The flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks was remarkably bearable and the weather wonderfully warm. The only downside to that is the studio's AC is broken; but full-time fans are working well.
For anyone interested in attending a future Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival dance intensive, please note that the Artisan's Courtyard is a 25-45 minute (with construction detours) walk from upper campus housing. You'll want to request lower campus housing, and I highly recommend a car or bike. One of the event organizers has lent me hers, and while the return to my dorm is all uphill, it's a heck of a lot better than schlepping a dance bag through the heat by flip flop.
Yesterday was placement class which served as an audition for class levels. I'm in advanced ballet and working with elite jazz and elite modern students. This year's festival is extra exciting, because as an intern, I'll be setting choreography for the final concert - and it's not just any concert.
The intensive culminates with a performance to Appalachian Spring, performed live by the festival's orchestral musicians and famous for choreography by Martha Graham. It's far from a regurgitation, but the piece's original themes - struggle, work, the female role, joy, wonder, worship - are still being utilized in the studio.
Thoughts from class:
8:00 a.m. - Core work & Cardio
Picture a female Adonis-meets-Britney instructor standing before a fan, her hair blowing back fiercely with every fast flex of her muscles. It's the first amped-up, plyometric-based aerobics class of the day. All I can think about is how I'm going to feel it later.
9:00 a.m. - Advanced Ballet Technique
I enjoy taking class from Alice Bassler Sullivan. She is clear, extremely knowledgeable, and can alter your entire carriage with the touch of a well-placed finger. I'm focusing on:
- dropping my shoulders away from my ears without lifting my sternum
- solid plié with heels pressing into the ground when finishing at the bar
- continued unfolding and expression during cambre - as though splaying out on an exercise ball without losing support of the head
10:30 a.m. - Ballet Performance
Ballet has always been like math for me. I tried to pretend I was a little computer remembering all of the phrases and directions and weight changes, with no human frustrations or forgetfulness. Let's just say when Balanchine asked me to dance for him, I politely declined.
Ballet has always been like math for me. I tried to pretend I was a little computer remembering all of the phrases and directions and weight changes, with no human frustrations or forgetfulness. Let's just say when Balanchine asked me to dance for him, I politely declined.
1:00 p.m. - Elite Modern Technique
I have the pleasure of working under Krenly Guzman, a long-time performer, adjudicator, professor and independent artist who, dun dun dun... has worked with Brian Jeffery of X-SIGHT! in Chicago.
Much of his movement and methodology is similar to Brian's, and I can't help but wonder what their working relationship/mentorship was like. Krenly, however, is especially knowledgeable in anatomy and kinesiology; his keen eye and hands-on approach to addressing alignment and proper technique was refreshingly informative. Notes from class:
Much of his movement and methodology is similar to Brian's, and I can't help but wonder what their working relationship/mentorship was like. Krenly, however, is especially knowledgeable in anatomy and kinesiology; his keen eye and hands-on approach to addressing alignment and proper technique was refreshingly informative. Notes from class:
- I am an upper rectus abdominus fiend. I am always working on "deflating" on my chest during movement and can accomplish that by releasing tension under my sternum, dropping/lengthening my tailbone, and lowering my center of gravity toward the pelvis. As a modern dancer, I've always felt fairly grounded, but this was a precious gem that really did help with how I organized my body, and I look forward to using it across styles.
- When in releve, not only should I feel my weight pressing down through two distinct points in the balls of my feet, but I should also think about the cross points in the foot to support the ankle, properly engage the sartorius muscle, and avoid hyperextension of the legs.
2:00 p.m. - Modern Performance
We've begun working on the beginning section of Appalachian Spring. I like the beginning movement en masse and where the group sections are going. Krenly is a nice reminder that there is power in softness.
We've begun working on the beginning section of Appalachian Spring. I like the beginning movement en masse and where the group sections are going. Krenly is a nice reminder that there is power in softness.
4:00 p.m. - Yoga for Dancers
It was nice to lay down and stretch out. Phew.
It's lovely to receive new information and refresh the old. Tomorrow starts with core work again but then heads into jazz technique and performance, followed by modern.
13 more days till performances; nine more full days of classes. Here we go!
xo
SW
SW
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| The view en route to Fairbanks. Sigh. <3 |
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| My room for two weeks. The showers make me feel like I'm in The Shining. |
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| Post-Sunday placement class |
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| Hang me up to dryyyyyy |
Read the first blog entry in this series here.
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