Jazz

Isolations

Kicks

When focusing on jazz one of my targets is to improve my kicks. To improve them I have been using this video off YouTube to help me strengthen different areas in order to get my kicks higher. The reason I am focusing on kicks is because I feel it is something I am not the best at when they are put in routines or when I am performing a kick exercise across the floor. Another reason is because I want to audition for cruise jobs and kicks is something you will be judge on at the audition and in order to be the best dancer I need to ensure they are at the best they can be.

Kicks improvement

Jazz choreography

Here is an example of a jazz dance I learnt during my training in shockout. When watching it back their are many things I feel look good like arm placement and the energy behind it. However in order to improve it I feel I need to work on dynamics making things softer and sharper to show light and shade throughout. Also work on my performance even though it is just a normal class I should still be applying it to ensure it comes naturally to me whenever I dance.

Different styles of jazz – at shockout we get a range of different styles of jazz including lyrical, jazz funk, contemporary jazz. This allows us to be versatile dancers as you never know what you will get in auditions at the industry.

Jack Cole

Jack Cole is a practitioner both Mr Needham and Eric are inspired by when teaching us their work. Cole is known for being the ‘father of theatrical jazz dance’ () and is praised highly for his contributions in jazz dance. Other jazz dancers such as Matt Maddox, Bob fosse and Jerome robbins where also Inspired by him incorporating his movement into their work. His work is still used to do as jack Cole codified a lot of what we learn in our lessons. Cole studies ‘Indian dance technique of Bharatanatyam, a style that emphasises precise isolations of the head, arms and fingers aswell as quick directional changes and long knee slides’ from this he then incorporated it into his jazz technique and choreography. Cole has choreographed many broadway shows such as Magdalena, kismet and Jamaica leading him to achieve many awards for his choreography.
Broussard, P. 2006, ‘father of theatrical jazz dance’ Jack Cole”, dance teacher, [online] vol.28, no.6, pp.82



Jerome Robbins

Jerome Robbins another famous practitioner influencing jazz dance in the 20th century. Robbins is known for ‘creator of memorable and popular ballets, as a master of broadway musicals and as a show doctor of legendary skill’(Macaulay, A. 2018). Macaulay, A. 2018, Jerome Robbins, Risk Manager, The New York Times Company

Matt Maddox combination

Turning Sequence

Jazz Isolations

LUIGI WARM UP

This is the warm up we do at the start of Mr Needhams jazz lessons, he uses Luigi technique as it is a solid foundation of jazz technique as Luigi used it for rehabilitation which means it will cause no injuries. This warm up incorporates a lot of different stages ensuring all parts of the body as warm ready to start the lesson. I am now going to list the details mr needham tells us throughout lessons in the warm. Warm up details to help do the technique correct: arms not behind shoulders throughout ensure we are hitting a true second as this position gets used in centre exercises, ripple through the base of the spine, posture no arching, grande batteman in attitude in Luigi technique to avoid injuries and warm up the hamstring muscles, hit all positions sharp like jazz fourth, timing and musicality throughout their is a count for everything. These details help me to practice and ensure I am doing everything he is saying to ensure I am improving technically but also being a thinking dancer and applying corrections and details.

FLEXIBLITY-

Importance of flexibility – As a dancer flexibility is one of the ‘most important physical aspects of becoming a great dancer’ (C.,2017) This is for many reasons such as elongating your lines and making your movements smooth as you have no restrictions. Flexibility also helps dancers to avoid injuries increasing career longevity. White, C., 2017. Why Is Flexibility Important?. [online] TSDA. Available at: <https://twoshoesdance.com.au/2017/09/27/why-is-flexibility-important/&gt; [Accessed 29 January 2020].

After stating in my first blog, flexibility is something I’m really trying to increase as my muscles are very tight which makes it harder for me to maintain my flexibility. At shockout we do a lot of physical activity which means I have to do the same and more stretching to ensure my muscles continue to lengthen . My goal is to be in all three splits in 3 months if possible.

Enhancing flexibility by adding ankle weights and using blocks
Flexibility

GOAL- my biggest goal as a dancer is to work on my flexibility and maintain it throughout my training and dance career.

How will I do this- I will work on it by stretching every night after a work out or bath for at least an hour to ensure the muscles are warm to avoid any injuries. it is important to also remember to hold each static stretch for at least 30 seconds to allow the muscles to lengthen.

How will I increase my stretching- adding blocks when stretching to increase the intensity. Try harder stretches and holding them longer. Try not different stretches to see what work for my muscles.

How often to stretch- according to IADMS stretching once a week does not help to maintain flexibility however stretching once a day and incorporating repetitions through stretching

IADMS explain the different stretches and the disadvantages and advantages for dancers and what works when stretching. which I find useful as it allows me to have better knowledge on what can lead to injury and I also have a clearer understanding of how stretches work. Critchfield, B., 2011. Resource Paper: Stretching For Dancers – International Association For Dance Medicine & Science. [online] Iadms.org. Available at: <https://www.iadms.org/page/353&gt; [Accessed 29 January 2020].

INSPIRATION

When focusing on jazz technique my inspiration is Meghan sanett as when I watch her I think she embodies everything a dancer should be. From the start she has fire and performance all the way through illustrating her versatility throughout. The dynamics she shows throughout allow her to stand out whilst also being super clean. As a dancer this is the standard I want to achieve.

MATT MATTOX

LUIGI TECHNIQUE

During our Jazz classes with Mr Needham we have been learning the Luigi technique. Luigi real name is Eugene Louis FACCIUTO and has been labelled as the ‘father of jazz’. Luigi started out in California as a professional dancer however ended up in a fatal car accident which left him paralysed on one side and with bad eye sight, doctors believed he would never dance again, but nothing would stop him from dancing. He started his journey to recovery by using an imagery bar pushing down with the space around him. Luigi technique major aspect was using opposition, using one side of the body to control the extension, this helped Luigi to concern his disabilities. The Luigi warm up helps with body alignment and posture, core strength, which is why we use it throughout our jazz classes. Mr needham describes it as the ‘foundation technique of jazz’. A quote from Luigi himself about him technique ““It was created for ballet because that’s what I was doing when I was performing in motion pictures in Hollywood. I found that in any ballet class I took, my body wasn’t ready to stand in fifth position. So I created a therapeutic warm-up that would prepare me for class,” Luigi told Dance Magazine in an interview. “I also created it because of my automobile accident, which left me partially paralyzed. I loved ballet’s barre exercises because they helped me correct my injuries. But when I left the barre, I was in trouble. My technique addresses how to stand up without the barre. It teaches the body how to support itself and how to use muscles evenly.”(Semko, E. and Semko, E. (2015). Semko, E. and Semko, E. (2015). Luigi, Legendary Jazz Dance Teacher and Icon. [online] Danceadvantage.net. Available at: https://www.danceadvantage.net/jazz-dance-legend-luigi/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started