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My target for contemporary is making the transitions between my movements fluid within combinations and choreography. I feel I can execute the movements but regarding transitions I think I could really use more time and fluidity. I need to improve my transition knowledge and have more transitional movements in my vocabulary. This will then make freestyle or free movement much easier and seamless to execute. ‘It’s the art of executing fluid dance moves, where each step transitions smoothly into the next, regardless of the dance style’(Your dance studio, 2022).

VIDEO 1 - In this video, I am completing a combination I had just learnt from jasmine.Within jasmines classes with often get the chance to experiment and add or own take on her movement. I however am just doing the movement without any fluid transitions in between. I am pre emptying the movement that comes next and either stopping or waiting to go into the next part. I need to squeeze my body and take my time going through the combination connecting every movement seamlessly.

Video 2- To improve my target I have decided to pick 2 movements and create a transition between them. I will complete this 3 times. This way using the same movements but creating new transitions will help to expand my movement vocabulary. Within this method I have chosen to use contrasting levels,  to widen my range of transition ideas even more. ‘When you have a wider vocabulary to work from, your ability to comprehend and take ownership over your learning (be is dance or otherwise) enhances’(M Modrzejewski,2018).

Video 3- My inspiration for this area is the Alluyne Twins. This is because they move with ease and lots of fluidity. In this video specifically when dancing the short combination her movement never stops. She is continually moving through each movement still using her dynamics but using fluidity and a range of different timings. This makes the work so much more interesting to watch as there is no stopping and starting just one seamless combination.

Video 4 - This is the most recent attempt at a section from the starting combination.With my goal being have seamless transitions, I feel I now have improved this target. I feel my body is much more fluid when connecting movements together. I have expanded my knowledge on contemporary transitions after doing much research on practitioners and choreographers. As an emerging professional dancer I have found using this method incredibly helpful as it has opened up many new choreographic choices for me. This will help me in my career especially within auditions when asked to freestyle. I will be more confident if freestyle is asked of me as I know I have some good movement ideas in my movement vocabulary.

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My target for jazz is to improve my flexibility. I want to improve in this area so that movements which require flexibility (mostly kicks) can be performed effortlessly and with elegance. ‘It is vital to have a strong level of flexibility as it not only enhances my range of motion, it also reduces the risk of injury’(Mayes,2023). This skill will also be transferable into other styles within the industry. ‘One large branch of the tree, theatrical jazz dance, blends elements of ballet, jazz and other genres to create a mixture that is commonly seen in musical theatre, commercial dance and on the concert stage’(Guarino and Oliver,2014).Learning this flexibility practice now will prepare me for when I leave shockout and attend auditions which majority of the time require a kick combination. ‘In the early study of grand battements special care has to be taken that the shoulders, hips and arms are firmly held and do not lift or twist in any direction’(Shook,1978). I feel that my body position whilst doing the kicks is at a good standard and now I just need to work on my leg height and flexibility which is what I will be focusing on over the next few months.

VIDEO 1 - In this video you can see me completing a sequence from the corner that is purely focused on kicks. Looking back at this video you can see my leg flexibility holds the performance back. Although I have a good level of flexibility it is obvious that I have one leg a lot stronger than the other so significant work needs to be done to make them equal.

VIDEO 2 - I have chosen to do some strength and flexibility exercises to hopefully improve my kicks. The 2 excercises I have decided to complete are :

Excercise 1- deep stretching in various positions.

I have decided to do excercises such as lunges, splits and hip flexor stretches.‘Stretching the front of the hip is also beneficial for working the legs hip extension’(Haas,2010).

Excercise 2 - physically holding my leg and stretching.

Stretching daily enables muscles to work more effectively and helps relieve pain and stiffness.‘By incorporating a stretching programme into your daily routine, you can increase your flexibility and range of motion. Stretching can help prevent injury and decrease pain associated with muscle tightness’(N Freutel,2019).

VIDEO 3 - My main and current inspiration within the jazz style is Sophie Holloway. This is because in every dance/choreography video I see of sophie her flexibility really enhances every performance.When Sophie dances a kick as she doesn’t have to think about the height of her leg she can add style and flair to her kicks making her look so Professional.She moves with such ease and especially when in jazz heels she is so pulled up and she can still execute everything perfectly which indicates that she feels sturdy and stable alongside flexible and strong.

VIDEO 4 - In this video I am executing the starting combination. In comparison to Video 1 you can see I have worked on my flexibility especially on the left leg. As you can see I feel my kicks in parallel have significantly improved and this is down to the hamstring stretches as I feel I have really loosened these up. I think I can now start adding my own stylistic flair and performance to this combination to execute the sequence to a high standard. I now feel that my flexibility is to a higher standard and I feel in an audition this could give me an advantage if doing a kick combination. My progress is great and the methods I’ve used have encouraged me to add the stretches into a regular routine. I can then use these methods after graduating training to ensure I’m still working and stretching keeping me fit and reducing the chance of injury.

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My target for ballet is to improve my technique within petite allegro. I feel that when completing jump sequences my jumps are tired and become sloppy. My technique during  petite allegro is weak and to improve this I need to work on my muscle strength and my foot positions whilst jumping. Mastering this skill will give me an advantage in the industry as it will help improve my stamina aswell as helping my technique in other styles too.

VIDEO 1 - In this video you can see me completing a jump excercise. My legs and feet look very weak and tired. I can see that my feet are failing to hit the 5th position in the air. I need to use a deeper pliè between each jump to gain height to be able to hit the correct foot positions in the air. I need to ensure my legs and feet are stretched entirely whilst in the air. ‘The foot is an anatomical masterpiece when it comes to flexibility, strength and stability’(Simmel,2013).

Video 2 - To improve my target I have decided to use two different methods:

Method one is some strengthening exercises. I have decided to incorporate these excercises into a weekly routine. I complete squats, jump squats, lunges and jump lunges.

‘Strength training exercises, such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts, are crucial for building the muscle strength needed for powerful jumps. These exercises target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, providing the foundation for improved performance’(Hutchenson,2024)

Method two is the use of repetition. I have decided to practice jumps in 1st , 2nd and 5th position to get the correct feet positions engraved in my muscle memory. I feel that doing these excercises will help me when doing the more advanced work. Practicing and perfecting the basics will always give me an advantage before moving on. Ishtar Dance states that when you revisit your basic moves regularly it will ensure that your technique stays clean and strong (2025).

‘Each time the dancer repeats a movement or mimics the movements of a choreographer, this information becomes more deeply anchored or consolidated within the implicit memory and no longer requires as much of the dancer’s conscious attention to retrieve it’(Hebert, 2017).

VIDEO 3 - One of my main inspirations for this area is Sergei Polunin. His ballet dancing is unbelievable and the jumps and leaps he completes during his performances are phenomenal. He gets so much elevation as he’s so powerful, his shapes in the air are precise and clean. Having the power to float in the air and be so precise with his foot positions is something I aspire to be able to do.

VIDEO 4 - This is my result after applying the chosen methods. Completing the same jump sequence from before, I feel so much stronger and more confident. When executing the jumps now I feel I have more elevation and my feet positions whilst in the air are so much better. The next step in this area is to keep repeating the excercise to improve my stamina so my feet don’t become weak and sloppy. I feel at this stage I could hold myself well in a technical audition as I have a good standard of the correct ballet technique.

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My target for commercial is improving my stylistic flair. With this being my weakest style I sometimes find it hard to add my own flair to the choreography. ‘All dance forms use the body as the instrument.All require flexibility,strength, control, awareness of intent and meaning, kinetic energy and musicality and rhythmic awarness’(Paskevska,2004). However over the next few months I would really like to push my performance levels alongside having presence and musicality when I dance. Working on expressing my own taste on choreography will prepare me for auditions and help me stand out.

VIDEO 1 - In this video you can see me completing a combination choreographed by Ellis and yaz. I lack dynamics and flair and are currently just performing the choreography how they taught it. ‘Dancers convey information using body movement to represent the variable nature of objects and emotions, and the audience often perceives this information from the pattern or characteristics of movement’(Sawada,2003). I need to apply more texture and individuality to my performance alongside adding a lot more energy. This will help to get the story of the fun and energetic choreography across to the audience.I need to work on my stylistic flair as in the commercial industry casting agencies and choreographers look for someone with style and personality. ‘What makes commercial unique is its purpose; to entertain and sell a product or an idea’(move dance wear,2024).

VIDEO 2 -  I will be completing this choreography sequence several times, each time having a different focus point and intention. I will complete the exercise several times, each time completing the choreography using different elements. The first time I completed the choreography I was thinking about using sharp and dynamic movement. I especially thought about the power and energy I was putting into my movement. ‘power is defined simultaneously as the force that allows an action to happen, the doing of an action, and the status that results from the ability to do the action’(Preda,2021).The second time I added my own flair to the choreography,  elongation and resistance trying to be late on the music using soft and oozing movement. As I know the choreography well, I am able to focus more on the attention to detail and the dynamic of each movement.’The more you perform a movement the more consolidated it becomes in your memory.This then gives you the opportunity to not require as much attention to try and retrieve it’(C Hebert,2017).

Layering all these various elements will really help to level up and advance my performance. By the end of the process I want to be able to execute this choreography using all the different focus points combined into one.

Throughout this process I have found myself to be improving all the time. In each rehearsal I am pushing myself and my commercial abilities and experimenting with different factors. I try to focus on my dynamics whilst dancing, especially during the rehearsal process whilst I am really tired.

VIDEO 3 - One of my main inspirations for this area is Nat Bat. Nat is such an inspiration to so many dancers, in all her choreography she is so dynamic and powerful. She is physically strong which allows her to be full out and energetic whilst having great control at the same time. Her ability to hit key beats in the music whilst maintaining fluidity effortlessly shows how much of a talented and impressive dancer she is. Within this industry casting directors and choreographers are always looking for people with the ability to maintain performance quality from start to finish. This including keeping energy, style , attention to detail, dynamics and musicality. Taking inspiration from Nat Bat will help me to execute this level of performance.

VIDEO 4 - This is the result of my commercial goal performing at move it. After reflecting on my journey I am really happy with the progress I have made within commercial. As this is my weakest style I feel I have had to work a lot harder to improve and get to a point where I am happy within my commercial ability. I’ve tried hard to think about dynamics every time I perform the choreo. My next step is to not let my energy levels drop throughout performances as I lose my dynamics.Although I have seen improvement there is still so much room to keep upleveing my commercial dance knowledge and pushing my own stylistic flair into every piece of choreography I do.

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My target for contemporary is making the transitions between my movements fluid within combinations and choreography. I feel I can execute the movements but regarding transitions I think I could really use more time and fluidity. I need to improve my transition knowledge and have more transitional movements in my vocabulary. This will then make freestyle or free movement much easier and seamless to execute. ‘It’s the art of executing fluid dance moves, where each step transitions smoothly into the next, regardless of the dance style’(Your dance studio, 2022).

VIDEO 1 - In this video, I am completing a combination I had just learnt from jasmine.Within jasmines classes with often get the chance to experiment and add or own take on her movement. I however am just doing the movement without any fluid transitions in between. I am pre emptying the movement that comes next and either stopping or waiting to go into the next part. I need to squeeze my body and take my time going through the combination connecting every movement seamlessly.

Video 2- To improve my target I have decided to pick 2 movements and create a transition between them. I will complete this 3 times. This way using the same movements but creating new transitions will help to expand my movement vocabulary. Using this method gives me the chance to be creative and expressive during my own freestyle. ‘Creativity can be cultivated, developed, and demonstrated in a myriad of ways in dance education; in improvisation, choreography, and performance’(Clements,2019).Within this method I have chosen to use contrasting levels,  to widen my range of transition ideas even more. ‘When you have a wider vocabulary to work from, your ability to comprehend and take ownership over your learning (be is dance or otherwise) enhances’(M Modrzejewski,2018).

Video 3- My inspiration for this area is the Alluyne Twins. This is because they move with ease and lots of fluidity. In this video specifically when dancing the short combination her movement never stops. She is continually moving through each movement still using her dynamics but using fluidity and a range of different timings. This makes the work so much more interesting to watch as there is no stopping and starting just one seamless combination.

Video 4 - This is the most recent attempt at a section from the starting combination.With my goal being have seamless transitions, I feel I now have improved this target. I feel my body is much more fluid when connecting movements together. I have expanded my knowledge on contemporary transitions after doing much research on practitioners and choreographers. As an emerging professional dancer I have found using this method incredibly helpful as it has opened up many new choreographic choices for me. This will help me in my career especially within auditions when asked to freestyle. I will be more confident if freestyle is asked of me as I know I have some good movement ideas in my movement vocabulary.