https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s Year 2 at NPTC Group en-us 2017-09-24 10:12:59 UTC 2017-11-03 15:05:57 UTC hello@padlet.com lewis_ansell https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199364236 Today was our first day in our Movement Improvisation class and our second class with of the week with the first years. We stood in a circle, where craig told us what this unit would include this year.  We started to rub our hands together, creating warmth between our palms then placing them over our eyes. This was to help us understand the idea of feeling through the skin. We then began to warm up our muscles, by massaging down our arms, using the idea of squeezing toothpaste out of our arms. We continued this idea on our legs. 

We then partnered up to work on counterbalance and counter-tensions. Working my partner, we began to to explore ways different ways of sharing wait for example, we would grab each other's wrist and plié in second position to share our weight. 

After this, my partner and I began working on a contact improv duet, using different body parts to be the main point of contact, moving around each other to create material. Craig mentioned that it has to be honest in order for it to work. Every time my partner and I broke contact, we'd start from the beginning and continuing working and developing the duet. We then performed the duet in groups to class. 

I found that my partner and I worked efficiently together due to our communication as a duet, this taught me that communication is a key component in creating and working with a partner. ]]> 2017-10-22 16:11:07 UTC https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199364236 lewis_ansell https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199368778 In today's lesson, we focused on counter tension and communication between partnerships. Firstly we sat in a circle, using a similar warm up to last week, massaging and squeezing our muscles to warm and loosen them up. 

We then paired up and worked with a partner again this week. We were asked to face each other and line our feet up with our partner. We then gave each other weight by pushing slightly against each other's feet. This exercise was focused on listening to your partners body, and following them, then half way through, seeing if the leadership can be swapped. We also repeated this exercise facing away from our partner which proved to more difficult for me as i had to try to sense where my partner wants to go next as supposed to seeing where they are going. 

The following exercise of the session was to experiment with the idea of sharing weight with other body parts. One partner would lay on the ground with their legs arms stretched out and the other partner would use different body parts to give weight. For example, head to chest or arm to stomach. This was to help us understand holding our own weight and our partners in order to lift each other efficiently and safely. 

Craig asked the question "what's the most important hing when being lifted or lifting your partner?" I believe the most important thing when performing a lift is communication between partners, understand where the weight is being shared and to engage your own body so that both dancers are safe when performing lifts. 

This then brought us into a communication task, every partnership was asked to sit back to back, with one person as the drawer. The drawer would draw a picture to which they would then describe the drawing to their partner to see if the outcome was the same. This exercise was based on communication between partnerships. 

I felt as the purpose of the class was to help us understand each other as a company so that when we begin to work together on choreography, we can do so efficiently and safely. ]]> 2017-10-22 16:51:21 UTC https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199368778 lewis_ansell https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199369160 This week in class, we focused on maintaining our bodies and giving it the right treatment so that we can prevent injuries now and in the future. 

We worked in partners again this week, although we focused on various different ways of maintaining our bodies. Using our partners we worked on massaging the body so any areas that need the most care and treatment can be focused on to prevent any injuries. 

We continued on with this exercise, swapping over partners. After each partner had been worked on we took time to discuss how we felt afterwards. For me, I felt as though I had a better understanding of my body and how to look after it. I also mentioned how my body feels more relaxed and open in able to do more with it. From this class I now know what my body needs when warming up, learning and performing material and how to cool down so that I can remain safe when performing. ]]> 2017-10-22 16:54:56 UTC https://padlet.com/lewis_ansell/63bimgfm4v9s/wish/199369160