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How does the dynamic status of the professional and commercial dance sector impact upon me as an emerging dancer?

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How does the dynamic status of the professional and commercial dance sector impact upon me as an emerging dancer?

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Video 1 ​

In this video I can identify the weakness in my turns and the inconsistency in my form which is limiting me to a double pirouette. I struggle with my weight placement, and I think this is largely to do with my core strength and a weak retirè which means I tend to drop my working leg after two turns. I can see in the video that I finish my turns with urgency rather than aiming to sustain my position especially on the left which is my weaker side. It's important that I improve on this is to keep up with the standards of the industry which continues to push for more impressive skills with most dancers on stage executing at least three to four clean turns (Mayes, 2023). ​

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Video 2 – Methods ​

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A dancer's core supports their entire body and is essential for control and maintaining a stable center of gravity (White, 2022). I have been working on my core conditioning with simple but consistent exercises like crunches and plank which are great for engaging the central support system and improving stability through the bodies core (Romita and Romita, 2016)​

I have incorporated exercises with a block to help improve my balance and ankle stability whilst focusing on the placement of my working leg in passe to counter the habit of dropping it early which encourages me to lose my balance.​

There are so many different turns in dance that its important I can transfer the same technical elements between different combinations. Turns are often a transitional step and therefore the possibilities are endless which is why I have been practicing with different preparations and working on both sides. ​

Video 3 – Inspiration

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Dancers such as Sophie Holloway have inspired me in my jazz progression as she has such a precise and stylised movement quality that is captivating and whilst her clear skill level isn't necessarily shown through tricks; she is still capable of commanding dynamic and controlled turns when required to in choreography further boosting the visual impressiveness of her performance. This has encouraged me to really master my turns so that they are not a liability for me when I perform. ​

Whilst I have no desire to compete in a dance competition, the impressiveness of American competitive dance has really inspired me to hone  my turn technique as this is something that conveys technical skill and athleticism to an audience who want to be wowed. ​

Video 4

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Like every dancer I will forever be working to improve my pirouettes and maintain good technique, but I am confident that progress is being made. The final video demonstrates a more relaxed approach as well as more consistent triples. My increased core strength and improved posture has also been beneficial to my other styles as well as pirouettes in ballet. Having a stronger core and better posture has also made me less susceptible to injury.

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Video 1 ​

By this stage in my training, my ballet teachers are clear that a 90-degree extension should be our minimum height, and I am just about working at this level. However, when fatigue sets in my legs drop and I find myself straining to hold my position. In addition, I can see from the footage that as I fight to maintain the height of my leg, I lose focus on my performance and the quality of my upper body. Paskevska (2002) discusses how the tension in our muscles can pull our alignment off center and cause our bodies to compensate therefore it is important that I focus on maintaining my posture and technique so that I don’t form bad habits in aid of lifting my legs higher. ​

Video 2 – Methods ​

After experiencing several hip flexor injuries at the beginning of my training, I have continued to integrate the recovery exercises that I was provided from physio which I have found to be incredibly beneficial in reducing the strain I used to experience in my hip joints. This is a good sign that I am building strength in these muscles which is important because our legs make up approximately 15-20% of our body weight which means we need strength in our hips to counter the force of gravity working against us and to prevent injury (Holland, 2021).​

The hardest part of extending my leg is from the knee to the foot which suggests that my hip and glute flexibility is not the cause of the restriction but tightness in the backs of legs and therefore I have been working on this specific movement to try and create more freedom. The exercise in the video is one that my jazz teacher had recommended when we were discussing developpes in second. It is also a method I am using to combat the inequality between the height of my legs which is evident in this video. ​

Video 3 – Inspiration ​

I have always been enthralled by classical ballet and the skill required to make such difficult movements look effortless. I have watched English Nation Ballet countless times and have always left the theatre feeling inspired and driven to improve my own abilities. While I will never be a ballet dancer, I have always aimed to bring the knowledge gained from class into other practices and used classical technique to underpin my other dance styles. Yanis Marshall is a commercial heels teacher and choreographer who emphasizes the important of ballet for strong legs and beautiful lines. I often use his dancers as inspiration for my practice as I align myself with this way of thinking about dance. ​

Video 4 ​

In this video I can see that there is still a lot of progress to be made and that I have not managed to change the height of my leg as much as I would have liked in this time. However, it is important to note that developing this skill will take time if done correctly and without causing unwanted injuries. I will continue to work on my flexibility by stretching but strengthening my hip muscles will be the most effective way of improving the height of my extensions as stated by an article from The Australian Ballet (2018) strengthening is the safest way to be flexible.

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Video 1 ​

I wanted to focus on my textures and dynamics in commercial this year because improving this skill will make my performances more engaging to watch across all genres. It makes sense to use my commercial training for this purpose because the more intricate the choreography, the more opportunity to make musical and stylist choices. To perform expressively, I must consider three important factors including the alignment of the beat, movement dynamics and matching the genre of music (Q. Huang et al., 2024)​

Video 2 – Methods ​

Having strong arms and using my upper body correctly is important for commercial because we must create so many shapes at such speed and without control, the movements are more likely to lose their clarity. By drawing on other dance styles like Latin, I can transfer the same techniques for engaging my lats to ensure that movement initiates from the correct place for optimum power. Regular conditioning is proven to benefit overall dance aesthetic (Ngo et al., 2024), and with more control over the muscles in my upper body, I can use more tension and relaxation to create interesting textures. ​

Study Rocket advises that to work on dynamics, you should explore variations in speed, levels and strength (2024) which is what I have been attempting to improve on this year. It is important to understand how to use breath to enhance execution and much like in my contemporary, I have been working to improve on how I use my inhale and exhale to control my movements.​

Video 3 – Inspiration ​

Tate Mcrae's tour dancers all work in heels which requires strong technique and legs to create streamline extensions. This is something I would aspire to do as a commercial dancer as I can work to my strengths, however, these dancers are also very sharp and precise with the choreography, adding their own performance style to match the nature of the music. It is important to work on my own musical interpretation to stand out as DanceWearCorner (2025) states that personality can be a huge factor in whether you are noticed in an audition, and this is shown through the dynamic, textural and stylistic choices we make.​

Video 4 ​

Reflecting on my training, I am happy to see that the methods I have been using in and outside of class are taking effect and over the course of my time at Shockout I can see a big improvement in my overall approach to commercial choreography. I do however think that I need to take more classes and expand my movement vocabulary so that when I am under pressure in an audition, I have a better toolbox and understanding for how different styles within commercial are executed. As the industry is heavily influenced by the rise and fall of different music, and this changes over time it is important that I remain up to date and knowledgeable.

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Video 1 ​

This clip shows a floorwork sequence from Jasmin's class. I would like to work on improving the continuity of sequences such as this so that when I am executing choreography, I am not just performing sequence of steps but creating a journey through movement. As defined by the HSC Dance Syllabus, a transition is 'a natural evolvement from one thing to the next' (HSC Dance, 2004), but when I am moving between step, I feel anything but natural. I think this is partially the result of a lifetime dancing with set directions, however as a professional I will be expected to have more initiative and artistry. ​

Video 2 - Methods​

'Movement Massage' is an exercise and Dance Movement Therapy technique I learnt in Jasmins class that I have used in my own self practice to help reduce the tension in my body and encourage my muscles to relax. 'Dance as body movement, creative expression and communication, is the core component of DMT' (EADMT) which is why I have started incorporating this into my training alongside the conditioning and more technical exercises used in my other classes. It is important that while we build physical strength, we are also remembering to think about easing the tension that is built up in our bodies so that we can dance safely but also with a better mind and body connection. This will help to promote longevity in my career and boost self-expression.​

According to Dance Magazine (2021) by coordinating the inhale and exhale of our breath with our movements we can embody different artistic qualities. I have decided to use this theory to assist with my transitional skills and help me to improve the flow of movement when I perform choreography. It is a well-known fact that breathing is essential to dance in all forms and is important for endurance and stamina which will be necessary for me to be able to perform for extended periods of time but also ​

Video 3 – Inspiration​

Kayla Mak and dancers from ABT have inspired my contemporary journey because of the impressive control and flow to their movements. Mak has such expansion through her body and clearly uses her breath to add colour and emotion to her dancing which makes her captivating and authentic to watch. Brannigan (2022) discusses how by turning a dancers' focus inwards and building the relationship between mind and body, dance becomes a sensation and experience over a spectacle. This is important for me to understand if I wish to convey a message and evoke emotion with an audience through my movement. ​

Video 4​

After analysing my journey with contemporary, I believe that my understand of how my movements should flow and be influenced by my breath has improved and I am beginning to incorporate this more often. I am yet to be consistent with this skill and fully embed this in my practice across all styles which will be my goal moving forward. I also see that there is opportunity for more creativity in my transitions which I can use to add my own style and expression. I will continue to work on seizing these opportunities.