Health & Fitness

Tap Workshop: Improvisation & Choreography

~ Lifelongdancestudent ~ 3 Comments

Tap Poster

Last night I went to the final Tap workshop as part of Morley College’s ‘Summer Shorts’…Improvisation and Choreography. There were less people than last week, but still plenty of us there for the 2 hour workshop.

We warmed up in a circle, then we went round the circle (like last week) and had to fill 4 bars with something using heels & toes only… ARGH! We did this a few times, and then we did some exercises in rows facing the mirror, such as playing with crawls, we refreshed our memories on some steps, did some call and response (i.e. respond to the teacher’s combination with something different, but to the same beat) and made up our own time step. We also made up some of our own choreography in pairs, and did some improvisation in smaller groups where one person danced in the middle and then signalled to someone that they were going to swap with them.

It was so much fun! But it was also kind of scary to come up with something on the spot when the spotlight is on you. I think it got easier as the time went on, but there is always that feeling of butterflies when you know you’re next! Everyone was in the same boat and really supportive of each other, and our teacher is very encouraging. I have done improvisation before in other styles of dance, but trying to make my feet do what I wanted them to do was another story! I’d love to drop into the splits and slide back up to standing like the Nicholas Brothers, or Prince, but it ain’t happening.

Great tips I picked up for improvisation:

  • Don’t plan ahead
  • Steal steps from other people!
  • Keep it simple

One I would add for me is to repetitively practice steps over the summer using your new tap board! We are DEFINITELY going to be moving to a house over the next few months (YAY!) so I will be able to utilise this resource more fully LOL.

Side note: I have been suffering a bit the last few weeks with tender Achilles tendons, but I didn’t want to miss this class, having missed three weeks of the last term of classes. I am wondering if my Achilles tendons are inflamed from over-use, plus I’ve had swollen ankles from the humid heat, which has thankfully cooled. I will rest after this…I promise (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)! I have one more summer workshop coming up – the Adult Summer Intensive at Rambert, Waterloo, which one of my Tap friends might be joining me at. I need to see how I go. Might have to wear ankle supports.

Prince Splits

Yoga

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Last night we went to Yoga. It was a gentle hour and a half class in a nice calm dance studio. My body was stiff and achy so it was really nice to lie down on a mat and chill out. We did several poses and stretches which really helped to loosen up my hamstrings, back and shoulders. The standing poses were also great and I particularly enjoyed the Tree pose as it made me test my balance!

Tap Board

~ Lifelongdancestudent ~ 2 Comments

 

I’m so excited – this weekend I ordered a portable tap practice board! I actually had two expensive purchase options in mind, some new Bloch tap shoes by Chloe & Maud Arnold of the Syncopated Ladies (I was fortunate enough to take part in an Afro Funk workshop taught by Maud last year) or a tap board, which are about the same price. Then I thought about it and came to the conclusion that I already have some pretty good tap shoes (Bloch Tap Sync plus the Jason Samuels Smiths in white), but my real frustration has been not being able to practice at home in my tap shoes because I will ruin the floor (I also have a neighbour below, but he works unsociable hours so thankfully is never home in the evenings). I will let you know how I get on with it when it arrives.

Tap Board

On another note, I am going to start going to gentle yoga on a Friday evening at my local leisure centre. I actually used to go to that class with my SO a few years ago, but we got out of the habit. He runs for an athletics club and has recently started doing pole vault. I dance, but don’t do nearly enough stretching at the moment. We were chatting about it last night and then you wouldn’t believe it…while walking around town this afternoon, we bumped into the teacher! A sign?! So we sorted out our free drop-in loyalty cards and booked in.

I’m really looking forward to it. That particular class had mainly older members, so it was way more relaxed than the one I tried at London South Bank University, which was like an hour’s push-up class :$ It will be a nice way to unwind at the end of the week and hopefully will help with a bit of the stress I’ve been under.

How do you cross train or stay flexible? Do you find yoga or Pilates helpful?

Burnout 

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Shattered

Ok, I have to admit it. I’m burnt out. I have missed two weeks of Tap classes and am also missing tonight’s class because I am off work and have zero energy. Although I felt I had to go because I’d been telling my teacher for two weeks that I’d be back “next week” and hadn’t been, and it’s the final class of term, I just knew it wouldn’t be sensible to go. I need the rest.

I’ve had a lot on my plate over the last few months. A lot of my stress is work-related, but I need to stay employed so I figured it would be better to not burn myself out further tonight at a class so I can actually go to work tomorrow!

Another aspect of burnout that I’ve been reading about is that a lot of dancers hold very high standards for themselves and can end up overdoing it by signing up to too many classes and not having enough recovery or even overdoing it at each class when the fitness level is not there yet. Of course there are other factors like getting enough sleep and nutrients, but you must listen to your body. Must!

I think a good thing for me to do would be a yoga type class for relaxation and stress relief, while also aiding flexibility and strength.

Next week will be the first of our tap workshops, so I’m going to rest up so that I’m back in the zone for learning the Shim Sham!

Knees

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Ever since I decided to throw myself 110% into Tap Dancing, I have found that it has affected my knees a bit, depending on what exercises we’ve been doing. The culprits for me have been things like shunts and stomps. I’ve been dancing fine, but then hobbling around like an old lady at the weekends. I did start to wonder if this was just part of starting Tap in your thirties, but after doing a bit of reading around, I realise it is probably more a case of needing to strengthen the muscles that actually hold the knee in place. I have to say it has helped a lot after just a week!

Blausen_0597_KneeAnatomy_Side

My top exercises for dodgy dance knees:

  • Demi-pliés – in 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions
  • Developpés…slowly
  • Tendu
  • Sitting on the floor and raising each leg alternately to strengthen the quads
  • Leg raises while lying on your front to strengthen the hams

So basically a mini ballet class! I just used a chair (as my purple foldaway ballet barre is currently in storage). It also helps to stretch the quads and hamstrings on a daily basis.

Resistance

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This week is half term, so there are no tap classes this week. I am actually glad of the break because I have barely gone a week without tapping recently, and my knee was bothering me a bit over the weekend. I’ve also had a bit of plantar fascia twinge recently, so instead of schlepping about at home barefoot or in slippers, I’ve been trying to wear my (not) Birkenstocks because they give excellent arch support.

 

Birkenstock

Speaking of the weekend, there were LOADS of dance wear sales on, and I got some very tempting emails from Pineapple, Dance Direct and Bloch. However, I resisted!

I spent my money on something else instead…tickets to see 42nd Street in the West End! I’m going with a dance friend on the 22nd June after work…can’t wait!

Bunion Fix pt2

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Foot wrappedAnother method I use to control my wayward big toe is to strap my foot up so that the big toe joint can’t spread out. I can do this for all my dance classes, it doesn’t interfere with my shoes or the flexing of the foot – but make sure you don’t wrap too tight! I use the self adhesive stretch bandage from Superdrug which is available in blue (as shown), pink and pink and black leopard print!

Review: Bunheads Bunion Guard 

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I have had the beginnings of a bunion on my left foot since I was about 15, which I now believe is hereditary looking at the feet of my mum and grandmother. Dancing regularly in styles such as ballet (not on pointe) and even tap, I am very conscious of not letting the thing get any worse!

Various dancewear websites and shops sell toe separators and bunion guards, and I decided to try Bunheads Bunion Guard (£5.95 Move Dancewear).

Wearing Bunion Guard

Pros: The gel toe separator and guard is very comfortable to wear and does a good job of keeping the big toe better aligned while protecting the protrusion. You get two in a pack!

Cons: A little expensive and can make your shoes too tight,  depending on what you’re wearing.

Rio 2016

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ARI don’t know about you, but I feel really inspired by the Rio Olympics at the moment. I’m
watching it on TV after work and catching up on some on BBC iPlayer at the weekends.
My favourite events are definitely all gymnastics related! These people are incredible athletes. They are strong and flexible and have the ability to fly through the air or jump from the ground onto a 10cm beam straight into the splits! (Achieving the splits is still on my bucket list LOL).

Pint-sized Gold medallist Simone Biles of the US has been one of my favourites, and her team mate Aly Raisman is also in my awesome list. I just really love their style.
Well done to our GB gymnasts Amy Tinkler who got Bronze, along with the amazing Gold medallist Max Whitlock. It has definitely spurred me on to start strength training and stretching…

GD

It has been so cool that Ballet has been mentioned on several occasions during these Olympics. GB Hammer thrower Sophie Hitchon was a former ballet student and Dylan Tyler credited his sailing success to his ballet dancer parents! (He tried ballet as a child, but hated it and took gymnastics instead). I think the discipline of dance is very transferable into other sports.

What have been your Rio Olympic highlights?

Review: Sleek Technique Ballet Bootcamp

~ Lifelongdancestudent ~ 1 Comment

This afternoon I did the Sleek Technique Ballet Bootcamp DVD workout.

In the introduction the instructors, professional dancers Flik Swan and Victoria Marr, draw you in with how this workout will give you the “ballerina body you always wanted” and give an explanation of the ballet positions.

The warm up is the same as the Barre Technique DVD, so more arm swinging to get warmed up!

There are then 3 Bootcamp workouts to do either individually or one after the other if you are super fit and hardcore!

Bootcamp 1 gave a challenging workout with plies, chasses, planks (which I hate!), reverence, and arabesque twists. I particularly enjoyed the jete sequence. The mat work had those planks which were really tough! I felt like a lump of lead. Anyway, they’re so good for your core. Plus the leg work is great for lengthening tight hams like mine at the moment.

Bootcamp 2 had an arm cardio section, and my arms were burning way before this, so it was tough, but so good. You can really feel those muscles working! The arabesque section really tests your coordination. There are plenty of balance and core exercises on this DVD!

Bootcamp 3 was my favourite because it was a bit more dancey with weight transfer, arabesque, attitude and port de bras. I need to watch the circular port de bras again because I’m sure i did it wrong, but you can’t really watch the screen while doing it. The floor work is once again excellent for core and leg building.

The DVD ends with a good cool down section.

Verdict: I prefer this DVD to the Barre Technique one. I was less concerned about pulling muscles and bad technique (although still possible when moves are sped up) and there were plenty of teaching and technique points throughout, i.e. things you forget when concentrating on something else. It is definitely a bootcamp; I was dripping with sweat and everything was working! It is probably more manageable and enjoyable to just do one of the workouts because they are quite tough if you do them properly.

Give it a go! You’ll be sculpted in no time.