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Anon, (2019). Tap Theory | HIGHAMS SCHOOL OF DANCING | HIGHAMS PARK | EPPING | DANCE SCHOOL | LOUGHTON | BUCKHURST HILL | CHIGWELL | CHINGFORD | WOODFORD | HARLOW | NORTH WEALD | ESSEX | KENT | LONDON | HERTS | UK. [online] Available at: https://www.highamsschoolofdancing.co.uk/tap-theory/#:~:text=Pick%2DUp%3A%20Stand%20with%20feet [Accessed 22 Feb. 2024].

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With James Doubtfire we have been practicing pick ups from the side of the room. Pick ups are when I stand with feet slightly apart turn up toe of one foot, slap foot back hitting ground with ball of foot and removing heel. I already have practiced this plenty of times before college so James Doubtfire insisted I build on this skill by doubling the sounds to allow a double pick up.

I was hesitant at first of trying this as I didn't know if I could get high enough off of the floor to create 4 separated sounds. It required me to bend my legs, creating a deep plie, as somewhere for me to jump up and suspend in the air so I could execute the clear sounds. After 3 times of practicing this to myself I tried it in front of the class as James Doubtfire requested.

I had a deep plie and was standing on the balls of my feet and I jumped high enough to create these 4 sounds. I had to maintain relaxed feet so the front of taps could create contact with the floor. I tried this twice and successfully separated the sounds with clarity. He told me that these were really good and to carry on practicing this to make sure I don't lose this new advanced skill.

I also tried to do a double forwards pick up, which I found harder than backwards but in the spare of the moment I tried it and managed to create the 4 sounds and land it on the balls of my feet. I was extremely happy with the progress I had made in this lesson as I feel sometimes the pace of the class goes slower than I would like, due to have already learnt a lot of the steps we do from the corner on a weekly basis. These steps include:

Pick ups on one feet

Shuffle pick up changes

Pick up changes

Cramp roll turns

I am pleased that James Doubtfire has noticed I can be given harder steps to push my tap skills even further and build up basic skills making it more advanced.

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Wikipedia. (2022). Blood Brothers (musical). [online] Available at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Brothers_(musical).

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Stewart, D. (n.d.). Available at: https://rpm-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/mr/MR_200_P_Study_Guide_Deep_Dive_V9_FC.pdf [Accessed 8 Feb. 2024].

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Wikipedia. (2021). Hairspray (musical). [online] Available at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_(musical).

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Acting Coach Scotland. (n.d.). The Major Acting Techniques of the World. [online] Available at: https://actingcoachscotland.co.uk/blog/major-acting-techniques-world/#:~:text=The%20Uta%20Hagen%20Technique%20is.

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www.uofmhealth.org. (n.d.). Maintaining Vocal Health | Michigan Medicine. [online] Available at: https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/ear-nose-throat/maintaining-vocal-health.

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Quin, E., Rafferty, S. and Tomlinson, C. (2015b). Safe Dance Practice. Human Kinetics.

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Vocal Overtones. (n.d.). Vocal onsets. [online] Available at: https://www.vocalovertones.com/vocal-technique/vocal-onsets/#:~:text=The%20smooth%20onset&text=This%20type%20of%20onset%20is [Accessed 21 Feb. 2024].

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After having a conversation with Lisa Aldridge we both came to an agreement that I need to stand in different places of the room in ballet.

She told me I have good technique in terms of my ballet and have improved significantly since September but also notices I sometimes shy away to the corner of the room and believes this is now a comfortable spot and if I continue to do this I will blend into the crowd and won’t be seen or noticed during college or in the industry when I leave college in 3 years time.

She said that I need to be noticed more and in order for me to do this, it is to stand where I don’t feel particularly comfortable even if it’s at the barre or being a part of the first group in the centre. She told me that moving around will decrease the comfort zones I have built since September and I agree in order to be given corrections I need to do this in ballet and all my other genres.

In a lesson with Lisa Aldridge just before February half term, I chose to stand at the opposite end of the room at the front of the barre which did seem uncomfortable at first but intrinsically I felt like I had achieved a mental block and realise I can take class safely and comfortably but in this format I should push myself more and then I will get results quicker. In every ballet class I want to stand next to different people in different areas so I can be noticed not only by the ballet teachers but see myself in the mirror and show off, becoming more noticeable in class.

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In a ballet lesson with Lisa Aldridge we did pointe work. I have done a lot of pointe before but have only used my shoes once since starting college in September.

After doing barre and some releves in the centre within the class, Lisa Aldridge asked the class if we wanted to do some pirouettes en pointe.

Personally, I’ve done a single pirouette before en pointe but am tentative as I feel less stable due to the smaller surface area of what I can balance on. The single pirouette I had executed previously would also not hold the same technique as my pirouette in flat ballet shoes would have as I was more focused on staying up en pointe and not collapsing in my shoe, consequently rolling my ankle and not turning out my leg in retiree and spotting.
After completing one pirouette I tried to execute a double pirouette en pointe to see if I could turn twice quickly whilst staying up en pointe the entirety of the skill.

I managed to successfully execute a double pirouette en pointe several times when doing an exercise from the corner of the room, and facing my fear of going for it. A couple of times I did it I noticed my weight being too far back, and Lisa Aldridge also pointed out my foot in which I was turning on didn’t have the same releve sharp action that I would’ve done if I was on demi pointe. She reminded me of drawing it into my centre line of my body rather than leaving my foot behind and pressing weight onto it. She explained this would help me find my weight quicker and would allow me to stay up longer on the full pointe.

I was happy with the progress I made in the lesson and hope to continue practicing the double pirouette en pointe and becoming more confident that I don’t need to hold back as I understand the fundamental of drawing my foot in to snatch it in to create a whipping action in order to turn.

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www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Moulin Rouge! The Musical perform Lady Marmalade/Welcome To The Moulin Rouge | Olivier Awards 2022. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/i5cWAC7GH3E?si=y6fYsAJCL__UOck5 [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024].

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Everything Sondheim. (n.d.). West Side Story. [online] Available at: https://everythingsondheim.org/west-side-story/.

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To secure my knowledge within ensemble singing, Dylan Jacobs thought it was necessary to have a music theory lesson so when we read sheet music in his lesson, any singing rep class or later in life in an audition, we can understand basic terminology and what some of the note values stand for. This will make it easier for me to relate my song to the sheet music, especially if I haven't listened to the track prior.

It also will help me after I graduate when I won't have a teacher telling me directly what each line means and the tempo, this means I can do it intrinsically to better my performance and help let an audition panel know I have interpreted the sheet music well and have put hard work into the preparation of the songs.

At first, I found it difficult to grasp the note values as he started to write down different patterns and the class was to clap in return, but as the class went on I understood the note values with a bar always being 4 counts and how I can relay this when I clap.

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In order for me to intrinsically evaluate my performance during the ballet assessments in February I was required to fill out the above sheet to identify how I thought I did in the assessments and reflect on mistakes and how hard I am working in class.

I found it hard to self evaluate my work into numbers as I feel ballet is extremely difficult to find a specific number due to never being perfect and there is always room to strive for more. I found that I would mark myself too high for the degree grade boundaries and when adding them altogether would fall into a higher category than I am working at.

But after having feedback with Ben Tribe a couple of weeks after the assessment, he claimed that I was accurate in my self assessment and gave me comments rather than specifically focusing on the number on a page.

Some of his comments included:

Checking posture and the openness of my shoulders, which I am conscious of in ballet as I feel anatomically this is the position my shoulders naturally sit, but I could push against it to strive for the correct posture

Travelling in all of the centre work, and not just the pirouettes. In reflection, I felt as if I travelled in the assessment especially in the allegro exercise but can transfer this alongside all of the exercises fairly.

Ben Tribe also said I need to not get too comfortable in a class situation and keep pushing myself to work outside my comfort zone, whether this is standing in a different area within the room or going further with my movements than what my body is used to, more specifically using the class to benefit myself and my own individual training.

I agree with Ben Tribe's comments and will intend to apply this to my ballet classes in college, aiming to push myself out of my comfort zones and extend the movements even further than what I'm used to. Reflecting these comments he marked me at a 65, which I am very happy with and hope to continue working at this level and increasing this as the duration of college proceeds.

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The above picture represents the marks alongside both Miss Evans and Voyd Evans' jazz assessments. I thought it was hard to represent my performance against numbers as I feel comments and writing a description would help benefit me more to improve in jazz, but can understand this is vital to the degree module and I can base where I am in comparison to the grade boundaries and other people in my year.

I think I have marked myself quite highly, equalling 69, but I have not received one-to-one feedback from Miss Evans to understand where she believes I stand in terms of the numbers out of 100. But as the 5 sections stand alone, I feel the numbers best represent what I am striving towards and what happened on those 2 particular days, rather than considering the total number.

Personally I felt that Voyd Evans' jazz assessment was my better performance of the 2, due to the understanding of what she has been teaching since September I feel as been imbedded in me more than what Miss Evans' has.

In terms of exercises I thought my best combination was the lyrical dance with Voyd Evans' as I enjoyed the free quality and use of space I had access to in contrast to the soft movements. The use of breath enhanced my performance as I could use this to portray my emotions as I danced.

When working on this combination again, I hope I can push it further out of my comfort zone by extending even more outside my body's norm and playing with the dynamics to show the bigger movements to the intricate ones.

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For the tech singing assessment, the brief was to acknowledge understanding of the technique behind the voice and be able to demonstrate this in front of a selection of teachers.

We were required to demonstrate a warm up and give reasons as to why we should do this before singing, to secure our knowledge and prevent injury/voice harm. The 2 options we had to have prepared were an SOVT and a siren.

In my assessment I was given a siren where I had to talk about the benefits of this exercise and what it aims to do:

It monitors the voice and can help you understand how my voice feels

It checks my tongue, larynx height and smoothness

Puts you in thin folds with a thyroid tilot

We then had to demonstrate a siren and relate this to one of our Irving Berlin songs, sang in the acting through song assessment. I felt that my siren went well and I executed this with good diction but I did notice I was nervous and felt that I didn't say enough points when describing what it is and how this can benefit my voice before singing. Under pressure, I feel as if I would've been more relaxed and spoke more but overall I did the best I could in the given circumstances.

We were also required to speak about 2 out of 4 singing techniques. In my assessment I got head and chest and thyroid tilt to talk about and give an example within my Irving Berlin song, 'What'll I do.'

Again, I felt that under pressure I missed out some information that I had learned but nothing that was vital and I explained all of the key points.

In reflection, I feel as if I need to work a little better under pressure and try not to stutter when listening back to the voice recordings and speak confidently as I know what I am talking about and have learnt a sufficient amount of information I didn't know since September.

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In my assessment I was given ‘Moonshine Lullaby’ by Irving Berlin and ‘Wouldn’t it be loverly’ from My Fair Lady.

For Moonshine Lullaby, I picked my own narrative for me to sing the song so I could interpret it in my own way and relate to it more. I sat on a chair and acted as if I was singing a lullaby to my child, looking down at them. I found this song hard to bring across my feelings due to the lyrics being confusing and not something I could grasp full understanding and relatability. The feedback I received for this song was expected; that I had a good choice of eyeline but I should have taken it perhaps further, and been braver with the acting choices to compliment the narrative I created. I agree with this and will be more daring with my choices although this ‘legit’ style of musical theatre I believe couldn’t allow me to be fully free and able to express openly but this is something I am aware of needing to improve on and gaining confidence within a type of musical theatre I have done less practice on before joining college in September.

For the second song that was picked I received more positive feedback and they liked the choices that I made as I got up and moved around whilst singing this song. They did question the musicality towards the end of the song, in which I know I rushed and panicked in the assessment environment. But overall, as much as I know I need to work on the pitch levels and confidence in terms of my singing I can assess that this song felt more positive in terms of bolder acting choices, in which Hughie O’Donnell was grasping at for more in the Irving Berlin song.

I am satisfied with my score, but I am aiming to improve this to reach in the 50’s and as someone who is less confident in singing wants to improve on their singing technique within songs as I feel like this will create intrinsic confidence in which I can then portray acting, if I know it sounds pleasant for the audience and create a firm balance between the acting and singing.

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With Lisa Aldridge, she taught the class about injuries through safe dance practice. She recognised that this would be helpful to me, so I can understand what type of injury I may endure and where different injuries have resulted from.

She explained how there are 2 different types of injury that I could receive through dancing.

Traumatic injuries

These are spontaneous
(Including sprains, strains, fractures and concussion)

They result of a specific event that causes sudden stress on the body

- Overuse injuries

More common in dance

They develop overtime

As a result of repetitive loading that causes micro damage to the muscloskeletal system

These injuries the are most common and I understand that the injuries I have previously sustained come underneath this bracket.

- I have over the past 6 months, sustained an overuse injury on my left wrist. I find that it gets worse the more I dance on especially if I am rolling and putting my body weight onto my hand. After going to physio, they explained to me that over time the more pressure I can sustain onto my wrist gets worse each time, but after the session with Lisa I've realised that my wrist injury is an overuse injury from repetitive loading and I should try to avoid continuous load directly onto my wrist before I see signs of improvement.

There are plenty of risk factors which explain and counter for the reason why I could obtain certain injuries.

Intrinsic:

Physique and anatomical restrictions

Inefficient alignment and posture

Inadequate or defective technique

Overwork and fatigue

Age

Sex

Previous medical and injury history

Psychological state

These are the reasons and can explain how I've received my wrist injury from my own doing.

Extrinsic:

Insufficient warm up

Unskilled or inefficient teaching

Overuse and excessive repetition

Type and intensity of training (unrealistic demands and imbalanced schedules)

New or unusual choreography

Lifestyle factors - diet, sleep, smoking

Environmental conditions

These are all not under my control except for the warm up and preparation, so it couldn't explain why I have hurt my wrist as it would be down to the teacher or the conditions.

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In contemporary, Bafana Matea has recently taught the class a combination.

This combination is relatively fast paced, to a 3/4 time signature. It requires the dynamics and extension of all the movements to avoid being out of time with the music.

As a part of self reflection, I found it hard to extend and use my maximum range of motion and extension to the song which was quick. In particular, there was a step that required me to already be in a side lunge on the floor and I had to put my hands flat on the floor to swing my legs to change direction and thereby ending in a crouched position, in 3 counts.

I found this difficult as I had to remain at a close contact with the floor and find the momentum in my legs to change my weight and hold the crouched position. I found it was easier to do slower, as I could think about the detail of not letting my glutes too high in the air and reaching my arms to face my new direction of travel.

To help, I decided to keep the move underneath my own body and tried not to extend out of my body's natural reach which allowed me to have more control over what my body was doing and therefore keeping in time with the music.

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When being in my home town I go to a heels open class ran by two graduates from dance college, 'N Town Heels.'

I find that these classes have given me more confidence in mastering to dance in heels, bearing in mind the weight placement and the lack of stability I have when transitioning between different levels within the choreography. From this knowledge received, I can take the practice and skills learned even as simple as learning to walk in heels, to embed these into classes at college in the future held by Ella Goodwin for example which will increase my confidence and not leave me worried about falling over or under-doing movements to avoid mishaps from happening.

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In January, Ella Goodwin held a heels class to the song, ‘Exes.’ After learning the choreography, we filmed the routine to look back on it after the lesson and note improvements we could intrinsically make.

- This was one of my first heels classes in the commercial style and it took me a long time coming into the class to get used to where my weight should be transferred at a fast pace to keep in time with the song with my heels on. I found that keeping the movements smaller and underneath the centre line of my body helped to be more precise with my footwork and where my arms were being placed.

- After watching the video, I could sense that the arm movements towards the latter end of the video could be sharper, and due to this section of choreography being newer, was definitely weaker than the beginning of the routine due to a lack of muscle memory. I intend to focus on the routine as a whole, including every step until the end of the dance, to make sure that the moves are sustained and the sharpness required in the choreography hits every beat initiated in the song.

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After completing both Jazz Assessment classes for Voyd Evans and Miss Evans, Voyd Evans discussed with us that whilst I am on the right track for what she expects she needs to see the transfer of knowledge of skills that she is giving us and seeing us implement this into different styles with other teachers.

She used Transfer of Weight as an example.

In Voyd Evans’ classes she has a set exercise, in which we performed in the assessment, which is a transfer of weight combination which helps us constantly change direction quickly whilst gaining the power and momentum to travel.
Personally I find this exercise helpful as I like to travel to the maximum extension of which my body allows and through engaging my hamstrings and glutes I can travel whilst sustaining the idea of transferring my weight.

As much as I thought this exercise went well in the assessment, she explained that she wanted to see this application of knowledge used in Miss Evans' set 'Jazz Adage' exercise as we pose onto an attitude alignment ready to pivot to face another direction. Voyd Evans expects us to find the attitude position after reaching for it, stepping away from the previous position. This sudden transfer of weight helps me to then gain control of my legs and receive power to attack the dynamic against the music and hit the correct alignment suddenly going slowly through the demi-pointe.

In a few months time, Voyd Evans expects us to be able to apply this knowledge for ourselves and not continue to step underneath the centre line of my body even in different classes, without her reminding us, and I will continue to try my best to execute this in styles such as contemporary and ballet which also require a huge transfer of weight in big steps that require travel.

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Since September I have had mixed feelings about the style commercial.
In Commercial it is more free and therefore sometimes can be more enjoyable and fun to dance as the songs are familiar and it is a 'cool' genre. Whereas for me, this part of dance is daunting and I feel less comfortable due to the lack of years I have trained in this style compared to my ballet, tap and jazz.
I tend to shy away at the back due to a lack of confidence and have noticed I have found a comfortable spot dancing in the shadows within commercial classes and I am now too scared to branch out of this bubble and I feel myself not enjoying the classes due to the same pattern as thinking I'm not good enough to stand near the front.
From September I would say I've constantly blended into the background in these classes and don't tend to push myself out of this comfort zone, hating to be left feeling exposed.

Since January I have tried my best to try and change this attitude of that I am 'not a commercial dancer.' I realise the way of improving in confidence and skill is to stand at the front and take risks so that the teachers notice that I'm trying and can give me guidance and corrections.

After one lesson of standing near to the front Mark Webb came up to me after the lesson and said that my focus and attitude was right and I need to keep pushing and believing in myself, and this will improve my confidence as I have improved loads in terms of commercial skill. This boost from Mark Webb proved that if I shy away to the back I won't be noticed, and therefore I can't be helped and I came away from the conversation feeling happier that I was noticed rather than the feeling I get when I tell myself I look silly and can't do it well enough yet.

I understand I have a long way to go in terms of my commercial skill, but my aim is to improve my confidence and stand at the front before I do this as a starting point.
Since this moment I have been working my way near to the front in Kane Silver and Ella Goodwin's classes and hope to be able to stand at the front fearless soon.

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Miller, J. (2019). Inside Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse’s Unconventional Marriage. [online] Vanity Fair. Available at: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/gwen-verdon-bob-fosse-fx-marriage.

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As part of the new section of our 1st year Degree, Markos Whittome required us to undertake research about a set list of choreographers, to grasp basic understanding and what impact they had in the musical theatre world so we can apply this knowledge to our performance in a few months time.

I chose to focus on 3 choreographers in which I already had previously knowledge on from my studies of A Level Dance, especially concerning the History of American Jazz Dance.

Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon

Jerome Robbins

In my opinion were 3 of the most influential practitioners concerning the development and impact on Jazz styles, which are still used today. As an example here is a summary of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon:

Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon - The couple used their onstage and offstage relationship to embrace Verdon's high skill level of dancing by portraying the classic Fosse style. Bob Fosse embedded his work into pieces they worked on together, with Verdon carrying on his legacy and teaching the specific Fosse style in which she learnt from him. This unique style, still used today, included using inverted feet, hunched backs, small and intricate isolations and splayed fingers and was very precise and accurate evidenced in musicals such as Sweet Charity, Cabaret and Chicago. This was credited for being a different approach to Jazz Dance and changed the direction in which Jazz had always followed. Knowing this information will allow me to understand where my alignment should be and what is expected from me as I perform the 21st century performance in the correct Fosse style.

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Sharon Hodge encouraged me to ask questions individually when discovering the context behind a character. She explained how the choices made by ourselves allow me to find a different interpretation on a set monologue to other people. It discovers intention and understanding of the setting and personal character choices.
I have previously found having a freedom of choice within acting difficult and would rely on being told directly what to do, even though I know this wouldn't benefit my work.
However after being presented with questions which I could use to justify my actions and choices I have found it easier to find the balance between truth and a false narrative by picturing objects around me and understanding why I am there in the first place.

We used this in an exercise - '2 minute slice of life' to prove that asking questions helps to find realism in our actions, allowing myself to believe what I'm saying/doing.

After answering these questions I found an intention even with a simple action of waking up and snoozing my alarm, comparing it to how I do it at home naturally to how I did it in the class in front of an audience. I did find this difficult, knowing deep down I wasn't actually at home, but these questions did help and I will continue to use this in my acting to develop the skill of realism.

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I wrote down the answers to these questions to refer back to as I was planning on how to execute my 2 minute slice of life. The objective of the task was to find realism and not portray a character, rather play yourself. For me, this was and remains difficult as I would normally do these everyday tasks without putting much thought into it.

Giving myself an objective and blocking out the audience helped me to immerse myself into a real situation, imagining it was 6:36am and I was in my bed.

As much as I found it difficult and awkward in front of the other people in my class, I appreciate how significant this will be to my acting, especially if I have to do natural everyday things, not on stage and I will continue to ask myself questions to give a reason for why I'm doing something.

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In tech singing, we have been studying the correct breathing and posture required for a professional standard of singing. This will help us have the knowledge to answer our questions correctly in our tech singing assessment and apply this to my singing throughout the duration of college.

Correct posture = breathing is effective

Posture:

It is a moving structure - meaning it is not tense or rigid

Lengthening will help to drop the diaphragm

Creating space allows the ribs to expand

The lungs should fill up with air

The pelvis should be tucked under to allow more space

Knees aren't locked with the feet remaining hip width apart

Symmetry is extremely important to gaining accurate posture and not maintaining bad habits that would be detrimental to how the sound is projected.

Breathing:

To test that breathing is correct, an exercise can help check that the breathing comes from the stomach and not from the chest.

This could be breathing in for 4, holding for 2 and hissing out for 8.

I will make sure to apply correct breathing techniques throughout the entirety of my training so that I do not tap into habits of relying on my chest whilst singing, which can be damaging towards the specific technique needed in singing.

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We undertook a workshop with Gaz Davis in jazz so we could understand the cabaret style promoted by the ensemble cancan dancers in the West End's 'Moulin Rouge.' This was in aid of giving an insight to the skills needed by the cancan dancers which use sexualised movements and flirtacious actions towards the lead role.
Before undertaking in depth research I knew the cancan dancers had to have huge amounts of stamina, technique and teamwork after watching the show in London last year.
After this workshop, I sensed the cancan dancers although being part of an ensemble would have individual moments as they gushed towards 'Harold Zidler' before dancing in syncronisation. The cabaret jazz style inticed me with the dynamic choreography of high kicks and sharp arm movements to compliment the chosen song, in this case 'Lady Marmalade.'
The workshop inspired me to learn more about the cabaret style and the reasoning behind this which I could justify as I began to research the social and cultural context, so I decided to use the Moulin Rouge for my Performance Skills in Context presentation to find out more about the intense choreography and the connection of the style to the narrative.

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In tech singing with both Louise Woodgate and Jenny Edmonds they have explained the significance of the thyroid tilt and how it can benefit my singing performances.
Thyroid tilt - 'sound like we haven't got a break'
It adds sweetness, clarifies the difference between speaking and singing, and aids vibrato.
It identifies the difference between head and chest voice which is used in any Irving Berlin song.

To demonstrate in the lyrics of What'll I do by Irving Berlin:

'What'll I do, when you, are far away.'

The first word of each little section is to be sung in chest voice, but smoothly transitions to head before it comes back down again.
It features an up and down rhythm within this legit song.

This is important regarding singing as head and chest voice can be used multiple times within the same song and there isn't to be a clear difference if it is in the same sentence, instead it should glide into the other allowing it to sound smooth. I have now understood this and can focus on this in my Irving Berlin songs as they demonstrate a correct use of tilt which is technically correct.

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Markos Whittome in ATS, gave us 3 people to NEVER sing to...

Yourself - it is not easy to act

Audience - unpredictable/ too broad/ too general

God (in musical theatre) - not sure on response

These 3 factors help make acting choices behind the narrative of a song easier, as if it was a conversation between 2 people, or you are telling someone information. This helps songs become more naturalistic and real in terms of thinking about how you would tell someone some news or what's on your mind.
I believe this is important to consider for my 6 assessment songs, giving a background to a character so I have someone in mind when singing these songs.

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In Acting Through Song, Markos Whittome advised us to write out the lyrics of every song we choose to sing throughout our time at college and read the lyrics as if it was a monologue.
This will help to understand the breaths in a sentence, appropriate pauses and specific acting choices that I think are necessary as if it were a conversation.
In doing this, I find the direction of the song suddenly shifts and I read the lyrics differently not just reading them to a melody, they now identify with purpose and justification.

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Why do we sing?

Singing is closer to emotive sounds than speech, using a different part of the brain

It increases social cohesion and wellbeing

Makes us feel positive

Associating with the brain it increases neural pathways in the brain and is therapeutic, used for people with brain damage.

This is comforting to have learnt from Teresa Shaw as singing is not necessarily something to be afraid of. Especially at the start of September I found it hard to express my singing confidently, always pre-empting the worst but I have learnt that it is a way of communicating positively, creating a story and I shouldn't shy away from something that boosts endorphins, as it can also improve mental health, moods, lowers blood pressure and improve the respiratory function. Throughout my studies, I will always be nervous when it comes to singing but I aim to try not to care so much and remember the positives of singing to a group of people.

Voice care is vital for me with the intention of going into the performing arts industry, as after leaving college the health and status of my voice is down to me so I need to understand how to look after it individually.

Carrying a bag on one shoulder, computer work, mobile phone use, texting, microphone use and wigs/costumes/shoes are all lifestyle factor which can negatively affect head and neck alignment which is detrimental to a singer.

I have also understood that actions such as shouting, smoking/vaping, singing when unwell and singing without warming up would significantly harm my voice.

Things to look out for:

Raspy/hoarse sounds, achy/strained jaw, continual clearing of the throat and high notes being difficult to reach. These are all negative factors which could damage a voice for the rest of my career so it is vital I have understood when to stop singing and rest before continuing.

Teresa Shaw also advised us on ways she finds the most useful in maintaining a healthy voice which we can do at college, before a performance, when unwell or in the industry in 3 years:

Steaming

Hydration

Rest

Humidity during the winter months

But...

Lozenges

Cough medicine

Decongestants

Gargling

All of the above won't help and should not be used to help better a damaged voice.

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After having a session with Teresa Shaw I am able to understand the:

Life cycle of the voice

Singing and the brain

Essential Voice Care (Vocal Hygiene)

I can use what we learnt in this session within all of my singing lessons at college and throughout auditioning to take care of my voice, whilst understanding what happens as speaking turns to singing.

I learnt that the primary function of the larynx is stop you from inhaling food with the secondary function being to protect vital organs when straining, pushing, childbirth and constipation and then the tertiary function being to speak and sing.
This demonstrates that the larynx has other purposes not just singing, which I originally thought.

She also taught us the difference between singing and singing tech. Singing tech is to be used always throughout college and as I graduate, which I will continue to do to keep healthy and prevent damage.

Singing tech uses effective voicing, fine motor control & isolating muscles, more sound for minimum effort and stamina & sustainability.
For me, who doesn't have much experience in singing tech this was really helpful to understand the foundations of what is necessary and compulsory with my singing.

A common misconception that Tereasa Shaw corrected was that you can feel the diaphragm. This is not true and I know now that trying to relax this, is impossible. Instead, the brain monitors oxygen levels and when it goes below 92% the diaphragm receives a message to contract as the intercostals then relax in reverse, allowing more space and expansion.

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In acting with Adam Ewan we also used the action verb list when working on our 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' assessment scripts. This helped us further our intentions behind the words and due to it being a part of a duologue me and my partner found this helpful in understanding the reasoning behind the other person's lines and what their perspective is with the words on a page.

An example being... 'Us highs have to stick together through them lows.' We used the verb 'to unite' indicating that their friendship drives this part of the script and they help each other out as best friends.

I intend to explore using the action verbs in all scripts to give reasoning and have a mutual understanding with the direction of the words with other people.

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To support the research for our Performance Skills in Context module Bafana held a Lion King workshop which was replica choreography of the West End production in a contemporary class.

We portrayed the characters of the lions whilst doing anthropomorphic movements to represent the African tribal culture. It was insightful to understanding what the characters have to rehearse to execute the intricate movements.

He required us to start offstage and come onstage as a group, known as a 'pride of lions.'
The use of the contraction of the torso used the whole body to create sharp alignments to correlate with the beats in the music.

Also we had to be conscious that if we were in the West End production we would wear a headdress. This would restrict the movements of the upper half of the body and the ensemble dancers have to slightly tilt their head forward so the audience can clearly see the detail of the headdress.

In this workshop, I took the knowledge of using the animalistic movements to understand the skill of the ensemble and main characters that I could consider to take deeper research into for my presentation.

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I'm currently studying for my DDE in Tap Dance for the ISTD

Through completing this I am able to understand the build up of tap steps and how to break them down to be able to teach them to novice students.

In my tap lessons at college, I have found I have been helpful in offering advice if other people are struggling with more advanced steps, but can do the basic ones. In this case, many people can do a basic pick up on two feet but find it hard to complete a pick up off one foot.

Through my years of training with DDE, I know through bending my supporting leg and as I take off lifting up taking a breath in, to land on a plie this helps students.

I also find demonstrating the step, students find it easier to understand the rhythm to separate the pick up action and the landing noise. Sometimes however it is clear that the same approach doesn't work for the same student, so through my DDE I have learnt multiple ways to correct and aid whomever I'm helping.

I will continue to find new ways and different approaches that I can use with trial and error on people at college, that I can use throughout my DDE qualification and in future years as I begin to teach tap dancing.

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www.benchtheatre.org.uk. (n.d.). Road Written by Jim Cartwright. [online] Available at: https://www.benchtheatre.org.uk/plays00s/road.php.

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Diagram of the key functions when singing

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At the start of the year, Louise Woodgate gave the class this diagram to label as a way of identifying the important functions which can help enhance different voice qualities. For me, labelling the diagram is extremely useful as I can gage where the different areas are and when I'm in a singing tech lesson I can use this knowledge to change the voice quality by seeing it visually, as it makes it easier to relate it to my own self.

In a lesson with Jenny Edmonds, she spoke about lifting the soft palette to change the voice quality. I didn't quite understand this due to the less knowledge I already have on technical singing, but I came back to the diagram and realised where this position is situated at the back of my throat and could then intrinsically self assess if I'm lifting the correct area.

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In ensemble singing, Dylan Jacobs required us to find a Stephen Sondheim song that we connected to in terms of the lyrics, melody or the meaning within the show. I chose 'America,' from Jerome Robbins' 'West Side Story.'

I connected to this song after previously learning about West Side Story within A Levels. I appreciate the concern towards immigrants with the Puerto Ricans fleeing to America.
In this song, the lyrics have two different opinions from the Puerto Ricans. Anita, claims she likes the American lifestyle and life is better here, whereas Bernardo criticises life in America helping to paint a picture that the spectacular stereotype America had wasn't reality and did take part in discrimination throughout the 1950s towards their culture.

Sondheim's lyrics are all powerful in terms of educating audiences and through researching this I have learnt he aims to kickstart the thinking process for audiences through all of the musicals he has created involvement in, such as....

Passion

Follies

Into the Woods

Sweeney Todd

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Voyd Evans has a warm up that she uses before every class and we have been learning since September. She explained to us that if the warm up is danced correctly the rest of the class will be easier and the basic understanding of what is happening in the warm up can help be transferred into routines and exercises within the class.

She told me to transfer my weight fully from one foot to another and pushing how far I can go from a plie. This will help with the use of dynamics and makes it more exciting to watch, testing the full range of mobility my body can make. After she explained this, I aim to do this every class and she complimented me on my use of pushing against and away from my basic level of extension and going further and beyond.

She also explained to me that the arm circles that happen simultaneously to the transfer of weight help to stretch and lift our bodies, but again add dynamics. She told me not to pre-empt these arm circles and just to get there to fully extend the arm as far as it can go within the socket whilst using breath to play with the accent and highlight the height of the arm circle.

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Through stripping back our ballet technique from the beginning of September I have been able to not only enjoy ballet more, but understand the ways in which my body should work efficiently to reach a professional standard. I have recognised, with Lisa Aldridge and Ben Tribe telling us also, that the foundations we have learnt are the only way we should take ballet class from now on.

Even with standing in 1st position, I need to lift up and out of my feet with my weight not fixated into my heels, this helps me to appear longer within in the torso and I look more presentable in class. I understand that I have to squeeze my gluteals and engage my hamstrings so that I can find maximum rotation and turnout in my inner thigh thinking about my inner thigh pushing forward. I have learnt to not tuck my pelvis underneath and relax into a comfortable position, but instead lift and think about there not being any wrinkles at the lower back position of my leotard.

If I continue to listen and apply advice given to me surrounding the foundations of my technique, Lisa Aldridge explained that not only will I see improvements but I will be able to progress hugely in my training, when using the baselines within advanced steps in the centre.

In February after the ballet assessments we have recently in class revisited posture with Mark Allison. I have secured my knowledge on what my posture in ballet should look like, specifically at the barre. I believe this is vital to my ballet technique and I always find it necessary to revisit how to lift out of my legs by thinking about lifting from the top of my head, not sitting in my heels and thinking about having a tucked pelvis to create a straight line from my back so I can transfer this to the centre before I start exercises, to look more professional and ready to start. I would like to come back to this every few months to remain a solid understanding and not forget specific details.

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We did a routine in MT Dance inspired by the musical, 'In the Heights.' The routine had intricate details within the choreography at a fast pace, however Aaron Bryan required us to focus on the whole upper body and push this to my maximum range of mobility to compliment the contrast of fine and gross movements alongside the momentum and dynamic quality to fulfil the stops and extended movements. I intend to focus on the different qualities needed within the choreography to create depth and interest to a routine, especially considering the use of the high release and how the back moves quickly.

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With Sharon Hodge in acting, we explored Road by Tim Cartwright which explores the lives of the people who live in an un-named road in a deprived, working class area of Lancashire.

We were given a monologue to explore and determine our own background life for our character and the purpose behind the words.
To help us perform this, Sharon Hodge advised using action verbs to justify each line, giving it a reason for saying them. This helps to create layers, texture and depth to the script and with the whole class performing the same monologue, it allows me to find my own unique approach in reading the same lines.
I will continue to use this in acting monologues and mark it out on the script to help with understanding the different feelings behind the lines, and will credit my acting work throughout my 3 years and in any future auditions.

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I have been having Jessi McCluskey for my individual singing lessons where she is focusing on acting through song for my 6 songs working towards the ‘Singing Assessments.’ The 6 songs I chose were:

- Moonshine Lullaby
- What’ll I do
- Wouldn’t it be loverly
- A lovely Night
- Stepsisters Lament
- Waiting

We have worked on Waiting and Wouldn’t it be loverly over the couple of weeks before the assessment.

In reflection I found that Waiting was hard for me to listen to the backing track and sing to it as I felt like it didn’t connect and sounded different to the song on Spotify. Due to a slight hearing impairment, this is a task I find difficult with most songs but in particular this one, but with the help of Jessi we managed to figure out the timing and by the end of the lesson I could hear when I was due to come in to sing and could portray the character through acting as well, making a lot of progress from the beginning of the lesson to the end.

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In an assessment jazz class with Miss Evans, we have a technical exercise that requires us to do a double or triple pirouette. As we performed in smaller groups I executed a clean triple pirouette, whilst turning to my right. I achieved a good spot, fast but controlled momentum and felt pulled up on my legs after we had spoken about pirouettes before.

She complemented the cleanliness of the triple pirouette and asked for me to demonstrate this to the rest of the class. Turning has always come quite naturally to me but I also find under this amount of pressure I stumbled on the last second of rotation as I was nervous.

As much as I did a good pirouette, I would like to be more consistent with my turns when performing by myself in front of a whole class, and aiming to reach 4 pirouettes which I can transfer to use in other jazz classes and ballet.

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In a Safe Dance Practice lesson with Lisa Aldridge she explained the correct version of a warm up stands as so:

Creating a pulse raiser (5 minutes) - this is to get the blood flowing but is comfortable movement. It may include walking, rolling on the floor and intensity should gradually increase

Joint mobilisation (5 minutes) - this prepares joints for safe loading, exploring full range of motion and focus on joints specfically in the class

Muscle lengthening - this is holding stretches whilst targeting specific muscles which are going to be used in the class. It prevents injury and maintains flexibility

Specific preparations for that particular class - core control, safe loading, mobility, lengthening (style dependent)

Psychological preparation - awareness is focused and ready for the class or performance

I could refer this to my DDE work within tap dancing as I am required for my teacher training exam to make up a warm up and explain the use and purpose of why we warm up as the starting question within the exam.

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During our MT Dance class, James Bennett found it necessary for us to research the practitioners behind Hairspray (the 2 films and the musical production.)

He explained that it is vital to know our industry, in case we get the pleasure of working with these people or if we get questions asked in auditions.

I found out that in the 1980's film - it was written by John Waters

In the 2007 film - It was choreographed and directed by Adam Shankman and was produced by Ingenious Media

In the musical - It was choreographed by Jerry Mitchell and produced by Jack O'Brien

I will continue to study practitioners when we learn more choreography from other musicals as I feel like I could answer any questions if they were thrown at me, making me feel prepared for the industry I am heading into.

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Onsets are how you start a note or phrase: it regards the beginning of a sound.

We learnt 3 different versions to use in our songs depending on the style/genre of a song -

Glottal - "attack", more powerful with the vocal chords being closed. It is a hard onset and I would use if I was using a belt voice quality.

Aspirate - this is any vowel preceded by a puff of air as in 'h' or 'wh.' It has a breathy quality where the air passes over the vocal chords before the sound starts. This could be used in a character song which includes laughing. I will use this to feel naturalism within my song and transition into speech quality.

Smooth - This is a balanced onset when the vocal folds are closed but not too closed. It is an easy sound that doesn't seem constricted or forced. This is useful for classical singing but I can use it in contemporary songs when a balanced song is desired.

Differentiating these onsets help to identify different character types and how I approach the style of the song.

I will continue to use this to understand how my List 2 and List 3 songs can sound different depending on the personality of the character and style.

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The term vocal onset (or vocal attack) is used in singing to describe how the breath and vocal folds come together to start a note. Similarly, a vocal offset describes the manner of finishing a note. Every onset can be used as an offset as well. The varying between the two is a vital part of what is referred as styling.
The smooth onset
The vocal folds meet the breath and come together gently and efficiently just before the sound is made.
The tone is clear and energy-efficient, for this attack ensures a steady stream of air passing through the vibrating vocal folds. This type of onset is representative for classical singing, but it can also be used in contemporary songs when a balanced sound is desired. Furthermore, this onset assures easier access to healthy tone production and resonance.
The glottal onset
Closed vocal folds stop the breath before the sound is produced (you can notice it by saying "uh-oh!").
The glottal attack gives a clean, sudden sound to note and helps you find a strong tone. This type of onset can be used in any contemporary genre, and it is often employed in rock styles. It has a feeling of directness and strength.
The breath onset
The breath is passing through open vocal folds before the sound production (say "hah" and feel how the air flows before the voice sound).
The breath onset has a feeling of intimacy and ease. You can hear this attack in most contemporary genres.
The gasp onset
The gasp onset is a variation of the breath onset. The main difference is that the air goes faster through the open vocal folds before the voice production (similar to panting on the word "huh-huh").
This onset has a feeling of intense emotions, desperation and pleading, helping to make a feature of gospel and soul styles.
The creak onset
The breath is passing very slowly between the vibrating vocal folds before airflow increases, and stronger tone is employed. You can feel this creak (also called vocal fry) try making the sound your voice makes in the morning or when you are quite tired.
This attack has a feeling of high intimacy or exhaustion. It is prevalent in many pop styles, but you might find it in other contemporary genres as well.
The yodel onset
The breath passes through the vocal folds vibrating in falsetto with very little resistance, then the vocal muscles activate and vibrate vigorously against the breath. Try making a hoody sound on "hoo" and change suddenly into a chesty "ah" sound to get an idea of the vocal mechanism changing its mode of vibration.
The yodel (also called flip) onset is a country singing trait, although its popularity has grown. You can also find this attack in contemporary genres like pop, gospel, and R'n'B for its emotional impact.

Source: This is a voice by Jeremy Fisher and Gillyanne Kayes

Keep in mind these onsets are useful tools for creating the expression you want during a performance. An essential feature for a singer is authenticity, so try exploring each vocal onset and the emotional impact that it carries. Always listen to your body, and if something causes strain or constriction, it means you are not using the appropriate technique in employing the sounds you want. Keep practising and improve your technique to control your voice healthily.
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The term vocal onset (or vocal attack) is used in singing to describe how the breath and vocal folds come together to start a note. Similarly, a vocal offset describes the manner of finishing a note. Every onset can be used as an offset as well.

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I have previously undertaken lots of study regarding Safe Dance Practice whilst studying for my Diploma in Dance Education in Tap Dancing, passing the unit that requires written work about this subject. To go over this, consolidates my knowledge and confirms my understanding.

There are 3 components regarding Safe Dance Practice to consider -

Environmental - within the studio

Physical - technique/preparation

Psychological

Keeping safe allows dancers to reduce chances of injury, increase performance potential and prolong participation.

In terms of the environment to keep safe the floor type needs to be considered as well as the studio space, hazards, ventilation.

Physically to keep safe, dancers need to be aware themselves of their technique, a thorough warm up and cool down, massaging and rolling out and keeping correct alignment and not just a teacher reminding a student to do this.

Psychologically to keep safe dancers need to have a positive mental attitude and mindset and use constructive criticism. This should be used before the class and after to self-reflect.

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We learnt a script from a section of Doctor Who and the teacher advised us to use the 5 W's when trying to learn the script and understand the purpose and meaning behind the words.

I chose to learn Ryan's part. I noted that Ryan is 27 years old, being a warehouse worker, can't get to work as a mysterious metal crane has appeared outside his flat with his bike also being in a tree, with it not being there 15 minutes ago.

Doing this, helps me to pick apart plain words upon a page and create something behind it, separating me a part from other students' in class. I will continue to use this approach throughout the rest of my training as advised by my teachers.

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For the List 1 Songs required for our singing assessment, we are studying the composer Irving Berlin.

His songs breach under the bracket of legit musical theatre, whereby controlling the voice is imperative and shouldn't contain any elements that would be used in 21st century pop songs.

'Appoggiatura,' we learnt in Singing Tech is when you scoop into a note. One of the girls in my group demonstrated this in her Irving Berlin Song and the teacher advised her not to do this for the style of singing. I noted not to use this when I performed my List 1 song, applying someone else's feedback to my own work, so the teacher could use the time to correct me on something different and more personal.

I will continue to apply this and not scoop into any notes, in these songs, for my assessment in February.

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To help continue progressing with Blood Brothers, my teacher asked us to use the 5 W's to understand the context behind the script and be able to analyse the character in depth.

I chose to play Eddie and I noted this -

Who? - Eddie, confident, well-spoken, clever, 7 year old, brought up well, wealthy, keen to play, forward, not judgemental, smart

What? - Wants to make himself known to Mickey (possible friendship,) someone to play with

Where? - In a small alleyway where Mickey normally plays, definite contrast to the park where Eddie plays

When? - Midday as kids might be too scared to go out if dark is approaching, on a weekend too as Eddie would be at school in the week

Why? - Eddie is smart and notices Mickey feeling isolated so feels bad for him and wants to help him but is also intrigued as he doesn't go to school with him so he doesn't know where he's from.

I can now understand more about my motives and goals as a character and feel more ready for my assessment.

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Moulin Rouge Research for a Skills Analysis Presentation - West End Cast performing at the Olivier Awards 2022

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As part of our presentation assignment, I undertook some research of both the Lead Member being Harold Zidler and the ensemble members, being the cancan dancers. I noted that the Lead member used predominately acting and singing skills to portray his dominant, bold and assertive character with use of projection, a high volume in his voice and being expressive to show his control over the ensemble. Whereas I noted that the cancan dancers, whose technical ability in terms of their dancing required flexibility, stamina and strength to entertain the audience and use the Cabaret style to continue the narrative, so audiences can understand the context of the show and understand what society would watch in Paris in the 20th Century.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

May 9, 2022 · Introduced by Liisi LaFontaine and Jamie Bogyo, the West End cast of Moulin Rouge! The ...
Duration: 5:30
Posted: May 9, 2022

Apr 13, 2022 · The theatre industry erupted with joy on Sunday 10th April 2022 at London's Albert Hall to ...
Duration: 0:28
Posted: Apr 13, 2022

Olivier Awards winners 2023

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moulin rouge olivier awards 2022 - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. May 9, 2022 · Introduced by Liisi LaFontaine and Jamie Bogyo, the West End cast of Moulin Rouge!

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Before learning the script for our Blood Brothers acting assessment, we were required to research the play itself so we could put it into context in terms of the script, and help us understand the characters' backgrounds and the storyline.

This helped me to understand the thought process and analyse the lines of the script so I could present a story and use acting techniques to portray my studied character.

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Watching Grease the Musical in London's West End helped me to write a review and give my professional opinion on a show, for the first time. I noticed the differences between the original film and the stage production, with one being Sandy having brown hair rather than her well-remembered blonde. It helped me to recognise that when films are put together the reason behind the songs becomes integral to the plot and drives the story forward. With the musical, being in a different order to the film I became confused with the storyline as I felt like it was jumping from scene to scene. This helped me to create a baseline for my review, so I could write an accurate but clearly opinionated review.

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Using Graham technique, recognised by Martha Graham, I have explored the use of curve, spirals and falls in multiple disciplines:

Contemporary Jazz with Josh Denyer

Contemporary with Bafana Matea

Jazz with Voyd Evans

In Contemporary Jazz we use Graham Technique in one of his set exercises where we start standing up and we descend onto the floor. We use high releases in a lunge as I circle my arm with the use of breath to spiral onto the floor. We continue to high release as we proceed to contract and create a curvature in the spine, rolling down one vertabrae at a time. Through finding this curve, I am now able to find moments of breath and extension which enhances my performance and lets it flow easier. I can now transfer this to Contemporary.

In Contemporary, we use a curve to demonstrate the understanding of contemporary practitioners within history. In our Lion King workshop, the teacher required us to curve the spine to embody the character of an animal, making it realistic and anthropomorphic to emphasise the narrative.

I was then able to use this process in Voyd Evans' jazz.

The teacher at the start of a turns combination wanted the starting position to be of a curved spine. She explained to get this accuracy it will be difficult due to a lack of flexibility within the back, in terms of the whole class. After doing this in Josh Denyers' classes previously I can find this easier but still strive to find this position naturally.

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In a tap lesson we were working on a shuffle drill. The exercise contains forward and side shuffles, as well as under-cut shuffles. I find these difficult, but my teacher gave me advice to use the full ball of my tap rather than the side and keeping it closer to my standing leg, being parallel. This will help me to guarantee a sound being executed every time, especially when the speed gets quicker. I also noticed my right leg is stronger with my left leg missing the beats more consistently. I am trying to focus on bending my supporting leg and when I'm standing, not in a dance class, practicing the action of an undercut shuffle. I can then use this in tap choreography at a fast pace.

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We spent a lesson working on our en dehors pirouettes in the centre. In this video we had to individually reflect on our pirouettes. I noticed that my first pirouette was a successful double where I used correct spotting and was pulled up on my leg. But the second pirouette, turning to the left, I moved backwards as I landed losing control of my balance, not landing smoothly in 5th position. This shows how I am comfortable with my right turns and need to balance out my left pirouettes and keep pulling in from the backs of my legs until the very last moment. I can use this in my en de dans pirouettes also in ballet and pirouettes from the corner landing in a lunge, making it neat and precise.

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This exercise helps explore my maximum turnout as I lift my leg into retiere. After 3 times I extended my legs to its fullest extension to gain a stretch in my hamstring. I found this difficult with one leg resting on the ball and my hips raised whilst maintaining a corrected pelvis alignment and not tucking underneath. I realised I am stronger on my left leg with having more flexibility and strength and need to catch up with my right leg to produce maximum bilateral transfer.

From doing this exercise every week, developpes in ballet will become easier and releasing pressure/tension from my quadriceps.

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PBT - Kicks on the ball - RIGHT LEG ONLY

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These kicks help engage our abdominals whilst kicking our leg at a fast paced motion. The leg resting on the ball has to be squeezed and pulled in to avoid the ball from wobbling, with the leg extending requiring power and control with a straight leg and pointed foot. The aim is to keep the upper body still with the hips not twisting, helping to gain a deeper stretch in the hamstrings. This will help with controlling grand battlements in the centre in ballet.

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This is a video demonstrating how I found it difficult to guarantee the second leg's wing action with a backward tap, making it as clear as the initial leg.

My teacher reminded me of how the sounds should remain separated with the left foot following after the right not blending into one, making one muffled sound. Starting with a brush on the front tap of the shoe, as it catches back into the centre as a backwards tap, as 2 different sounds. The backwards tap action should be clear before the right toe lands onto the floor. This sound allows articulation of the feet and can be put into future combinations, with me confidently knowing I can execute the second backwards tap action before I jump onto my toe to land the movement.

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We filmed this exercise at the beginning of Term 1 so we could look back at it when we broke up for Christmas and notice the improvements independently.

From this video I noticed I executed a triple pirouette with the leg extended out in front of me; but this needs to be consistent and executed in time with the music every time.

With also considering remembering the movements in between the turns (transition steps.)

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In James Bennett's class we performed a piece from Hairspray the Musical, to 'Nicest Kids in Town.' Once we had learnt the choreography he taught us the vocals that went along with the movement. These were hard to maintain alongside a high energy routine and as I reflect I feel like I need to exert more of my energy into my singing as this is what a working professional job will entail.

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In Kane Silver’s commercial we use the foundations of house steps to create a relaxed, calm flow of movements. From September, he has been teaching us the basic fundamentals that he uses within his routines, allowing us to slowly build on this as the choreography progresses and becomes harder.

The knees should always remain relaxed and not locked and posture should be relaxed over to work deeper into the ground. He also explained that our arms should be relaxed and free but should follow the movement and direction in which the body is going, as it looks natural and appealing to audiences.

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In Acting Through Song (ATS) with Markos Whittome, we used the lyrics of List 2 and List 3 songs to analyse their meaning before listening to the song or within the context of the show. This is so, as musical theatre students, we don't just copy what has already been done. I'm going to use this in future for all my songs as a start on creating a narrative for myself and not just singing someone else's take on a song.

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My teacher told us to focus on having smooth transitions to and from the floor. He made us lunge and reach our arms over to the opposite side we are rolling, for momentum and tuck our legs in to roll at a quick speed to stand back up again. Due to being at a fast speed, it became clear that the preparation helped me to swing into the roll, allowing it to be easier to stand up quickly after. As a part of self reflection, I have noticed using my breath efficiently in the lunge also helps for momentum and will continue to use this in all elements of floorwork, including in jazz with Josh Denyer.

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In this I have learnt that it is important to get things wrong proudly, so that the teacher can recognise where the notes are off and can correct them. The teacher said to me to not sing under my breath if I am unsure. I am still working on maintaining this as it comes with confidence as getting it wrong loudly is nerve wracking in front of a group of people.

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Progressive Ballet Technique incorporates yoga balls to help strengthen the muscles needed for both ballet and jazz. This includes inner thigh muscles for turnout, back strength for backbends and hamstring strength for turns and jumps in both disciplines.

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A few weeks before my Blood Brothers assessment, me and my partner performed our script to Kai Owen and the rest of the class. His feedback stated that he enjoyed the piece and believed it was heading in the right direction and could see the clear difference from both of the characters.
He told us to work on maintaining child- like behaviours of a 7 year old within the whole piece.

To help this... Sharon Hodge played games with us to embody the personality of a 7 year old and use physicality and emotions as we were a child still.

This helped me to re-enact the competitiveness and vocalised emotions in which children have and I could use this in my assessment,

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Throughout the process of working on my 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' script the rehearsal process was largely independent with Adam Ewan giving us freedom in setting the scene and choosing the actions and intentions that felt appropriate behind the words.

He watched mine and my partners performance a few weeks before the assessment and the feedback was largely positively with a few areas to work on to create naturalism and maintain understanding of the words.

He explained to us to take the energy down; not taking the direction of a musical theatre approach, but realism and how I would actually react in this situation.

He redirected the intention of the words, 'Wash your mouth out Pritti Pasha!' to act more shocked and lost for words before my character of Jamie goes on to say 'where you been learning words like that.' Adam Ewan explained that Jamie laughs in this situation not expecting for his friend Pritti to have said what she said.

He also told us to take pauses almost as if the conversation was casual and the situation wasn't rolled straight off a script. In real life Adam Ewan explained you don't necessarily reply straight away to someone, you may need time to think of answers and the audience should believe this is the first time you are saying these lines.

I thought his feedback was insightful and helped us to gain an understanding in some of the meanings behind unfamiliar words and create realism between 2 friends, whilst taking the excitement and dramatisation out of it.

In our actual performance, I believe we used these notes to improve our performance, considering every emotion whilst not being overly expressive that it was no longer believable.

I understood why I achieved the mark that I did of 55, but next time I do an acting assessment I feel I could better this as in Everybody's Talking About Jamie I felt limited with the script, as the narrative was confusing and seemed unrealistic as a conversation between 2 best friends.

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Whilst aiming to do a separated wing onto the tip of my toes, I was struggling at the start of the lesson but my teacher kept making me repeat the movement, considering the left foot almost as more important than the initial working leg.

Below the video, I explain what process I went through to complete the separated wing.

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A tilt - Part of one of the assessment dances in Miss Evans' jazz class

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Miss Evans used me within the class to demonstrate a tilt with my leg using maximum turn out with both the standing leg and the leg held in the air. She reminded us to not fling it high in the air but create a controlled and sustained movement with an extended leg line.

In this photo, my top arm could be lowered fractionally to create a diagonal line with my right arm. I also can see that my leg raised in the air is using rotation to increase my turnout but I could think more about pulling my heel forward, as much as I would have if I was standing in 1st position in ballet to elongate the leg line. I will do this in my assessments in February.

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There are different voice qualities needed, depending on the type of sound required for a song type.

Speech

Falsetto

Twang

Opera

Sob

Belt

I can now differ each voice quality, with speech being easiest as it is realistic and what I would use in day to day life.