The task was to participate in rehearsals for and three evening performances of a variety show. Leading up to the show, we were given the opportunity to audition and we attended various technique classes, in order to help improve ourselves as performers.
Before we began working on the variety show, we were assigned a number of task. For example, we were told to prepare and perform a duet and we had to sing a song that we had an emotional attachment to. I started off feeling very nervous about singing in front of the class, which made me sing either too quietly or shakily. However, after completing these tasks, I felt a lot more comfortable singing in front of the class and singing in front of people in general. We also did various movement tasks, which involved balancing, lifts and choreographing short routines. These tasks helped me to get a little faster at picking up choreography. They also helped me to realise that choreographing isn't as difficult as I thought it was once you have a little inspiration and you practise the routine until it's fixed in your movement memory.
My strengths include my willingness to work hard and to dedicate myself to improving myself as a performer. I made sure that I rehearsed for the dances 5 times a day each, in front of a mirror, during my free time. I did this to improve my technique (by watching myself dance in front of a mirror, I was able to notice mistakes in my movement and I was able to work on each movement separately, until it looked as it was choreographed) and my movement memory, but I ended up helping others to remember the routine. This further improved my movement memory and helped me to feel more confident about the dances. I also spent a lot of time learning the lyrics to the songs and I recorded my voice so that I could attempt to improve my singing voice, with vocal technique in mind. Another strength is my ability to perform confidently on stage, although I am always critical of my performance upon reflection offstage, onstage I perform for the moment and trust myself to deliver the best performance I can. I maintained a smile throughout the dances and worked to develop a character when necessary (e.g. for 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious').
I am able to remain focused throughout performances and I can alter movements if I feel that they are not as I have previously rehearsed. For example, if I feel my posture is incorrect when a dance routine begins, I will usually change it as soon as I realise the problem. I am able to perform with a lot of energy, though, at times, I feel I put too much energy into performances and my control, balance and technique suffer. I need to learn to find the correct balance between energy input and technique, which I can learn through more tutorial videos and technique lessons. In addition, I have the strength necessary in my arms, legs and core muscles to enable me to swiftly get up off the floor or to easily fall to my knees, get up and then fall again, which was particularly useful during 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. Also, I am quite flexible which enables me to incorporate 'the splits' into choreography and allows me to lift my legs high or to touch the floor without bending my legs when necessary.
My main vocal strength is my ability to belt. By engaging my diaphragm and opening my throat I am able to sing loudly and to hold notes for a long time. This could be further improved by applying the correct breathing technique. I also don't have to much of a problem switching from my lower vocal tone to my higher vocal tone/mixed voice and I am better able to sing and dance at the same time than I was last year.
My major weakness is the length of time it takes me to pick up choreography. Although my movement memory has slightly improved since Panto (due to technique lessons and to the number of routines I've had to learn within that time), I am still very slow at picking up choreography compared to most people. It doesn't help that I still get confused with my lefts and rights and I often end up going the wrong way or putting the wrong leg forward, etc.. My timing is also poor and it takes a lot of concentration to dance or move in time with everyone else. The thing that seems to help me to begin resolving these problems is practise. For timing and knowing which way to go and which leg to put forward it is important that I rehearse with others, otherwise I end up learning the wrong moves on my own. Another weakness of mine is my inability to be consistent when I dance. Although I worked on perfecting each movement, I felt that my dancing was nowhere near the standard I had set myself during Panto. I used the same amount of energy, put my technique was poor in comparison. This is likely to be due to the fact that, during Panto, I watched a lot of dance technique tutorials on youtube and I didn't consider using them to practise for this show. In the future, I will remember just how much I benefit from them and I will use them again.
I found it difficult to adapt to the style of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. It was hard to balance dancing messily and applying the necessary technique. I later found that energy was the key, but I still could have improved on my controlling my movement. Even though, I have worked on improving my balance by doing balancing exercises in my free time and in warm-up session my balance is still poor. For instance, when I did the turns at the beginning of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', I found it difficult to stay in a straight line and to travel where I wanted to go. Throughout the dance, I found I was a bit 'wobbly'. I also found that my turns have worsened since last year. I always used to 'spot' automatically, but now I have to really think about it and so my turns aren't executed as cleanly. I can improve this my engaging in more 'corner work' in my free time, in which I should turn (while 'spotting') across the room. My posture also needs work, as sometimes my chin isn't up and I forget to 'pull up' and I believe that revisiting ballet tutorial videos will help to improve this. I also need to always remember to engage my core, as this will help to improve my balance further and I need to focus on 'extending' more as this is something I nearly always forget to do. Also, throughout the performances I needed to increase my state of tension, as this often left me with 'weak arms' which ended up moving all over the place at times. I can develop this by participating in 'state of tension' type exercises.
In addition, I have poor vocal control. I have a tendency to sing out of tune or too low. I have worked to improve this during technique classes and youtube tutorials, but I still need to work on getting past the break in my voice and learning when to use which vocal tone. At times, particularly when singing R&B or Soul songs, my diction is poor and I struggle to pronounce certain words. I need to engage in more tongue-twister type warm ups in or to help me to improve this. I also need to develop my use of tongue placement. Another major weakness is my struggle to sing notes that are presented to me correctly. I find it discern notes correctly and so at times, I sing the wrong ones. I can improve this by participating in more scales and by developing my knowledge of music theory and by practising singing along with my keyboard.
In conclusion, I feel that I worked hard to improve my performance during this show, but I feel that I still wasn't dancing at the standard I had set myself during Panto. I am definitely a more confident singer than I was last year and I remembered to try and tell the story of each song through movement and facial expressions. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and I will work hard ensure that I improve my performance for future shows.
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Friday, 23 May 2014
Friday and Saturday Shows
Yesterday I arrived at college at 5 o'clock to do some extra rehearsals with the 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' group in the dance studio. I also ran through the other two dances. Although I practise at home, I was able to see the bottom of my legs and feet in the dance studio mirrors, which allowed me to make some changes to the position of my feet in the dances.
This morning I practised for the comparing by testing myself on my knowledge of the running order. Luckily, I could remember all the details each act and the name of each act. I further developed my character by watching my facial expressions in the mirror and by using gestures to convey whatever I needed to say. However, I found out that I had been replaced and so I was not allowed to compare tonight.
My performance in 'When I Grow Up' went as I intended it to go. However, I could feel my voice going, so I need to remember to look after it by going on vocal rest and warming up before shows. My performance in 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' felt like it was the best one yet. This may have been due to my extra practise in the dance studio. I forgot to spot during some of the first few turns. Usually I automatically spot when I spin, but it is important to do this all the time. I made no mistakes during 'Nicest Kids In Town' and I put a lot of energy into it. Overall, I felt like I performed much better than I did in Thursday.
This morning I practised for the comparing by testing myself on my knowledge of the running order. Luckily, I could remember all the details each act and the name of each act. I further developed my character by watching my facial expressions in the mirror and by using gestures to convey whatever I needed to say. However, I found out that I had been replaced and so I was not allowed to compare tonight.
During 'When I Grow Up' I made a little mistake with the timing. However, I put all of my energy into it and I managed to carry on as normal. I felt that 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' didn't go as well as yesterday. This could have been because the audience were less lively and didn't clap along like they did in Friday. This left me feeling less pumped, though I still tried to get them going by smiling and looking as though I was having the time of my life. I could have put a little more energy into the dance though to make sure that it was at the same level as yesterday. Fortunately, I remembered to spot this time. I felt that 'Nicest Kids In Town' didn't go as well as yesterday, I forgot to adopt the correct technique (e.g. I forgot to use my core and extend each movement) and my posture was bad (at times my head wasn't up and I wasn't always upright). I also could have put in a lot more energy. Overall, I feel that my performance yesterday was much better than it was today. In the future, I need to be more consistent.
Below is a picture of me smiling during a rehearsal of 'Step In Time', which I tried to maintain throughout all rehearsals and performances of the variety show.
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Dress Rehearsals and First Show
Yesterday we rehearsed all the group numbers. I finally got the correct timing for 'When I Grow Up' and I projected as much as possible while singing, remembering to use my anchoring muscles. We went through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and although the formation got sorted out, my energy levels and use of the correct technique suffered (e.g. I didn't lift my leg as high as I could have and I didn't move as fast as I could have). This was because I was concentrating too heavily on the formation. I must focus on all elements of the dance in the future. I felt that I still needed to put more energy into 'The Nicest Kids In Town' dance. I also need to project a lot more during this number.
Then we had our first dress rehearsal. I felt that it was my best run through of 'When I Grow Up', as I remembered the movement, the timing and the technique (e.g. I remembered to extent right down to my finger tips and toes. I also remembered to move with a child-like persona, while still maintaining the necessary elegance by remaining light on my feet). 'Supercalifragilisticespialidocious' felt like it went a lot better than earlier. I felt that I needed to work on turns and steps at the beginning. I also travelled too forward in the 'step over your feet part', which I could have improved by taking smaller steps forward. 'The Nicest Kids In Town' went well, but I need to adapt to wearing jeans in the dance.
Today's 1st full show rehearsal went okay for me. I put all my energy into every number that I was involved in. The first time we rehearsed 'When I Grow Up' everyone's timing for the movement was different which confused me. However, the second time we ran through it, I managed to get the correct timing. I worked on the turns at the beginning of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' last night. I realised that the trick is to spin as fast as possible, so that I have time to step. I still need to improve on this, but I've managed to do it before, so I just need to make sure I don't stress about it too much. Also, no matter how exhausted I am half way through the last two dances I need to apply the same amount, if not more energy than the first half of the dances, to the last half of the dances.
Later today, we had dress rehearsals. I need to remember to bend down before we run into the second part of the movement for 'When I Grow Up'. I will try to remember the use of 'the flat back' during this part of the dance. I also need to use my whole body more, which is best achieved my using my core. In addition, I need to remember to think low when I'm singing the high notes, as this has proved to be the best technique for me. 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidociois' felt like the best run through yet for me. I still messed up on the first turn, which I need to work on further, but my energy levels were high and I felt as though I really performed it. I need to beware of my facial expressions, I don't want my smile to be as big as the one I used during Panto but I still don't want my face to be neutral, as this puts me in danger of appearing moody or evil (as I learnt during Panto). I need to keep my head up more, maintaining an upright posture and put more energy into the first part of 'Nicest Kids In Town'.
Afterwards we had our first show. 'When I Grow Up' felt like the best run for me. I remembered to bend and then run and I got the timing right, used my whole body and put all my energy into it. I also really embraced my childish side for this run, which is something I need to do in the next two shows. Although I remembered all the moves for 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', none of the moves were executed as I had intended them to be, nor were they executed as I had rehearsed (e.g. I didn't move my arm across my body with the strength I intended to have (I didn't tense my arm enough)). Therefore, I felt that my movement was a lot messier than it usually is because I usually like to 'tidy up' each move. I also forgot to begin centre stage, but I did remember not to travel too much. I made a mistake during 'Nicest Kids In Town' as I accidentally pointed to my partner rather than to the audience. However, I quickly resolved this by swiftly pointing to the audience. I managed to get through the rest of the dance without making further movement mistakes. Though I did forget to sing at times. I am therefore setting myself the task of performing a lot better tomorrow. I aim to resolve the mistakes I made today and to put even more energy into the dances.
When I returned home, I worked on memorising the running order by saying it as though I was speaking to an audience. I remembered some of the things the original people who were comparing had said and practised saying them. I also worked on developing a character for comparing, as if I present the show as myself It will be boring and dull for the audience. Therefore, I have developed a much more charismatic character. I find that by practising with the running order, I can focus more on the character rather than whether I will make mistakes or not.
On the following web page, there's a link to a rehearsal of 'Nicest Kids In Town':
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/574232582612318/
Although I am pleased with the way I executed some of the movement (e.g. the part where we're all in a cluster), I feel that at other times my movement is messy and weak. For example, when sang 'Woo..!Woo!Woo!' my arms were weak and my posture was poor. I could improve this by having a better posture and making my arms more tense and body more tense. However, I will change my movement and work on something better (as it's freestyle) for this part, so that I won't make the same mistake again.
Afterwards we had our first show. 'When I Grow Up' felt like the best run for me. I remembered to bend and then run and I got the timing right, used my whole body and put all my energy into it. I also really embraced my childish side for this run, which is something I need to do in the next two shows. Although I remembered all the moves for 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', none of the moves were executed as I had intended them to be, nor were they executed as I had rehearsed (e.g. I didn't move my arm across my body with the strength I intended to have (I didn't tense my arm enough)). Therefore, I felt that my movement was a lot messier than it usually is because I usually like to 'tidy up' each move. I also forgot to begin centre stage, but I did remember not to travel too much. I made a mistake during 'Nicest Kids In Town' as I accidentally pointed to my partner rather than to the audience. However, I quickly resolved this by swiftly pointing to the audience. I managed to get through the rest of the dance without making further movement mistakes. Though I did forget to sing at times. I am therefore setting myself the task of performing a lot better tomorrow. I aim to resolve the mistakes I made today and to put even more energy into the dances.
When I returned home, I worked on memorising the running order by saying it as though I was speaking to an audience. I remembered some of the things the original people who were comparing had said and practised saying them. I also worked on developing a character for comparing, as if I present the show as myself It will be boring and dull for the audience. Therefore, I have developed a much more charismatic character. I find that by practising with the running order, I can focus more on the character rather than whether I will make mistakes or not.
On the following web page, there's a link to a rehearsal of 'Nicest Kids In Town':
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/574232582612318/
Although I am pleased with the way I executed some of the movement (e.g. the part where we're all in a cluster), I feel that at other times my movement is messy and weak. For example, when sang 'Woo..!Woo!Woo!' my arms were weak and my posture was poor. I could improve this by having a better posture and making my arms more tense and body more tense. However, I will change my movement and work on something better (as it's freestyle) for this part, so that I won't make the same mistake again.
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Tech Rehearsals
Yesterday I arrived at college at 10:15, in order to help Chris to come up with an alternative idea for his Variety Show act. I suggested an alternative, slightly more comedic Magician's song called 'You're Playing With The Big Boys Now' from The Prince of Egypt. Then Chris suggested that we do a 'The Cheese Shop' Monty Python sketch. I watched the video in order to study the character that I would have to portray. I read the script over and over again and worked on developing the character. Although I thought that I would be able to learn the whole script, after going through it all night and not even being able to successfully recall the first page, I realised that I would not be able to learn the lines by Thursday. I have never had to learn a script in such a small amount of time before and I know that I find it very difficult to learn dance routines, scripts and lyrics. I should have realised that I would not be able to learn the script in time much earlier.
Afterwards we ran through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. I had practised it earlier, by helping others with the choreography. I was given feedback and was told that a combination of knowing what I was doing and smiling made it seem like I was really performing to the audience. I remembered the moves and remembered to use the necessary technique. I also put all my energy into it, which made me out of breath. I need to put this amount of energy into the dance, but I must remember to keep hydrated. I will also engage in a 15 minute exercise routine every night before the show in order to improve my fitness.
Today's lesson began with a vocal warm up. We did breathing exercises and worked on improving our breath capacity. I was able to inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 32 without going staccato and I still had some breath left in me. My record is 70, so I will aim to improve on this in my free time.
Afterwards the technical rehearsals began. First, we went through 'When I Grow Up'. I definitely know the correct choreography now, but I still need to work on my timing. The formation has been changed, so I need to remember these changes when I rehearse. Then we went through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. A lot went wrong. Specifically our formation was wrong and everyone has different timings for the dance moves. I don't help the formation issue, because I travel too much and I tend to end up in front of some people in my line and in line with others. Then we went through 'The Nicest Kids In Town'. I had helped people to learn this dance earlier, which helped me to remember it as well. I remembered to engage my core muscles and focused on my posture.
The girls in my group went through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' together. We were in the dance studio, so i notices my 'foot problem' again. I always dance on the balls of my feet, which is necessary a lot of the time, but for this particular dance style it hinders my performance and my feet and legs are always awkwardly placed. I need to break this habit quickly, so that I can perform this dance the best I can. For future dances, I might have to invest in a full length mirror so that I'm not just concentrate on my upper body and thighs. We tried to work on our formation, timing and the moves that people were struggling with. I tried to help the best I could by showing people what I believed the original choreography was. Though some of it was adapted to help people overcome some of the difficulties they faced in the dance. Then we went through it with the boys.
During a break, I copied the running order onto a few sheets of paper, so that I could memorize the names of the acts and the people performing them. Although this will not be exactly the words that I will say on Saturday, it will give me an idea of basics and I will be able to memorise the running order.
Then we ran the whole show again. 'When I Grow Up' went okay for me, but I forgot when to begin the short dance. I remembered the rest of it but, I need to remember to adopt better dance technique during this number (e.g. I need to focus on extending and my posture). 'Supercalifragilisticexpialudocious' went better than it did earlier but the formation issue remained (which is once again a lot to do with my travelling, so I need to take smaller steps and strides). Also everyone is doing the 'step over your leg move' at different times still. I know I start that bit of right, but then I get confused with the timing and I also travel forward too much. 'The Nicest Kids In Town' went alright for me. I also felt less out of breath than I did Yesterday, probably due to my evening exercise routine. So I will continue to do this every evening, until the shows begin.
Then we ran the whole show again. 'When I Grow Up' went okay for me, but I forgot when to begin the short dance. I remembered the rest of it but, I need to remember to adopt better dance technique during this number (e.g. I need to focus on extending and my posture). 'Supercalifragilisticexpialudocious' went better than it did earlier but the formation issue remained (which is once again a lot to do with my travelling, so I need to take smaller steps and strides). Also everyone is doing the 'step over your leg move' at different times still. I know I start that bit of right, but then I get confused with the timing and I also travel forward too much. 'The Nicest Kids In Town' went alright for me. I also felt less out of breath than I did Yesterday, probably due to my evening exercise routine. So I will continue to do this every evening, until the shows begin.
Here is an example of poor legwork. I could improve om this by extending the movement down to my toes and by adopting a better posture.
Thursday, 15 May 2014
He's Got Friends On The Other Side
On Monday we went through the dance to 'The Nicest Kids In Town' a few times. Some minor changes had been made last week, so I remembered to include these in my weekly additional rehearsals. I didn't make too many mistakes, but I still feel as though I need to polish the routine further and I need to work on getting into position and staying in line with the other dancers, as well as getting my timing exactly right. Last week I choreographed 8 sets of 8 to add to the end of the routine and I got to practise these with my dance partner, Michael, on Monday. My inspiration for the choreography was from other moves in this dance as well as from dance moves from the 'You Can't Stop The Beat' choreography and 'Hairspray' the musical. I feel that taking inspiration from previous dance routines is a good way of choreographing and I will remember this if I have to choreograph a short routine again.
Today's lesson began with a warm up. I managed to complete all the exercises, including the 'core strengthening excercises'. I still feel as though I could be more elegant in the 'ballet-type excersises'. The best way to achieve this is by improving my posture and extending movements all the way to my finger tips. I also need to engage my core more.
We went through 'The Nicest Kids In Town' and although I remembered all of the dance moves, I barely remembered the lyrics and harmonies to the song. I definitely need to go over the lyrics to this over and over again, until they fixed in my head. I am setting myself the target of being able to sing all the chorus parts to this song, without stopping to think of the next words, by Sunday. We also went through 'When I Grow Up'. I am still getting the choreography wrong, so I did not complete last weeks target as, once again, I was learning the wrong choreography. I desperately need to go through this dance with someone who knows it, so I must remember to ask someone. Despite going through the lyrics for this song through the week, I kept mixing the verses up. It might help to watch and listen to the video of 'When I Grow Up', as I will be able to remember the visual imagery that goes with each verse. I am setting myself the target of being able to sing this entire song, without stopping to think of the next words, by Monday.
Afterwards we went through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. I remembered the first half of the dance, but since part of the dance changed, my timing for the second half of the dance was completely off. Therefore, I am setting myself the target of being able to go through this entire dance, with the new changes and timing, without stopping, by Sunday. I intend to achieve this by continuing to go through each dance 5 times a day, paying extra attention to the new changes. I stayed at college late again today, as I said I would last week. I helped others to learn 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and I asked them for help on the changed moves. I feel as though I now know the exact timing, and so I am better able to practise at home.
Chris asked me to help him with his magic act. He planned to sing 'I Got Friends On The Other Side' from The Princess And The Frog, while performing magic tricks. I was originally suppose to be one of his comical assistants. As research, I watched the film, to get a better idea of the original song's context and I watched the video 5 times in a row to better understand my role in the act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAY-78zhmw. I listened to the magician's instructions and worked on developing my character, taking the direction of the magician.
Later, however, it was suggested that we take this act down a more comical route. This way lack of resources and time wont be such a hindrance. I put forward some ideas for comical and obviously fake magic tricks. I will also do some research throughout the week to see if I can find any more of these types of tricks. Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJY_2rHpekQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjowJxK4lfk
I was also asked to compare on Saturday. So I will rehearse for this at home by learning the running order and practising being more charismatic.
Today's lesson began with a warm up. I managed to complete all the exercises, including the 'core strengthening excercises'. I still feel as though I could be more elegant in the 'ballet-type excersises'. The best way to achieve this is by improving my posture and extending movements all the way to my finger tips. I also need to engage my core more.
We went through 'The Nicest Kids In Town' and although I remembered all of the dance moves, I barely remembered the lyrics and harmonies to the song. I definitely need to go over the lyrics to this over and over again, until they fixed in my head. I am setting myself the target of being able to sing all the chorus parts to this song, without stopping to think of the next words, by Sunday. We also went through 'When I Grow Up'. I am still getting the choreography wrong, so I did not complete last weeks target as, once again, I was learning the wrong choreography. I desperately need to go through this dance with someone who knows it, so I must remember to ask someone. Despite going through the lyrics for this song through the week, I kept mixing the verses up. It might help to watch and listen to the video of 'When I Grow Up', as I will be able to remember the visual imagery that goes with each verse. I am setting myself the target of being able to sing this entire song, without stopping to think of the next words, by Monday.
Afterwards we went through 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. I remembered the first half of the dance, but since part of the dance changed, my timing for the second half of the dance was completely off. Therefore, I am setting myself the target of being able to go through this entire dance, with the new changes and timing, without stopping, by Sunday. I intend to achieve this by continuing to go through each dance 5 times a day, paying extra attention to the new changes. I stayed at college late again today, as I said I would last week. I helped others to learn 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and I asked them for help on the changed moves. I feel as though I now know the exact timing, and so I am better able to practise at home.
Chris asked me to help him with his magic act. He planned to sing 'I Got Friends On The Other Side' from The Princess And The Frog, while performing magic tricks. I was originally suppose to be one of his comical assistants. As research, I watched the film, to get a better idea of the original song's context and I watched the video 5 times in a row to better understand my role in the act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAY-78zhmw. I listened to the magician's instructions and worked on developing my character, taking the direction of the magician.
Later, however, it was suggested that we take this act down a more comical route. This way lack of resources and time wont be such a hindrance. I put forward some ideas for comical and obviously fake magic tricks. I will also do some research throughout the week to see if I can find any more of these types of tricks. Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJY_2rHpekQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjowJxK4lfk
I was also asked to compare on Saturday. So I will rehearse for this at home by learning the running order and practising being more charismatic.
Thursday, 8 May 2014
The Variety Show Dances
On Tuesday we went through 'When I Grow Up' and 'The Nicest Kids In Town'. I am still struggling to learn 'When I Grow Up', as I keep forgetting the correct dance moves when I rehearse at home. It might be helpful to record someone else doing this dance as I keep getting it wrong. Therefore, I am setting myself the task of being able to go through the whole dance, with music, without stopping to think of the next move by next week Thursday. I aim to achieve this by continuing to go through the dance at least 5 times a day. Also, during my additional rehearsals, I've been singing the song over and over again to make sure that it sticks in my head while I dance.
Today's lesson began with a warm up. Today I was disappointed with the lack of energy I put into the warm up. Although I did everything I was instructed to, I could have done it with a lot more energy, elegance and precision. On the other hand, I completed my task of being able to go through the entire 'core strengthening' part of the warm up without stopping. Also, due to the fact that I've added balancing on one leg to my weekend exercises routine, I was better able to complete the balancing part of the the warm up. I still need to do more balancing exercises in order to master the technique. It helps to look at a certain point and to keep my eyes fixed on it.
I made countless mistakes during the first two runs of 'The Nicest Kids In Town', despite easily executing the whole routine, with music throughout my weekend rehearsals. This could be due to a change of environment, as I am use to practising the dance in my room in front of a mirror and so it is just as important to rehearse at college during my free time as it is to rehearse at home (this may aid my movement memory).
Today's lesson began with a warm up. Today I was disappointed with the lack of energy I put into the warm up. Although I did everything I was instructed to, I could have done it with a lot more energy, elegance and precision. On the other hand, I completed my task of being able to go through the entire 'core strengthening' part of the warm up without stopping. Also, due to the fact that I've added balancing on one leg to my weekend exercises routine, I was better able to complete the balancing part of the the warm up. I still need to do more balancing exercises in order to master the technique. It helps to look at a certain point and to keep my eyes fixed on it.
During today's rehearsal of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' I spent a lot of the time helping others with the dance. This helps me to become more confident with the dance and allows me to put my time spent doing additional rehearsals to good use. I know this dance very well now (I completed my target of being able to run through it, with music, without stopping by Sunday) and my timing has improved significantly, as has the amount of energy I put into each run, as well as my posture and technique. I still need to polish the dance moves, especially the turns at the beginning, as my feet are all over the place. Therefore, I am setting myself the task of going through each move slowly and polishing them twice a day, up to next week a Thursday.
After lunch, when we were asked to practise for The Variety Show, I helped others with the dances. When we had to perform the dances, it turned out that I had once again been rehearsing with the wrong sequence of movements for 'When I Grow Up'. However, my practise of 'The Nicest Kids in Town' has been beneficial, as I can now go through the entire routine with music, without stopping (I have been able to do this since Monday, so I didn't manage to hit my target of Sunday. This means that my movement memory is worse than I predicted and I should either give myself more time to complete a target (when possible) or spend more hours a day practising). I haven't managed to find a partner to add on an extra 8 sets of 8 to the end of the routine with as of yet. So therefore, I am setting myself the task of choreographing an additional 8 sets of 8 to add to the routine and to know it well enough to be able to perform it with music, without stopping to think by Sunday.
I stayed back today, in order to do some additional dance rehearsals at college instead of at home. This is beneficial as I am able to practise in the college environment on the actual stage that the dances will be performed. I am also able to run through the dance with other people who are in it, so that I have a better idea of the space I will have to move in and I can ask them for help if I am unsure of a dance move e.g. I asked for help with 'When I Grow Up' and so now I can practise something closer to the real routine than before, at home (hopefully it will be correct, though the timing still confuses me. Listening to the music and counting in my head should help with this). Although I know from experience that I learn dance routines quicker on my own, doing at least some of my additional rehearsals at college is also helpful. So, if we are allowed, I will spend a few hours rehearsing at college after lessons next week Thursday.
Here is an image of me putting all my energy into a dance. Engaging my core helped me to sit down, stand up and sit down again.
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
On Monday we were taught the choreography to Hairspray's 'The Nicest Kids' in town. It's quite an intense, fast-paced dance, so I need to make sure that each movement isn't thrown away and is executed to the best of my ability. This dance also has a particular style, as it is from the musical Hairspray (set in the 60s). Therefore, I must remember to remain fully aware of this, especially when I have to find a partner and choreograph 8 extra sets of 8 to add to the end of the routine. I was quite slow to pick up the choreography for this routine, probably because it is such a fast-paced dance. I made numerous mistakes, but as long as I remember what I've learnt I can work to improve my performance. Here is a video of a rehearsal of 'Nicest Kids In Town:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSzuZk7i4Vg
As we were only introduced to it on Monday, I struggled to pick up the choreography. As shown in the video, my timing is off and I'm not putting as much energy into it as I would like to because I am concentrating on the next move. Sometimes I completely skipped moves. So I need to be careful not to do this in the future.
Over the weekend and through the week I have been rehearsing the songs 'No Good Deed' and 'All Of Me', so that I am fully prepared if I have to re-audition. I also worked on improving on the things that I was given feedback on during the audition. I practised singing 'No Good Deed', using mostly my higher vocal tone (as was suggested), and recorded myself. I also practised singing 'All Of Me' more quietly, I listened to the song more and I recorded myself singing it alone (as was also suggested). In preparation for the accapella song, I practised singing 'Iris' by listening to the song, going over the lyrics and recording myself singing accapella.
Over the weekend and through the week, I also ran through 'Step In Time', but without the music as I knew that the song might change. At first, I went through it twice a day, but since Tuesday, I've gone through it 5 times a day, which has significantly improved my movement memory. I have been working on polishing each movement by going over each of them a number of times in front of a mirror and by putting all my energy into each run. I have also ran through the dance while smiling, as I find that this enhances my performance. Since Monday, I have been running through 'The Nicest Kids In Town' 5 times a day without music. I am finding it quite hard to pick up this routine, which is why I have not gone through it with music yet. However, I am currently working on polishing each movement and I aim to be able to run through the whole routine, with music, without stopping to think of the next move, by Sunday.
Today we began our dance session with a warm up. I managed to participate in most of the exercises and pushed myself, even when I felt warn-out. However, for weeks now I have been mainly struggling with the core strengthening exercises. I haven't managed to plank for the duration we have been instructed to, all this year. Therefore, I am setting myself the task of lasting for the duration of the core strengthening exercises in our next session, even if I have to work out more at home. I am also working to improve on the more 'dancy' exercises in our warm up session, by trying to be more elegant and by paying attention to timing. This is good practise for real dance routines.
I went through the dance with my group before the dance session, for extra practise and to refresh my memory on the timing. The song we are dancing to has now changed from 'Step In Time' to 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', which is also from Mary Poppins. This means that the style is practically the same, except that during the acted parts of the song, I have to act a lady who is off to the races with her partner. Due to my extra rehearsals at home, I remembered most of the routine, even with the music, but I have to remember to adapt to the timing of the new song during my next additional rehearsal. I struggled a little with the new choreography for the dance, but with practise, I managed to remember most of it. I did feel that, as we ran through the routine, I put in less energy and my body was less tense and therefore, my movement wasn't very sharp. It is important that I put in all of my my energy into every run-through and that I maintain a 'tonic body'. Just as with 'The Nicest Kids in Town', I will be practising this dance at home through the week. I am setting myself the task of, being able to run through this routine with music, without stopping to think of the next move, by Sunday.
Here is the link to a video that I have watched for inspiration of characters and for studying the dance style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZelYLr0Zk
In the image below Doris (my character), being the cheerful, posh lady she is, is happy to hear that the words 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' were the cause of a marriage.
Today we began learning the choreography for 'When I Grow Up'. Our first task was to get into groups of 4 or 5 and to come up with a short routine for 1 set of 8. I was in a group of 4. I suggested some ideas for the routine, including making our formation that of a trapezium shape, and I listened to the ideas and followed the instruction of others. When learning the rest of the choreography, I found it extremely difficult to pick it up. This contrast to earlier rehearsals, is probably due to the fact that I was a little tired, so it might help to give myself a boost by drinking coffee (for example), so that I stay alert for the next time when I feel tired before learning new choreography. I also need to really concentrate on using my core and making my movements more child-like. Also, due to my concentration on the movements, at times, I forgot to sing. It is important that I remember to sing throughout this number, so I need to run through the lyrics more and through the new dance routine, which should help me to become confident enough with both, so that I can do them simultaneously. I managed to project, which is likely due to the amount of vocal rehearsals I've done throughout the week, which have helped me to remember how to project. I also remembered to sing from my diaphragm, but my breath control still needs more attention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSzuZk7i4Vg
As we were only introduced to it on Monday, I struggled to pick up the choreography. As shown in the video, my timing is off and I'm not putting as much energy into it as I would like to because I am concentrating on the next move. Sometimes I completely skipped moves. So I need to be careful not to do this in the future.
Over the weekend and through the week I have been rehearsing the songs 'No Good Deed' and 'All Of Me', so that I am fully prepared if I have to re-audition. I also worked on improving on the things that I was given feedback on during the audition. I practised singing 'No Good Deed', using mostly my higher vocal tone (as was suggested), and recorded myself. I also practised singing 'All Of Me' more quietly, I listened to the song more and I recorded myself singing it alone (as was also suggested). In preparation for the accapella song, I practised singing 'Iris' by listening to the song, going over the lyrics and recording myself singing accapella.
Over the weekend and through the week, I also ran through 'Step In Time', but without the music as I knew that the song might change. At first, I went through it twice a day, but since Tuesday, I've gone through it 5 times a day, which has significantly improved my movement memory. I have been working on polishing each movement by going over each of them a number of times in front of a mirror and by putting all my energy into each run. I have also ran through the dance while smiling, as I find that this enhances my performance. Since Monday, I have been running through 'The Nicest Kids In Town' 5 times a day without music. I am finding it quite hard to pick up this routine, which is why I have not gone through it with music yet. However, I am currently working on polishing each movement and I aim to be able to run through the whole routine, with music, without stopping to think of the next move, by Sunday.
Today we began our dance session with a warm up. I managed to participate in most of the exercises and pushed myself, even when I felt warn-out. However, for weeks now I have been mainly struggling with the core strengthening exercises. I haven't managed to plank for the duration we have been instructed to, all this year. Therefore, I am setting myself the task of lasting for the duration of the core strengthening exercises in our next session, even if I have to work out more at home. I am also working to improve on the more 'dancy' exercises in our warm up session, by trying to be more elegant and by paying attention to timing. This is good practise for real dance routines.
I went through the dance with my group before the dance session, for extra practise and to refresh my memory on the timing. The song we are dancing to has now changed from 'Step In Time' to 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', which is also from Mary Poppins. This means that the style is practically the same, except that during the acted parts of the song, I have to act a lady who is off to the races with her partner. Due to my extra rehearsals at home, I remembered most of the routine, even with the music, but I have to remember to adapt to the timing of the new song during my next additional rehearsal. I struggled a little with the new choreography for the dance, but with practise, I managed to remember most of it. I did feel that, as we ran through the routine, I put in less energy and my body was less tense and therefore, my movement wasn't very sharp. It is important that I put in all of my my energy into every run-through and that I maintain a 'tonic body'. Just as with 'The Nicest Kids in Town', I will be practising this dance at home through the week. I am setting myself the task of, being able to run through this routine with music, without stopping to think of the next move, by Sunday.
Here is the link to a video that I have watched for inspiration of characters and for studying the dance style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZelYLr0Zk
In the image below Doris (my character), being the cheerful, posh lady she is, is happy to hear that the words 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' were the cause of a marriage.
Today we began learning the choreography for 'When I Grow Up'. Our first task was to get into groups of 4 or 5 and to come up with a short routine for 1 set of 8. I was in a group of 4. I suggested some ideas for the routine, including making our formation that of a trapezium shape, and I listened to the ideas and followed the instruction of others. When learning the rest of the choreography, I found it extremely difficult to pick it up. This contrast to earlier rehearsals, is probably due to the fact that I was a little tired, so it might help to give myself a boost by drinking coffee (for example), so that I stay alert for the next time when I feel tired before learning new choreography. I also need to really concentrate on using my core and making my movements more child-like. Also, due to my concentration on the movements, at times, I forgot to sing. It is important that I remember to sing throughout this number, so I need to run through the lyrics more and through the new dance routine, which should help me to become confident enough with both, so that I can do them simultaneously. I managed to project, which is likely due to the amount of vocal rehearsals I've done throughout the week, which have helped me to remember how to project. I also remembered to sing from my diaphragm, but my breath control still needs more attention.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
The Variety Show Auditions
Today we went through our group dance pieces for the variety show. I practised 'Step In Time' 5 times a day last week and a few times the week before, so that I wouldn't forget it. I helped others with the dance by going through the moves with them and by performing the routine to the rest of the group with 2 other male group members. Despite my previous practise, I forgot the last part of the routine. I also could have more sharply executed the performance. I found that helping others to remember the dance made me feel more confident with it myself. When we performed to the other group, it went very wrong, my timing was off, I forgot some of the choreography and I could have danced a lot better. During panto, with practise, my technique was a lot better and so I need to remember to put a lot of energy into the dance, to have tense muscles and better posture. I also I need to allow my head to move more freely.
Afterwards, we practised singing 'Pure Imagination' and 'When I Grow Up'. I'm now in group 1 instead of group 2 for 'When I Grow Up', so I must learn the new lines and harmonies. My throat is very soar from practising for the variety show auditions over the holidays. I forgot to use the correct singing technique (singing from the diaphragm), which is why my throat is sore, and also because I continued to strain my voice when practising even with a sore throat. I need to take better care of my voice, especially when I have a sore throat/cold. Here are some suggestions:
http://www.singwise.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?section=articles&doc=CareForVoice
http://www.singwise.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?section=articles&doc=CareForVoice
For the variety show, I decided to audition a solo piece. I chose to sing 'No Good Deed' from Wicked, because I really liked the song, I felt like I could put my emotions into it and that I could put my own stamp on it. I practised it over the holidays by first listening to the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUj2bgMEPJI), then I learnt the lyrics acapella (http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/wicked/nogooddeed.htm), then I learnt the song with a backing track ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypRLruV9Vqk) and after that I recorded myself singing with and without the backing track.
During the audition, I chose to sing acapella as the last few times I had rehearsed with a backing track, I was out of time. This was likely to be because I spent more time recording myself accapella, in order to attempt to improve my delivery, than rehearsing with the backing track. It was definitely the least nervous I had ever felt while singing at an audition, as I managed to successfully hit most of the notes. I could have sang the whole song all the way through, but I thought that my bad throat was likely to make me crack on the high notes.
I was given feedback that I had two separate vocal tones, which I've noticed when recording my voice. I also have a break in my voice between the two tones, which makes them sound very different. I will practise more scales to try to sing through the break. I also need to work on my breath control, to support my voice. I was told to audition again next week using more of my higher vocal tone and with a backing track. I will practise this as much as possible, recording my voice and making sure that I don't damage it.
After that I auditioned a duet with Jasmine, 'All Of Me' by John Legend. I had practised for this by listening to the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450p7goxZqg), learning the lyrics (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnlegend/allofme.html), singing it acapella, singing it with a backing track (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbAU8JTvCRc) and then recording myself. Then I spent Tuesday lunchtime and two hours after the college trip on Wednesday going through the song with Jasmine.
I was more nervous about this audition than the solo audition as I struggled with it a lot more because of my throat and because my singing lisp had returned. For some reason in 'No Good Deed' the lisp is not as apparent put in Sole/Pop/R&B songs it becomes a hindrance, as some words become very difficult to pronounce. Before the holidays, I seemed to have gotten rid of the problem, which was mainly thanks to the vocal siren (the 'NG' sound). So I must remember to do this warm up more often. I sang out of tune a few times, which was likely to be due to nerves and insufficient breath support. I also couldn't stand still, as I couldn't control my nerves. In the audition we had to sing the song twice though. Both times, I couldn't pronounce all the words properly and it was mainly the consonants that I struggled with, so I need to work on these by doing more 'tongue twisters' to help to improve my diction.
We were given feedback that the song didn't sound quite right, which I recognised while rehearsing it, but failed to pinpoint the exact problem. We were told that our voices didn't sound too bad together, though they are significantly different. I was told to sing more quietly, as Jasmine has quite a soft, delicate voice. So I need to practise singing at a much lower volume. We were asked to practise the song on our own and to record ourselves more, to get a better idea of how we should be singing it. We were also told to work on our staging. We were asked to audition the song again next week, with all of this in mind.
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Acapella Groups
In today's dance lesson we were split of into 2 groups. I am in the lowest group. I found it a lot easier to pick up choreography and it was probably the fastest I have picked up a dance routine at college so far. This may be due to the fact that we were able to learn the routine at a slower pace. However, it is a very fast-paced routine and so, often my timing was off. To correct this, I have practised the routine at home in front of a mirror (to polish each movement) twice and then twice again with music (for the correct timing). I will do this as often as I can, so that I am ready for the next half of the dance.
In today's singing lesson, we had to get into our acapella groups. My group split in half and so we are now singing 'Iris (I just want you to know who I am)' by The Goo Goo Dolls.
Our task was to choose a group that we thought our voices would blend well in. I find this to be a difficult task as my voice and singing style is very different to anyone's in the class. I went into the original group because I was asked to join them and when we split, I looked to others to tell me what group I was in. I need to pull myself together and make these kind of decisions on my own, with confidence. Even if my voice is different to others', I should choose the group that I am most vocally similar to and not just go the group that is nearest to. Therefore, if we are ever told to choose a group that best suits us again. I am setting myself the task of making the decision confidently on my own.
Below is an image of me dancing with my dance group. This dance move would probably look better if I kept my chin up.
Below is an image of me dancing with my dance group. This dance move would probably look better if I kept my chin up.
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Duets
As homework, we were asked to prepare a duet with another person in the group. I was paired with Megan. We decide to sing 'There Are Worst Things I Could Do' from Grease. We prepared for our performance by singing it again and again. Rehearsals went well, as I played around with the notes in the song and sang loudly. However, as always, I struggled with concentrating on my own singing, when I sung with someone else. I am therefore setting myself the task of singing with other people whenever possible, while concentrating on my own voice.
During the actual performance, although I made a conscious effort to appear less nervous than usual, I sang the song completely differently, than the way in which I had practised during rehearsals. I was flat all the way through the song. I have concluded that, when I'm nervous, I just can't seem to reach the higher notes. I automatically sing really low. This is likely to be because my whole body is tense. The best way to solve this is by stretching, doing breathing exercises and shaking my whole body out. I also sang more quietly than usual, which is something that tends to happen when I'm not singing solo. I should sing at the same volume whether I sing solo, in a duet or in a group. I am also setting myself a goal to sing higher, to not sing flat and to play around with notes more next time I am asked to sing solo/ in a duet. On a positive note, I do feel more confident singing in class, now that I've sung with someone else.
During the actual performance, although I made a conscious effort to appear less nervous than usual, I sang the song completely differently, than the way in which I had practised during rehearsals. I was flat all the way through the song. I have concluded that, when I'm nervous, I just can't seem to reach the higher notes. I automatically sing really low. This is likely to be because my whole body is tense. The best way to solve this is by stretching, doing breathing exercises and shaking my whole body out. I also sang more quietly than usual, which is something that tends to happen when I'm not singing solo. I should sing at the same volume whether I sing solo, in a duet or in a group. I am also setting myself a goal to sing higher, to not sing flat and to play around with notes more next time I am asked to sing solo/ in a duet. On a positive note, I do feel more confident singing in class, now that I've sung with someone else.
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Emotional Connection To Songs
During today's dance lesson, we worked on improving our contractions. Contractions begin from the pelvis and travel up the spine, lengthening the space between each vertebra, up to the neck and head, which remain in line with the spine. Each contraction is accompanied with an exhalation of breath. Then we practised lifts and counterbalancing (one or more dancers combing their weight in stillness or in motion to achieve a movement or design that is interdependent) in pairs. My partner and I managed to execute our lifts successfully and to incorporated transitions (the way in which you move in and out of a movements, phrases or sections of the dance). Afterwards we had to get into groups of two or three, in which we had to choreograph short routines of eight counts. The routine was to be part of the introduction to 'When I Grow Up' and so it had to be childlike. I was in a group of two. Our first attempt at choreographing for the dance needed to be a lot more child-like, so we adapted it by swapping the splits with a backwards roley-poly and by swinging our arms etc.
During our singing lesson we were asked to listen to a few emotionally charged songs and then we had to pick a song that we felt most connected to. I couldn't pick the song that I felt most emotionally connected with because I knew that I wouldn't be able to perform it. I chose 'As Long As Your Mine' from Wicked, as it is more to do with the situation I was in during time that I first heard it, rather than the actual lyrics. When I was practising singing it alone, I sang it exactly how I wanted it to be sang. However when performing to the class I purposely thought of the sad situation and I let my emotions and nerves get the better of me and I could not perform it all the way through without getting emotional and singing flat. I need to remember to keep control of my emotions and nerves when performing such songs. I also need to make sure that I don't always 'look out' when singing, but instead I need to make eye contact with the audience so that they don't loose connection. This is a bad habit I've picked up from years of performing in children's plays when your told to 'look up and not at the audience'. I need to break out of this habit, so that the audience doesn't loose interest. Therefore, for my next performance (singing, acting or dancing), I am setting myself the target of making sure that I look at the audience.
This image shows that I remembered to look at the audience and that I demonstrated a happy emotional connection to the song.
During our singing lesson we were asked to listen to a few emotionally charged songs and then we had to pick a song that we felt most connected to. I couldn't pick the song that I felt most emotionally connected with because I knew that I wouldn't be able to perform it. I chose 'As Long As Your Mine' from Wicked, as it is more to do with the situation I was in during time that I first heard it, rather than the actual lyrics. When I was practising singing it alone, I sang it exactly how I wanted it to be sang. However when performing to the class I purposely thought of the sad situation and I let my emotions and nerves get the better of me and I could not perform it all the way through without getting emotional and singing flat. I need to remember to keep control of my emotions and nerves when performing such songs. I also need to make sure that I don't always 'look out' when singing, but instead I need to make eye contact with the audience so that they don't loose connection. This is a bad habit I've picked up from years of performing in children's plays when your told to 'look up and not at the audience'. I need to break out of this habit, so that the audience doesn't loose interest. Therefore, for my next performance (singing, acting or dancing), I am setting myself the target of making sure that I look at the audience.
This image shows that I remembered to look at the audience and that I demonstrated a happy emotional connection to the song.
Thursday, 6 February 2014
Being Put On The Spot
Today, during our dance lesson, we participated in ,corner work,, in which we had to spin from one side of the room to the other. I remembered to spot and I remembered the short routine, which is a small improvement from the last time we did 'corner work'. We had to get into groups of 6 and perform 3 balancing acts, in which 2 of us were not allowed to touch the ground in each balancing act. We also had to make transitions from one lift to another by dancing, spinning, jumping, etc. into the next position . I struggled to get into the second balance, in which I was not allowed to touch the floor. I also thought my first transition could have been a lot sharper, but most of my transitions were quite smooth and I remembered to keep my body tense. Here is a link to a video recording of the exercises:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/574232582612318/666201870082055/?notif_t=group_activity
Then we had to make up our own choreography for a dance routine of 8 counts, inspired by a show that we had recently seen. I chose West Side Story- as demonstrated by the clicking that I added to my routine. I repeated my dance moves over and over again, so that I would remember them. Afterwards, we had to get into groups and learn eachothers' routines so that we could merge them together. From watching the above video, I am quite pleased with my choreography, as choreographing is not something I have had a lot of practise doing. We then had to perform this merged routine to the rest of the class. I forgot the moves at times, went out of time and I felt that I could have put a lot more energy into it.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/574232582612318/666201870082055/?notif_t=group_activity
Then we had to make up our own choreography for a dance routine of 8 counts, inspired by a show that we had recently seen. I chose West Side Story- as demonstrated by the clicking that I added to my routine. I repeated my dance moves over and over again, so that I would remember them. Afterwards, we had to get into groups and learn eachothers' routines so that we could merge them together. From watching the above video, I am quite pleased with my choreography, as choreographing is not something I have had a lot of practise doing. We then had to perform this merged routine to the rest of the class. I forgot the moves at times, went out of time and I felt that I could have put a lot more energy into it.
Thursday, 23 January 2014
Dancng And Singng 3
Today, during our dance lesson, we covered basic dance technique. We started with 'corner work', which I struggled with. However, I found that I could more easily pick up the simpler routines, than in previous lessons. We were reminded of the positions in ballet and we took part in ballet exercises. From this, I have learnt that I struggle a lot with my balance. I can improve this by spending some of my free time balancing on one leg, while engaging the stomach muscles and focusing on a point in the room. Here is a video of the positions in ballet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W6h6uNM1os
Later we had a singing lesson. I found that Today's warm up went the smoothest, since the beginning of this year. I found it easier to hit the higher notes without 'cracking'. I also remembered that the more I project, the better control I have over my voice. We also sung 'At The End Of The Day' from Les Miserables The Musical. We were asked to 'perform' the song, but I found that not knowing the words hindered my performance, and I felt that I should have moved around a lot more. Therefore I am setting myself the task of moving around in character more when singing a song that requires characterisation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W6h6uNM1os
Later we had a singing lesson. I found that Today's warm up went the smoothest, since the beginning of this year. I found it easier to hit the higher notes without 'cracking'. I also remembered that the more I project, the better control I have over my voice. We also sung 'At The End Of The Day' from Les Miserables The Musical. We were asked to 'perform' the song, but I found that not knowing the words hindered my performance, and I felt that I should have moved around a lot more. Therefore I am setting myself the task of moving around in character more when singing a song that requires characterisation.
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
The Voice- How It Works
During last weeks lesson, we were given handouts to read, in which I underlined words that I didn't fully understand, or felt that I needed to define. Here are the handouts:
The black keys on a piano are sharps and flats. They make it easier to play scales in different keys and to identify the white notes.
- The Trachea- A thin-walled, cartilaginous tube descending from the larynx to the bronchi and carrying air to the lungs. (Also known as The Wind Pipe).
- The Vocal Folds- Folds of membranous tissue which project inwards from the sides of the larynx to form a slit across the glottis in the throat, and whose edges vibrate in the airstream to produce the voice. (Also known as The Vocal Cords)
- The Vocal Tract- The air passages above the glottis (including the pharynx, oral and nasal cavities, and the paranasal sinuses) that contribute to the quality of the voice.
- The Larynx- The hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holding the vocal cords; the voice box
- The Pharynx- The membrane-lined cavity behind the nose and mouth, connecting them to the oesophagus.
- The Pharyngeal Cavity- The cavity of the pharynx that consists of a part continuous anteriorly with the nasal cavity by way of the nasopharynx, a part opening into the oral cavity by way of the isthmus of the fauces, and a part continuous posteriorly with the esophagus and opening into the larynx by way of the epiglottis.
- Thoracic- Relating to the thorax/ something near the thorax.
- Succession- The act or process of following in order or sequence.
How Music is Made
Here is the link to the web page, what we were asked to read:
Here is a youtube video, which tells you a bit about music theory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ0UEKWjuZs&list=PL2D7634DD8835136BThe black keys on a piano are sharps and flats. They make it easier to play scales in different keys and to identify the white notes.
Monday, 20 January 2014
The Parts Of The Human Anatomy Which Are Used When We Sing
Today's lesson began with a theory lesson, about the parts of The Human Anatomy which are used when we sing. These parts are split into groups:
-The Intercostal Muscles (Intercostal muscles are several groups of muscles that run between the ribs, and help form and move the chest wall. The intercostal muscles are mainly involved in the mechanical aspect of breathing. These muscles help expand and shrink the size of the chest cavity when you breathe.)
-The larynx (Due to its small size, the larynx acts as a resonator only for high frequencies.)
-The Pharynx (The pharynx is the most important resonator by virtue of its position, size, and degree of adjustability. It is the first cavity of any size through which the product of the laryngeal vibrator passes; the other supraglottal cavities have to accept whatever the pharynx passes on to them.)
- The Soft Palate (the fleshy, flexible part towards the back of the roof of the mouth.)
- The Hard Palate (The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth.)
- The Generators- The parts of your body that create the sound.
-The Intercostal Muscles (Intercostal muscles are several groups of muscles that run between the ribs, and help form and move the chest wall. The intercostal muscles are mainly involved in the mechanical aspect of breathing. These muscles help expand and shrink the size of the chest cavity when you breathe.)
- The Lungs (either one of a pair of spongy sack like respiratory organs within the thorax of higher vertebrates, which oxygenate the blood and remove its carbon dioxide)
- The sound travels up The Trachea (Wind Pipe)- A thin-walled, cartilaginous tube descending from the larynx to the bronchi and carrying air to the lungs.
- The Phonators- Where the sounds come from
-The Larynx/ The Voice Box (the hollow, muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holding the vocal cords)
-The Vocal Cords/ Vocal Folds (folds of membranous tissue which project inwards from the sides of the larynx to form a slit across the glottis in the throat, and whose edges vibrate in the airstream to produce the voice)
- Vocal Resonators- The process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. The Following web page tells you detailed information about vocal resonance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_resonation
- Head Resonance (It is used primarily for softer singing in either register throughout the range.)
- Mouth Resonance (is used for a conversational vocal colour in singing and, in combination with nasal resonance, it creates forward placement or mask resonance).
- Chest Resonance- (adds richer, darker, deeper tone colouring for a sense of power, warmth and sensuality. It creates a feeling of depth and drama in the voice.)
- Nasal/ Mask Resonance- (is present at all times in a well-produced tone, except, perhaps, in the instance of the pure head tone or at very soft volume. Nasal resonance is bright and edgy and is used in combination with mouth resonance to create forward placement (mask resonance). In an over-all sense, it adds overtones that give clarity and projection to the voice.)
- The Sinuses (cavities within a bone or other tissue. Most are commonly found in the bones of the face and connecting with the nasal cavities. Important for voice modulation (most commonly the act or process of changing from one key (tonic, or tonal centre) to another.)
-The Pharynx (The pharynx is the most important resonator by virtue of its position, size, and degree of adjustability. It is the first cavity of any size through which the product of the laryngeal vibrator passes; the other supraglottal cavities have to accept whatever the pharynx passes on to them.)
- The Soft Palate (the fleshy, flexible part towards the back of the roof of the mouth.)
- The Hard Palate (The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth.)
- Vocal Articulators- Clarity in the production of successive notes.
- The Cheeks
- The Tongue
- The Teeth
- The lips
We also learnt about the things that are harmful to our voices. These include:
- Shouting/ Screaming
- Vocal Trauma: http://www.drugs.com/health-guide/vocal-cord-disorders.html
- Singing Without warming up
- Clearing Your throat
We were asked to make a circle and sing one word of 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' each, keeping in mind the tempo (the rate or speed of motion or activity; pace), the rhythm (a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound) and pitching (t
thought that my pitching was more accurate than usual, though strangely, I thought I sang a little too high. I also cracked a few times, which I could of avoided by having better breath support. We then focused on dynamics (refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic (staccato, legato etc.) or functional (velocity).) and sang quietly and then loudly.
he quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone). I
thought that my pitching was more accurate than usual, though strangely, I thought I sang a little too high. I also cracked a few times, which I could of avoided by having better breath support. We then focused on dynamics (refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic (staccato, legato etc.) or functional (velocity).) and sang quietly and then loudly.
We were then asked to find out the vocal range that we were most comfortable singing in. I knew that I had an Alto singing voice but I though I'd try The Soprano part, just to see how much, if at all, my range has increased. I had no problem hitting the lowest note in The Alto range. I hit higher Soprano notes than I thought that I could, but I am definitely more comfortable singing the Alto parts of a song. Later we sang Matilda The Musical's 'When I Grow Up'. This time we worked out harmonies (the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.). I found that the louder I sang the better I could stay on- pitch.
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Dancing And Singing 2
Today we began to learn the choreography of our Contemporary Dance Piece for 'The Variety Show'. I found that I was very slow at picking up the choreography. I noticed that last week, I was considerably quicker, despite both Dance Routines being fast paced. I feel that when I am tired, my ability to pick up new dance moves is a lot slower than when I am more alert. Therefore, I should try harder to get more sleep prior to the days that I know I will be dancing. However, today I have practised the dance 5 times over, in front of the mirror (so that I can execute the moves correctly in the future). I am still not entirely confident with the dance, so I will spend The Weekend learning it thoroughly.
Our singing lessons started with warm ups. I noticed that these included physical warm ups, as well as vocal warm ups (e.g. stretching the body). This is because, in order to feel fully warmed up before singing, the body needs to feel ready to sing, as you need to engage your anchoring muscles and adopt the correct posture while singing, which are both physical actions. I found that I am still finding it difficult to sing with others, as I cannot here myself. It is therefore important that I bare in mind, the following technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_42Vyo3iw
I am seting myself the target of using this technique the next time I sing with others.
Here is are videos explaining ways that you can effectively warm up your voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3vSheVC0t8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBSaMrKku54
Our singing lessons started with warm ups. I noticed that these included physical warm ups, as well as vocal warm ups (e.g. stretching the body). This is because, in order to feel fully warmed up before singing, the body needs to feel ready to sing, as you need to engage your anchoring muscles and adopt the correct posture while singing, which are both physical actions. I found that I am still finding it difficult to sing with others, as I cannot here myself. It is therefore important that I bare in mind, the following technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_42Vyo3iw
I am seting myself the target of using this technique the next time I sing with others.
Here is are videos explaining ways that you can effectively warm up your voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3vSheVC0t8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBSaMrKku54
Musical Theatre Workshop at RADA
The Performing Arts Students of NHC College (including myself) attended a trip, where we saw 2 theatrical performances- '39 Steps' and 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory'. We went on a Musical Theatre workshop with The Musical Director of 'Charlie And 'The Chocolate Factory' at RADA and had a Q&A with The Dance Captain of The Show.
During The Musical Theatre Workshop, we learnt that the safest sound that our voices can make is 'The Vocal Siren'. This is because if you block your nose while making 'The NG Sound', you can tell that the sound goes through your nose, putting less pressure on the vocal chords. Here is a video explaining what 'The Vocal Siren' is and includes an exercise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMWJgPnBMnw
The Musical Director explained that 'The head voice' is known as 'the head voice', due to the fact that it resonates at the crown of your head and that you should be able to feel the sound as it travels through your neck. He also mentioned 'belting', which is a vocal technique, which allows singers to produces a loud sound in the upper middle of the pitch range. He explained that having a 'twang' in your voice helps singers to achieve this. A twang a voice quality, famously represented in the American accent.
Here is video about The Falsetto Vs. The Head Voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQOespT4Bs
Here is a video about singing in The Head Voice in the correct manner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgPo1MIAhc
Here is a video about belting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21P-ci_Ie9Q
Here are some videos that teach you how to belt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPiQgqgN_4Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzpvEL8jg-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWDms7jwAIQ
We also sang scales. Here is a web page about scales:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_(music)
Here is a video, which tells you about some of the different scales in music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a0bOfUW8rk&list=PL2D7634DD8835136B
During The Musical Theatre Workshop, we learnt that the safest sound that our voices can make is 'The Vocal Siren'. This is because if you block your nose while making 'The NG Sound', you can tell that the sound goes through your nose, putting less pressure on the vocal chords. Here is a video explaining what 'The Vocal Siren' is and includes an exercise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMWJgPnBMnw
The Musical Director explained that 'The head voice' is known as 'the head voice', due to the fact that it resonates at the crown of your head and that you should be able to feel the sound as it travels through your neck. He also mentioned 'belting', which is a vocal technique, which allows singers to produces a loud sound in the upper middle of the pitch range. He explained that having a 'twang' in your voice helps singers to achieve this. A twang a voice quality, famously represented in the American accent.
Here is video about The Falsetto Vs. The Head Voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQOespT4Bs
Here is a video about singing in The Head Voice in the correct manner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgPo1MIAhc
Here is a video about belting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21P-ci_Ie9Q
Here are some videos that teach you how to belt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPiQgqgN_4Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzpvEL8jg-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWDms7jwAIQ
We also sang scales. Here is a web page about scales:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_(music)
Here is a video, which tells you about some of the different scales in music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a0bOfUW8rk&list=PL2D7634DD8835136B
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Dancing and Singing
Today we were told that our Assignment, for this term, is going to be, performing in a Variety Show. This will give us the opportunity to audition 5 pieces at the most, which showcase our talent. As I originally applied for Musical Theatre, I will aim audition pieces from Musicals. Later, I will post some of my ideas.
We are also required to perform as an ensemble in Musical Theatre numbers. One of which, will be a number from Mary Poppins. Today we were given a taster session of the way in which we will be expected to dance and the energy we will need to put into this number in the form of a choreographed dance routine. I made many mistakes, as I always do, when trying to pick up a routine at first. However, I did find that my movement memory has considerably improved since before Panto.
Today during our singing lesson, I could tell that my singing was very under-practised, due to lack of singing practise during The Holidays. I found it difficult to project and sing in tune. I need to engage in more vocal warm ups and technique tutorials to improve this. When it came to singing in the correct pitch, I failed my attempt. I often sing too low or flat in general and need to focus on improving this by recording myself singing to scales more often.
Here is a video of one of our warm up sessions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkEEdlSLLvs&list=UUsc6As_10ht676BbLjDH3iQ
Even though this was only a warm up, I noticed that I didn't look very happy and it would be good practise to smile during vocal warm ups in preparation for actual performances. I managed to last quite long in the 'scales warm up' as I remembered to use my mixed voice and I remembered to think low when trying to sing high notes, as my old singing teacher taught me. Here is a video about the mixed voice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYEsGuldIQY
We sang 'When I Grow Up' from The Musical, 'Matilda'. It is a possible ensemble number for The Variety show and so I have recorded myself singing it in order to improve on my endurance (vocally), when it comes to singing a song all the way through.
Here is the link to my youtube video of 'When I Grow Up', acapella:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPkmNujIfU
From this video, I can tell that I need to improve on my diction, reading the lyrics, remembering the melody and engaging my anchoring muscles. I also need to work on pitching, as I found that I sang the song too low and I was flat at times. I believe that I need to sing the whole song higher in my range. I especially think that when I sang 'When I grow up' at the beginning of the last verses, I could have belted it to a much higher note by singing 'through my mask' and using other techniques for belting (such as having a 'twang' in your voice and opening your throat wide, by lifting your soft pallet). I am setting myself the task of learing the song lyrics for if it is used in the variety show.
We are also required to perform as an ensemble in Musical Theatre numbers. One of which, will be a number from Mary Poppins. Today we were given a taster session of the way in which we will be expected to dance and the energy we will need to put into this number in the form of a choreographed dance routine. I made many mistakes, as I always do, when trying to pick up a routine at first. However, I did find that my movement memory has considerably improved since before Panto.
Today during our singing lesson, I could tell that my singing was very under-practised, due to lack of singing practise during The Holidays. I found it difficult to project and sing in tune. I need to engage in more vocal warm ups and technique tutorials to improve this. When it came to singing in the correct pitch, I failed my attempt. I often sing too low or flat in general and need to focus on improving this by recording myself singing to scales more often.
Here is a video of one of our warm up sessions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkEEdlSLLvs&list=UUsc6As_10ht676BbLjDH3iQ
Even though this was only a warm up, I noticed that I didn't look very happy and it would be good practise to smile during vocal warm ups in preparation for actual performances. I managed to last quite long in the 'scales warm up' as I remembered to use my mixed voice and I remembered to think low when trying to sing high notes, as my old singing teacher taught me. Here is a video about the mixed voice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYEsGuldIQY
We sang 'When I Grow Up' from The Musical, 'Matilda'. It is a possible ensemble number for The Variety show and so I have recorded myself singing it in order to improve on my endurance (vocally), when it comes to singing a song all the way through.
Here is the link to my youtube video of 'When I Grow Up', acapella:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPkmNujIfU
From this video, I can tell that I need to improve on my diction, reading the lyrics, remembering the melody and engaging my anchoring muscles. I also need to work on pitching, as I found that I sang the song too low and I was flat at times. I believe that I need to sing the whole song higher in my range. I especially think that when I sang 'When I grow up' at the beginning of the last verses, I could have belted it to a much higher note by singing 'through my mask' and using other techniques for belting (such as having a 'twang' in your voice and opening your throat wide, by lifting your soft pallet). I am setting myself the task of learing the song lyrics for if it is used in the variety show.
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