THE END.

It's crazy to think that this is my last blog post. It's been a whirlwind of a semester, but I have honestly had one of the best experiences of my life. I have learned so much from the journey I have gone through. I have learned about the process of healing, the mental toll an injury can take, and how to overcome it all. I have learned who I am, who I want to be, and what I am capable of. It may sound silly to say I have learned this all from a 16-week school project, but it is the honest truth. I have made so much progress in getting back to the sport I love, building my strength back up, and learning how to move forward as I head into college life.
I want to thank all of those who have been by my side through it all. You guys have been beyond amazing and your support throughout this journey will not be forgotten.

Senior year is almost over, but it is only the end of the beginning.
I will end this post with a quote that has kept me going through it all:

"When you stumble, make it part of the dance."

In class reflection

Final WISE class.... What!?!? Well don't know where the time went. Mr. Reiff gave us one more journal prompt..what would you recommend to another WISE student? What advice, knowledge, and insight would you give them?

The first thing that I would recommend to WISE students is to find a project that you are passionate about or genuinely interested in. If you choose a project "cause it sounded cool" then chances are you are going to get bored of it and find it really hard to get the motivation to keep going. I love dance and this project means something to me which is why it is not torture for me to do it. If you don't love your project, you won't do it. I would also tell them that the first half of the year is hard. It's a lot of work, a whole year of a typical English class in a single semester. Don't take WISE because you want to get out of a normal English class because, sorry, there is no way to escape it. Also, do not take WISE if you think it is an easy way to get your English credit. Second semester is even harder than the first, even kids in AP Lit and Lang comment on how much work we have!

But I would also tell those future WISE students that this class is the single best course I have ever taken at IHS. Yes there is a lot of commitment and time that you have to put into it, but you get just as much if not more out of it. You get to learn so much about yourself, interact with people you would normally not, and look at things in a completely new perspective. It may sound cheesy when I say that, but it is 100% true. My senior year would have been completely different if it weren't for this class and this project. WISE is a challenging class, but the most rewarding.

The weekend is over already!?

Nothing is worse than being sick over a long weekend. I stayed in bed and slept most of the weekend and still wish I was there. I slacked off and didn't blog much this past week so I have some making up to do. 

I was in the studio Wednesday and my dance was looking really really good. It

felt good and I was confident and was 100% ready to show it to my dance team on Thursday. But then Thursday came and it did not go the way I expected. I showed them my dance and they seemed uninterested. They kept

making jokes and then pointing out that I wasn't there all year so I don't understand them. Watching all of the dances I should have been in this year wasn't easy either. I ended up calling my

Mom to come get me early and barely made it into the car before the I broke down. I didn't realize how much I missed it or how much I missed being a part of the team. There was a second where I almost told my mom I didn't want to do the recital. I will still perform in the recital because I have worked so hard for it, but I don't think I will go in on Thursdays again.. It's just to much to handle with everything else going on. 

Unexpected complications

On the day of my presentation (WED JUNE 12 3pm) I wanted to give my

presentation in Kulp Auditorium so that I could actually perform my dance. Apparently this is easier said than done. After getting into some trouble with the security guards, miscommunication and what not, I still haven't secured the location. If I can not use this space I can just show a video of my dance, but I really want to be able to do it live. There is something different about seeing it in person and seeing a video. I'll give updates as they come!

Had a mentor meeting with Ms. A today and it went really well. We set a final list of the order I am going to give my presentation as well as some ideas for the powerpoint that I am going to use as a guide during my 30 minute presentation. Feels good having a basic outline finalized so that I have somewhere to go next!


Going to start the powerpoint and other final materials tonight! Let the writing workshop begin!

Pumped Up Already!

So I'm not sure why, if there is some scientific explanation for it or just a superstition, but I HAVE to have a playlist for before I perform. It has to be fun, upbeat, pump me up kind of songs. They have to get me psyched to get out on that stage. There can be no sad songs and absolutely no music that is related to the dance that I am doing. I need to

Listen to music that is completely different than what I am dancing to. If I listen to the songs I am dancing too I freak myself out and think that I don't remember the dance and put myself in an unnecessary frenzy. with that said,.. This playlist is almost as important as the dance and choreography and needs to be worked on over a couple weeks to make sure it is PERFECT. This is the first list made.. And I know for a fact that there will be additions and cuts as we get closer to recital! :) 

Sunday Research..aka YouTube Marathon!

Hey there.

So it has been a pretty lazy Sunday. I am feeling  a little under the weather, I think my body just need a day of rest, so I thought today would be a good day for some YouTube videos/dance inspiration.
One of the questions that I asked both Rosalie Amaroso and Mia Wise during my interviews was whether they liked solo or group dances more. They both said they they did not like one better than the other, they were just completely different. I was thinking about that as I was watching videos on YouTube and found these two dances. Both are danced to the song To Build a Home.  One is a large group dance and the other is a duet. It is interesting to see the different feel and dynamics of a dance just by changing the numbers of dancers. A lot of choreographing is molded around how many dancers need to fit on a stage and how the number of dancers will look in a space. The different can be very drastic, which I feel is clearly shown in the different between these two dances! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yjdxt2DsVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFle_pyBv4Q

Getting Dizzy Yet?

Had a mentor meeting today with Ms. A. We had to reschedule from our normal Wednesday meeting because I had a German Ap (not fun let me tell ya!) But we got back at it today and I think we had a really good meeting. We talked about the minor break down that I had the other day and figured out maybe why it happened and how I feel better now.. Moral of the story being that it is okay it cry! We also filled out a sheet that is a check in about the progress I have made with my blog and research and all of that. I think I have been doing a pretty good job and Ms. A is on the same page as me. Love when that happens!

One of the big things that I have been working on with recital coming up is technique, especially turns. Having to turn on my non-dominant leg has definitely been a challenge and I have been trying to find some tips and tricks to help me. I found this video on YouTube and I think it has some good exercises that I can try. I think that the quarter turns and the exercise at the bar are going to be really the most helpful. They are simple but I can see how they will be helpful because they break down the bigger skill into smaller and more controllable parts! I am back in the studio Monday and will definitely be trying them! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_H15mY7ZXw&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active


ALSO!

The Ithaca Academy of Dance Recital is SATURDAY,  JUNE 8, 7 pm @ The State Theater!
I will be performing my solo and I would love to see some familiar faces in the audience! Tickets on sale soon!