Stolen from another dance blogger - a catalogue of my current ailments.
- Right calf muscle: stiff and sore
- Left calf muscle, specifically lower calf into achilles: honestly felt for a second that I'd torn it on Monday night. Very tight and painful when walking. Quite concerned about this and may give it an extra day's rest. The left achilles has been the most problematic for months.
- Shins: Heavens to goodness, they are on fire again. Even to the touch, and I'm sure one of them is so hurt it's bruised. It doesn't go all the way up to the knee, quite, but just above the ankle it's not even confined to the shin. It's like a thick ring of fire, three inches of hell all the way around. Complete disaster zone.
- Quads: Clearly a result of doing mostly heavies, stamping and banging.
On-off problems include the following list of horrors (fitting since it's Hallowe'en).
- Arches: Yes, still. But only ever while I'm dancing. The pain is sometimes unbearable in light shoes, generally unbearable in heavy shoes, but often completely absent when dancing in socks alone. I dance in heavies until I can't bear it anymore, rip them off, walk around to loosen them, and dance a few steps in socks. That seems to alleviate the problem but even daily arch-support-wearing isn't helping.
- Foot thing: On the top of the right foot, bony bit just below the smaller 3 toes. Yesterday I was getting occasional stabbing pains there, lasting 30 seconds. Not triggered by movement and I was fine to weight-bear. Completely gone now.
- Left big toe: Sprained this one so often that any time I attempt pointe work it freezes/jams and I can't stand on tiptoe/demi-pointe without sickling outwards anymore. So I'm just avoiding pointe until the exam. When I was competing I tried the same tack, only to forget to actually go up en pointe when I was on stage. Genius.
- Lung/rib pain: Let's not go there.
- Very centre of left thigh/pelvic join. Let's seriously not go there.
I hope you appreciate everything I'm doing for you, Irish dancing. I love you. Y u no love me back?
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Scheduled.
So it's real - the timetable's out. I've got GREAT times, I'm really grateful as it's just fallen exactly the way I would have wanted it. Not too early, not too late, and I can cancel the third night in the hotel.
And what's more, a handy little notice has gone up about a June exam in Limerick which I'll probably be able to make should I need to.
I'm having minor panic attacks all the time (I'm exaggerating, it's not that bad. The odd wave of nausea and Fear with a capital F that Rescue Remedy or Kalms can't touch), but strangely I also feel almost relaxed?
My dancing group is quite cool - no terrifying world champions although there are some very good dancers in it. And looking at the names of people who are retaking sections, I kinda feel like well if someone as amazing as them needs two attempts, then there's no shame whatsoever in me needing two attempts. You never know how you'll react to nerves, whether you'll go blank - a disaster can happen to anyone so so what if it happens to me?
Daily, I am mummified in tubigrip from arch to knee and slathered in Deep Freeze, Deep Heat, ibuprofen gel or some other concoction or potion. I'm rattling - as well as the fear pills, I'm on ibuprofen and the 'old faithful' Anadin Extra several times a day. This is absolutely killing me. I thought I'd torn my lower calf on Monday night, I've got blisters on top of blisters, I can't walk in the morning, my quads complain every time I dare to stand from sitting.
But I'm kind of enjoying it.
I feel like I've done what I originally set out to do, which was to learn all the ceilis and all the traditional sets (well, the Big Four). I wanted to learn them because I never had as a dancer, and I felt I should know them if I was to call myself an aficionado and a true fan of dancing. Mission accomplished in that respect. Then someone pointed out to me that if I was going to learn all that anyway, I might just as well get on with it and do the full TCRG exam. Crazy, I called them. I was right. But so were they.
I honestly couldn't be without it. What would I think about all day? What would I do at Easter?! What would I look at on the internet?
I'm still not quite ready, mind. The Trip to the Cottage and Leslie's Hornpipe tunes are kind of evading me, though I can do the rest with a bit of preparation. I'm a set down and that needs sorting quickly. Stamina, in shoes, is awful - in socks I can bang out a Planxty Drury no problem - the shoes sap my stamina and strength, make me lose my concentration, kill my poor arches. I need a second hornpipe step, and quickly.
But it's not tooooo bad. Ceilis fine, music fine, got some decent teaching steps including a dead difficult girls reel. Oh yes, need to think about boy's hard shoe steps for teaching.
It's not going to be that bad. I'm going to be fine. Don't you worry, don't you worry child.
And then I can have a bloody nice massage and a sleep on Monday 19th November.
And what's more, a handy little notice has gone up about a June exam in Limerick which I'll probably be able to make should I need to.
I'm having minor panic attacks all the time (I'm exaggerating, it's not that bad. The odd wave of nausea and Fear with a capital F that Rescue Remedy or Kalms can't touch), but strangely I also feel almost relaxed?
My dancing group is quite cool - no terrifying world champions although there are some very good dancers in it. And looking at the names of people who are retaking sections, I kinda feel like well if someone as amazing as them needs two attempts, then there's no shame whatsoever in me needing two attempts. You never know how you'll react to nerves, whether you'll go blank - a disaster can happen to anyone so so what if it happens to me?
Daily, I am mummified in tubigrip from arch to knee and slathered in Deep Freeze, Deep Heat, ibuprofen gel or some other concoction or potion. I'm rattling - as well as the fear pills, I'm on ibuprofen and the 'old faithful' Anadin Extra several times a day. This is absolutely killing me. I thought I'd torn my lower calf on Monday night, I've got blisters on top of blisters, I can't walk in the morning, my quads complain every time I dare to stand from sitting.
But I'm kind of enjoying it.
I feel like I've done what I originally set out to do, which was to learn all the ceilis and all the traditional sets (well, the Big Four). I wanted to learn them because I never had as a dancer, and I felt I should know them if I was to call myself an aficionado and a true fan of dancing. Mission accomplished in that respect. Then someone pointed out to me that if I was going to learn all that anyway, I might just as well get on with it and do the full TCRG exam. Crazy, I called them. I was right. But so were they.
I honestly couldn't be without it. What would I think about all day? What would I do at Easter?! What would I look at on the internet?
I'm still not quite ready, mind. The Trip to the Cottage and Leslie's Hornpipe tunes are kind of evading me, though I can do the rest with a bit of preparation. I'm a set down and that needs sorting quickly. Stamina, in shoes, is awful - in socks I can bang out a Planxty Drury no problem - the shoes sap my stamina and strength, make me lose my concentration, kill my poor arches. I need a second hornpipe step, and quickly.
But it's not tooooo bad. Ceilis fine, music fine, got some decent teaching steps including a dead difficult girls reel. Oh yes, need to think about boy's hard shoe steps for teaching.
It's not going to be that bad. I'm going to be fine. Don't you worry, don't you worry child.
And then I can have a bloody nice massage and a sleep on Monday 19th November.
Friday, 26 October 2012
Céim an Fháinne
Just trying to make sure that concentrating on solo dancing doesn't result in me neglecting the book-smarts bit of the TCRG exam. I revised music last night which was fine, so let's look at ceili and Ar Rince Foirne.
Céim an Fháinne is 'Rings', of course, and it's important to know which direction each ring travels in. Here's a list, crossing fingers I haven't missed anything out:
1 - Four Hand Reel
Rings only appears in the first figure of this dance, handily called 'Figure of Eight and Rings of Three'. The ring is performed twice. First time it goes right/left, second time it goes left/right. Repeated in the same way when opposites perform the figure.
2 - Sixteen Hand Reel
Called Hands Round in this dance, and appears in the body. Both times the ring travels left/right.
---
3 - Haste to the Wedding
First ring right, second ring left. Each ring travels one way only.
4 - Siege of Carrick
Left/right
5 - Glencar Reel
Left/right
6 - Three Tunes
Called 'sides' in this dance as rings is something different entirely. Left/right/right/left.
7 - Trip to the Cottage
Again this appears in the body, and is performed left/right. The gent therefore, if you have the spare gent dancing, does two right feet - one to join the ring and one as part of the ring.
8 - An Rince Mor
No excuses for forgetting because it's in the title - Ring to Left and Right
---
9 - Fairy Reel
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
10 - Duke Reel
This is the opening movement and goes right/left.
11 - Lannigan's Ball
Left/right - and remember, this one is skipped not sidestepped.
12 - Cross Reel
In Figure of Eight and Ring, all sidestep right/left.
13 - Gates of Derry
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
14 - Sweets of May
This is both the opening movement and a figure (plus the closing movement, too). As in Tunes, they go left/right/right/left.
15 - Bonfire Dance
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
Here's a gratuitous picture of dancers in a ring:
Anti-clockwise is the same as sidestepping to the right.
Clockwise is the same as sidestepping to the left.
So, can I see any patterns here?
...not really.
Second book - all go left first except Haste.
Tunes and Sweets are the same, which should be easy to remember as they're both Antrim dances and have lots of other similarities.
Where it's performed twice, it always goes right/left and then left/right.
I suppose it's just a memorisation task as I can't think of any tricks!
Céim an Fháinne is 'Rings', of course, and it's important to know which direction each ring travels in. Here's a list, crossing fingers I haven't missed anything out:
1 - Four Hand Reel
Rings only appears in the first figure of this dance, handily called 'Figure of Eight and Rings of Three'. The ring is performed twice. First time it goes right/left, second time it goes left/right. Repeated in the same way when opposites perform the figure.
2 - Sixteen Hand Reel
Called Hands Round in this dance, and appears in the body. Both times the ring travels left/right.
---
3 - Haste to the Wedding
First ring right, second ring left. Each ring travels one way only.
4 - Siege of Carrick
Left/right
5 - Glencar Reel
Left/right
6 - Three Tunes
Called 'sides' in this dance as rings is something different entirely. Left/right/right/left.
7 - Trip to the Cottage
Again this appears in the body, and is performed left/right. The gent therefore, if you have the spare gent dancing, does two right feet - one to join the ring and one as part of the ring.
8 - An Rince Mor
No excuses for forgetting because it's in the title - Ring to Left and Right
---
9 - Fairy Reel
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
10 - Duke Reel
This is the opening movement and goes right/left.
11 - Lannigan's Ball
Left/right - and remember, this one is skipped not sidestepped.
12 - Cross Reel
In Figure of Eight and Ring, all sidestep right/left.
13 - Gates of Derry
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
14 - Sweets of May
This is both the opening movement and a figure (plus the closing movement, too). As in Tunes, they go left/right/right/left.
15 - Bonfire Dance
Performed twice - first time right/left, second time left/right.
Here's a gratuitous picture of dancers in a ring:
Anti-clockwise is the same as sidestepping to the right.
Clockwise is the same as sidestepping to the left.
So, can I see any patterns here?
...not really.
Second book - all go left first except Haste.
Tunes and Sweets are the same, which should be easy to remember as they're both Antrim dances and have lots of other similarities.
Where it's performed twice, it always goes right/left and then left/right.
I suppose it's just a memorisation task as I can't think of any tricks!
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Bognor Regis
I'm not sure this town could have a more unpleasant name, to be honest. But, it's my favourite of all the competitions. Love how busy it is. I have one or two people in particular I'm rooting for with all of my willpower - if only one day I could have dancers like them.
In other news, like the more important, TCRG exam-relevant news, I think I've completed Piper and Hurry the Jug. I think I've got a step for Rodney's as well.
So....close...
In other news, like the more important, TCRG exam-relevant news, I think I've completed Piper and Hurry the Jug. I think I've got a step for Rodney's as well.
So....close...
Friday, 12 October 2012
Today I must...
...fix the Piper. Or make a start on Rodney's. I absolutely must do something about these dances before it's too late. I'm practising on Sunday, another big one, and I absolutely must have something to work on during that session for one or both of these dances.
Choreography you see, isn't a practical thing for me. Meaning I don't put my shoes on and physically choreograph. For me choreography is a thinking exercise, so I think it all out and dance it when I'm happy with it. Sometimes it needs fixes, sometimes (jig) it doesn't. Everyone choreographs differently and that's my way. I just need to bloody get around to it.
Choreography you see, isn't a practical thing for me. Meaning I don't put my shoes on and physically choreograph. For me choreography is a thinking exercise, so I think it all out and dance it when I'm happy with it. Sometimes it needs fixes, sometimes (jig) it doesn't. Everyone choreographs differently and that's my way. I just need to bloody get around to it.
Monday, 8 October 2012
38
Thirty-eight days and I'm so busy. Not with TCRG exam prep you understand, though I'm fitting it in. Busy with absolutely everything else. Why can't studying and practising be my full-time job?!
I do feel like my sets are getting stronger. I've got 4.5 jigs, just need a set for Hurry the Jug. They're all ok - I'm clearing up mistakes, ankles are getting looser, turnout is happening. I've got two completed hornpipe sets which are fine - then one to tweak, and then one to choreograph from scratch.
And oh my God, I know Garden of Daisies now! It's not the version most people do, so I hope I don't let other people throw me when they do the usual version. This version is just as correct but rarer - it's won championships so I know it's ok to do.
Solos - I've decided which heavy jig steps I'll do in the exam. I made quite a nice one up a couple of weeks ago and can finally do the stamps on left, and for the second step I tweaked an existing one and made it slightly more difficult. Quite happy with those.
I know one of the hornpipe steps I'm doing, just need to actually dance it a few times, and then learn the other one I've been given.
I've decided on one reel and one slip jig for the exam for definite - I thought I'd decided on the second reel step but have decided it's a bit too similar to the first so I'll try something else. For the other slip jig step I could go back to my original lead but really I'd rather do something newer and prettier to show off my feet a bit more.
Ceilis - I'm breezy. Music likewise. I can even lilt most of the ceili music now. I have a skirt to wear in the exam, and a wrapover cardigan so I can look all balletesque and professional.
Not hyperventilating just yet. Even if I do still toy with the idea of getting them to change my application to TMRF. :-/
I do feel like my sets are getting stronger. I've got 4.5 jigs, just need a set for Hurry the Jug. They're all ok - I'm clearing up mistakes, ankles are getting looser, turnout is happening. I've got two completed hornpipe sets which are fine - then one to tweak, and then one to choreograph from scratch.
And oh my God, I know Garden of Daisies now! It's not the version most people do, so I hope I don't let other people throw me when they do the usual version. This version is just as correct but rarer - it's won championships so I know it's ok to do.
Solos - I've decided which heavy jig steps I'll do in the exam. I made quite a nice one up a couple of weeks ago and can finally do the stamps on left, and for the second step I tweaked an existing one and made it slightly more difficult. Quite happy with those.
I know one of the hornpipe steps I'm doing, just need to actually dance it a few times, and then learn the other one I've been given.
I've decided on one reel and one slip jig for the exam for definite - I thought I'd decided on the second reel step but have decided it's a bit too similar to the first so I'll try something else. For the other slip jig step I could go back to my original lead but really I'd rather do something newer and prettier to show off my feet a bit more.
Ceilis - I'm breezy. Music likewise. I can even lilt most of the ceili music now. I have a skirt to wear in the exam, and a wrapover cardigan so I can look all balletesque and professional.
Not hyperventilating just yet. Even if I do still toy with the idea of getting them to change my application to TMRF. :-/
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