I'm currently reclining on a sofa at work. I should be working, naturally, but when the boss is away...
What I'm actually doing is furiously typing, so anyone else would of course think I was busy developing strategies or creating content. I'm not. I have a 2 column by 30 row table on the go, with 30 ceilis down the left hand side and an attempt at listing all the movements down the right hand side.
Why?
Because I've been qualified as a TCRG for 1,645 days.
Four years and six months ago.
I've been actively teaching, running my own school, for 1,610 days.
Four years and four months ago.
That means I am technically eligible to sit my ADCRG exam in just eight months' time.
Let's set aside the fact that I've judged a grand total of two class feises since qualifying as a teacher and have never mock-judged a live feis. That will come. Let's start celebrating the facts that:
- There's no longer a dancing element of the ADCRG exam (mixed feelings about this)
- I can remember every single set dance tune (though the counts would need work)
- I can remember the name of every ceili and almost all of the movements
- I am fully competent in the use of a calculator and understand the grid system
- The phrase "I can talk my way out of a paper bag" possibly applies here - I fear the interview, but I know I'm articulate.
I want to approach the ADCRG the same way as I approach the TCRG - which is incredibly secretively, at my own pace, and in competition with myself.
Secretively - why would you set yourself up to have to tell a load of hopeful faces that you failed? Better to surprise than disappoint.
At my own pace - I'm not even applying until I'm ready. I wouldn't thrive on the pressure of a looming deadline and not being ready, and it'll take me that long to save up for it anyway.
In competition with myself - this is Monica-esque. I want better marks in each progressive practice exam; I want better marks in my ceili written and music than I did in the TCRG. (I got 95% and 99% respectively). That's actually why I have mixed feelings about the dancing part but I might blog separately about that.
For now, welcome back. I hope that while this blog has been sitting dormant, someone has happened upon it, and I hope it's been helpful to someone other than me.
Back to the last couple of ceilis in my table, and then I suppose I could do a bit of work...
Showing posts with label musing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musing. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 July 2018
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, 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.
Monday, 10 December 2012
It's results time
Prefacing this with two things - I'm not even sure if the Glasgow results were discussed at the weekend's meeting, and secondly I've convinced myself I've failed anyway as much as I would love to have passed.
I didn't expect to be nervous at all at results time. Even before the exam I knew it was highly unlikely that I'd pass first time so I didn't think I would get worked up about an email. When I was competing, waiting for the results was my favourite bit - it was all out of my hands and there was still a bit of hope, whereas after the results there'd just be disappointment and shrugging.
It's just real now, isn't it? When the exam was still in the future, it was the main thing. I was focusing on the exam itself, not what came after. Now that the exam is in the past, the results are the main thing. Because what comes after the results could vary so wildly. I could be setting up my classes, or I could be frantically trying to save to retake. I could be emailing in another application form, or I could be emailing in...well, whatever forms you need to fill in to make it official. I don't even know if you need to!
Everytime I look at Hotmail and there's an email, my heart jumps and flutters. So far it's either been spam or my dad!
Yes, it's real now. I might have convinced myself that I've failed but while I wait, there's still that hope. Just like when I was dancing - I might have known I'd not danced very well, but there was still the hope that I wouldn't come last. I just don't know how I'll feelif when if I see 'unsuccessful' in writing, in black and white, clear as day.
Either way, one thing is for sure.
If I fail, I'm trying again. At the earliest opportunity.
If I pass, I'm going to be a teacher. I am going to set up a class.
I didn't expect to be nervous at all at results time. Even before the exam I knew it was highly unlikely that I'd pass first time so I didn't think I would get worked up about an email. When I was competing, waiting for the results was my favourite bit - it was all out of my hands and there was still a bit of hope, whereas after the results there'd just be disappointment and shrugging.
It's just real now, isn't it? When the exam was still in the future, it was the main thing. I was focusing on the exam itself, not what came after. Now that the exam is in the past, the results are the main thing. Because what comes after the results could vary so wildly. I could be setting up my classes, or I could be frantically trying to save to retake. I could be emailing in another application form, or I could be emailing in...well, whatever forms you need to fill in to make it official. I don't even know if you need to!
Everytime I look at Hotmail and there's an email, my heart jumps and flutters. So far it's either been spam or my dad!
Yes, it's real now. I might have convinced myself that I've failed but while I wait, there's still that hope. Just like when I was dancing - I might have known I'd not danced very well, but there was still the hope that I wouldn't come last. I just don't know how I'll feel
Either way, one thing is for sure.
If I fail, I'm trying again. At the earliest opportunity.
If I pass, I'm going to be a teacher. I am going to set up a class.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
18 days later
I never thought I'd reach this point. I never thought I'd actually get to the point after the exam. Well - I did it. What's there to say really? I'm kind of reluctant to write about the experience, to be honest. I've already done so, by hand in a notebook as I travelled home, but I almost don't want to type it all out. Oh, I've told the story many a time and I've relived it in my sleep many a time, but when I type I go into much more detail and I don't want to. Not yet.
Suffice it to say, I won't be surprised in the least if I don't pass. By that I actually mean I won't be surprised if I have to repeat the whole thing and fail it outright, rather than retaking just one or two sections. I think I did well where I'd expected to do poorly, but I let nerves get the better of me when I thought I'd be fine. I was sick on occasion, went blank, panicked, cried. (Not all of that in the exam room, you understand). Although when I got into the lift after my dancing exam, I was beaming, and when I got to my room, I literally yelled "YES!" Because I did it.
Teaching - it's bitterly disappointing because I know that I know what I'm doing, I know I can lilt all those tunes and teach the dances correctly, I knew the steps, I would have done better. If I wasn't so crippled with nerves. I just wasn't able to show them what I'm really like and what I really know, and that hurts.
I'm allowing myself to fantasise about passing and get excited about opening classes, because deep down I know how highly unlikely it is.
I've only made it to class once since, and haven't practised on my own or anything of the sort. I've learnt Jockey to the Fair on the assumption I'll need the "new" traditional sets on my retake, although I haven't danced it yet. I'm still in the bubble of dance, going to the qualifiers and watching the parades, but I'm not so in there as I was before. I'm allowing myself to relax and enjoy the festive season, and then we'll start back up in January.
If indeed I do have to retake the entire exam, I won't be able to afford it until winter 2013. If I only need to do one section, I might be able to swing Limerick if places are still available.
But I'm just refusing to think about it at the moment.
Merry Christmas (eventually...) to all, and to all a good night.
Suffice it to say, I won't be surprised in the least if I don't pass. By that I actually mean I won't be surprised if I have to repeat the whole thing and fail it outright, rather than retaking just one or two sections. I think I did well where I'd expected to do poorly, but I let nerves get the better of me when I thought I'd be fine. I was sick on occasion, went blank, panicked, cried. (Not all of that in the exam room, you understand). Although when I got into the lift after my dancing exam, I was beaming, and when I got to my room, I literally yelled "YES!" Because I did it.
Teaching - it's bitterly disappointing because I know that I know what I'm doing, I know I can lilt all those tunes and teach the dances correctly, I knew the steps, I would have done better. If I wasn't so crippled with nerves. I just wasn't able to show them what I'm really like and what I really know, and that hurts.
I'm allowing myself to fantasise about passing and get excited about opening classes, because deep down I know how highly unlikely it is.
I've only made it to class once since, and haven't practised on my own or anything of the sort. I've learnt Jockey to the Fair on the assumption I'll need the "new" traditional sets on my retake, although I haven't danced it yet. I'm still in the bubble of dance, going to the qualifiers and watching the parades, but I'm not so in there as I was before. I'm allowing myself to relax and enjoy the festive season, and then we'll start back up in January.
If indeed I do have to retake the entire exam, I won't be able to afford it until winter 2013. If I only need to do one section, I might be able to swing Limerick if places are still available.
But I'm just refusing to think about it at the moment.
Merry Christmas (eventually...) to all, and to all a good night.
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Run through
Let's dial back the panicking a little and have a run through of where I'm at. You never know, it might not be as bad as I think. I shall work through what I know and what I don't, in rough TCRG exam order. You'll notice that some things are in colour - I added that at the end of typing the post, so see the end for an explanation.
- Hop jig and light jig: On the very unlikely offchance that I have to dance either of these, no problem. Got full dances at both standard and intermediate level to choose from.
- Slip jig: I'm 100% decided on my second step. First step, not sure yet but again I have lots to choose from. As with my reel steps, I just need to give them a dance through and see which ones feel best - I've been thinking about them all morning.
Heavies
- Heavy jig: Unsure. One step I can definitely use with a tweak (remove drum rolls). Two or more steps that I can use with a couple of tweaks, and an idea for a completely new step. It's doable, anyway - jig is my stronger heavy dance.
- Hornpipe: No clue. I have two steps, but the timing isn't what I'm used to - a little syncopated here and there, and frankly at this point I think it's a waste of time trying to figure it out. I think I'd be better served using them as a base and coming up with fixes. I think I have enough nice flourishes in my hornpipe sets to prove I can do the rhythm, let's go simpler for the solo steps.
Traditional sets
- St Patrick's Day - no problems, brush up.
- Blackbird - as above.
- Job of Journeywork - not tooooo bad, need to work out what foot I'm meant to be on and practise it more so that I'm not making a small mistake each time, but it'll get there.
- Garden of Daisies - I started learning this from a friend. No, let's be honest, she taught me all of it but I haven't thought about it since so I can only remember tiny bits of it. I literally need to relearn this.
Modern sets
- White Blankets - it needs a tweak because I accidentally repeated part of the set in the step of Blue Eyed, so it'll be easier to fix in this dance. I need to make sure I don't mess up that toe-cut-down sequence.
- Fiddler Round the Fairy Tree - it's ok, if I remember not to jump-treble into the left foot of the step, because that's not what it is. The set is quite strong, for me.
- Blue Eyed Rascal - need to get my feet quicker at the very end, and make sure I don't go off time after the walkover clicks. Not too bad.
- Rub the Bag - needs a few run throughs, but not bad. Passable.
- Planxty Drury - Confident on the step, need more run throughs on the set. I can do each part, I just haven't practised it much all put together.
- The Piper - really not sure about this one at all. I'm not sure the set works, it might need re-choreographing. Perhaps I was just having a bad day but one of the treble sequences that I seriously over-used in this dance was not happening at ALL. Faster feet.
- Miss Brown's Fancy - Step should be fine. Set needs to be danced as I've choreographed but not run through it yet, but it should fit and be ok.
That leaves one more set of each timing. Short is king so I'm thinking Rodney's Glory, just to throw a 2/4 in there really, and then I need to pick a jig. I was thinking Hurry the Jug - then I thought Hurling Boys as it's two bars shorter (I know...) and then I thought, why the heck not just call it a day and go for Sprig of Shillelagh?! I'll see. I might be able to borrow from a friends.
^ Seriously, how huge is that section?!?!
- Hop and light jigs - fine, see own dancing above.
- Slip jigs: Beginner, primary, intermediate/prelim steps all ready to go. Open steps...it depends what they class as open steps. Some dances these days, even ones that win championships, are incredibly straightforward - just danced very nicely indeed. Need to give this one a bit more thought. I love slip jigs and I dance them well, I just haven't come up with one that I really like in ages.
- Heavy jigs: I've got beginner, or I've got prelim level girls steps. No in-betweenies, nothing really boy-style. I could chop down some of my jig sets to work as an open-ish level jig set, and I've learnt some quite complicated rhythm bits recently which I hope will be seen as difficult enough for open.
- Hornpipe: Kinda same as the above. Nothing that's really suitable for primary, nothing for a boy. Again, I could use set steps. More thought.
Humours of Bandon - just about.
Haste to the Wedding - I usually go straight to part b, but I'm getting there with part a.
Three Tunes - I'm GREAT with the repeated bits (the tunes that correspond with Rings, Stamp & Clap, and the Roly Poly). I'm not so hot on the first part of each tune.
St Patrick's Day - I think it would be quite bad if I wasn't confident on this one.
Trip to the Cottage - I think I've just sung it in my head...I'd need to listen and check though.
Lannigan's Ball - strangely, this is the one I'm most confident on.
Rakes of Mallow - although I'm quite confident on this one as well.
Sweets of May - I sometimes trip myself up on part a, but part b (the body tune) is fine. Especially Ringing the Bells!
Now, are we supposed to know the Quaker's Wife even though it only says it's the favourite tune for the Gates of Derry? I suppose it's one of those unwritten things.
I've just typed all this out, which is I'm sure horrible boring for anyone foolish enough to have read this from beginning to end...! I shall now go through and highlight areas for work. Red for serious work and amber for meh...a bit. If it's not in colour then it doesn't mean I'm going to ignore it, it's just not an immediate priority.
Whether I choose to add anything further to this post depends wholly on how colourful it ends up being...
I guess it wasn't THAT bad. It's definitely not going to pass itself, though.
Ceili written
Absolutely no concerns. I know I can pass this, and that I can pass it well. I'm keeping up with my past papers (scoring above 90% on the majority), I've danced/taught most of them in class, I keep reading the book, I keep watching the videos. Here, I'm confident.
Music
Likewise, no concerns. I listen to the sets often - sometimes just identifying the tune in my head before looking down to check and then skipping to the next tune, sometimes listening to them in full, sometimes doing a full-on quiz where I have to write the bars and so on as well. I generally get 100%, although I do have to count Garden and Job. I don't think I'll have any trouble identifying the solo tunes (reel, slip jig, hop jig, jeavy jig, hornpipe, right?)
Own dancing
- Reel: I'm 100% decided on one of the steps I'll dance if asked. I have a selection of others, none of which I'm completely happy with, but there are lots to choose from.- Hop jig and light jig: On the very unlikely offchance that I have to dance either of these, no problem. Got full dances at both standard and intermediate level to choose from.
- Slip jig: I'm 100% decided on my second step. First step, not sure yet but again I have lots to choose from. As with my reel steps, I just need to give them a dance through and see which ones feel best - I've been thinking about them all morning.
Heavies
- Heavy jig: Unsure. One step I can definitely use with a tweak (remove drum rolls). Two or more steps that I can use with a couple of tweaks, and an idea for a completely new step. It's doable, anyway - jig is my stronger heavy dance.
- Hornpipe: No clue. I have two steps, but the timing isn't what I'm used to - a little syncopated here and there, and frankly at this point I think it's a waste of time trying to figure it out. I think I'd be better served using them as a base and coming up with fixes. I think I have enough nice flourishes in my hornpipe sets to prove I can do the rhythm, let's go simpler for the solo steps.
Traditional sets
- St Patrick's Day - no problems, brush up.
- Blackbird - as above.
- Job of Journeywork - not tooooo bad, need to work out what foot I'm meant to be on and practise it more so that I'm not making a small mistake each time, but it'll get there.
- Garden of Daisies - I started learning this from a friend. No, let's be honest, she taught me all of it but I haven't thought about it since so I can only remember tiny bits of it. I literally need to relearn this.
Modern sets
- White Blankets - it needs a tweak because I accidentally repeated part of the set in the step of Blue Eyed, so it'll be easier to fix in this dance. I need to make sure I don't mess up that toe-cut-down sequence.
- Fiddler Round the Fairy Tree - it's ok, if I remember not to jump-treble into the left foot of the step, because that's not what it is. The set is quite strong, for me.
- Blue Eyed Rascal - need to get my feet quicker at the very end, and make sure I don't go off time after the walkover clicks. Not too bad.
- Rub the Bag - needs a few run throughs, but not bad. Passable.
- Planxty Drury - Confident on the step, need more run throughs on the set. I can do each part, I just haven't practised it much all put together.
- The Piper - really not sure about this one at all. I'm not sure the set works, it might need re-choreographing. Perhaps I was just having a bad day but one of the treble sequences that I seriously over-used in this dance was not happening at ALL. Faster feet.
- Miss Brown's Fancy - Step should be fine. Set needs to be danced as I've choreographed but not run through it yet, but it should fit and be ok.
That leaves one more set of each timing. Short is king so I'm thinking Rodney's Glory, just to throw a 2/4 in there really, and then I need to pick a jig. I was thinking Hurry the Jug - then I thought Hurling Boys as it's two bars shorter (I know...) and then I thought, why the heck not just call it a day and go for Sprig of Shillelagh?! I'll see. I might be able to borrow from a friends.
^ Seriously, how huge is that section?!?!
Solo teaching
- Reels: Beginner, primary, intermediate/prelim steps all ready to go. LOADS to choose from. I've got an open reel or two in my head for both girls and boys, but again I will need to dance them to make sure they fit.- Hop and light jigs - fine, see own dancing above.
- Slip jigs: Beginner, primary, intermediate/prelim steps all ready to go. Open steps...it depends what they class as open steps. Some dances these days, even ones that win championships, are incredibly straightforward - just danced very nicely indeed. Need to give this one a bit more thought. I love slip jigs and I dance them well, I just haven't come up with one that I really like in ages.
- Heavy jigs: I've got beginner, or I've got prelim level girls steps. No in-betweenies, nothing really boy-style. I could chop down some of my jig sets to work as an open-ish level jig set, and I've learnt some quite complicated rhythm bits recently which I hope will be seen as difficult enough for open.
- Hornpipe: Kinda same as the above. Nothing that's really suitable for primary, nothing for a boy. Again, I could use set steps. More thought.
Ceili teaching
I'm fairly relaxed about this. I want to take in bracelets or something to differentiate between boys and girls, and I think I could keep 8 kids straight. For both teaching exams, I'm ok at lilting now. I even lilt to chart songs sometimes, without thinking?! I need to brush up on the ceili tunes, though. I recognise them all when played, but they're not going to be. I need to get better at just remembering them and being able to lilt them straight off. Where are we...Humours of Bandon - just about.
Haste to the Wedding - I usually go straight to part b, but I'm getting there with part a.
Three Tunes - I'm GREAT with the repeated bits (the tunes that correspond with Rings, Stamp & Clap, and the Roly Poly). I'm not so hot on the first part of each tune.
St Patrick's Day - I think it would be quite bad if I wasn't confident on this one.
Trip to the Cottage - I think I've just sung it in my head...I'd need to listen and check though.
Lannigan's Ball - strangely, this is the one I'm most confident on.
Rakes of Mallow - although I'm quite confident on this one as well.
Sweets of May - I sometimes trip myself up on part a, but part b (the body tune) is fine. Especially Ringing the Bells!
Now, are we supposed to know the Quaker's Wife even though it only says it's the favourite tune for the Gates of Derry? I suppose it's one of those unwritten things.
I've just typed all this out, which is I'm sure horrible boring for anyone foolish enough to have read this from beginning to end...! I shall now go through and highlight areas for work. Red for serious work and amber for meh...a bit. If it's not in colour then it doesn't mean I'm going to ignore it, it's just not an immediate priority.
Whether I choose to add anything further to this post depends wholly on how colourful it ends up being...
I guess it wasn't THAT bad. It's definitely not going to pass itself, though.
Monday, 10 September 2012
66
Sixty-six days to go. This number appeals to me for some reason. It might prove to be the day I actually get revved up and start really working - not just start working, but sustain it all the way through until Glasgow.
The Toronto candidates are waiting for their results, and might hear this week. That kind of inspires my choice of dancing art today:
If I'd painted this (which I didn't, this talented person did), I probably would have called it "Relief". Two rounds over - out of her hands. Nerves conquered. All that's left now is to wait, and perhaps have a hopeful run through of her set. I guess regardless of the result for Toronto candidates, it will be a relief to finally know. TCRG or not, one retake or all. Open a school or open ARF again. One way or the other, it'll be good to know.
So with sixty-six days to go before I even start the exam, let alone sit waiting for results, how am I doing?
The writtens I could, as ever, probably do in my sleep. I think ceili teaching will be ok if I can control my nerves and to be honest, by that point, the worst of it will be over. I'm actually really grateful, thinking about it, for the set-up of the exam. I get to start with my strongest sections and hopefully give myself a confidence boost.
For dancing, I'm almost feeling quietly confident. I know I have good rhythm and I can do a couple of tricks and rhythm sections that will, hopefully, make my steps passable. I still have sets to choreograph, my other sets need tidying, but I'm less negative about this than I have been.
Solo teaching is still a worry. I have no idea what I'll do if they give me an open champ boy and tell me to teach him a hornpipe. Hornpipe is my weakest dance and all the steps I have are very much girls steps. I need to stop panicking about this and ask for help. I do have boys reels options though which I think would be difficult enough for a champ boy. Skater turn, couple of clicks, stamp a bit, done. I guess I'm just kind of assuming that I'll get champ-ish level girls, because most people seem to. I'd die of relief if I was asked to teach a primary reel! Or a light jig!
I'm not under the impression I'll pass first time, but I'm really really hoping that it'll be two sections at most to repeat.
The Toronto candidates are waiting for their results, and might hear this week. That kind of inspires my choice of dancing art today:
If I'd painted this (which I didn't, this talented person did), I probably would have called it "Relief". Two rounds over - out of her hands. Nerves conquered. All that's left now is to wait, and perhaps have a hopeful run through of her set. I guess regardless of the result for Toronto candidates, it will be a relief to finally know. TCRG or not, one retake or all. Open a school or open ARF again. One way or the other, it'll be good to know.
So with sixty-six days to go before I even start the exam, let alone sit waiting for results, how am I doing?
The writtens I could, as ever, probably do in my sleep. I think ceili teaching will be ok if I can control my nerves and to be honest, by that point, the worst of it will be over. I'm actually really grateful, thinking about it, for the set-up of the exam. I get to start with my strongest sections and hopefully give myself a confidence boost.
For dancing, I'm almost feeling quietly confident. I know I have good rhythm and I can do a couple of tricks and rhythm sections that will, hopefully, make my steps passable. I still have sets to choreograph, my other sets need tidying, but I'm less negative about this than I have been.
Solo teaching is still a worry. I have no idea what I'll do if they give me an open champ boy and tell me to teach him a hornpipe. Hornpipe is my weakest dance and all the steps I have are very much girls steps. I need to stop panicking about this and ask for help. I do have boys reels options though which I think would be difficult enough for a champ boy. Skater turn, couple of clicks, stamp a bit, done. I guess I'm just kind of assuming that I'll get champ-ish level girls, because most people seem to. I'd die of relief if I was asked to teach a primary reel! Or a light jig!
I'm not under the impression I'll pass first time, but I'm really really hoping that it'll be two sections at most to repeat.
Friday, 10 February 2012
Remembering
Just now, for some reason, I remembered something I'd done four or five years ago. I was at work, at my old job which had a terrific view of a car park from the window, and I was daydreaming about going back to dancing. I'd been out for a while but I still kept up with all the results, still went to the odd feis with friends, still loved it of course. Danced around the house. I thought, maybe I'm too old to be a dancer now. I couldn't afford the dresses and travel now that I'm a grown-up with no support from the parents. I pushed the idea to one side but for the rest of the week, looking out at that car park and daydreaming, a different idea began to form in my mind.
Why couldn't I take the TCRG? Isn't that what I'd always wanted anyway? I knew I'd never be a world champion, but I'd idly fantasised about teaching my own. I decided yes, I'll do it. I remember opening the syllabus on clrg.ie, reading it and making a mental checklist of the huge amount of work I'd have to do. I remember going back to it every 15 minutes throughout the morning, reading and re-reading, until lunchtime when I could furtively print it out. Two copies. I read it again, highlighting one copy with things I knew (green) and things I would still have to learn (pink). My pink highlighter began to look tired. I stacked up all the sheets very neatly and placed them in a file on my desk. I forgot to take the file home. It sat there for a week, maybe two, before I remembered it. With a sigh, I opened the file and put all the papers face-down in my recycling bin. It was too hard. I couldn't do it on my own. Who was I kidding? I would never pass. I would never be a teacher.
I can't think what has caused this memory to push to the surface - out of all the other things I could be remembering, why is it this? Over the years I've held back from doing a lot of things out of fear and lack of confidence. Even recently - with my first solo Saturday class - I was initially terrified. Why? I know what dancing is, I've done it before, I can do it to a fairly competent level, I knew some of the people that were going to be there. Why so scared? I know, I have always known, that it's just the build-up that frightens me. The actual event itself, not so bad. My first solo class was great, even though I was dying after the warm-up and breathing out every available orifice. But this is a different one. I'm actually fairly sure I wouldn't have passed the TCRG if I'd've attempted it five years ago.
No big events really happened in between printing out all those papers, and then actually beginning my study for real in April 2010 (that long ago?!). No major life-changing occurences, no epiphanies, no angels visiting me in the night. But there definitely has been a gradual change in me, with the love for dancing remaining the constant. I'm more patient, both with others and myself. Now, I can explain the rising step fourteen different ways to try and help a dancer get it. Then, I'm sure I would have got us both frustrated. I'm more personable. I'm sure this is a confidence issue, but I now have the capability to be encouraging, even warm and friendly as opposed to polite and shy. Those are personal things that will make me a better teacher.
I watch and appraise dancing more analytically now. For example I never struggled with timing myself, but I never really noticed when someone was just slightly off time, but I can now. I can not only spot little faults in dancers, but can actually come up with reasons why they're doing it, and fixes for it. I'm sure before I would have noticed something wrong, but short of saying 'work on posture' or 'practice crossing' I'm not sure I could have offered a dancer more guidance. Now I can say, if you do x, you'll correct y. You only do x when you're doing y, so let's look at y. Too much algebra there I'm sure, but I am starting to think I can do it, and do it reasonably well.
So in a way, I'm glad that I put all those papers face-down in my recycling bin. I wasn't up to the job then, and I feel like I'm getting close to it now.
Why couldn't I take the TCRG? Isn't that what I'd always wanted anyway? I knew I'd never be a world champion, but I'd idly fantasised about teaching my own. I decided yes, I'll do it. I remember opening the syllabus on clrg.ie, reading it and making a mental checklist of the huge amount of work I'd have to do. I remember going back to it every 15 minutes throughout the morning, reading and re-reading, until lunchtime when I could furtively print it out. Two copies. I read it again, highlighting one copy with things I knew (green) and things I would still have to learn (pink). My pink highlighter began to look tired. I stacked up all the sheets very neatly and placed them in a file on my desk. I forgot to take the file home. It sat there for a week, maybe two, before I remembered it. With a sigh, I opened the file and put all the papers face-down in my recycling bin. It was too hard. I couldn't do it on my own. Who was I kidding? I would never pass. I would never be a teacher.
I can't think what has caused this memory to push to the surface - out of all the other things I could be remembering, why is it this? Over the years I've held back from doing a lot of things out of fear and lack of confidence. Even recently - with my first solo Saturday class - I was initially terrified. Why? I know what dancing is, I've done it before, I can do it to a fairly competent level, I knew some of the people that were going to be there. Why so scared? I know, I have always known, that it's just the build-up that frightens me. The actual event itself, not so bad. My first solo class was great, even though I was dying after the warm-up and breathing out every available orifice. But this is a different one. I'm actually fairly sure I wouldn't have passed the TCRG if I'd've attempted it five years ago.
No big events really happened in between printing out all those papers, and then actually beginning my study for real in April 2010 (that long ago?!). No major life-changing occurences, no epiphanies, no angels visiting me in the night. But there definitely has been a gradual change in me, with the love for dancing remaining the constant. I'm more patient, both with others and myself. Now, I can explain the rising step fourteen different ways to try and help a dancer get it. Then, I'm sure I would have got us both frustrated. I'm more personable. I'm sure this is a confidence issue, but I now have the capability to be encouraging, even warm and friendly as opposed to polite and shy. Those are personal things that will make me a better teacher.
I watch and appraise dancing more analytically now. For example I never struggled with timing myself, but I never really noticed when someone was just slightly off time, but I can now. I can not only spot little faults in dancers, but can actually come up with reasons why they're doing it, and fixes for it. I'm sure before I would have noticed something wrong, but short of saying 'work on posture' or 'practice crossing' I'm not sure I could have offered a dancer more guidance. Now I can say, if you do x, you'll correct y. You only do x when you're doing y, so let's look at y. Too much algebra there I'm sure, but I am starting to think I can do it, and do it reasonably well.
So in a way, I'm glad that I put all those papers face-down in my recycling bin. I wasn't up to the job then, and I feel like I'm getting close to it now.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Watching and learning
My 100th post... :)
I'm getting better at watching dancers and identifying faults, weaknesses, and things to work on. To be a good teacher you have to be part-adjudicator, because you need to see things through an ADCRG's eyes. You have to train yourself to spot tiny little errors and small flashes of brilliance that poke through a full performance and could mean an extra 0.5 marks here, minus 0.25 marks there. It could be the difference between qualifying or not. I'm starting to be able to work out why dancers have these faults and where they come from. Why does she go off time there? Oh, because she leans back a touch which alters her trebling position. I feel like I could make constructive criticism.
I've also seen proof that the position of the adjudicator can have a huge effect on your mark. When people say "maybe judge A missed something that the others didn't", a lot of people think that must be just an excuse for an inconsistent set of marks. But if you watch a small competition you really learn how true it is - if you dance steps weakly on your right foot in front of the adjudicator on the right, then there's no escape - but even in your set, when you're alone on stage, it might not come across to the middle adjudicator and most likely won't to the left adjudicator.
There's no way I can express how much my enthusiasm for dancing spikes after just an hour or so at a feis. I've been down on myself and mostly negative this year since the Worlds, and it's because I haven't been to a feis since the Worlds! I must make sure I'm never too busy to go along again. The inspiration from the steps, the things you can learn just by watching - even if I stick with steps that were fashionable back when I was competing, watching more dancers is only going to helpful both for the TCRG exam, where I have to find faults to correct in a stranger's dancing, and in the long run. There are no more competitions anywhere near me for the rest of the year but come January, my car will become the Feis Mobile and I shall honk because I love Irish dancing.
I'm getting better at watching dancers and identifying faults, weaknesses, and things to work on. To be a good teacher you have to be part-adjudicator, because you need to see things through an ADCRG's eyes. You have to train yourself to spot tiny little errors and small flashes of brilliance that poke through a full performance and could mean an extra 0.5 marks here, minus 0.25 marks there. It could be the difference between qualifying or not. I'm starting to be able to work out why dancers have these faults and where they come from. Why does she go off time there? Oh, because she leans back a touch which alters her trebling position. I feel like I could make constructive criticism.
I've also seen proof that the position of the adjudicator can have a huge effect on your mark. When people say "maybe judge A missed something that the others didn't", a lot of people think that must be just an excuse for an inconsistent set of marks. But if you watch a small competition you really learn how true it is - if you dance steps weakly on your right foot in front of the adjudicator on the right, then there's no escape - but even in your set, when you're alone on stage, it might not come across to the middle adjudicator and most likely won't to the left adjudicator.
There's no way I can express how much my enthusiasm for dancing spikes after just an hour or so at a feis. I've been down on myself and mostly negative this year since the Worlds, and it's because I haven't been to a feis since the Worlds! I must make sure I'm never too busy to go along again. The inspiration from the steps, the things you can learn just by watching - even if I stick with steps that were fashionable back when I was competing, watching more dancers is only going to helpful both for the TCRG exam, where I have to find faults to correct in a stranger's dancing, and in the long run. There are no more competitions anywhere near me for the rest of the year but come January, my car will become the Feis Mobile and I shall honk because I love Irish dancing.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Revision schedule
I know, I know. I only ever do the booksmarts. But I'm really quite enthusiastic about doing the TMRF, in as few as 8 months if at all possible (ie if there is a May exam in Britain/Ireland and if it hasn't filled up yet). So I might just as well revise.
Tonight I'm going to concentrate on my workouts - more and more I'm learning that everything in the body is linked, and my physio has given me some core and glutes routines to do which will help support my knees and ankles, and in turn put less pressure on my arches. So I'm going to give that a real concerted effort tonight because the sooner I get into the swing of it then the sooner I'll see the benefits and hopefully we'll be starting to do some solo soon at class (meaning a second class per week, I hope).
On Thursday evening I plan to write out all the basic ceili information - so, name of dance, formation, music type and tune if appropriate, list the movement names including repeats, the duration of each movement and of the whole dance. Then I'm going to start at the beginning and write them out in full, and I shall do at least one per day until I'm through the entire book. Hopefully there won't be too many mistakes - if there are I'll try those ones again, and finally when I'm happy I'll start doing some practice exams as well.
If I feel like a need a break from ceili I pledge to put my iPod on a do a music quiz (not on the TMRF but it doesn't hurt to refresh) rather than playing games or whatever.
You know, I'm still not sure whether I want to be a teacher, not with my very own school anyway. I'm very much a follower, not a leader. Perhaps I could join someone else's school, if they'd have me, and do exactly what they told me to do. But in any case I really, really, really want these qualifications. I would like to run a feis and help out at other people's. I would like dancing to be a bigger part of my life. Not with any lofty goals of producing 6 World Champs every year (I don't know how they do it, amazing). But just because I love it, and for no other reason.
Tonight I'm going to concentrate on my workouts - more and more I'm learning that everything in the body is linked, and my physio has given me some core and glutes routines to do which will help support my knees and ankles, and in turn put less pressure on my arches. So I'm going to give that a real concerted effort tonight because the sooner I get into the swing of it then the sooner I'll see the benefits and hopefully we'll be starting to do some solo soon at class (meaning a second class per week, I hope).
On Thursday evening I plan to write out all the basic ceili information - so, name of dance, formation, music type and tune if appropriate, list the movement names including repeats, the duration of each movement and of the whole dance. Then I'm going to start at the beginning and write them out in full, and I shall do at least one per day until I'm through the entire book. Hopefully there won't be too many mistakes - if there are I'll try those ones again, and finally when I'm happy I'll start doing some practice exams as well.
If I feel like a need a break from ceili I pledge to put my iPod on a do a music quiz (not on the TMRF but it doesn't hurt to refresh) rather than playing games or whatever.
You know, I'm still not sure whether I want to be a teacher, not with my very own school anyway. I'm very much a follower, not a leader. Perhaps I could join someone else's school, if they'd have me, and do exactly what they told me to do. But in any case I really, really, really want these qualifications. I would like to run a feis and help out at other people's. I would like dancing to be a bigger part of my life. Not with any lofty goals of producing 6 World Champs every year (I don't know how they do it, amazing). But just because I love it, and for no other reason.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
I love Irish dancing.
I do. I love it, I genuinely love it.
So why is this so hard? Why have I done nothing for weeks?
It's always come back to me before. I so hope it comes back to me this time. I'm trying. I watched a few slip jigs on YouTube earlier, so beautiful - Rebecca Reed from the SRO. And some beautiful reels - Sarah Oldam from this year's NAN. I think I need to see some dancing live again, it's been a while. I love it so much. Why do I let it slip away from me?
So why is this so hard? Why have I done nothing for weeks?
It's always come back to me before. I so hope it comes back to me this time. I'm trying. I watched a few slip jigs on YouTube earlier, so beautiful - Rebecca Reed from the SRO. And some beautiful reels - Sarah Oldam from this year's NAN. I think I need to see some dancing live again, it's been a while. I love it so much. Why do I let it slip away from me?
Friday, 20 May 2011
TMRF
I'm considering it. I know it doesn't count towards the TCRG, and I know that all I'm doing is adding another nearly €400 to my bill.
But on the other hand, why not? I honestly believe I could pass the TMRF if I took it right this minute. I know that book - I KNOW IT. Who knows if I'll ever be confident enough in my dancing ability to take the TCRG? Who knows if I'll ever be fit and injury-free enough to put in the practice required to get to an exam-worthy standard? Wouldn't it be better just to get a qualification under my belt?
There must be plenty of people who've done the TMRF and then gone on to take the TCRG. Many years ago, I read an interview with Owen McAuley (formerly Setanta, now Haughey-McAuley). He took the TMRF - indeed, he took all three.
The main reason I'm putting this exam off is because of my own dancing. If I managed to get into the Glasgow exam for the TMRF, I could still put in for the May exam in 2012 and do solos. Perhaps. And when it came to the full TCRG, I'd already know what to expect of the exam process so I wouldn't be so nervous.
How beautifully ironic that, as a former dancer who never really taught before and never did ceili before, it's the dancing section that's causing me the most grief.
But on the other hand, why not? I honestly believe I could pass the TMRF if I took it right this minute. I know that book - I KNOW IT. Who knows if I'll ever be confident enough in my dancing ability to take the TCRG? Who knows if I'll ever be fit and injury-free enough to put in the practice required to get to an exam-worthy standard? Wouldn't it be better just to get a qualification under my belt?
There must be plenty of people who've done the TMRF and then gone on to take the TCRG. Many years ago, I read an interview with Owen McAuley (formerly Setanta, now Haughey-McAuley). He took the TMRF - indeed, he took all three.
The main reason I'm putting this exam off is because of my own dancing. If I managed to get into the Glasgow exam for the TMRF, I could still put in for the May exam in 2012 and do solos. Perhaps. And when it came to the full TCRG, I'd already know what to expect of the exam process so I wouldn't be so nervous.
How beautifully ironic that, as a former dancer who never really taught before and never did ceili before, it's the dancing section that's causing me the most grief.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
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.
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.
Monday, 28 February 2011
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!
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!
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Patience is a virtue
Patience is a virtue, so the saying goes. It's a phrase I've often used to gently mock the frustrated or the over-excited, knowing full well that I'm incredibly impatient myself. At least I thought I was. As I get older I find myself slowing down a little bit. Or rather, trying to make life slow down so I can have a longer ride. The knock-on effect must be that I'm mellowing.
I remember attempting to assistant-teach for a previous instructor. I didn't know what to do with myself or my mixed-ability group. How to handle a new beginner with a smart mouth, who insists he's doing everything right and needs to be taught the Michael Flatley steps now please? How to get the prelims and champs, who I'd always danced alongside, to suddenly accept me as a teacher and not think that being put in my group was an excuse for a mess-around. The groups I was given got smaller and smaller and eventually I was phased out. I think I was frightened to show any authority. I felt too shy to stand up in front of them and tell them what to do. In hindsight I was being tested and I failed.
I'm a different person now. I must be. Last night my mixed-ability group told me I was a very good teacher, and very patient. Patient? Me? How did that happen? Where did that come from?
My achilles are aching and will do for some days to come, but I'm taking so much away from those comments. I've still got to learn how to be a teacher, of course, but now I know that I at least have some of the right attributes to build on. I'm learning how to explain things in a hundred different ways until suddenly you see it click in their brain and their feet do the right thing. I'm learning to encourage without being false. I think I'm learning how to make it fun.
I'm starting to think I might be able to do it.
I remember attempting to assistant-teach for a previous instructor. I didn't know what to do with myself or my mixed-ability group. How to handle a new beginner with a smart mouth, who insists he's doing everything right and needs to be taught the Michael Flatley steps now please? How to get the prelims and champs, who I'd always danced alongside, to suddenly accept me as a teacher and not think that being put in my group was an excuse for a mess-around. The groups I was given got smaller and smaller and eventually I was phased out. I think I was frightened to show any authority. I felt too shy to stand up in front of them and tell them what to do. In hindsight I was being tested and I failed.
I'm a different person now. I must be. Last night my mixed-ability group told me I was a very good teacher, and very patient. Patient? Me? How did that happen? Where did that come from?
My achilles are aching and will do for some days to come, but I'm taking so much away from those comments. I've still got to learn how to be a teacher, of course, but now I know that I at least have some of the right attributes to build on. I'm learning how to explain things in a hundred different ways until suddenly you see it click in their brain and their feet do the right thing. I'm learning to encourage without being false. I think I'm learning how to make it fun.
I'm starting to think I might be able to do it.
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Happy New Year! ...back on it
I suppose like most people (except the LA candidates...good luck people!) I've done less TCRGing and more overeating over the New Year period. So it's time to get a little bit stricter with myself - my plan is to put in for the first possible exam in 2012, and if that ends up being January I have just one year. Considering my dancing is so very rusty, that isn't actually very long. I wish I'd just taken the thing as soon as I retired from competitions like everybody else does! Sadly all of those sets and steps are long since forgotten and all conditioning woefully lost.
Here are my New Year's Resolutions, dance wise:
1. Open a ceili class
Practice in teaching them will be invaluable for the practical element of the exam of course, but being able to visualise dances is helping me to remember them. When I write them out I never, ever forget the ceilis I've danced, so teaching them will help create a stronger memory come written exam time.
2. Learn the rest of the trads
I've left this one shamefully long. I haven't touched them since April (!) and gave up in a huff - see here and here. I focused on the ceilis, and then got too ill to dance. Thankfully I will have help with this and won't have to rely solely on Olive to get me up to speed. I'm just praying I take the exam before they put the 'new' traditionals on the syllabus; four is quite enough for me thank you! I'll learn the others in my own time, afterwards.
3. Sort the sets
This is HUGE. I never really choreographed any of my own hard shoe material, and I'm not really sure how to go about it. Luckily I never struggled with rhythm (one of the few things I didn't fight with!) so I'll be able to manage a mix of jigs and hornpipes, but you can bet your ass I'm picking the short sets. White Blankets yes, Blackthorn stick NO NO NO. I have help with this as well in the form of a fellow candidate/sucker for punishment. I've completely neglected the "own dancing" element of the exam and with my current level of fitness after illness, that just won't do. I actually do think it'll take me a year to get everything back up to a level. It's just been so long!
4. Work
On everything...
So here's my start at number 4 (typical, starting with the booksmarts!) - I just can't live without my lists and charts.
I am SO chuffed with my 86% today because I made a complete hash of one of the 10-pointers and scored no points at all. The question was "Describe in detail the movement which follows 'Full Chain' in the Cross Reel". I steamed in and described Back to Back almost perfectly...only it's not Back to Back, is it? It's Gentlemen Interlace which to be honest I'd completely forgotten. I could have been into the 90s there if I'd described the right movement. D'oh! Read the question thoroughly before diving in with your answer!
Here are my New Year's Resolutions, dance wise:
1. Open a ceili class
Practice in teaching them will be invaluable for the practical element of the exam of course, but being able to visualise dances is helping me to remember them. When I write them out I never, ever forget the ceilis I've danced, so teaching them will help create a stronger memory come written exam time.
2. Learn the rest of the trads
I've left this one shamefully long. I haven't touched them since April (!) and gave up in a huff - see here and here. I focused on the ceilis, and then got too ill to dance. Thankfully I will have help with this and won't have to rely solely on Olive to get me up to speed. I'm just praying I take the exam before they put the 'new' traditionals on the syllabus; four is quite enough for me thank you! I'll learn the others in my own time, afterwards.
3. Sort the sets
This is HUGE. I never really choreographed any of my own hard shoe material, and I'm not really sure how to go about it. Luckily I never struggled with rhythm (one of the few things I didn't fight with!) so I'll be able to manage a mix of jigs and hornpipes, but you can bet your ass I'm picking the short sets. White Blankets yes, Blackthorn stick NO NO NO. I have help with this as well in the form of a fellow candidate/sucker for punishment. I've completely neglected the "own dancing" element of the exam and with my current level of fitness after illness, that just won't do. I actually do think it'll take me a year to get everything back up to a level. It's just been so long!
4. Work
On everything...
So here's my start at number 4 (typical, starting with the booksmarts!) - I just can't live without my lists and charts.
I am SO chuffed with my 86% today because I made a complete hash of one of the 10-pointers and scored no points at all. The question was "Describe in detail the movement which follows 'Full Chain' in the Cross Reel". I steamed in and described Back to Back almost perfectly...only it's not Back to Back, is it? It's Gentlemen Interlace which to be honest I'd completely forgotten. I could have been into the 90s there if I'd described the right movement. D'oh! Read the question thoroughly before diving in with your answer!
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Step Up
I've never been a hip hop dancer. In fact I've never tried any vaguely modern type of dance. So why then, when I channel-flick and come across Step Up on TV, do I immediately want to get up and Irish dance? It's like a button gets pressed in my brain any time I see somebody perform, or even practice, any type of dance. I don't dance in my seat, but I subconciously move in unison with them, even if it's just leaning in the direction of their arm extension or lifting my ribcage when they jump. Despite the predictable wrong-side-of-the-tracks/love story thing it's brought out the dancer in me again, so out came the poodle socks and the jig shoes.
I've spent the last hour or so drilling clicks and trebles, all to a hip hop soundtrack. It means I missed half the storyline but it's only the dancing I'm interested in anyway, and I relate. I might not be able to pop and lock, I can't pas de chat and I definitely can't fouette. But it's the same for all of us, really. Trying and trying. In films everyone succeeds. Maybe I'll fail. I might not be able to learn their dance form but I can learn from their determination.
Back to click drills.
I've spent the last hour or so drilling clicks and trebles, all to a hip hop soundtrack. It means I missed half the storyline but it's only the dancing I'm interested in anyway, and I relate. I might not be able to pop and lock, I can't pas de chat and I definitely can't fouette. But it's the same for all of us, really. Trying and trying. In films everyone succeeds. Maybe I'll fail. I might not be able to learn their dance form but I can learn from their determination.
Back to click drills.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
I thought this day would never come...
I officially know all thirty ceili dances. Leabhar 1, Leabhar 2 and Leabhar 3. Ar Rinci Foirne, inside out.
Well, probably not "inside out" but definitely cover to cover. For each dance I can draw the formation and list the movements in order along with bars. "Inside out" will come later. I don't know how I feel now. Sad that there are no more to learn? Definitely! Happy that I can start doing past papers in full? Yes, strangely.
So many times I've looked at a dance and tossed the blue book to the other side of the room because it just seemed impossible. I remember back in May or whenever it was, being utterly flummoxed by Advance and Return and Right and Left Half Turn (Antrim Reel). I remember seeing the diagram for Square (Fairy Reel) and thinking I might as well be looking at quadratic equations - same for Swing Into Line in the Eight-Hand Jig, although in my defence the typesetting has clearly gone wrong in my edition. I remember being terrified by the Sixteen-Hand Reel. Sixteen dancers? As in, double the usual amount? How on earth was I supposed to learn that? But all you really have to do is break it down into couples - in the body, each couple and the one either side of them. In the figures, their opposite. I feel a bit silly that so many dances I put off and put off actually turned out to be quite straightforward.
The home straight has been scarily easy. I guess the more ceilis you learn, the more familiar you are with the terminology and the more accustomed you are to the whole process. The last few have flowed into my brain almost effortlessly. But, I'm a regular visitor to the TCRG Voy. Most of the candidates passed ceili written with marks well into the 90s. I think I spotted one model student with 100%! As I said a few weeks ago, the booksmarts were always going to be the easiest for me.
I suppose now the real work begins. *
* I'm not going to type out St Patrick's Day or the Sixteen Hand Reel. You'll have to take my word, because I'm going to do the first of many practice exams.
Well, probably not "inside out" but definitely cover to cover. For each dance I can draw the formation and list the movements in order along with bars. "Inside out" will come later. I don't know how I feel now. Sad that there are no more to learn? Definitely! Happy that I can start doing past papers in full? Yes, strangely.
So many times I've looked at a dance and tossed the blue book to the other side of the room because it just seemed impossible. I remember back in May or whenever it was, being utterly flummoxed by Advance and Return and Right and Left Half Turn (Antrim Reel). I remember seeing the diagram for Square (Fairy Reel) and thinking I might as well be looking at quadratic equations - same for Swing Into Line in the Eight-Hand Jig, although in my defence the typesetting has clearly gone wrong in my edition. I remember being terrified by the Sixteen-Hand Reel. Sixteen dancers? As in, double the usual amount? How on earth was I supposed to learn that? But all you really have to do is break it down into couples - in the body, each couple and the one either side of them. In the figures, their opposite. I feel a bit silly that so many dances I put off and put off actually turned out to be quite straightforward.
The home straight has been scarily easy. I guess the more ceilis you learn, the more familiar you are with the terminology and the more accustomed you are to the whole process. The last few have flowed into my brain almost effortlessly. But, I'm a regular visitor to the TCRG Voy. Most of the candidates passed ceili written with marks well into the 90s. I think I spotted one model student with 100%! As I said a few weeks ago, the booksmarts were always going to be the easiest for me.
I suppose now the real work begins. *
* I'm not going to type out St Patrick's Day or the Sixteen Hand Reel. You'll have to take my word, because I'm going to do the first of many practice exams.
Saturday, 20 November 2010
It's results season...
This week, people just like me learned their fate. The results from the Washington and Boston exams were released, and while I was able to congratulate one or two friends, most of the people I've got to know needed a pep talk and a virtual shoulder to cry on. And it's their experience that has stayed with me for the past couple of days, rather than the jubilation of the people now embarking on their new life as a TCRG.
I even dreamt about receiving my results, and how unrealistic a dream it was! Full marks in the dancing yet 13% in the written ceili? Must be unheard of for anyone, let alone me. I woke up sad that I'd failed, yet relieved that for me it was just a bad dream. For some people it's reality. They're further along in the process than me, and have been of enormous help as I've struggled through my 29 ceilis and 2 trad sets (to date). They've given me a leg up, and somehow they're sitting disappointed and disheartened.
Don't quit. Please don't let it get the better of you. A few weeks ago I was disillusioned and grumpy; after a little time and a little study, I've weathered the storm and am full of enthusiasm, ideas and dreams. Once the initial shock has subsided, and you have your full results, I'm sure you'll feel the same. Ready to pick up where you left off. Maybe you'll be angry. As dancers, we're always told to use that negative energy for a positive purpose, and put it into our dancing. We can do the same as exam candidates - use our disappointment to fuel our final push for success.
I don't doubt I'd be just as heartbroken to fail. I don't imagine I'll pass first time. But I know that despite everything, I want this. I'm never going to be able to turn my back on Irish dance and airbrush it from my memory, so while I'm able, I'm going to keep trying. I really hope that everyone who suffered disappointment this week will keep trying too. And one day we'll be able to laugh about all of this, over a well-earned drink at a major championship, where one of our own has just recalled for the first time.
I think you'll all make damn good teachers.
I even dreamt about receiving my results, and how unrealistic a dream it was! Full marks in the dancing yet 13% in the written ceili? Must be unheard of for anyone, let alone me. I woke up sad that I'd failed, yet relieved that for me it was just a bad dream. For some people it's reality. They're further along in the process than me, and have been of enormous help as I've struggled through my 29 ceilis and 2 trad sets (to date). They've given me a leg up, and somehow they're sitting disappointed and disheartened.
Don't quit. Please don't let it get the better of you. A few weeks ago I was disillusioned and grumpy; after a little time and a little study, I've weathered the storm and am full of enthusiasm, ideas and dreams. Once the initial shock has subsided, and you have your full results, I'm sure you'll feel the same. Ready to pick up where you left off. Maybe you'll be angry. As dancers, we're always told to use that negative energy for a positive purpose, and put it into our dancing. We can do the same as exam candidates - use our disappointment to fuel our final push for success.
I don't doubt I'd be just as heartbroken to fail. I don't imagine I'll pass first time. But I know that despite everything, I want this. I'm never going to be able to turn my back on Irish dance and airbrush it from my memory, so while I'm able, I'm going to keep trying. I really hope that everyone who suffered disappointment this week will keep trying too. And one day we'll be able to laugh about all of this, over a well-earned drink at a major championship, where one of our own has just recalled for the first time.
I think you'll all make damn good teachers.
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