Movement & Dance I- Midterm Review

So for the past 7 weeks, I've been taking Ballet Foundations (Movement & Dance I), and, at my professor's request, I've blogged the whole experience. I've noticed a lot of changes, but I've also seen a lot of things that still need to be fixed.

The biggest change I've noticed hasn't actually been something external, it's been internal. I've found that "that feeling" has bit by bit, started to come back. That magical feeling you get in your soul when you dance. That happy feeling of carefree bliss that you feel radiate through your body. It's better than any high, and I'm slowly starting to find it again.

I've noticed that my balance is getting better as well. It's a smaller change but it's one of those little ones you notice gradually over time. My left leg in particular is becoming stronger, and I've noticed that it's a lot easier to hold my retirés in comparison to a few weeks back, and even my arabesques are beginning to wobble less. However, my right leg now needs to catch up, as I still wobble way to much. I've also been getting better at avoiding a death grip on the barre, which was a struggle initially. My chaînés have also been benefitting, and I managed to go all the way across the floor on Monday without losing my balance, or spot, which was a huge moment of pride for me.

My leg extension is starting to improve, predominantly with my grand battements, and I'm slowly but surely getting higher with my extensions. That said though, I still need to work on my developpé because I can't get overly high, and there's a lot of tension in my tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior and soleus muscles. While that is an issue that affects a lot of movements and positions, I find that it's the most noticeable with developpés.

While I have made improvements there are still things that I need to fix though, and the biggest is that I need to relax. I started watching myself in the mirror on Monday, and I honestly looked ready to commit murder or something. I just looked so furious, like I was being put through some operatic tragedy by being there. I've also become aware of how much it affects my movements. I'm trying to hold a level of professionalism, and seriousness, but I feel like that is now starting to encroach on my ability to move and feel as a dancer.

I'm still struggling with my knees, but it's becoming a little better. I'm catching myself now when I start to flex my knees, and it's becoming faster, but I'm still doing it, which I'd rather not.

So here it is, the sum of the last 7 weeks of my life dancing. I'm by no means good, I have so far to go, but I've come decently far from where I was before, so I've got that going for me. I'm eager to see how the next 7 weeks unfold, and to see how my abilities grow, or stagnate (which hopefully won't happen).