bent. Not high on toes, not crossing. These are all things I used to be able to do, but only on four classes a week. If I had a week off, everything would be gone and I'd have to start again. I know what I'm like.
Then on the way to work I just realised - I only have to put up with pain, ice, stiffness and bandages until the exam is over. After that I choose when I dance. And I started to think maybe it isn't so impossible after all.
-----
Off to Dublin on Wednesday afternoon - class resumes on Wednesday 27th.
Thursday 14 April 2011
Heavy Jigs
On a roll! Since I stuck my neck out and actually tried to choreograph something, I've got a head full of jig ideas. Some of them are quite simple and might be better for an intermediate or prelim dancer, so here's my cheat - they will serve as the step part of my various jig sets, and then when it gets to the set I can throw in stuff I can only do on one foot, like drums and suchlike. It's probably not in the spirit of things but isn't that what everybody does?!
Productive class last night. Sadly my two beginners didn't return so it was just me and my faithful cohorts R and J. J learned the primary slip jig despite protesting that she's always hated the dance, and they both almost got the Blackbird step.
As far as my challenges go I did indeed go over Job (only in trainers as my feet were complaining) but I did it all the way through correctly, and had a few goes of my various jigs as well.
Only one class next week as I'm off to Dublin and the Citywest :) Cannot WAIT!!!
In the meantime, I have GOT to learn that jig stamp combination on my left foot. How hard can it be? Hop da da-da da da, DA. Hop right left-left right left, RIGHT.
Productive class last night. Sadly my two beginners didn't return so it was just me and my faithful cohorts R and J. J learned the primary slip jig despite protesting that she's always hated the dance, and they both almost got the Blackbird step.
As far as my challenges go I did indeed go over Job (only in trainers as my feet were complaining) but I did it all the way through correctly, and had a few goes of my various jigs as well.
Only one class next week as I'm off to Dublin and the Citywest :) Cannot WAIT!!!
In the meantime, I have GOT to learn that jig stamp combination on my left foot. How hard can it be? Hop da da-da da da, DA. Hop right left-left right left, RIGHT.
Tuesday 12 April 2011
A year on...
It's my blog's first birthday today. That also means I've been studying for this exam for roughly one year. So where was I twelve months ago? I was here. I'd got two ceilis - Walls and Rakes - and one traditional set under my belt. Where am I today? Well, I nearly died - so not particularly far given the time that's elapsed. I've learned all the ceilis, although it took me about 7 months to do so. I've done a fair few past papers and I think I've passed them all. I'm pretty certain that I'd pass if I took the written exam for real today. Music included - that's ticking over. I now know three of the four trad sets, and apparently knowing Job is good prep for learning Garden, so I'm certain I'll know all four of them very soon.
Back then, I was taking a weekly class where we mostly did middle-level soft shoe steps and the odd ceili. That class folded over the summer, and I didn't dance again (due to illness and after effects) until I started my own class in January. That's a big thing for me - I started my own class. I'm fed up with it because people aren't committing, but we persevere. These things take a while to build up. Soon after the class started, I began work on my solo steps, for the practical dancing section. I thought I could fall back on the steps I'd danced the last time I competed, but they were woefully out of date and, as the years had taken their toll, were completely unsuitable.
I've choreographed myself a new reel and heavy jig step; just one of each. I struggle with practical choreography and tend to complete a step in my head before attempting to dance it, which doesn't always work. But, I do have a full complement of beginner dances to teach in my classes, and in the exam should I need to. I'm branching out into primary level steps now too.
The one thing I haven't touched, is the open sets. NINE. The mere thought of it is exhausting. There's no point in me tackling sets before I even have a full jig and hornpipe so it will be a while longer yet. Luckily I have good friends who are willing to share their choreography with me so the burden isn't quite so great, but I'm still hugely daunted by this and if anything puts me off, it's going to be the sets.
I'm struggling with injury at the moment - both my Achilles are really angry with me. I've got freeze gel and tubigrip up to my knees on both legs, and last Thursday after class I could barely walk. I can't do anything except just keep going and hoping they won't get worse.
-------------------
Last week I set myself some challenges for the week which I'll review now:
Wednesday - review new slip jig step, test out heavy jig step. Video record if possible. DONE! The slip jig step works a treat and R is getting to grips with it. The jig step needs polishing as I was off time on about the 6th-7th bars, but it's a pretty step.
Thursday - attempt Job set. Done on Friday instead, but I figured it out and I feel I know it sufficiently well enough to call it "complete". Obviously I will continue to polish.
Sunday - review Job set, attempt hornpipe. Not quite! I did the hornpipe on Saturday. Even so! That's the last beginner dance complete.
Monday - get to class early to work on bicycles, Job, jig and hornpipe. This was the first time I'd danced Job in shoes and it's getting there. I'm just such a child - whenever I actually make one of the heel clicks, I get so excited that I forget to actually continue dancing! Needs tidying. The jig is nearly there too, on the right foot at least. I've tightened up the timing so it's not so ragged, but I think I'm going to take out a travelling move and replace with some rhythm so that I don't knock myself off time. I then spent ages drilling back trebles and things on my MUCH weaker left foot and saw a slight bit of progress. I started on bicycles using the "two chairs" method. That will take a long long while to get, and I need to improve my core strength a great deal in order to get myself up in the air. The one thing I didn't do was work on the beginner hornpipe.
So where does that leave me for this week?
Tonight - nothing, I really should rest my legs. Perhaps I'll try some choreography in my head as I have the office to myself all day. Oh, I know what I'll do. Some core strength/Pilates exercises.
Wednesday - I can't arrive early or stay after Wednesday classes as the caretaker locks the hall before and afterwards, so this one will always be tricky and completely dependent on who turns up to class. Hopefully I'll be able to review Job and jig.
Thursday - review Job and jig, if I can walk.
Weekend - come up with a half step to complete my primary slip jig. If possible get the shoes on and just drill things on my left foot - back trebles, toe-over-toes, the stamp combination. Continue with strength exercises - core as well as foot and ankle.
I'm leaving Garden until I can be taught in person again so hopefully towards the end of the month. I can't really work on bicycles anywhere but the Monday class as I don't have access to any chairs, can you believe! We genuinely don't have any suitable chairs in our house. I'm continuing writing out all the hard ceilis and should finish sometime this week. Other than that all I can do is what I do every day - scour YouTube for clips and soak in as much dancing as possible for inspiration.
Apologies for the essay-style update. I really can't believe I've been on this road for a whole year.
Back then, I was taking a weekly class where we mostly did middle-level soft shoe steps and the odd ceili. That class folded over the summer, and I didn't dance again (due to illness and after effects) until I started my own class in January. That's a big thing for me - I started my own class. I'm fed up with it because people aren't committing, but we persevere. These things take a while to build up. Soon after the class started, I began work on my solo steps, for the practical dancing section. I thought I could fall back on the steps I'd danced the last time I competed, but they were woefully out of date and, as the years had taken their toll, were completely unsuitable.
I've choreographed myself a new reel and heavy jig step; just one of each. I struggle with practical choreography and tend to complete a step in my head before attempting to dance it, which doesn't always work. But, I do have a full complement of beginner dances to teach in my classes, and in the exam should I need to. I'm branching out into primary level steps now too.
The one thing I haven't touched, is the open sets. NINE. The mere thought of it is exhausting. There's no point in me tackling sets before I even have a full jig and hornpipe so it will be a while longer yet. Luckily I have good friends who are willing to share their choreography with me so the burden isn't quite so great, but I'm still hugely daunted by this and if anything puts me off, it's going to be the sets.
I'm struggling with injury at the moment - both my Achilles are really angry with me. I've got freeze gel and tubigrip up to my knees on both legs, and last Thursday after class I could barely walk. I can't do anything except just keep going and hoping they won't get worse.
-------------------
Last week I set myself some challenges for the week which I'll review now:
Wednesday - review new slip jig step, test out heavy jig step. Video record if possible. DONE! The slip jig step works a treat and R is getting to grips with it. The jig step needs polishing as I was off time on about the 6th-7th bars, but it's a pretty step.
Thursday - attempt Job set. Done on Friday instead, but I figured it out and I feel I know it sufficiently well enough to call it "complete". Obviously I will continue to polish.
Sunday - review Job set, attempt hornpipe. Not quite! I did the hornpipe on Saturday. Even so! That's the last beginner dance complete.
Monday - get to class early to work on bicycles, Job, jig and hornpipe. This was the first time I'd danced Job in shoes and it's getting there. I'm just such a child - whenever I actually make one of the heel clicks, I get so excited that I forget to actually continue dancing! Needs tidying. The jig is nearly there too, on the right foot at least. I've tightened up the timing so it's not so ragged, but I think I'm going to take out a travelling move and replace with some rhythm so that I don't knock myself off time. I then spent ages drilling back trebles and things on my MUCH weaker left foot and saw a slight bit of progress. I started on bicycles using the "two chairs" method. That will take a long long while to get, and I need to improve my core strength a great deal in order to get myself up in the air. The one thing I didn't do was work on the beginner hornpipe.
So where does that leave me for this week?
Tonight - nothing, I really should rest my legs. Perhaps I'll try some choreography in my head as I have the office to myself all day. Oh, I know what I'll do. Some core strength/Pilates exercises.
Wednesday - I can't arrive early or stay after Wednesday classes as the caretaker locks the hall before and afterwards, so this one will always be tricky and completely dependent on who turns up to class. Hopefully I'll be able to review Job and jig.
Thursday - review Job and jig, if I can walk.
Weekend - come up with a half step to complete my primary slip jig. If possible get the shoes on and just drill things on my left foot - back trebles, toe-over-toes, the stamp combination. Continue with strength exercises - core as well as foot and ankle.
I'm leaving Garden until I can be taught in person again so hopefully towards the end of the month. I can't really work on bicycles anywhere but the Monday class as I don't have access to any chairs, can you believe! We genuinely don't have any suitable chairs in our house. I'm continuing writing out all the hard ceilis and should finish sometime this week. Other than that all I can do is what I do every day - scour YouTube for clips and soak in as much dancing as possible for inspiration.
Apologies for the essay-style update. I really can't believe I've been on this road for a whole year.
Tuesday 5 April 2011
Challenges
Oh, I crack myself up. I wrote myself a list of four challenges last week and, to date, have achieved exactly none of them. I keep doing different things instead!
Here's what I wanted to do:
- Finish Job (yes, I'm still on that. No, I haven't tried)
- Learn Garden
- Learn to do a bicycle (I'm going to need to know how to do at least one difficult movement in case I get champs in the teaching section)
- Choreograph a beginner hornpipe
Here's what I actually did:
- Choreographed two steps of a primary slip jig (it's actually very pretty!)
- Completed two music quizzes (both passes but a couple of woeful mistakes. How do you confuse Ace and Deuce with Planxty Drury? Not Davis, Drury?!)
- Choreographed a new heavy jig step
So I guess productive, and at least I'm doing practical work more often now, but if I don't stick to my homework then there are certain things I will put off for ever and ever!
Monday class was cancelled which gave the legs and internal organs a much needed rest. Wednesday class is on as normal tomorrow so I can test out this new heavy jig step which can't be neglected even though it's not on my original list. So the plan for the next week is (incorporating overtime - real life needs to stop getting in my way):
Wednesday - review new slip jig step and heavy jig step. Video record if possible.
Thursday - attempt Job set
Sunday - review Job set, attempt hornpipe
Monday - get to class early to work on bicycles, Job, jig and hornpipe.
Is that enough? Probably not. I'm also trying to write out (well, type) all the tougher ceilis. Mainly the ones with figures, and a couple of others like Lannigan's and Gates, otherwise I'm going to run out of past papers well before my actual exam.
I WILL update on my progress this time next week! If I don't, spam me with comments.
Here's what I wanted to do:
- Finish Job (yes, I'm still on that. No, I haven't tried)
- Learn Garden
- Learn to do a bicycle (I'm going to need to know how to do at least one difficult movement in case I get champs in the teaching section)
- Choreograph a beginner hornpipe
Here's what I actually did:
- Choreographed two steps of a primary slip jig (it's actually very pretty!)
- Completed two music quizzes (both passes but a couple of woeful mistakes. How do you confuse Ace and Deuce with Planxty Drury? Not Davis, Drury?!)
- Choreographed a new heavy jig step
So I guess productive, and at least I'm doing practical work more often now, but if I don't stick to my homework then there are certain things I will put off for ever and ever!
Monday class was cancelled which gave the legs and internal organs a much needed rest. Wednesday class is on as normal tomorrow so I can test out this new heavy jig step which can't be neglected even though it's not on my original list. So the plan for the next week is (incorporating overtime - real life needs to stop getting in my way):
Wednesday - review new slip jig step and heavy jig step. Video record if possible.
Thursday - attempt Job set
Sunday - review Job set, attempt hornpipe
Monday - get to class early to work on bicycles, Job, jig and hornpipe.
Is that enough? Probably not. I'm also trying to write out (well, type) all the tougher ceilis. Mainly the ones with figures, and a couple of others like Lannigan's and Gates, otherwise I'm going to run out of past papers well before my actual exam.
I WILL update on my progress this time next week! If I don't, spam me with comments.
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