New steps

I love the smell of new things. New car smell, new magazine, new clothes fresh from the shop, new carpet. Naturally new steps have no olfactory qualities, but with them comes the very faint scent of passing the TCRG exam. I finally did it. I finally went to a class and started learning steps. I died a horrible death in the warm up and when trying to demonstrate the slip jig that used to be my pride and joy, but I went! And in my defence, I didn't do too badly. Everything is well remembered, everything was executed to a higher standard than I was expecting. I'm not going to pass yet, but I'm on my way. There is time to polish and time to learn more. When I have more steps in my locker perhaps I can choreograph some of my own as well. I already have a potential step in my head for the White Blankets.

I just loved the class as well - it was freezing and it reminded me of winter competitions in chilly sports halls, when I'd win all my grades and come home with armfuls of plastic trophies. I did some teaching, I did some learning. It was exciting, inspiring. I have plenty to practice before next class, and plenty of revision too. My music is fine, so I'm going to have a good read of the book, a good watch of the videos, and start regularly drilling them to keep them fresh. On it.

Post-Worlds come-down

It's hard, being surrounded by amazing dancing for days on end and then returning to the "day job" with a bump. Nobody cares about slip jigs and globes and ceilis here. I have a head filled with inspiration and choreography and excitement, but no-one to share it with and a pile of real work to do. It's actually been a real shock to the system. But before I get on to that, some ridiculously talented little ones:



I need to sort this out in my own head, so here's where I am.

Ceili Written
I still think I could pass this today. Rather than doing endless practice exams, I recently decided to just type out all of the ceilis with figures and all of the more difficult other ceilis, without the book. I finally got round to "marking" it the other night, and it's not that bad. The ones that need work are:
High Cauled Cap - specifically second figure
The Three Tunes - full review
Trip to the Cottage - small review of the figures
Lannigan's Ball - middle section
So I'll review those over the next couple of days.

Music
I'm starting to get the odd 100% on this now when I practice by putting my iPod on shuffle. This too I think I could pass today.

Ceili Teaching
I'm just not getting the numbers in class to really give this a go. If I had to take the exam today then I'd give it my very best shot - I'm confident I'd get the movements in the correct order and most of them I think I could teach correctly, but I definitely need to somehow get more practice on this.

Solo Teaching
Obviously I do this twice a week now, but it's becoming a slight worry. I don't know what I'd do with a champ dancer as I haven't sorted out my own steps yet, and I'm wondering if I'd remember to pack everything in. You have to ask to see their steps, pick a suitable step instantly, demonstrate, teach, pick up on faults, lilt, correct...and then all of the things that people have told me about that aren't on the syllabus. Someone told me they did a few drills of a specific move in their exam. What?! Are we really expected to do that? Someone got told off for dancing along too much. Will I remember to leave them to it? I don't know, I'm obviously overthinking it but it just kills me not knowing exactly what's expected of me. Praying I get a beginner or primary dancer - I have steps coming out of my ears for those levels.

Solo Dancing
Left til last, as always. I dreamt (literally) a new reel step while I was in Dublin and tested that out last night. At first I thought it was too fast but after a few runs, it was getting into my legs and the right foot is OKish. Most of the left foot is ok apart from the start (very quick transition), and the big jump into little jump into entrechat at the end. It will come. So I now have two steps of a reel which will do me for the exam should I be given reel, and an old right-right one that I still can't let go of. Here's a run down:

Reel - three steps
Slip jig - nothing. I decided to scrap the one I had from my competitive days. It's nice, but not current and I want something fresh. I might use it as a base, however.
Heavy jig - I have three steps. One will definitely be used for jig, the other two may work better as steps for jig sets. They all need a lot of work - they're fine in socks or trainers, not so when I actually put heavies on.
Hornpipe - nothing. Not even anything to use as a base, and no ideas as yet. I don't want to have too much on the go at once so I'm leaving this until jig and slip are complete.

Traditional sets - three of the four learnt, with intentions to get Garden done as soon as possible.

Nine modern sets - continues to fill me with dread. Choreographing that much material seems like an impossible mountain to climb and if I'm to go with my target, I have about a year to do it. That actually doesn't sound like long enough to me. I do have those two jig steps mentioned above which can be used for steps, but hornpipe choreography is non-existant. I know I'll be going for some of the shorter sets on the list, but it's still no easy feat.


So there's me.

I'm at a loss as to how to get more people into my class and am considering moving everyone and joining an existing class, to be honest. Even dancing the ceilis through would be good preparation for the practical exam - I've got to find a class first, though. My fitness is dreadful and I've got several chronic injuries that are going to need looking at so I'm going to try and get some physio. I'm going to buy some type of floor covering so that I can practice heavies at home - there's not much room in the hallway but even treble drills would be progress. I need to get healthier, so after this Bank Holiday weekend, we're back on a health kick.

I will not allow myself to get discouraged. I will stay positive, I will work, and I WILL take this exam.

Heavy Jigs

On a roll! Since I stuck my neck out and actually tried to choreograph something, I've got a head full of jig ideas. Some of them are quite simple and might be better for an intermediate or prelim dancer, so here's my cheat - they will serve as the step part of my various jig sets, and then when it gets to the set I can throw in stuff I can only do on one foot, like drums and suchlike. It's probably not in the spirit of things but isn't that what everybody does?!

Productive class last night. Sadly my two beginners didn't return so it was just me and my faithful cohorts R and J. J learned the primary slip jig despite protesting that she's always hated the dance, and they both almost got the Blackbird step.

As far as my challenges go I did indeed go over Job (only in trainers as my feet were complaining) but I did it all the way through correctly, and had a few goes of my various jigs as well.

Only one class next week as I'm off to Dublin and the Citywest :) Cannot WAIT!!!

In the meantime, I have GOT to learn that jig stamp combination on my left foot. How hard can it be? Hop da da-da da da, DA. Hop right left-left right left, RIGHT.

Challenges

Oh, I crack myself up. I wrote myself a list of four challenges last week and, to date, have achieved exactly none of them. I keep doing different things instead!

Here's what I wanted to do:
- Finish Job (yes, I'm still on that. No, I haven't tried)
- Learn Garden
- Learn to do a bicycle (I'm going to need to know how to do at least one difficult movement in case I get champs in the teaching section)
- Choreograph a beginner hornpipe

Here's what I actually did:
- Choreographed two steps of a primary slip jig (it's actually very pretty!)
- Completed two music quizzes (both passes but a couple of woeful mistakes. How do you confuse Ace and Deuce with Planxty Drury? Not Davis, Drury?!)
- Choreographed a new heavy jig step

So I guess productive, and at least I'm doing practical work more often now, but if I don't stick to my homework then there are certain things I will put off for ever and ever!

Monday class was cancelled which gave the legs and internal organs a much needed rest. Wednesday class is on as normal tomorrow so I can test out this new heavy jig step which can't be neglected even though it's not on my original list. So the plan for the next week is (incorporating overtime - real life needs to stop getting in my way):

Wednesday - review new slip jig step and heavy jig step. Video record if possible.
Thursday - attempt Job set
Sunday - review Job set, attempt hornpipe
Monday - get to class early to work on bicycles, Job, jig and hornpipe.

Is that enough? Probably not. I'm also trying to write out (well, type) all the tougher ceilis. Mainly the ones with figures, and a couple of others like Lannigan's and Gates, otherwise I'm going to run out of past papers well before my actual exam.

I WILL update on my progress this time next week! If I don't, spam me with comments.

Job of Journeywork

Attempting my third traditional set this week. I was lucky enough to have someone to teach me the step which compared to learning St Pat's and Blackbird from videos was SO VERY EASY. Honestly, if you ever have the choice been videos and a real person, choose the real person every time. There's just no comparison. I have the step committed to memory:

& brush & brush treble in front, hop-treble treble and a back 23 brush treble and a back, hop-treble treble and a back 23 and brush treble and back treble and back 2345 heel heel down step treble and back brush treble-treble and a back.

And now I've found a slowed-down instruction of the set which I hope will be the next bext thing to personal tuition! I especially like the little shriek during one of the rocks :)



So that's my project for this week. I do of course have Olive as well.

Class went well this week although it was just the three of us. It's been just the three of us for some time now which is disappointing. But, they're both really enthusiastic and we steamed through all the beginner dances, polished the primary reel including learning a brand new second step, and then continued to work on St Patrick's Day. I've made up a heavy jig lead and second step to go with my existing first step (which I've changed to be a first instead of a lead) and they actually WORK!

Still no further along with my own dancing/open set dances, and haven't touched a practice paper since last month. Not to worry. I still only have £30 saved towards this exam and hence haven't applied. No rush, I'm telling myself.

This Saturday we have an Irish band playing at the local and they've asked if I can bring a few dancers. I've roped a few guys in - should be a good craic.

Inspired by the All Irelands

I've been watching the live commentary all week. Even when getting ready for a night out, I was listening to the presentation music rather than the more usual MTV. Got some mascara down my face when I saw these two skipping on stage together and laughed in joy at how happy they were. How lovely to have someone to share the moment with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHhFiDgk5wM

I might not have been able to see any of the solo dancing but even some of the rhythm of the sets has given me ideas. What I see in my head is probably not at all what they were doing, but even so; inspiration's inspiration.

And I've looked at the results and I've seen some nice things. "Bridesmaids" finally sitting on top box. Girls who'd done well but gone off the boil suddenly climb back up. Watching live commentary used to make me want to compete again, but this time it makes me want to find some kids, teach them, bring them up. It made me think - how would we handle it if I had a dancer that was always a nearly-man? How would we make that final push? We wouldn't give up, we'd work it out somehow. I just can't wait for all of that.

I need to hone my teaching skills on my adults first. Tonight's was a good class - primary reel, a run through of all the "baby" steps for the other dances, and I even started them off on St Patrick's Day. J has taken to it like a natural; she said she always preferred heavies as a child dancer. They all left saying "I hate it when it's over!" So do I!

Figure failure

Only slight! Here follows my conversation when I got into the house last night:

SO: How was your class tonight?
Me: Oh really good, we got through both figures of the Four-Hand Reel! [reaches for laptop]
SO: What are you up to?
Me: Just checking if I got the first one right...
*watches*
Me: ...I did not.

Cue a round of gentle mocking!

I was nearly right, I just had the wrong dancers making the rings. I knew it didn't feel right as we were dancing it but I'd left my book at home, of course. Here's the video to review.



(They get cute points for having the littlies dance with the big girls. Awww!)

In other news K has finished her light jig - I thought it'd be the easiest one to learn after the reel because it's so repetitive, but with hindsight it's actually quite difficult as you bring the back foot forward every time. It's not exactly a natural thing to do. So I think in future I'll do the "traditional" order - the order I learned them in, the usual feis order. Reel, hop, light, slip. My reel steps worked (made a first step up on the way home from work on Monday), but the heavy jig failed spectacularly. Conclusion? I can make light steps up in my head no problem, but I MUST dance my jig and hornpipe creations before unleashing them on the class. I tend to forget that gravity is a real thing.

Next week: Antrim Reel or Humours of Bandon?

Homework

I set myself some homework for this week.

• Finally finish writing out all my dances on flashcards to go into my pretty and colour co-ordinated box.
• Come up with a first and second step for my beginner heavy jig - one of my girls has got the lead round and is chomping at the bit for more!
• Another practise exam.
• Come up with a primary level reel, or at least a lead round for R.
• Practise outside of class - really need to get these fitness levels up.

Most of it is done! My box is complete although really I don't know why I bothered, I very rarely have a problem remembering the order of the movements for each dance, it's the actual content I sometimes mis-remember.

A heavy jig step came to me in two parts - the first four bars while daydreaming at work on Friday, and the second half while unable to sleep yesterday morning. All my own work as well; not too much trad set plagiarising!

I've actually done not one but three practice exams since my last update. My personal best is 97% (I KNOW!!!) so I was disappointed to score something like 81%, 91% and 86% on them. A pass is a pass and I really should know which order the couples pass under each other's arches in Trip to the Cottage (first figure) by now. Second tops under first tops' arch, then under own arch, first tops under own arch then under second tops' arch. Right? :-/

I came up with a reel lead round while stuck in traffic on the way to work this morning which is quite nice though I do say so myself.

Did I practise? A few run-throughs of the new heavy jig step and one random run-through of St Patrick's Day to get the faster speed into my head. I'm still not used to fast heavy jigs as I never danced a beginner level one myself (I'd done "show" heavy dancing before learning jigs and hornpipes so they put me straight in at a higher level).

Homework for this week is to finally finish learning the Blackbird which I haven't touched since my little meltdown, to PRACTISE, and to start looking at/listening to the music again. Started to neglect that again.

Looking forward to class tonight. I now have four dancers so if they all come I can step out of the four-hand reel and maybe move them on to some other ceilis. And I've had a couple of enquiries from prospective students, one of whom even wants to compete eventually. That's made me think. Should I be a bit harder on them? At my most recent class the teachers were very easy on us. So long as you did the dance it was fine; no mention of turnout or posture, no corrections. Most people were there for fun. But I think with a little work I could get them up to competition standard ready for when I pass - R has already said she's never won a medal at anything in her life so she'd love to give it a go. Maybe I could even do ceili club.

But that would mean me being much harder on them. I'm not sure if that's what they're there for.

Productive weekend

More progress today with some primary and intermediate steps. I guess for open I'm going to have more luck with a slip jig, so if I need an open reel I'll just substitute a bicycle for a lift. I still don't have any heavy steps to teach - I mean obviously I can teach my own jig, but I have nothing for a hornpipe and nothing for beginner or primary. Not even sure how I'd go about choreographing a beginner jig or hornpipe since somehow I never learned one. Plagiarise the trad sets? Who knows. No negativity - I've done well. Even have a lovely sequence for my Downfall which is verrrrry slowly taking shape in my brain. Not bad.

Beginner reels and jigs

Thought it was about time I started thinking about the solo teaching part of the exam. Save for the steps I'm going to dance myself, I have nothing prepped really. So I stuck Dean in the laptop, uploaded him to iTunes, and now have a full beginner reel, hop jig, light jig and slip jig.

The slip jig is very pretty though I say so myself - this one took way longer as I kept getting distracted and making up open-level steps. Oops.

Then I had a slight wobble, because I realised these aren't just the steps I will call upon in the exam if I'm given beginner dancers. These are the steps I will teach in my classes, to my own dancers. These are the steps my future dancers will compete with, win with, and move up with.

Passing the exam is one thing. Being a real teacher with real dancers is quite another.

Going Solo

I'm not sure what I was drinking last night but I'll have to try it again - this morning I've woken up with the germ of idea for a boy's reel step should I have to teach one, and also an idea for a Downfall of Paris opener for my own steps.

This is the only thing I haven't touched yet. It's tough, because I have one class a week in which we don't ever do heavies, and don't really get as far as champ reels and slips. I'm nearly there; one of the girls has said she'll teach me an open slip jig soon...but I already have one. It's definitely heavy practice I need since the exam is weighted so heavily in that direction (nine set dances, why? Why are reels and slips not equally important?), but there's nowhere to dance at home either. When I finally get round to joining the work gym, perhaps there'll be a space in there.

But I'm pleased with myself just for starting to think about this at least!

Lest I forget: Step and click click lift 23 and baby-bicycle turn...I know I want to finish with a heely-heely-heely and double click cut as well. And Downfall; out down entrechat back treble-treble toe stamp.