Contra Dancing at Glen Echo, MD

I went Contra Dancing on Friday night. According to a source, contra comes from the French "contre" meaning "opposing"*. Your partner is always opposite you. You stand in long lines and dance dizzying shapes with almost everyone in the line, as well as a little with your partner in every movement. The caller gives the basic steps in the beginning and everyone falls in line pretty quickly.
And when I say dizzy, I mean, the entire world is spinning, except the shape that happens to be my partner's face. It was glorious! I wore the wrong shoes, so my feet were killing me in about an hour into it, and do not wear a sweater, no matter how cold it is outside, unless you've got a thin t-shirt underneath, so you can peel that sweater off!
It was amazing, it was so quick, I didn't have time to be nervous. Plus I get to meet almost every person in the room. Must have helped courtship and marriages in the day!
It reminded me of the time at my friend's wedding. She loved the Scottish dance "strip the willow", so we did it at her reception. I'm proud to say that I think I've improved since then.
For those of you who'd like to learn, here's a simple, somewhat grainy video on "strip the willow" It's great fun, I highly recommend it!

I felt like I was in a period piece, those fancy dances where the ladies where the long frocks with not much bodice, and all the gentlemen are done up in cravats and shiny shoes. So much for my turtleneck. Glen Echo was beautiful at usual, the Spanish style ballroom has a blend of romance and color. Here's a picture from the website. I hope you can all make it out there at least once, you won't be disappointed!

http://www.glenechopark.org/dancing.htm

*http://dancefl.us/contra/history.php

Balance

Balance, you must find the balance!
But because pier posts in the sand on a beach where I can practice the crane are hard to come by in Northern Virginia, I look for other techniques. Below are a few websites the offer some info on working on balance.
This one is pretty good. 
http://dance.about.com/od/adultdancers/qt/Balance.htm
http://www.danceadvantage.net/2011/01/19/better-balance/
http://www.dance-forums.com/threads/developing-good-balance.5352/
Hope these help! I would like to be able to do the Argentine Tango without falling like a klutz.

Skyfall

When I hear the music for Skyfall by Adele, I knew it would be the perfect platform to build a dance on. When I was in college, I took several theater classes. I was never very much good, but I did learn somethings about preparing to play a scene. One trick is to take your lines and with each line, assign an emotion. It's harder then it looks, but it helps to understand what you are trying to express, and it helps the internal to become external. Skyfall to me is about overcoming something that should have destroyed you, and being stronger for it. It's about not betraying yourself and having the kind of confidence that comes from belief in the truth, not knowledge in the perception of truth.
Assigning emotions are key to dance. One of my favorite dancers, Angel Corella is so adept at it, you could almost say he dances with his face!

The End of the Year

It is with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to 2012. So many things happened, both amazing and trying, but all were good. I learned to ice skate. I learned the Argentine tango. I went to Ireland. I made many, many new friends. I have many goals for this year, and there are many things I want to improve on and do better. But the most important goal is to be happy! And for my dancing in 2013, I have a few things I want to work on:
My balance
My dance repitoire
My body strength overall
I want to work on my swing dance, it's very social and will help me meet more people.
I want to work on tap too, I only did it a few times and it would be a shame to waste it!
I want to have joy in doing something I love!

Ethos - the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person. 

This is one of my favorite words because it goes straight to the core of who a person is and what they choose to be. Oh, to be the Emily who is so in tune with this part of me! 

 

 

Running

I am beginning  a new sport, running. I've detested, despised, loathed this activity since middle school. When you are the fat girl in the class, running is the equivalent of showing off everything that people make fun of to the absolute maximum. But, I'm 29, and it's time to put that old demon to rest. Plus, I love the pictures that people have been posting of things they see from their weekly workouts, and being a treasure hunter, I want to find those moments too!
So, here the goal:
To be able to run two miles straight in four weeks.
Week 1:
Day 1: Warm up, walk quarter mile. Run half mile, walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, walk quarter mile.
Day 2: Jullian Michaels kettlebelle workout, or 30 minutes of walking, or 45 minutes of elliptical.
Day 3:Warm up, walk quarter mile. Run half mile, walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, walk quarter mile.
Day 4:Jullian Michaels kettlebelle workout, or 30 minutes of walking, or 45 minutes of elliptical.
Day 5:Warm up, walk quarter mile. Run half mile, walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, walk quarter mile.
Day 6:Jullian Michaels kettlebelle workout, or 30 minutes of walking, or 45 minutes of elliptical.
Day 7: Warm up, walk quarter mile. Run half mile, walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, walk quarter mile.

I admit that I am cheating just a little. I'm starting on a Sunday, which means that day seven is a Saturday, so that next Sunday will be my rest day going forward.

I'm really excited, I felt a rush of adrenaline when I complete the second set of running. 

For info on the rest of the weeks, here's the link. 

http://running.about.com/od/trainingschedules/a/Four-Week-Beginner-Training-Program-To-Run-Two-Miles.htm

Like I said, I'm really excited to be starting this new adventure. I hope that instead of using dance as a way to loose weight, I can now enjoy dance more because I am training my body to prepare to dance well. 

By the way, I went to Ireland a few weeks ago! The people were awesome and the group I was with had a salsa lesson from one of the local teachers. So much fun! I'm still working on my balance, perhaps running and weight training will help with that.

It's 6 AM and I'm Dancing!

Okay, so it's not 6 AM anymore, but when it was, I was dancing around my apartment, to almost no music.

Even though things are rough now, it's important to start the day early, with a good attitude.  When I dance, I shake off the chains of what I think reality should be and rediscover what it truly is.

Ice Skating Notes

Because no other adults have signed up for the slot, I am basically getting private skating lessons for the next six weeks. Yesterday was great and I want to get my notes down. There is almost no ice time during the week, so the only time I can skate is Friday nights and Saturday lessons.
Fundamentals: My hips and shoulders need to be square with each other. Keep the arms down and loose. Lead with the hips forwards. 
1) One foot glides - Picking up the foot and gliding balanced on one. Shift my entire weight to one foot before I take it off the ice. Balance is key. Be sure to bring the foot up, not back to maintain balance.
2) Forward Swizzles - Turn the feet out, bend, push and give it some power, bring the toes back in, feet together, rising as I do, forward, then again, feet out, bend, and push.

3) Snow plows. Push down with the ankle, and out with the other leg, the ankle of the leg is turned in, then goes out. Marion drew two hearts on the ice and I had to try to scrape them off.
4) Slaloms- Got almost no where with these, will need to practice. Weight over one knee, the leg bent, other leg straight. Straight leg is the push off leg, making this pattern on the ice.

Notes for myself: Don't LOOK DOWN AT THE ICE! When I look at the ice, my weight shifts forward and I will loose my balance. Focus on letting my muscles learn the moves. Marion might give up on me if I keep doing this.
My fears are, getting hurt, falling down and looking like an idiot. Pep talk: I will fall down, the accomplishment is worth the pain, and I already look like an idiot, but as I practice I'll get better. I must work through my fears with discipline and constancy if I am to become a good skater.
I felt more comfortable on the ice yesterday then I ever have before.Next time, pay for the extra ice time, it would be good to get the practice. Ask more questions about blade work, where my feet are and weight needs to be, and what edges do.
Continue with strengthening ankles and improving balance. Try to work out at least twice a day, before and after work.
Question I ask myself, what is my end goal with this? Do I want to just be competent on the ice, or do I want to learn how to dance, or do advanced moves?