Time to debrief, I guess. Might as well make it my last post of the year.
It was a completely different experience. The interaction with the panel was different, the way I approached it was different. The main difference was that I was so much more nervous this time. Sick every morning, not a wink of sleep. Last time round I wasn't entertaining the thought that I might pass - all I wanted was to not fail outright, and maybe pick up some section passes. This time I really wanted to pass it for good.
The dancing was better than last time. I was really looking forward to dancing my jigs but in the first bar of the first step I fell off my toes and it threw me a bit meaning I didn't get in my fanciest bit and had to substitute with something else. Walked back to my place thinking "that's that failed, then." But then the track ended, and the next one that came on was my favourite jig of all time, a sign, so I thought no. Not failed. Still hope. Didn't make another mistake after that, bar another toes-related wobble in my hornpipe set. I got back to my room thinking, I'm not sure how that went. Anyone who's done this before will know what I mean when I say I've changed my mind about it several times since and I'm sure I will again, but I can only pray that I made up those two marks.
Teaching I think went well. It definitely went infinitely better than last time and I actually enjoyed it, but who can say if I did enough. The kids were awesome, I hope they enjoyed learning the ceilis possibly for the first time. I got an eight hand and a progressive, one reel and one jig, neither with a specific tune this time. I blipped once but put myself right the moment one of them asked how many bars the movement was. I felt like it was going well but at one point they were deep in discussion which obviously I couldn't hear and I can't decide whether it was good or bad. What I do know is that last time I came out and wept in my room while predicting 30% marks in the solo teaching - this time I bounced out. I just enjoyed teaching, being called a teacher. It felt comfortable. I hope I put that across.
Since then I thought I'd want a break from dancing but the opposite is true. Can't get enough. Last time it went badly and I just wanted to get away from it for a while - this time my legs are glad of the Christmas break but I'm raring to get back into it and will continue to do my solo practices too as I've got a list of things I want to work on so that I can be the best I possibly can be for my eventual dancers. So there'll be a to-do list early in the new year, but then we wait.
Sunday 29 December 2013
Thursday 12 December 2013
One.
11.52am
Chilling in the airport, playing Yahtzee. By "chilling" I very much mean "feeling sick and doing everything I can not to cry". I am, to borrow a phrase from the 1800s, wretched with nerves. At least my flight's not delayed. Yesterday I lilted as though my life depended on it - I just pray I can access those tunes when everything DOES depend on it. I cried leaving the house. The next time I'm there I could be a TCRG without knowing it, or I could be heading towards attempt 3. Ok now I really feel sick.
3.47pm
Just realised I got my unsuccessful email a year ago today. I was standing outside watching a utility company install a new water pipe at the time. It was -2•c. This year I'm toasty in the hotel room waiting, while my friend and the others do the written. Going through stages of intense nerves and slight excitement, but at least with her here we're distracting each other when we're together. Good luck everyone.
Wednesday 11 December 2013
Two.
It's my last day in the office today. And I can get onto the internet but not emails or the server, so I'm killing time with some admin tasks and a bit of revision.
I spent a lot of time on Glencar last night - I absolutely love this little dance but when we do it in class, we do it 'wrong' to make it easier. So gents and ladies do the figures of eight the same way, and in the double figure of eight we take hands lead-around style rather than both hands. I think both hands is easier but even so. Anyway so this one has always tripped me up a bit because I hesitate and second-guess when it comes to those movements, but I've got it down now. I even dreamt about it! I wouldn't mind getting that one now. Let's watch, because it's lovely (and you get a free Fairy Reel with this one too):
There's a lot of fog in little England today and flights are being cancelled and delayed all over the shop. Cross your fingers for me that I at least get there!
A while ago I had a conversation about nerves with the other half. We were watching a big England game and I said "God imagine how nervous they all are!" and he said no, they'd be pumped up and ready for it, adrenaline but not nerves. I'm of a nervous disposition and always have been, hence I didn't compete in dancing very much, so I just didn't understand this mindset. But I think I'm starting to on a very small scale. I've done as much preparation as is humanly possible. I've danced hard, I've put myself through incredibly stressful ceili teaching prep classes and driven 230 miles virtually every week. I've even gone to the bloody gym! So I'm starting to understand - the footballers had prepared fully so of course they weren't nervous. I almost can't wait to get there and show them what I can actually do.
But then the doubt sets in again. It's like I'm incapable of believing in myself. What right do I have to pass this? Who do I think I am?
I need to get over this.
I spent a lot of time on Glencar last night - I absolutely love this little dance but when we do it in class, we do it 'wrong' to make it easier. So gents and ladies do the figures of eight the same way, and in the double figure of eight we take hands lead-around style rather than both hands. I think both hands is easier but even so. Anyway so this one has always tripped me up a bit because I hesitate and second-guess when it comes to those movements, but I've got it down now. I even dreamt about it! I wouldn't mind getting that one now. Let's watch, because it's lovely (and you get a free Fairy Reel with this one too):
There's a lot of fog in little England today and flights are being cancelled and delayed all over the shop. Cross your fingers for me that I at least get there!
A while ago I had a conversation about nerves with the other half. We were watching a big England game and I said "God imagine how nervous they all are!" and he said no, they'd be pumped up and ready for it, adrenaline but not nerves. I'm of a nervous disposition and always have been, hence I didn't compete in dancing very much, so I just didn't understand this mindset. But I think I'm starting to on a very small scale. I've done as much preparation as is humanly possible. I've danced hard, I've put myself through incredibly stressful ceili teaching prep classes and driven 230 miles virtually every week. I've even gone to the bloody gym! So I'm starting to understand - the footballers had prepared fully so of course they weren't nervous. I almost can't wait to get there and show them what I can actually do.
But then the doubt sets in again. It's like I'm incapable of believing in myself. What right do I have to pass this? Who do I think I am?
I need to get over this.
Tuesday 10 December 2013
Three.
With three days to go last time round, it was my last class (I have an extra day this year as my exam starts Friday, not Thursday). Oh I feel so much better. That's not to say I'm not nervous, I'm horribly nervous! I can barely eat, I have a funny feeling in my chest, and I keep being sick. But I'm not AS nervous. It's a combination of having been there before, and being infinitely better prepared.
I finished my list - writing out each dance by movement. Absolutely no mistakes on that, everything was word-perfect. So the idea was that as I went through, I would identify movements where I was rusty on how to actually do them, and if I came across a dance where I thought "God I hope I don't get this" then I'd revise that in full. You know what, there isn't much I want to go over. That panics me because I don't want to be complacent and waste the time I have left.
So it's revision tonight - reading, watching and ghost teaching - and then stretching and icing. I'm very sore today but I'm trying to look after myself for just these few last days. Come Sunday I will become the laziest person on earth again :)
I have literally never worked harder for anything in my entire life. Nothing, no exam, no job, no hobby, no task, has ever come close to this.
I finished my list - writing out each dance by movement. Absolutely no mistakes on that, everything was word-perfect. So the idea was that as I went through, I would identify movements where I was rusty on how to actually do them, and if I came across a dance where I thought "God I hope I don't get this" then I'd revise that in full. You know what, there isn't much I want to go over. That panics me because I don't want to be complacent and waste the time I have left.
So it's revision tonight - reading, watching and ghost teaching - and then stretching and icing. I'm very sore today but I'm trying to look after myself for just these few last days. Come Sunday I will become the laziest person on earth again :)
I have literally never worked harder for anything in my entire life. Nothing, no exam, no job, no hobby, no task, has ever come close to this.
Monday 9 December 2013
Four.
Monday class live blogging.
7.22pm
Watching the kids prepare for the class feis on Sunday, awww. Can't bloody wait for my own class feises. But for the time being, jig set.
7.38pm
Jig set ok. I'm on thick carpet which doesn't help me but I can get my clicks up higher so I must. Hornpipe set I ripped the cord out of my iPod by mistake in the middle of the step and when I restarted, missed out a bit at the start of the set. Do it again.
7.56pm
Hornpipe set step fine, got carried away and messed up a different bit of the start of the set. Did the set part right afterwards but not right all the way through yet. Run out of space so on to Blackbird and King for the time being - they're ok. Lady from the adult class just told me I'd lost loads of weight, yay.
8.07pm
Jockey and Three Seas fine. Feel sick but mildly ok at the same time. Boxed myself into a corner on Three Seas but it was ok. I like that one, I'll teach that one eventually.
8.34pm
Boys jig good, strong. My hornpipe solos good - if they're that reasonable on thick carpet, tired, bit cramped, then they'll be ok on the day. Hornpipe set messed it up again, in the set again, but a different bloody bit! Then I went and threw up again. Once more (the set not the chundering).
8.57pm
Finally got that set right! All the way through. That was enough in shoes so did all my other sets just in socks, fine. I so hope I can just show them what I've done tonight, the way I know I can do it.
9.11pm
Aaaand we're done. Can't believe it, last class done again. Home straight. Please god I do it properly this time. At least I'm not wallowing in self pity like last year - bit of confidence and self-belief.
Five.
Sunday 8 December
Missed a day. So yesterday was five days to go and I decided not to dance for a couple of reasons - firstly, great practice on Saturday. Secondly, didn't want to do three days in a row with questionable shins and tendons. Thirdly, was feeling bloody awful. I still feel awful, I've been a bit sick twice again already today. I did a bit of ghost teaching for a potentially tricky bit in one of my solos but really, this section is so hard to prepare for. They tell you to have a breakdown of each step prepared, fine, but you never know what the kids will struggle with, do you? It totally depends what they've done before and what their style is.
Today (Monday) I've got class later and need to go through my hornpipe, my boy's jig for teaching, the two modern sets I didn't do in shoes in Saturday, and a couple of trads that I didn't do in shoes. I think it was just Blackbird, Three Seas, Jockey and King. In the meantime though, I'm going to write the book (as in name of dance and list of movements). Then when reviewing it, if I see a movement name and I'm like "how the flip do you do that?!" then I know I need to revise it with the book and videos and some ghost teaching. That will be my Tuesday and Wednesday.
Oh god. Feel sick, can't concentrate on anything. Feel like I'm just watching the clock. I just want it to be over. I said exactly the same thing last year - although at least I wasn't faffing about over my steps still. I'm better than last year, why am I just as nervous??
Missed a day. So yesterday was five days to go and I decided not to dance for a couple of reasons - firstly, great practice on Saturday. Secondly, didn't want to do three days in a row with questionable shins and tendons. Thirdly, was feeling bloody awful. I still feel awful, I've been a bit sick twice again already today. I did a bit of ghost teaching for a potentially tricky bit in one of my solos but really, this section is so hard to prepare for. They tell you to have a breakdown of each step prepared, fine, but you never know what the kids will struggle with, do you? It totally depends what they've done before and what their style is.
Today (Monday) I've got class later and need to go through my hornpipe, my boy's jig for teaching, the two modern sets I didn't do in shoes in Saturday, and a couple of trads that I didn't do in shoes. I think it was just Blackbird, Three Seas, Jockey and King. In the meantime though, I'm going to write the book (as in name of dance and list of movements). Then when reviewing it, if I see a movement name and I'm like "how the flip do you do that?!" then I know I need to revise it with the book and videos and some ghost teaching. That will be my Tuesday and Wednesday.
Oh god. Feel sick, can't concentrate on anything. Feel like I'm just watching the clock. I just want it to be over. I said exactly the same thing last year - although at least I wasn't faffing about over my steps still. I'm better than last year, why am I just as nervous??
Saturday 7 December 2013
Six.
Fantastic practice. Really positive session, unlike last year when I couldn't even move. I practised with a friend who's also doing the exam and we did everything - absolutely everything and more besides.
First a few traditionals, and it was great to get practice of dancing them beside somebody else especially as she does different steps to me for some of them. I made a few mistakes but I'm prepared to dance in twos now. Then onto jig solo and it was ok. Jigs sets were all good, some kind of miracle, and then I did some reels. Boys and my own - all fine. I then got the biggest compliment ever when, even though I knew I wasn't quite up to full fitness (I threw up twice), she said I was infinitely better than I was this time last year. Amazing, love her for that. So much confidence.
Hornpipe sets and solos were ok, just need to believe I can do them and I can get through them. I didn't have much room for slip jig but that's no concern.
We worked so hard. We've got this.
First a few traditionals, and it was great to get practice of dancing them beside somebody else especially as she does different steps to me for some of them. I made a few mistakes but I'm prepared to dance in twos now. Then onto jig solo and it was ok. Jigs sets were all good, some kind of miracle, and then I did some reels. Boys and my own - all fine. I then got the biggest compliment ever when, even though I knew I wasn't quite up to full fitness (I threw up twice), she said I was infinitely better than I was this time last year. Amazing, love her for that. So much confidence.
Hornpipe sets and solos were ok, just need to believe I can do them and I can get through them. I didn't have much room for slip jig but that's no concern.
We worked so hard. We've got this.
Friday 6 December 2013
Seven.
Well, last night's practice was a bag of shit. I did all my sets, but was forgetting steps all over the shop, just generally being crapper than I know I really am, and to top it off my arches started burning as soon as I laced up my shoes. So that was a struggle. Some of it was ok, I sound good when I actually really GO for it.
But better than last year because I know I could dance tonight if I wanted to, and also I know that after-work practices just don't suit me on the whole - I was nearly falling asleep in the car on the way. After a good night's sleep and a leisurely stretch and prep, I'm much better. And that's how it'll be on exam day.
Work Christmas party tonight so I am allowing myself a night off. Massive practice on Saturday, though.
Thursday 5 December 2013
Eight.
Another 7 o'clock finish at work last night. I did get home in 15 minutes rather than 40 though which was nice. I decided to ghost-teach some solos which is actually a really good way of getting yourself to think through the breakdown. I definitely feel way more prepared on this, this time round.
Last year I was having a mixed bag of a practice session on day eight, and that's what's planned for tonight too. Well, a practice session at least - it will be fabulous! That's what I'm telling myself anyway. Now, time to steel the nerves and take my mind off exam issues with a huge meeting...
Last year I was having a mixed bag of a practice session on day eight, and that's what's planned for tonight too. Well, a practice session at least - it will be fabulous! That's what I'm telling myself anyway. Now, time to steel the nerves and take my mind off exam issues with a huge meeting...
Wednesday 4 December 2013
Nine.
Didn't leave work until gone 7pm last night so it was revise as opposed to gym. The ceilis I pulled out of that hat were Trip to the Cottage and Harvest Time Jig, the latter of which I failed as I called Right Hands Across and Left Hands Across, Right & Left Wheels and vice versa. Why?! There are no wheels in book one. Book one is all hands across, book two is all wheels, and book three depends on the dance. Wheels in Gates as there are wheels on a cart passing through the Gates - Hands Across in Waves as you're swimming through the sea. Anyway I also said that gent gives right hand again when performing Step & Turn with the lady on the left which he doesn't, it's a left hand. Anyway, I won't make those mistakes again.
On Trip I've got a good way to teach some of the tricky body bits now, and I've taught the opening movement and the two figures tons before so I'm fairly happy on that.
What else - I ran through all my dances in my head while trying to get to sleep, or that was the plan. I think I made it as far as my second or third set dance (after having done all my solos) before drifting off. So much less nervous this time than last year (does that make grammatical sense?), when I was still working on my hornpipe!
On Trip I've got a good way to teach some of the tricky body bits now, and I've taught the opening movement and the two figures tons before so I'm fairly happy on that.
What else - I ran through all my dances in my head while trying to get to sleep, or that was the plan. I think I made it as far as my second or third set dance (after having done all my solos) before drifting off. So much less nervous this time than last year (does that make grammatical sense?), when I was still working on my hornpipe!
Tuesday 3 December 2013
Ten.
I am in an infinitely better place than at the same point last year. I've tinkered with a couple of sets over the last few days but I think that's everything that needs to be changed - I have every single step and set, for dancing and teaching, done and sorted.
After class last night, my bogey sets are no longer bogey sets. The jig one has a new step (well, about 4 bars is new and I've moved 2 bars from the end to the middle), and a slight change to the set. It's the same combination of moves, a rock and toes, but the other way round to reduce wobble potential. The hornpipe one has a new middle section in the set, and the step will be fine now I've worked out which foot to put en pointe first (the dangers of practicing in socks for too long).
I practiced my boys' reel, which I actually think is quite hard and a nice step, and I also did all the traditionals as I didn't do those on Saturday.
The thing that's terrifying me at the moment is that I actually feel like I could pass it this time, if only I don't trip myself up or talk myself out of it. I might have said this before but I can imagine myself being a teacher, I just can't imagine opening an email saying successful. It just seems so improbable, that I'd actually manage to achieve this after everything. I can't get too excited about the prospect of passing but I'm so much calmer this time round, I'm in much less pain which helps. I think a dose of confidence will help me.
So, the plan for the next ten days or so:
Today (Tuesday): Either the gym or revising/ghost teaching at home, depending on what time I finish work
Wednesday: As above, depending on what I did on Tuesday.
Thursday: Solo practice
Friday: Work Christmas party, night off
Saturday: Solo workshop - dance everything, twice.
Sunday: Solo practice - whatever needs work based on Saturday's session
Monday: Last class
Tuesday & Wednesday: Rest legs, revise and ghost teach.
Thursday: Travel
Friday: Own dancing exam
Saturday: Teaching exam, followed by high-fives, tears, cheers, and beers.
Sunday: Fly home in utter disbelief that it's all over for another year, and get ready for Christmas.
After class last night, my bogey sets are no longer bogey sets. The jig one has a new step (well, about 4 bars is new and I've moved 2 bars from the end to the middle), and a slight change to the set. It's the same combination of moves, a rock and toes, but the other way round to reduce wobble potential. The hornpipe one has a new middle section in the set, and the step will be fine now I've worked out which foot to put en pointe first (the dangers of practicing in socks for too long).
I practiced my boys' reel, which I actually think is quite hard and a nice step, and I also did all the traditionals as I didn't do those on Saturday.
The thing that's terrifying me at the moment is that I actually feel like I could pass it this time, if only I don't trip myself up or talk myself out of it. I might have said this before but I can imagine myself being a teacher, I just can't imagine opening an email saying successful. It just seems so improbable, that I'd actually manage to achieve this after everything. I can't get too excited about the prospect of passing but I'm so much calmer this time round, I'm in much less pain which helps. I think a dose of confidence will help me.
So, the plan for the next ten days or so:
Today (Tuesday): Either the gym or revising/ghost teaching at home, depending on what time I finish work
Wednesday: As above, depending on what I did on Tuesday.
Thursday: Solo practice
Friday: Work Christmas party, night off
Saturday: Solo workshop - dance everything, twice.
Sunday: Solo practice - whatever needs work based on Saturday's session
Monday: Last class
Tuesday & Wednesday: Rest legs, revise and ghost teach.
Thursday: Travel
Friday: Own dancing exam
Saturday: Teaching exam, followed by high-fives, tears, cheers, and beers.
Sunday: Fly home in utter disbelief that it's all over for another year, and get ready for Christmas.
Sunday 1 December 2013
Different bogey dance
Ok so the original bogey set is fixed and looking quite nice now. But then another bogey dance has reared its ugly, ugly head! I've spent all day turning it over in my mind trying to fix it and I think I've got something but it's too late to practise it now, it'll have to wait til class tomorrow. I think it works, and if it does that's the last hurdle. That will make me feel confident about dancing because everything else is coming along a treat.
Jesus it's December today. It's this month. It's in 12 days. Insert expletive of choice here.
Jesus it's December today. It's this month. It's in 12 days. Insert expletive of choice here.
Thursday 28 November 2013
Bogey dance
Two weeks tomorrow.
Ugh, practice last night wasn't the best. Spent around 45 minutes on one set, I dare not speak its name, which has become a bit of a bogey. In the step I couldn't get my pointe bits right as I've been doing them on half pointe for so long. In the set I just couldn't fit in the clicky bit but the bit after that was too slow which kept putting me off. I kept missing out a bar of choreography at the start which meant the following bits didn't go with the music - and the heating was on full blast in the studio so I was a drippy mess of a drip.
I think I fixed it - I'm not changing the step because I know it works, I was just rushing as I knew I only had an hour. I changed a bit of the set to make the clicky bit achievable and account for the fact that my feet aren't fast enough right on the final bar. It'll be alright - I bet I get to dance on Saturday and just blast it out.
It's such a waste of choreography. Why can't they just ask for one jig and one hornpipe set. We will have already proved that we can do the different rhythms in our solo step about so I don't even see the point in doing sets at all save for traditionals, but if we must do sets then why six?! I can't even believe that last time round I was practising nine, it's so stupid. In my opinion you should have to do reel AND slip, then jig and hornpipe, and maybe three traditionals. Maybe the dancing exam could include a couple of ceilis as well - they tell you what it is and put you in positions, you get one run through outside, then you dance it for real. There's just no need to choreograph all these sets and then have them never see the light of day. I feel really sorry for my sets :(
Ugh, practice last night wasn't the best. Spent around 45 minutes on one set, I dare not speak its name, which has become a bit of a bogey. In the step I couldn't get my pointe bits right as I've been doing them on half pointe for so long. In the set I just couldn't fit in the clicky bit but the bit after that was too slow which kept putting me off. I kept missing out a bar of choreography at the start which meant the following bits didn't go with the music - and the heating was on full blast in the studio so I was a drippy mess of a drip.
I think I fixed it - I'm not changing the step because I know it works, I was just rushing as I knew I only had an hour. I changed a bit of the set to make the clicky bit achievable and account for the fact that my feet aren't fast enough right on the final bar. It'll be alright - I bet I get to dance on Saturday and just blast it out.
It's such a waste of choreography. Why can't they just ask for one jig and one hornpipe set. We will have already proved that we can do the different rhythms in our solo step about so I don't even see the point in doing sets at all save for traditionals, but if we must do sets then why six?! I can't even believe that last time round I was practising nine, it's so stupid. In my opinion you should have to do reel AND slip, then jig and hornpipe, and maybe three traditionals. Maybe the dancing exam could include a couple of ceilis as well - they tell you what it is and put you in positions, you get one run through outside, then you dance it for real. There's just no need to choreograph all these sets and then have them never see the light of day. I feel really sorry for my sets :(
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Crossover
Teaching Sweets and had a panic about Cross Over and Back. I know in Cross Over and Lead Around the gents pass shoulder to shoulder and I know in Circle Round and Hands Across the ladies go shoulder to shoulder. So I dithered and sent them gents left to left. OF COURSE it is gents left to left. I know this, I know I know it. Stop second guessing yourself, you're absolutely fine.
15 days.
15 days.
Saturday 16 November 2013
Solo
My solo practice today was a bit of a mixed bag. I warmed up with the traditionals and then attempted to do all of my jig sets in shoes. Miss Brown's up first, and it was dire. No stamina, bent knees throughout, clicks at waist level or below (at least I was hitting them) - serious problem. So I had a word with myself, sang 'Not Giving In' by Rudimental, and turned to face the storm. First dance it in socks to prove to yourself that you can get through it. Then in shoes - first just the step, then just the set. Then all the way through. And I DID it. I got through it. It was as rough as hell but now that I know I have the stamina to get through, it will get better every time. As the stamina increases so will the technique as I can concentrate on performing it, not just getting through it at all costs.
Rub the Bag next, just did it in full, no messing. Hurry the Jug took a while longer, partly because I kept messing it up and doing the wrong linking steps, but I got there in the end.
It's getting a little better every time.
So what have I got left? Mon 18, Thurs 21, Sat 23, Sun 24. That's plenty for next week and probably physically all I can do. Mon 25, Tues 26 or Wed 27, Sat 30 and Sun 1. That's another 4 - 8 in total. Mon 2, possibly Tues 3, Sat 7, Sun 8. Three or four. 11 or 12. Mon 9, then exam. 12 or 13.
I actually think this might be achievable. Now - Strictly Come Dancing and pizza before ceili teaching tomorrow.
Rub the Bag next, just did it in full, no messing. Hurry the Jug took a while longer, partly because I kept messing it up and doing the wrong linking steps, but I got there in the end.
It's getting a little better every time.
So what have I got left? Mon 18, Thurs 21, Sat 23, Sun 24. That's plenty for next week and probably physically all I can do. Mon 25, Tues 26 or Wed 27, Sat 30 and Sun 1. That's another 4 - 8 in total. Mon 2, possibly Tues 3, Sat 7, Sun 8. Three or four. 11 or 12. Mon 9, then exam. 12 or 13.
I actually think this might be achievable. Now - Strictly Come Dancing and pizza before ceili teaching tomorrow.
Friday 15 November 2013
This time last year
...I was failing my TCRG exam.
Well, if you take it by the calendar I was actually on the way to Glasgow, a horrifically lonely and nauseous seven-hour train journey. I'm flying this year. And technically I passed the first day.
If you take it by the day, I was getting ready for my dancing exam. You know, I surprised the life out of myself at that dancing exam. I couldn't believe I didn't cave. More to the point I couldn't believe I was even there. I got back to my room afterwards and actually shouted YES! I exceeded all my expectations and danced quite well. Ok I knew I'd fudged my Rodney's and made some of the set up on the spot as I blanked, and I made a little mistake in St Patrick's Day, but I honestly thought I could have passed it.
It's still a matter of huge frustration as a) if I only needed to retake teaching and not dancing, I might have been able to afford it in June and the ankle injury wouldn't have been an issue. I would know by now. I would be a TCRG by now. And b) because dancing isn't going so well this time and I can't help think that rather than make up those two tiny marks, I might go backwards. I wish I could just get up in front of them, dance St Patrick's Day again (but right), and that'd be it.
To be honest I don't know what I'll do if I go backwards in the dancing. I'm getting older, not better. It's now exactly 4 weeks til I have to do it again. 28 days. On the 15th of December it'll be all over. I can only use those 4 weeks to do as much work as I humanly can, and pray that it'll be over for good, and not just over for another year.
Well, if you take it by the calendar I was actually on the way to Glasgow, a horrifically lonely and nauseous seven-hour train journey. I'm flying this year. And technically I passed the first day.
If you take it by the day, I was getting ready for my dancing exam. You know, I surprised the life out of myself at that dancing exam. I couldn't believe I didn't cave. More to the point I couldn't believe I was even there. I got back to my room afterwards and actually shouted YES! I exceeded all my expectations and danced quite well. Ok I knew I'd fudged my Rodney's and made some of the set up on the spot as I blanked, and I made a little mistake in St Patrick's Day, but I honestly thought I could have passed it.
It's still a matter of huge frustration as a) if I only needed to retake teaching and not dancing, I might have been able to afford it in June and the ankle injury wouldn't have been an issue. I would know by now. I would be a TCRG by now. And b) because dancing isn't going so well this time and I can't help think that rather than make up those two tiny marks, I might go backwards. I wish I could just get up in front of them, dance St Patrick's Day again (but right), and that'd be it.
To be honest I don't know what I'll do if I go backwards in the dancing. I'm getting older, not better. It's now exactly 4 weeks til I have to do it again. 28 days. On the 15th of December it'll be all over. I can only use those 4 weeks to do as much work as I humanly can, and pray that it'll be over for good, and not just over for another year.
Monday 11 November 2013
Things I'm going to do after the exam: a list
1. Have one full week where I do nothing after work and nothing at the weekend. No practice, no class, no gym.
2. Treat myself to a massage.
3. Go back to pilates.
4. Go swimming.
5. Eat a KFC. A really, really big one.
6. Wash that KFC down with champagne.
7. Have a relaxing Christmas where I do not think about dancing.
8. Do myself a pedicure (I would not inflict these feet on a professional. I dare not. They would rethink their career choices).
9. Set up a spreadsheet detailing exactly how much this TCRG exam has actually cost me. How much those letters actually cost.
10. Faint, burn the spreadsheet and never mention it ever again.
11. Start to worry about the results.
2. Treat myself to a massage.
3. Go back to pilates.
4. Go swimming.
5. Eat a KFC. A really, really big one.
6. Wash that KFC down with champagne.
7. Have a relaxing Christmas where I do not think about dancing.
8. Do myself a pedicure (I would not inflict these feet on a professional. I dare not. They would rethink their career choices).
9. Set up a spreadsheet detailing exactly how much this TCRG exam has actually cost me. How much those letters actually cost.
10. Faint, burn the spreadsheet and never mention it ever again.
11. Start to worry about the results.
Sunday 3 November 2013
Ceili teaching
I'm on this. I've got this. Last time, I was vocally paralysed and could not find the tunes. I didn't approach it in the best way - I waited too long to give the panel the information they were looking for and both times they had to prompt me for the tune. I have the right approach now. I've paid more attention to the lilting. I've taught and danced every single step in that blue book. I know the tricky bits. I know what I did wrong.
I didn't give a spiel before teaching St Pat's (either dance, in fact). I didn't check everyone was turning correctly in half right and left, and I didn't explicitly state that it was 6 bars so the kids improvised and the panel jumped in before I had time to correct them. I didn't lilt. Not much, not properly. I didn't demo the footwork, I didn't "guide the dancers through the movements" - I explained it all as a theory exercise, I didn't TEACH it, I didn't move them. I didn't move off the spot.
Haste, I didn't tell them about the tune. I mixed my threes. I didn't progress that quickly. I said "I think we go round to the right now...I think". I lacked confidence. I only paid attention to one set of four. I didn't demo, lilt or move. I didn't have my rings finishing in the best position (I did tell them). I didn't turn the top couple after 2nd ring.
I got 61%. It wasn't THAT bad. I knew the movements, no question. I had a bit of rapport with the dancers. I just need to do it MORE.
The last 10 days alone I've taught Trip, Sweets, Eight Hand Jig, Waves. Both Cross figures, 2nd figure of Humours, An Rince Mor, Gates, Four Hand. Tomorrow back to back. I just want this so much and this time I have to, I will, show them that I don't just know the words in the book. I know the dances. The tunes. The fiddly bits. I love it all. I love ceili. Deep breath and go. I know this, I CAN do this, I need this, I will do this.
I will.
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Six weeks
...and I'm partially screwed as far as solo practice is concerned. Up til now I could dance on Monday night at class, on a Tuesday in an empty function room near home, Saturday mornings in the same place, and occasional Sundays in the same place. The room is now let out to another group on Tuesdays. Two solo practices a week is not going to cut it, not when I've just had my shoes altered (tips cut down) and I really need to get more practice in them. That's 12 practices before the exam, plus about 3 Sundays. 15 sessions. Not enough.
I practiced at home last night, but obviously I can't wear shoes and all the floors are rock solid. Shins are buzzing a bit today.
I'm feeling really confident with ceili teaching though, so perhaps I can give that a back seat and just keep it ticking over with one practice a week perhaps.
Things I still need to do:
- Finalise boy's reel teaching step.
- Finalise boy's hornpipe teaching step.
- New slip jig dancing step for myself - the other one just isn't working on me.
- Practice boy's heavy jig teaching step.
- Practice the shit out of everything.
43.
My friend, who eventually will be my assistant teacher and take her TMRF, was given a bottle of Moet for her birthday last week. She decided not to open it, and is saving it for the day I tell her I've passed instead. Gulp.
I practiced at home last night, but obviously I can't wear shoes and all the floors are rock solid. Shins are buzzing a bit today.
I'm feeling really confident with ceili teaching though, so perhaps I can give that a back seat and just keep it ticking over with one practice a week perhaps.
Things I still need to do:
- Finalise boy's reel teaching step.
- Finalise boy's hornpipe teaching step.
- New slip jig dancing step for myself - the other one just isn't working on me.
- Practice boy's heavy jig teaching step.
- Practice the shit out of everything.
43.
My friend, who eventually will be my assistant teacher and take her TMRF, was given a bottle of Moet for her birthday last week. She decided not to open it, and is saving it for the day I tell her I've passed instead. Gulp.
Thursday 24 October 2013
Terrified
Oh, random waves of nausea. How I have missed you. Absolutely suddenly terrified of this again. The next 7 weeks will be lovely.
Sunday 20 October 2013
54
All that's going to fail me now is nerves, I honestly feel like that. That sounds like I'm being incredibly arrogant but it's actually very pessimistic because I am SO nervous already. Last time my tactic was to try NOT to think about the TCRG exam unless I was actually doing something specifically related to it. I think that was counterproductive - this time I'm actively trying to think about it all the damn time so it becomes less terrifying. I'm not sure whether it's working or not.
My ceili teaching has definitely improved and I can lilt now. I tried to be a bit more adventurous with my solo steps, some of it's worked and some of it hasn't, so I've reverted to simpler things where necessary and I'm more confident with that now. Solo teaching I'm nearly there choreography wise, just need to test a few things out and, for the boys, get a boy to dance them to see if they feel comfortable.
I've got so many kids waiting on me to pass now. The kids of family and friends are old enough to start, they're just sitting tight waiting for me to pass. I want it more than ever, and I'll want it a little bit more every day for the next 54 days.
Please God I can keep a lid on these nerves. Please God I can really show them what I can do this time around. I need those four letters.
My ceili teaching has definitely improved and I can lilt now. I tried to be a bit more adventurous with my solo steps, some of it's worked and some of it hasn't, so I've reverted to simpler things where necessary and I'm more confident with that now. Solo teaching I'm nearly there choreography wise, just need to test a few things out and, for the boys, get a boy to dance them to see if they feel comfortable.
I've got so many kids waiting on me to pass now. The kids of family and friends are old enough to start, they're just sitting tight waiting for me to pass. I want it more than ever, and I'll want it a little bit more every day for the next 54 days.
Please God I can keep a lid on these nerves. Please God I can really show them what I can do this time around. I need those four letters.
Monday 16 September 2013
Serious preparation
Last week:
Sunday - ceili class
Monday - ceili and solo class
Tuesday - solo practice
Wednesday - gym
Thursday - teaching practice
Friday - gym
Saturday and Sunday - ok, rest days, but I lilted and revised at least!
I've just got to do this every week for the next 12 weeks or so and I'm done. It hasn't killed my legs as much as I thought it would.
So, this week:
Monday - ceili and solo class (whichever ceilis are thrown at us, plus jig sets)
Tuesday - solo practice (hornpipe sets)
Wednesday - gym (bike/cross trainer/leg machines/core stuff/arms)
Thursday - teaching practice (Four Hand and Glencar reels)
Friday - gym (more of the same, might try the rower)
Saturday - solo practice (not decided yet, slip jig needs a run through and I have a new reel step)
Sunday - ceili class
On it. Car bonnet.
Sunday - ceili class
Monday - ceili and solo class
Tuesday - solo practice
Wednesday - gym
Thursday - teaching practice
Friday - gym
Saturday and Sunday - ok, rest days, but I lilted and revised at least!
I've just got to do this every week for the next 12 weeks or so and I'm done. It hasn't killed my legs as much as I thought it would.
So, this week:
Monday - ceili and solo class (whichever ceilis are thrown at us, plus jig sets)
Tuesday - solo practice (hornpipe sets)
Wednesday - gym (bike/cross trainer/leg machines/core stuff/arms)
Thursday - teaching practice (Four Hand and Glencar reels)
Friday - gym (more of the same, might try the rower)
Saturday - solo practice (not decided yet, slip jig needs a run through and I have a new reel step)
Sunday - ceili class
On it. Car bonnet.
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Wall of Inspiration part 2
^ So there's 93 to go. It's what I do with them that counts. I have a spreadsheet mapping out the next 13 weeks of my life, with a dance task plotted in every day. I'm colour coding it - green for success, as in I got off my arse and did my practice or went to the gym that day. Red for failure - did not get up and go. I'm allowed a few reds. But keeping track on screen makes me see how many. I could have a red day today, but then I can't have another red all week. I could have a red day, but look how many pretty greens I've got. Why would I want to taint it with red?
PS - Jessie Leach, please win the Worlds in London. I want to applaud you.
^ Two marks. Nine marks. Nine marks. I'm too close to give up. So I'm not going to - it's happening.
^ "If you want to know where your heart lies, look to where your mind wanders". I love it so much.
^ But only twice.
^ But I have the experience. I'm going to be in the same room. I know exactly what to expect. I know how to fail it. I know why I failed it. I've learnt the lesson.
For part one - go here.
Wednesday 4 September 2013
99
It's creeping up on us again. The venue's now confirmed. The fees are paid. I'm feeling ok.
I said I wanted to have all my dancing steps choreographed and sorted by the end of August, ready for just practising. I'm happy with all my heavy steps, sets included, and I think I've finalised my light steps but I'm relaxed about leaving those a little longer since I've always been indecisive about reel and slip steps, even as a dancer. I've just got so many running round my head that it's hard to narrow them down - even so I have a definite step for each, and a few maybes. Not concerned about that.
I've been killing the gym a bit so I feel like I'm getting fitter and it's doing my legs good. Not so my feet - a niggle has turned into full blown plantar fasciitis, especially severe in the left foot. What can I do but plough on? I'll rest at Christmas.
I'm feeling really good about ceili teaching and feel like I'm actually quite strong on lilting now which is one of things that let me down last time. I just need to calm myself as my speech speeds up when I'm nervous, I get raging dry mouth, I go pink - I know I know my stuff, I just need to not give them any reason to take off points. Speaking too fast could knock points off under 'clear and audible instruction'. They could knock points off for a lack of confidence, I don't know. It's physical, I can't control it and I'm not like that in a real class situation.
Solo teaching I think will be ok, I've got boys steps ready and again I just need to relax, and break down a bit further than I did last time. Lilting again will pull my marks up this time I hope, and I need to think about where I'll stand and how I'll actually teach it.
I wonder if I wrote a post last year about how I was doing with 99 days to go. I'm infinitely further on this time.
I said I wanted to have all my dancing steps choreographed and sorted by the end of August, ready for just practising. I'm happy with all my heavy steps, sets included, and I think I've finalised my light steps but I'm relaxed about leaving those a little longer since I've always been indecisive about reel and slip steps, even as a dancer. I've just got so many running round my head that it's hard to narrow them down - even so I have a definite step for each, and a few maybes. Not concerned about that.
I've been killing the gym a bit so I feel like I'm getting fitter and it's doing my legs good. Not so my feet - a niggle has turned into full blown plantar fasciitis, especially severe in the left foot. What can I do but plough on? I'll rest at Christmas.
I'm feeling really good about ceili teaching and feel like I'm actually quite strong on lilting now which is one of things that let me down last time. I just need to calm myself as my speech speeds up when I'm nervous, I get raging dry mouth, I go pink - I know I know my stuff, I just need to not give them any reason to take off points. Speaking too fast could knock points off under 'clear and audible instruction'. They could knock points off for a lack of confidence, I don't know. It's physical, I can't control it and I'm not like that in a real class situation.
Solo teaching I think will be ok, I've got boys steps ready and again I just need to relax, and break down a bit further than I did last time. Lilting again will pull my marks up this time I hope, and I need to think about where I'll stand and how I'll actually teach it.
I wonder if I wrote a post last year about how I was doing with 99 days to go. I'm infinitely further on this time.
Thursday 22 August 2013
Cork Traditional Sets
Really interesting. With the exception of Garden of Daisies, which is similar to the version I know but performed differently, not many of these set dances are anything like the ones I know. I've seen many different variations over the years but I've never seen some of these. St Patrick's Day in particular. I genuinely didn't even know there was more than one version of the 'Lion's Claw' step.
Performed by dancers from the McTeggart school after a workshop with Maureen McTeggart-Hall, ADCRG.
Saturday 10 August 2013
Thursday 18 July 2013
Stop it.
Stop being negative. Stop letting yourself get overwhelmed. Yes, you've got a lot of work to do. But you've done far more work already. You've done more than there is left to do, you know that. Don't waste it. Get it passed and deal with everything else afterwards. Dancing's not going anywhere whether you like it or not - it's there when you're stressed, ill, tired, anxious...it's the first place you turn any time you feel negative about anything else in life, so don't turn it into a negative. It's the only thing you've ever stuck with, the only thing you understand, the place your mind perpetually wanders. You might just as well do it if you're going to think about it 18 hours of every day anyway. Stop it, you're having this. You are all over this. You need to do this. It's getting done.
Monday 15 July 2013
150 days to go
Here's where it becomes real again. 150 days to go, so I thought I'd write a list of what I've done and what I need to do choreography wise. I want every step finalised by the end of August, so that the following 3.5 months can be dedicated to practising and teaching and nothing else.
Solos:
1 reel step and 1 slip jig step decided on.
To do: finalise 2nd step for both, practise everything.
2 hornpipe and 1 jig step decided on.
To do: choreograph 2nd jig step and practise everything.
Sets:
All traditional sets learnt.
To do: Work on King as it's the newest one and I'm not quite there. Practise everything else.
2x hornpipe sets finalised, 1x hornpipe set step finalised.
To do: Finish 3rd hornpipe set - set part to be choreographed. Practise everything.
2x heavy jig sets finalised.
To do: Choreograph 3rd and final heavy jig set. Practise everything.
Teaching:
Most dancing steps suitable for teaching. Beginning and intermediate level steps all sorted. Some boys steps sorted thanks to possible tweaks of girls steps to make them masculine.
To do: Boys reel and boys hornpipe to be choreographed and practised. Teaching to be practised in general.
So to sum up, my choreography to do list looks like:
- 1x girls reel for me/teaching
- 1x boys reel to teach (adaptable for different levels)
- 1x slip jig to finalise
- 1x jig step for me/teaching
- 1x boys hornpipe step (adaptable for different levels)
- 1x hornpipe set set
- 1x full jig set
And my practising to do list looks like:
- EVERYTHING!
Solos:
1 reel step and 1 slip jig step decided on.
To do: finalise 2nd step for both, practise everything.
2 hornpipe and 1 jig step decided on.
To do: choreograph 2nd jig step and practise everything.
Sets:
All traditional sets learnt.
To do: Work on King as it's the newest one and I'm not quite there. Practise everything else.
2x hornpipe sets finalised, 1x hornpipe set step finalised.
To do: Finish 3rd hornpipe set - set part to be choreographed. Practise everything.
2x heavy jig sets finalised.
To do: Choreograph 3rd and final heavy jig set. Practise everything.
Teaching:
Most dancing steps suitable for teaching. Beginning and intermediate level steps all sorted. Some boys steps sorted thanks to possible tweaks of girls steps to make them masculine.
To do: Boys reel and boys hornpipe to be choreographed and practised. Teaching to be practised in general.
So to sum up, my choreography to do list looks like:
- 1x girls reel for me/teaching
- 1x boys reel to teach (adaptable for different levels)
- 1x slip jig to finalise
- 1x jig step for me/teaching
- 1x boys hornpipe step (adaptable for different levels)
- 1x hornpipe set set
- 1x full jig set
And my practising to do list looks like:
- EVERYTHING!
Monday 1 July 2013
To be an example
I think the inspirational images posted in my last message definitely have a place, but I can't help but feel that something personal to each individual is far more motivating than a picture and text specifically designed to try and be inspirational. And recently I found my own personal motivation.
When I'm a TCRG, I'm not just going to be there to make up a few steps and shout a few corrections. I'm responsible for those dancers. It's not just instructing, it's a duty of care. I need to make sure their feet and ankles are strong enough to prevent injury and support them en pointe, I need to help them strengthen their cores safely to give them the lift and hold they need. I need to give them ways to prevent shin splints, I need to know how to spot when someone could be suffering from common disorders and injuries. I'm not just going to be teaching them to do a stag leap - they need to be doing everything safely. I want to train them more like ballet dancers, with each muscle considered and worked upon. Nothing neglected.
So I can't neglect myself. I can't very well insist that they do their calf raises and stretches twice a day if I allow myself to forget to do them. I can't insist on water and bananas in class over crisps and coke, if I'm eating a load of crap at my desk.
I need to inspire them. And the only way to do that is to do everything that they need to do.
So I need to pay more attention to my muscles and my physio exercises. I need to get myself (and keep myself) healthy. I can't be a hypocrite here - I have to motivate myself by remembering that I'll need to motivate them.
When I'm a TCRG, I'm not just going to be there to make up a few steps and shout a few corrections. I'm responsible for those dancers. It's not just instructing, it's a duty of care. I need to make sure their feet and ankles are strong enough to prevent injury and support them en pointe, I need to help them strengthen their cores safely to give them the lift and hold they need. I need to give them ways to prevent shin splints, I need to know how to spot when someone could be suffering from common disorders and injuries. I'm not just going to be teaching them to do a stag leap - they need to be doing everything safely. I want to train them more like ballet dancers, with each muscle considered and worked upon. Nothing neglected.
So I can't neglect myself. I can't very well insist that they do their calf raises and stretches twice a day if I allow myself to forget to do them. I can't insist on water and bananas in class over crisps and coke, if I'm eating a load of crap at my desk.
I need to inspire them. And the only way to do that is to do everything that they need to do.
So I need to pay more attention to my muscles and my physio exercises. I need to get myself (and keep myself) healthy. I can't be a hypocrite here - I have to motivate myself by remembering that I'll need to motivate them.
Monday 17 June 2013
Wall of Inspiration
We've set up a wall of inspiration in the office, with pieces of work that inspire us along with the reasons why. I wasn't allowed to put anything dance-related on there unfortunately so I'll post them here instead. All images picked from tumblr, where I have recently become a lurker.
1)
When I got my results, I DID want to give up. Admittedly I'd misunderstood the results and thought I had to retake the entire exam, but in the first flush of disappointment I didn't want to go again. I didn't want to feel that disappointment twice. Then I realised if I didn't try again, I'd just feel that disappointment for the rest of my life. So I'm carrying on.
2)
I have come miles. When I started I'd never choreographed a single set dance, let alone 9. I'd never choreographed a hornpipe! I couldn't do half the moves I can do now. Needless to say, I didn't know a single ceili in full. I didn't know a single traditional set dance. Now I know 30 ceilis inside out, and I know 6.5 traditional set dances. I have come a long, long way.
3)
Well, I don't hate every minute of training. I actually don't hate that many minutes of dance training. I hate cross-training, every second of it let alone every minute, and I hate every second of nerves leading up to these exams. I was a wreck. But I still passed two of them, and got within a whisker of passing the others. Suffer now and live the rest of my life as a TCRG.
4)
I am terrible for this. Obviously the image itself is about running so it probably means weather conditions, but I do wait for things to be perfect before I put my mind to practising or cross-training. I need to have had a good, productive and unstressful day at work. I need to have eaten well. I need to have had enough sleep and drunk enough water. I need this, I need that. The right socks even. Instead I just need to get up and do it because I know how much better I feel when I have.
5)
And this one. This is huge. It pretty much is a miracle that I actually set out on this journey after years of thinking I could never do it, that I wouldn't be able to learn everything, that I could never improve my dancing, that I could never lilt or even remember a single tune, that I'd never remember that little blue book. And when I did finally decide to do it, I had no support whatsoever. No teacher, no mentor. I've picked those up along the way, once I'd already had the courage to start. So when I do get my four letters, it won't be a miracle that I passed. The miracle's already happened.
1)
When I got my results, I DID want to give up. Admittedly I'd misunderstood the results and thought I had to retake the entire exam, but in the first flush of disappointment I didn't want to go again. I didn't want to feel that disappointment twice. Then I realised if I didn't try again, I'd just feel that disappointment for the rest of my life. So I'm carrying on.
2)
I have come miles. When I started I'd never choreographed a single set dance, let alone 9. I'd never choreographed a hornpipe! I couldn't do half the moves I can do now. Needless to say, I didn't know a single ceili in full. I didn't know a single traditional set dance. Now I know 30 ceilis inside out, and I know 6.5 traditional set dances. I have come a long, long way.
3)
4)
I am terrible for this. Obviously the image itself is about running so it probably means weather conditions, but I do wait for things to be perfect before I put my mind to practising or cross-training. I need to have had a good, productive and unstressful day at work. I need to have eaten well. I need to have had enough sleep and drunk enough water. I need this, I need that. The right socks even. Instead I just need to get up and do it because I know how much better I feel when I have.
5)
And this one. This is huge. It pretty much is a miracle that I actually set out on this journey after years of thinking I could never do it, that I wouldn't be able to learn everything, that I could never improve my dancing, that I could never lilt or even remember a single tune, that I'd never remember that little blue book. And when I did finally decide to do it, I had no support whatsoever. No teacher, no mentor. I've picked those up along the way, once I'd already had the courage to start. So when I do get my four letters, it won't be a miracle that I passed. The miracle's already happened.
Monday 3 June 2013
Time
I just can't fit it all in. I can't keep up with a demanding job where I'm frequently doing overtime, trying to stay fit for this exam, and actually prepare for the exam all at once. I feel sick with the amount of stuff I've got going on from work, personal admin, TCRG, a life...
There is just no time. This weekend I stopped, put my laptop away, and did some revision and dancing. Work will keep. Then I come into work and have loads more dished out, it never ends. It's six months away I know, but it's June already. I took the last one eight months ago, eight! That's flown by, so will the next six.
So rant out of the way and trying to keep stress to a minimum -
I've become quite acceptable at lilting. This is a good way to feel like I'm doing something towards the exam as it requires no equipment and can be done at the same time as something else, like showering. I honestly recommend lilting ceilis and traditional sets in the shower.
I've made up another hornpipe step as I didn't think the ones I had would cut it now that the solo section specifies 'advanced' material. This, plus the one I made up the other week, are much better. And very me! I do think I'm developing some sort of style.
And the five ceilis that I had to write out, I did fine. I didn't write them out book-style, just making sure I had all the details correct for teaching, and that was fine.
So for this fortnight (I just don't have time to do 5 goals in one week):
1 - Dance 4 times and work out besides.
2 - Continue ceili lilting.
3 - Continue trad set lilting.
4 - A new heavy jig set - undecided which yet.
5 - Write out 5 further ceilis: 16 Hand Reel, Rince Fada, Antrim Reel, Trip to the Cottage, Bonfire Dance.
But in the meantime I'm probably going to go and cry in a corner or something.
There is just no time. This weekend I stopped, put my laptop away, and did some revision and dancing. Work will keep. Then I come into work and have loads more dished out, it never ends. It's six months away I know, but it's June already. I took the last one eight months ago, eight! That's flown by, so will the next six.
So rant out of the way and trying to keep stress to a minimum -
I've become quite acceptable at lilting. This is a good way to feel like I'm doing something towards the exam as it requires no equipment and can be done at the same time as something else, like showering. I honestly recommend lilting ceilis and traditional sets in the shower.
I've made up another hornpipe step as I didn't think the ones I had would cut it now that the solo section specifies 'advanced' material. This, plus the one I made up the other week, are much better. And very me! I do think I'm developing some sort of style.
And the five ceilis that I had to write out, I did fine. I didn't write them out book-style, just making sure I had all the details correct for teaching, and that was fine.
So for this fortnight (I just don't have time to do 5 goals in one week):
1 - Dance 4 times and work out besides.
2 - Continue ceili lilting.
3 - Continue trad set lilting.
4 - A new heavy jig set - undecided which yet.
5 - Write out 5 further ceilis: 16 Hand Reel, Rince Fada, Antrim Reel, Trip to the Cottage, Bonfire Dance.
But in the meantime I'm probably going to go and cry in a corner or something.
Tuesday 21 May 2013
My dancing week
My week looks like this:
Edit to add the five ceilis picked by my pal:
1. Harvest-Time Jig
2. St Patricks Day
3. An Rince Mor
4. Waves of Tory
5. Gates of Derry
- Go to dancing on Monday (done) and have another practice in the week as well.
- Lilt all the ceili tunes out loud without prompting, and start trying to say the steps at the same time as singing. (started, Humours)
- Practise lilting the trad set tunes in case I need to teach them
- Work on hornpipe set dances (I've already made up a cracking little solo step) - decide what's staying and going and come up with fixes if needed.
- Pick five ceilis at random to write out without the book (having a friend pick them for me)
Edit to add the five ceilis picked by my pal:
1. Harvest-Time Jig
2. St Patricks Day
3. An Rince Mor
4. Waves of Tory
5. Gates of Derry
Saturday 11 May 2013
Three Sea Captains
I uploaded some grabs of the Olive dvd for the TCRG Voy Board so I thought I'd post them here too. I think this one could be my favourite:
I'd seriously recommend buying these DVDs. I got mine from Antonio Pacelli - along with the ceili DVDs, these have been a lifesaver.
I'd seriously recommend buying these DVDs. I got mine from Antonio Pacelli - along with the ceili DVDs, these have been a lifesaver.
Thursday 9 May 2013
Hornpipes. Help.
I think the only thing I'm really concentrating on at the moment is the hornpipe. The blasted hornpipe.
In my first life as a competitive dancer, I'd been working my way through the grades with jig for months before we started working on a hornpipe. I remember going to one feis with a knee injury and just wanting to get it out of the way, so I only danced the primary 'pipe and trophy, for the first time, and won both. Can't remember the steps. I think that was my last feis in Life One.
In Life Two I learnt a hornpipe for grades, then started competing in open and was jig/hornpipe set. Can't remember any of those steps. I then had a second hornpipe set when I progressed a little - can remember a few of the combinations from it, but not enough that I'd be able to dance it.
I'd NEVER choreographed hornpipe before attempting the TCRG exam.
I have NO repertoire when it comes to hornpipes at all. I have no back catalogue of steps to draw on, no little treble combinations that you can slip in here and there to up the difficulty or change the rhythm like I do in the jig.
Hornpipe is my nemesis dance. I love watching it, but when it comes to choreographing something more difficult than prelim level I just strop and think this music is not suitable for Irish dancing!!!
I'm trying SO hard on this. I've done so much choreography over the last few days, only to realise it just doesn't work in practice like it does in my head. I've made a few breakthroughs by learning a few of the aforementioned combinations, but when choreographing I just can't break out from my bitty style - nothing flows. It's like here's this combination, then I'll stamp or pause, now here's another combination, stamp, here's another, stamp, clicky sequence, stamp, done. It needs to come together more cohesively.
In my first life as a competitive dancer, I'd been working my way through the grades with jig for months before we started working on a hornpipe. I remember going to one feis with a knee injury and just wanting to get it out of the way, so I only danced the primary 'pipe and trophy, for the first time, and won both. Can't remember the steps. I think that was my last feis in Life One.
In Life Two I learnt a hornpipe for grades, then started competing in open and was jig/hornpipe set. Can't remember any of those steps. I then had a second hornpipe set when I progressed a little - can remember a few of the combinations from it, but not enough that I'd be able to dance it.
I'd NEVER choreographed hornpipe before attempting the TCRG exam.
I have NO repertoire when it comes to hornpipes at all. I have no back catalogue of steps to draw on, no little treble combinations that you can slip in here and there to up the difficulty or change the rhythm like I do in the jig.
Hornpipe is my nemesis dance. I love watching it, but when it comes to choreographing something more difficult than prelim level I just strop and think this music is not suitable for Irish dancing!!!
I'm trying SO hard on this. I've done so much choreography over the last few days, only to realise it just doesn't work in practice like it does in my head. I've made a few breakthroughs by learning a few of the aforementioned combinations, but when choreographing I just can't break out from my bitty style - nothing flows. It's like here's this combination, then I'll stamp or pause, now here's another combination, stamp, here's another, stamp, clicky sequence, stamp, done. It needs to come together more cohesively.
Anybody got any inspiring hornpipe videos from YouTube they can share? Sets, steps, step-abouts, any level. Give me ALL the hornpipes!
Monday 29 April 2013
Four out of five.
Weekend was fairly productive.
1 - gently run my traditional sets - done! Kicked myself in the shin two bars into St Patrick's Day and set off a nice little bruise, but it was an ok session apart from that. St Pat's itself was fine, not my favourite trad set. I feel like I sink too much in the four trebles. In the Blackbird I tangled my feet in the step (tried to go 'and brush and brush treble and back 23' when of course there's no 'back') but started again and it was fine. Garden I really struggled with especially in the step, but I got myself back on it. I probably haven't danced it since my exam so it's always going to be rusty. Jockey was ok considering it's still quite new to me and I've practised it a grand total of about four time. Three Seas similar - need to work out which foot I'm on in the boxes. Job I actually did correctly all the way through at the first time of asking for the first time in my ENTIRE life. And King, although I only did the step, was ok. More on this....
2 - review King, because it's not sticking in my brain - in progress. I've done a video clip on my phone so that I don't have to always put the dvd on to review, but it's still a source of confusion in places. Must try to actually dance it now.
3 - attempt some hornpipe choreography - well, yes. I've got 8 bars that look really nice in my head and would be good for both dancing and teaching, but my feet won't move fast enough because in my infinite genius I put in a move I can't do. Yet.
4 - work on the new sequence I've learnt recently - forgot about this one.
5 - identify areas for study, ceili-wise - yes, done. Basically I thought through every single dance and wrote a list of things I wasn't sure about - like "which was does the ring go in dance x" or "which side do the gents cross in movement y". I then used the book to answer all my own questions which was quite a useful exercise.
As there's less free time during the working week, I am going to give myself another five tasks but this time I've got five days rather than two. Here we go for w/c 29th April:
1 - go to dancing tonight and practice on a further occasion (definitely heavies, probably trads)
2 - continue to review King
3 - review the ceilis of the first dvd (easier than going in book order as you don't have to keep changing the disc)
4 - hornpipe choreography (I'm scrapping a couple of sets and starting again)
5 - work on the new jig sequence I learnt recently (carried over from the weekend)
1 - gently run my traditional sets - done! Kicked myself in the shin two bars into St Patrick's Day and set off a nice little bruise, but it was an ok session apart from that. St Pat's itself was fine, not my favourite trad set. I feel like I sink too much in the four trebles. In the Blackbird I tangled my feet in the step (tried to go 'and brush and brush treble and back 23' when of course there's no 'back') but started again and it was fine. Garden I really struggled with especially in the step, but I got myself back on it. I probably haven't danced it since my exam so it's always going to be rusty. Jockey was ok considering it's still quite new to me and I've practised it a grand total of about four time. Three Seas similar - need to work out which foot I'm on in the boxes. Job I actually did correctly all the way through at the first time of asking for the first time in my ENTIRE life. And King, although I only did the step, was ok. More on this....
2 - review King, because it's not sticking in my brain - in progress. I've done a video clip on my phone so that I don't have to always put the dvd on to review, but it's still a source of confusion in places. Must try to actually dance it now.
3 - attempt some hornpipe choreography - well, yes. I've got 8 bars that look really nice in my head and would be good for both dancing and teaching, but my feet won't move fast enough because in my infinite genius I put in a move I can't do. Yet.
4 - work on the new sequence I've learnt recently - forgot about this one.
5 - identify areas for study, ceili-wise - yes, done. Basically I thought through every single dance and wrote a list of things I wasn't sure about - like "which was does the ring go in dance x" or "which side do the gents cross in movement y". I then used the book to answer all my own questions which was quite a useful exercise.
As there's less free time during the working week, I am going to give myself another five tasks but this time I've got five days rather than two. Here we go for w/c 29th April:
1 - go to dancing tonight and practice on a further occasion (definitely heavies, probably trads)
2 - continue to review King
3 - review the ceilis of the first dvd (easier than going in book order as you don't have to keep changing the disc)
4 - hornpipe choreography (I'm scrapping a couple of sets and starting again)
5 - work on the new jig sequence I learnt recently (carried over from the weekend)
Friday 26 April 2013
Weekend plan
Last month of the weekend, absolutely brassic, can't go out or do anything - this can mean only one thing. TCRG weekend!
My plan...let's see how this goes.
1 - gently run my traditional sets
2 - review King, because it's not sticking in my brain
3 - attempt some hornpipe choreography
4 - work on the new sequence I've learnt recently
5 - identify areas for study, ceili-wise. I've already started a list of areas I'm not sure of, and music is always on the list too.
I've been told a five-point list is manageable so ideally on Monday I shall report back.
Ideally.
My plan...let's see how this goes.
1 - gently run my traditional sets
2 - review King, because it's not sticking in my brain
3 - attempt some hornpipe choreography
4 - work on the new sequence I've learnt recently
5 - identify areas for study, ceili-wise. I've already started a list of areas I'm not sure of, and music is always on the list too.
I've been told a five-point list is manageable so ideally on Monday I shall report back.
Ideally.
Sunday 24 March 2013
Fighting off Worlds cravings...
I'm not in Boston, and I dearly wish I was. My brainwave today was that I should have just gone to the Comhdhail worlds instead this year, just to see some dancing and also to watch it with a completely clean slate (not knowing any of the dancers), but it's too late for that now.
So while scouring the web for updates and pictures, I decided to see if I still "had it". I haven't touched the ceili book since Glasgow, or at least since I made a study guide for my friend in January, and while I don't need to do the written paper again I still need to know them all for the teaching. So I wrote them all out - just movement names, but for every dance in the book.
Not half bad. I basically got everything right apart from forgetting the existance of Sidestep and Heyes, and flipping the swings in An Rince Mor. I got the partners / ladies on left the wrong way round. Out of 30 dances, I'm taking that and running with it.
Determined to pass this thing next time.
And I can't wait til it's my dancers being photographed backstage. On stage. With medals. With trophies. With me by their side, the whole way.
So while scouring the web for updates and pictures, I decided to see if I still "had it". I haven't touched the ceili book since Glasgow, or at least since I made a study guide for my friend in January, and while I don't need to do the written paper again I still need to know them all for the teaching. So I wrote them all out - just movement names, but for every dance in the book.
Not half bad. I basically got everything right apart from forgetting the existance of Sidestep and Heyes, and flipping the swings in An Rince Mor. I got the partners / ladies on left the wrong way round. Out of 30 dances, I'm taking that and running with it.
Determined to pass this thing next time.
And I can't wait til it's my dancers being photographed backstage. On stage. With medals. With trophies. With me by their side, the whole way.
Thursday 21 March 2013
Three Sea Captains met the King of the Fairies...
...and had a wee dance together.
I am 99% of the way there in terms of completing the traditional set dances!
I've actually lost count of the amount of times I've wound and rewound the DVD - I recorded a video of it onto my phone for easier rewinding and easy, 24/7 access to the steps. I've written and rewritten and colour coded and watched and watched, and I'm close. Three Seas I know, and I can almost dance. King I'm fairly sure I know, but haven't properly danced.
So I guess with that, my original aim is complete. I wanted to learn all of the Coimisiun ceilis and traditional sets because I felt I wasn't a complete dancer/fan/enthusiast/obsessive of the dance form without this knowledge. And now I have it. I know all the traditional dances that one could possibly rock up at a feis and dance. I'm quite pleased with that.
Three Seas
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Out and kick out and kick out and brush heel and down
Back rock 23 back rock 23
Tip and down heel and down and back tip and change
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Treble-treble and back treble-treble and back
Treble 1 treble 2 treble 1234
Tip out tip and back tip and change tip and down
Tip out tip and back tip and change tip and down
Tip and down hop back tip and cut to your heel
Tip and down, tip box 23 treble and a heel,
Back and down back and down brush and box234
Tip and down, heel treble and a back tip and change
Not quite as polished as Olive's lot but you get the general idea I hope.
King
Brush down kick heel-and-a-heel-and-a-heel-and-a-down
Kick treble and treble and treble and treble and
Up cut down and up cut onto your heel and treble and back
Brush down brush down kick cut down
Treble and a back 12 and point and back 12
Brush down kick treble and tre-ble and a kick and down
And brush and brush treble and 123
Brush treble and treble and twist 23
Hop 23 and over and onto your heel brush and treble and back
And brush kick treble-and-treble and kick and 123 down kick box 234
Down treble and back and treble and toe, stamp, treble and treble and
Tre-ble and a heel kick down brush cut down box 23 and 123
Treble and treble and down treble and back
And brush kick heel 234 and change, stamp, brush 2, 3, 4, and back treble and back brush treble up tre-ble and a back
This music seems extra fast to me so well done to them for keeping up! Watch the lady in the white top if, like me, you struggled with the bit after "hop 23 and over and onto your heel brush treble and back".
"And that's it! Let's look at the dancers..."
I am 99% of the way there in terms of completing the traditional set dances!
I've actually lost count of the amount of times I've wound and rewound the DVD - I recorded a video of it onto my phone for easier rewinding and easy, 24/7 access to the steps. I've written and rewritten and colour coded and watched and watched, and I'm close. Three Seas I know, and I can almost dance. King I'm fairly sure I know, but haven't properly danced.
So I guess with that, my original aim is complete. I wanted to learn all of the Coimisiun ceilis and traditional sets because I felt I wasn't a complete dancer/fan/enthusiast/obsessive of the dance form without this knowledge. And now I have it. I know all the traditional dances that one could possibly rock up at a feis and dance. I'm quite pleased with that.
Three Seas
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Out and kick out and kick out and brush heel and down
Back rock 23 back rock 23
Tip and down heel and down and back tip and change
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Tip and down treble-treble and a back tip and change
Treble-treble and back treble-treble and back
Treble 1 treble 2 treble 1234
Tip out tip and back tip and change tip and down
Tip out tip and back tip and change tip and down
Tip and down hop back tip and cut to your heel
Tip and down, tip box 23 treble and a heel,
Back and down back and down brush and box234
Tip and down, heel treble and a back tip and change
Not quite as polished as Olive's lot but you get the general idea I hope.
King
Brush down kick heel-and-a-heel-and-a-heel-and-a-down
Kick treble and treble and treble and treble and
Up cut down and up cut onto your heel and treble and back
Brush down brush down kick cut down
Treble and a back 12 and point and back 12
Brush down kick treble and tre-ble and a kick and down
And brush and brush treble and 123
Brush treble and treble and twist 23
Hop 23 and over and onto your heel brush and treble and back
And brush kick treble-and-treble and kick and 123 down kick box 234
Down treble and back and treble and toe, stamp, treble and treble and
Tre-ble and a heel kick down brush cut down box 23 and 123
Treble and treble and down treble and back
And brush kick heel 234 and change, stamp, brush 2, 3, 4, and back treble and back brush treble up tre-ble and a back
This music seems extra fast to me so well done to them for keeping up! Watch the lady in the white top if, like me, you struggled with the bit after "hop 23 and over and onto your heel brush treble and back".
"And that's it! Let's look at the dancers..."
Sunday 17 March 2013
St Patrick's Day Eve
I had a funny old day today. I felt like I should do something TCRG related given the date, so I decided on trying to learn the King of the Fairies set. I got old faithful, the blue dancing notebook, out of my bag where it's lain untouched but still carried around daily, for months on end.
The book is neatly laid out into 4 sections. First - light dances. Second - heavy dances (ran out of paper in this section due to the weighting of the exam). Third - notes, to-do lists, various thoughts. Fourth - somewhere to write music quizzes.
For some reason the first thing I did was wonder if I could still name all the set tunes. Popped on the iPod, shuffle...named them all. 100%.
Second thing I did was flip to section three where, on the way home from my first failed attempt at the TCRG exam, I wrote my notes. I didn't want to forget anything so I wrote down everything that happened, how I felt, what went wrong, less of what went right, and predictions for my results. I must add that on the way home I was a couple of hours past my teaching exam which was the worst exam I've ever experienced. I predicted they'd give me 30% on solo teaching, that's how awful I felt about it. In the end I did plenty enough to not fail outright, I was close to passing, but reading it back was scary. I could remember my own terror, how I just couldn't process what they were telling me, how I wanted to walk out and cry. Or cry and walk out, whichever came first. It's so horrible. Happy St Patrick's Day to me.
I decided to close that book, open a fresh page and start to learn King of the Fairies. I actually watched back some of the other dances to see if she taught it so very fast as how she does in KoF. It's SO hard. I'm furiously trying to write, trying to work out which foot, then we cut to the dancers and they do it differently - I'm SO glad this is the last one to learn (finished Three Seas, by the way).
So I haven't had a particularly upbeat St Patrick's Day. I feel like I need to go and paint my nails green or something.
Oh, I'll get there. I'm just exhausted and angry at myself all over again for not practising lilting enough and not being confident enough and just being a complete deer. If you learn one thing from this blog, learn. to. lilt.
The book is neatly laid out into 4 sections. First - light dances. Second - heavy dances (ran out of paper in this section due to the weighting of the exam). Third - notes, to-do lists, various thoughts. Fourth - somewhere to write music quizzes.
For some reason the first thing I did was wonder if I could still name all the set tunes. Popped on the iPod, shuffle...named them all. 100%.
Second thing I did was flip to section three where, on the way home from my first failed attempt at the TCRG exam, I wrote my notes. I didn't want to forget anything so I wrote down everything that happened, how I felt, what went wrong, less of what went right, and predictions for my results. I must add that on the way home I was a couple of hours past my teaching exam which was the worst exam I've ever experienced. I predicted they'd give me 30% on solo teaching, that's how awful I felt about it. In the end I did plenty enough to not fail outright, I was close to passing, but reading it back was scary. I could remember my own terror, how I just couldn't process what they were telling me, how I wanted to walk out and cry. Or cry and walk out, whichever came first. It's so horrible. Happy St Patrick's Day to me.
I decided to close that book, open a fresh page and start to learn King of the Fairies. I actually watched back some of the other dances to see if she taught it so very fast as how she does in KoF. It's SO hard. I'm furiously trying to write, trying to work out which foot, then we cut to the dancers and they do it differently - I'm SO glad this is the last one to learn (finished Three Seas, by the way).
So I haven't had a particularly upbeat St Patrick's Day. I feel like I need to go and paint my nails green or something.
Oh, I'll get there. I'm just exhausted and angry at myself all over again for not practising lilting enough and not being confident enough and just being a complete deer. If you learn one thing from this blog, learn. to. lilt.
Monday 11 March 2013
The most important things
Anyone who's ever attended a feis with a newbie will no doubt have been asked "what are the judges looking for?" What's the difference between first and second place? How could the same dancer have come first in the reel and tenth in the hornpipe? They're tough questions to answer as we don't have a standardised marking system and therefore can't speak for the individual judge on the day. Everyone's got their own hot buttons that will turn them off a dancer, and elements they have to see in order to award high marks. Now I know I'm not a teacher let alone an adjudicator, but these are the most important elements to me - roughly in order:
1. Foot placement
This is only the most important element to me if we work on the assumption that timing is a given. You simply must be on time with the music, otherwise you're not actually dancing.
Foot placement covers not only adequate turnout and crossing of the feet/legs, but also thinking about the positioning of the foot. Is it pointed all the way through the foot whenever it's off the floor, or is it flat or even flexed? Are the toes scrunched rather than properly pointed? Is the instep in the correct position, but the point not extended all the way to the tips of the toes? And then when the foot is on the floor, is it on a high tiptoe (not en pointe) at all times or does the heel drop closer and closer to the floor? Can the dancer sustain this height all the way through or does tiredness make the heels drop? Whenever a move calls for the foot to not be pointed, is it exaggerated enough to have the desired impact? (e.g. a pointe hold with the front foot flexed, a drum roll, a heel walk or spin...) Finally, are the feet positioned strongly and confidently? Does the dancer sickle, or lose control of a point before attaining the position, lending the impression of floppy ankles? Can they achieve turnout with both feet all the time, without the back or supporting foot straightening or turning in? Is their positioning unaffected by stamina - can they maintain good, strong positioning throughout?
2. Deportment
For me this covers absolutely every element of the body from the hips up. Hips and shoulders must always be level - not only right to left, but front to back. No leaning forward into a jump or kick, no sticking the bum out on turns or treble/footwork sequences, no dropping the leading shoulder into a turn or leading with your shoulder into a leap or kick. Lower arms controlled, but without tension. Neat fists, no waggling fingers. Head straight forward - no chins on chests, no tilting, no mouths wide open or saying/miming steps, no eyes down. Our deportment is absolutely unique in the dance world which is why it's so high up my list - it's characteristically Irish and therefore needs to be worked on and perfected very early on. It's my own opinion that the reason we don't use our arms is to show how in control of our bodies we are, to be able to move our feet at 50mph without so much of a quiver in our shoulders. Tense arms make the whole performance seem more laboured - excellent carriage makes everything look easy.
3. Extension
Not just height on kicks, clicks and leaps, but height with control and style as well. Straight knees, maintaining turnout and carriage, perfect lines from hip to knee to ankle to toe. Kicks that take an equal amount of time to come down as to go up - retracting the leg with control proves leg and core strength, rather than letting gravity do its work. Kicks that don't look "throw-y" - that are deliberate about their placement, rather than swinging it up and hoping for the best. And looking at the back leg on kicks and clicks as well - that needs a straight knee too, and that needs to maintain placement too. I always look for the back leg on hops and single-leg work - is it just hanging there or is it contributing to a neat, controlled look?
4. Style and precision
Style will always be individual preference but I believe strongly that dances aren't just a technical exercise, they're a performance. Dancers will similar technical qualities can be easily separated in the marks if one is enjoyable to watch and the other is simply "nice". It's hard to quantify but I like to see individual choreography tailored to a dancers' strengths, with clever bits that you can't wait to see on the left foot - or make you curse the hornpipe half-step when you can't see it again! Elements of elegance, athleticism, control and freedom combine in each person's mind to create their own preferred style, and I can't really explain what my preferred is. Perhaps it's when a dancer is so elegant that you know they're leaping as high as the athletic types, without immediately pegging them as athletic. When they're so light on their feet yet so fast that it seems impossible they can jump so high or treble so loud.
Precision to me goes hand in hand with style. You can have one without the other (I've seen dancers with breathtaking tricks and beautiful choreography, but straight feet) but to excel, you need both. Precision is everything from points 1-3, but moreso. Everything performed in a textbook way. Every individual movement - a leap, a rock, a treble, a cross key - could be extracted from the performance and used as an example of "this is how it's supposed to look". Every movement could make a perfect action shot to be plastered over tumblr with an inspiration quote.
Opinions of dancing are of course fluid, and perhaps this list will change over time. Perhaps one day I'll think carriage should be more important than crossing or I'll change my definition of what style means. Perhaps I'll start to prefer a different style - subconciously, no doubt.
Trying to come up with a list of your most important Irish dancer qualities just reminds you that results are very, very rarely "wrong", just a matter of personal choice. My favourite dancer not winning doesn't always mean they had an off day or that they went wrong or something else was up. It just means someone else's opinion was different to mine, and that's good. That's why competitions employ panels rather than one single adjudicator, and why they're not paid just to tie everyone.
It's frustrating as you can do everything right and still not win, but that's what makes competition and that's why people are attracted to competing. In tennis you could perfect your serve but come up against the perfect returner. Sprinters could have the perfect start but be overtaken by the perfect finisher. It's why people carry on when they've won everything there is to win. It's why we dance in the first place.
What are your most important things in Irish dance?
1. Foot placement
This is only the most important element to me if we work on the assumption that timing is a given. You simply must be on time with the music, otherwise you're not actually dancing.
Foot placement covers not only adequate turnout and crossing of the feet/legs, but also thinking about the positioning of the foot. Is it pointed all the way through the foot whenever it's off the floor, or is it flat or even flexed? Are the toes scrunched rather than properly pointed? Is the instep in the correct position, but the point not extended all the way to the tips of the toes? And then when the foot is on the floor, is it on a high tiptoe (not en pointe) at all times or does the heel drop closer and closer to the floor? Can the dancer sustain this height all the way through or does tiredness make the heels drop? Whenever a move calls for the foot to not be pointed, is it exaggerated enough to have the desired impact? (e.g. a pointe hold with the front foot flexed, a drum roll, a heel walk or spin...) Finally, are the feet positioned strongly and confidently? Does the dancer sickle, or lose control of a point before attaining the position, lending the impression of floppy ankles? Can they achieve turnout with both feet all the time, without the back or supporting foot straightening or turning in? Is their positioning unaffected by stamina - can they maintain good, strong positioning throughout?
2. Deportment
For me this covers absolutely every element of the body from the hips up. Hips and shoulders must always be level - not only right to left, but front to back. No leaning forward into a jump or kick, no sticking the bum out on turns or treble/footwork sequences, no dropping the leading shoulder into a turn or leading with your shoulder into a leap or kick. Lower arms controlled, but without tension. Neat fists, no waggling fingers. Head straight forward - no chins on chests, no tilting, no mouths wide open or saying/miming steps, no eyes down. Our deportment is absolutely unique in the dance world which is why it's so high up my list - it's characteristically Irish and therefore needs to be worked on and perfected very early on. It's my own opinion that the reason we don't use our arms is to show how in control of our bodies we are, to be able to move our feet at 50mph without so much of a quiver in our shoulders. Tense arms make the whole performance seem more laboured - excellent carriage makes everything look easy.
3. Extension
Not just height on kicks, clicks and leaps, but height with control and style as well. Straight knees, maintaining turnout and carriage, perfect lines from hip to knee to ankle to toe. Kicks that take an equal amount of time to come down as to go up - retracting the leg with control proves leg and core strength, rather than letting gravity do its work. Kicks that don't look "throw-y" - that are deliberate about their placement, rather than swinging it up and hoping for the best. And looking at the back leg on kicks and clicks as well - that needs a straight knee too, and that needs to maintain placement too. I always look for the back leg on hops and single-leg work - is it just hanging there or is it contributing to a neat, controlled look?
4. Style and precision
Style will always be individual preference but I believe strongly that dances aren't just a technical exercise, they're a performance. Dancers will similar technical qualities can be easily separated in the marks if one is enjoyable to watch and the other is simply "nice". It's hard to quantify but I like to see individual choreography tailored to a dancers' strengths, with clever bits that you can't wait to see on the left foot - or make you curse the hornpipe half-step when you can't see it again! Elements of elegance, athleticism, control and freedom combine in each person's mind to create their own preferred style, and I can't really explain what my preferred is. Perhaps it's when a dancer is so elegant that you know they're leaping as high as the athletic types, without immediately pegging them as athletic. When they're so light on their feet yet so fast that it seems impossible they can jump so high or treble so loud.
Precision to me goes hand in hand with style. You can have one without the other (I've seen dancers with breathtaking tricks and beautiful choreography, but straight feet) but to excel, you need both. Precision is everything from points 1-3, but moreso. Everything performed in a textbook way. Every individual movement - a leap, a rock, a treble, a cross key - could be extracted from the performance and used as an example of "this is how it's supposed to look". Every movement could make a perfect action shot to be plastered over tumblr with an inspiration quote.
Opinions of dancing are of course fluid, and perhaps this list will change over time. Perhaps one day I'll think carriage should be more important than crossing or I'll change my definition of what style means. Perhaps I'll start to prefer a different style - subconciously, no doubt.
Trying to come up with a list of your most important Irish dancer qualities just reminds you that results are very, very rarely "wrong", just a matter of personal choice. My favourite dancer not winning doesn't always mean they had an off day or that they went wrong or something else was up. It just means someone else's opinion was different to mine, and that's good. That's why competitions employ panels rather than one single adjudicator, and why they're not paid just to tie everyone.
It's frustrating as you can do everything right and still not win, but that's what makes competition and that's why people are attracted to competing. In tennis you could perfect your serve but come up against the perfect returner. Sprinters could have the perfect start but be overtaken by the perfect finisher. It's why people carry on when they've won everything there is to win. It's why we dance in the first place.
What are your most important things in Irish dance?
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Grades
I can't wait til I've got dancers competing in the grades.
I know that's possibly a strange thing to aspire to, given that every teacher really wants champions and anyone who says they aren't aiming for a World Champion is maybe not being 100% honest. I definitely do want to teach champions. I want to take to the stage in impossible heels and pick them up when they run down the podium to me. I want to shake and cry with them when we can't add it up in our heads but then realise they've done it, they've won, and Dan the Man has announced them as World Champion. I want to commission elaborate cakes showing them standing with a sugar paste trophy for their Worlds party. Yes, obviously I want that.
But I want excited little five year olds with home-curled hair and tiny skirts and blouses, tiny little feet in outrageously small Hullachans, babies who don't really know what's going on past the fact that they get to show off their dancing and then they get a medal. Or ten, twelve, fourteen year olds trying time and time again for that first in the primary hornpipe so they can say they've got everything in intermediate.
First solo dresses, excitedly writing down results, the best feeling in the world when you win the primary light trophy with your hop jig.
Years ago I was at a feis early doors, waiting for my own prelim that afternoon. My old teacher and I went into the grades hall and saw the u6 beginners lining up for their first ever reel at their first ever feis. Totally un-self conscious, just dancing for joy. The lady at the back of the stage counting them in. A lead round that goes round in five ever decreasing circles and a first step that's ended up danced with their back to the judge. Running back to their places with huge smiles when the bell rings, then trying to dance again straight away. The Kit Kat as a bribe or a prize. The oh my god I got a medal happiness that only a first-ever 'highly commended' can bring. And my teacher turned to me and said, "this is what it's really about."
It IS what it's really about.
I know that's possibly a strange thing to aspire to, given that every teacher really wants champions and anyone who says they aren't aiming for a World Champion is maybe not being 100% honest. I definitely do want to teach champions. I want to take to the stage in impossible heels and pick them up when they run down the podium to me. I want to shake and cry with them when we can't add it up in our heads but then realise they've done it, they've won, and Dan the Man has announced them as World Champion. I want to commission elaborate cakes showing them standing with a sugar paste trophy for their Worlds party. Yes, obviously I want that.
But I want excited little five year olds with home-curled hair and tiny skirts and blouses, tiny little feet in outrageously small Hullachans, babies who don't really know what's going on past the fact that they get to show off their dancing and then they get a medal. Or ten, twelve, fourteen year olds trying time and time again for that first in the primary hornpipe so they can say they've got everything in intermediate.
First solo dresses, excitedly writing down results, the best feeling in the world when you win the primary light trophy with your hop jig.
Years ago I was at a feis early doors, waiting for my own prelim that afternoon. My old teacher and I went into the grades hall and saw the u6 beginners lining up for their first ever reel at their first ever feis. Totally un-self conscious, just dancing for joy. The lady at the back of the stage counting them in. A lead round that goes round in five ever decreasing circles and a first step that's ended up danced with their back to the judge. Running back to their places with huge smiles when the bell rings, then trying to dance again straight away. The Kit Kat as a bribe or a prize. The oh my god I got a medal happiness that only a first-ever 'highly commended' can bring. And my teacher turned to me and said, "this is what it's really about."
It IS what it's really about.
Tuesday 5 February 2013
"New" traditional sets
I'm well on my way with these.
Jockey to the Fair
Tip and down tip and cross tip and down tip and stamp-stamp, and stamp-stamp, and stamp-stamp,
and step hit your heel tip and step hit your heel
tip and box 234
treble-treble and a back tip and up hop back
Treble-treble and a 1234567
Treble-treble and a 1234567
Treble-treble and up cut tip down and tip down
Hop back treble 1 treble 2
and treble and a stamp
Brush, 2, 3, 4,
and step hit your heel tip and treble and back
Tip and box 234
Treble-treble and a back
King of the Fairies
Tip down kick* heel and a heel and a heel and a down
Kick treble and treble and treble and treble
And up cut down and up cut onto your heel treble and back
Tip 1 tip 2 kick cut down
Treble and a back 12, and point and back 12
Tip down kick treble and tre-ble and a kick and down
I've only got as far as the step on this, really. I know the first 2 bars of the set but not worth typing it until I know it all. "Kick" refers to kicking the heel of one shoe with the toes of the other - on this slowed-down video the dancer is doing toes at the back (as in tapping the toes off the floor), but the toes should be hitting the back of the other shoe. Coimisiun do actually specifically that toes shouldn't be done in place of heel-kicks.
Three Sea Captains
Tip down treble-treble and a tip over down
Change and kick out and kick out and tip and heel down
Back rock 23, back rock 23
Tip down and heel down
And back tip and cross
FAST! Again I've only got the step so far.
Plan for February - work on the sets of both and then dance the shit out of them.
Jockey to the Fair
Tip and down tip and cross tip and down tip and stamp-stamp, and stamp-stamp, and stamp-stamp,
and step hit your heel tip and step hit your heel
tip and box 234
treble-treble and a back tip and up hop back
Treble-treble and a 1234567
Treble-treble and a 1234567
Treble-treble and up cut tip down and tip down
Hop back treble 1 treble 2
and treble and a stamp
Brush, 2, 3, 4,
and step hit your heel tip and treble and back
Tip and box 234
Treble-treble and a back
King of the Fairies
Tip down kick* heel and a heel and a heel and a down
Kick treble and treble and treble and treble
And up cut down and up cut onto your heel treble and back
Tip 1 tip 2 kick cut down
Treble and a back 12, and point and back 12
Tip down kick treble and tre-ble and a kick and down
I've only got as far as the step on this, really. I know the first 2 bars of the set but not worth typing it until I know it all. "Kick" refers to kicking the heel of one shoe with the toes of the other - on this slowed-down video the dancer is doing toes at the back (as in tapping the toes off the floor), but the toes should be hitting the back of the other shoe. Coimisiun do actually specifically that toes shouldn't be done in place of heel-kicks.
Three Sea Captains
Tip down treble-treble and a tip over down
Change and kick out and kick out and tip and heel down
Back rock 23, back rock 23
Tip down and heel down
And back tip and cross
FAST! Again I've only got the step so far.
Plan for February - work on the sets of both and then dance the shit out of them.
Monday 28 January 2013
Unsure.
I was gung-ho at first. I only missed by a couple of points, I know what I need to work on. So long as I don't mess up in a traditional set and if I spend some time tidying my sets, I'll pass the dancing. If I lilt and show more confidence teaching, I should be ok on that.
I've done virtually nothing, however. I don't have a retake date, it will be Oct/Nov/Dec time again, but I've done virtually nothing.
I can't. I feel sick. My usual go-to substitute for counting sheep used to be going through all my sets, or trad sets, or ceilis. I knew them all so well that it actually relaxed my brain. For a while, after I got my results, I'd shake myself out of settling into that routine. Now I find myself actively avoiding doing it. Every time I think through a solo dance I feel sick. I can't do it. I really don't think I can do it again, but do it right. I can't put myself through that again, physically or emotionally, and I'll only fail again, so it's a total waste of money that I just can't justify.
I don't know whether I'm going to.
I've done virtually nothing, however. I don't have a retake date, it will be Oct/Nov/Dec time again, but I've done virtually nothing.
I can't. I feel sick. My usual go-to substitute for counting sheep used to be going through all my sets, or trad sets, or ceilis. I knew them all so well that it actually relaxed my brain. For a while, after I got my results, I'd shake myself out of settling into that routine. Now I find myself actively avoiding doing it. Every time I think through a solo dance I feel sick. I can't do it. I really don't think I can do it again, but do it right. I can't put myself through that again, physically or emotionally, and I'll only fail again, so it's a total waste of money that I just can't justify.
I don't know whether I'm going to.
Monday 7 January 2013
2013
...will be the year I pass.
I've done some work already. I now know Jockey to the Fair (it needs practising, but I know the steps) and the step of King of the Fairies. The latter took me an embarrassingly long time but I've changed my learning strategy from putting the Olive dvd on cold and trying to dance along, to watching and watching and watching and learning in theory before I start to try and dance it. That seems to be the less frustrating method :)
So that's 1.5 trad sets out of 3 done!
I've also started making a ceili study guide for my friend who I've talked into doing the TMRF. Just tips, unwritten rules, that kind of thing. Still a bit of a work in progress but I'll need to get that printed out today because...
It's the first class of 2013 tonight!!!
My feet will be on fire, I will be horribly unfit and out of breath, my holiday weight will be embarrassing. BUT, I can't bloody wait!
I've done some work already. I now know Jockey to the Fair (it needs practising, but I know the steps) and the step of King of the Fairies. The latter took me an embarrassingly long time but I've changed my learning strategy from putting the Olive dvd on cold and trying to dance along, to watching and watching and watching and learning in theory before I start to try and dance it. That seems to be the less frustrating method :)
So that's 1.5 trad sets out of 3 done!
I've also started making a ceili study guide for my friend who I've talked into doing the TMRF. Just tips, unwritten rules, that kind of thing. Still a bit of a work in progress but I'll need to get that printed out today because...
It's the first class of 2013 tonight!!!
My feet will be on fire, I will be horribly unfit and out of breath, my holiday weight will be embarrassing. BUT, I can't bloody wait!
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