An Update and An Exciting Development
Woah. I don't have a feis or performance or anything this weekend. Honestly, I'm not sad about this. I love competing, but I also love sleeping and relaxing, so it will good to recharge and PRACTICE this weekend.
I think I'm finally bringing my floor to my house. One of my weekend tasks is to shampoo and vacuum the carpets so I can use my three season room as my little studio. I'm debating on buying some jubilee tiles so that I'll have even more room. I've got a few mirrors. If I want to be really serious I can buy some shower liner. Haha, we'll see.
I was only able to get to dance once this week, not completely my fault, spring break in South Windsor, my TC is teaching a workshop in Houston this weekend and had to cancel class tonight. I also had to work at my second job 3 DAYS THIS WEEK! Honestly that whole situation stinks and my husband has no sympathy at all. So I'm starting to look at freelance writing jobs. Maybe I can pay for dance that way, or you know buy my solo dress when the time comes. (There are two that I really want. AHHH!)
UPDATE: ONE OF THEM DROPPED TO $600 dollars! The humanity!
Anyway, I went to dance last night and was given the choice to stick with the AB/Novice class I had done in the past or to work out with the Prelim/those very close to prelim group. Most of them are older so I chose that. I know I posted a while ago about how my past self wouldn't recognize me if they saw me. Not only did I run our normal warm up, but I did sprints, planks, wall sits, lunges, and the same conditioning circuit that the champ girls do. We've been doing a more watered down version of it in South Windsor, but this was longer with more stations. The old me would have struggled, the old me would have played it safe. I'm sore as hell, but I see how strong my friends are getting, I see how close they are to prelim or to becoming an open champ. Why would I not want to do the same? Not only do I feel better about my health, I feel stronger, and honestly I'm so proud of what I can do. If I can keep up with girls half my age in conditioning, I should be able to dance against them right? I also got to work on birdies, crabs, and doubles in the front in back along with the normal across the floor things that I do. I think the biggest struggle right now is getting off the floor. Honestly, I think a lot of this is psychological. I can do box jumps and I jump high when we do straight jumps across the floor, but there is something about throwing a birdie or even a double front sometimes that makes me jump maybe an inch off the floor. I blame having shin splints, it's like I forgot how to jump or I'm afraid that I'm doing to crack my leg bone in half if I really pull that leg up. I'm going to be looking into how to fix that.
I learned the lead for my new Prizewinner reel last night and it's going to be SO cool when it's ready. Where my novice one had mostly skip 2,3s with a few jump 2'3s and things to spice it up, this new step is a lot more intricate. The changes and placements are going to be difficult to drill and memorize, but as I've already stated, it's going to be worth it. I'd be working on it now, but I'm pretty sore so I figure I'll rest and start fresh tomorrow.
A SURPRISING TURN OF EVENTS THAT I'M TOO EXCITED ABOUT NOT TO SHARE EVEN THOUGH IT'S WAY TOO EARLY FOR ME TO BE THIS STOKED ABOUT IT: Somehow last week me and a girl from prelim were talking about the requirements to get to prelim and I was like "Oh yah, 2 firsts in each dance." Well, um...my teacher said that she's thinking about not making us older folks follow that. In my brain I was hyperventilating a little, but I put it out of my mind...UNTIL my lovely friend Siobhan announced last night that she is one dance away from Prelim. I was like "Wait a minute, you only have 3 first places." She then informed me that my TC is allowing her to move up with only 1 win in each dance. Um, I'm older than her so I have to believe that I would be in the same boat. I'm not there yet, I still have 3 dances to get out of Novice (One of which hasn't placed since I got a new lead around) but do you realize what that would mean for me? That means (with tons of hard work, practice and etc) I could potentially be in Prelim well before I am 30 years old, which is the goal.
All of the things that I've written about in this post have been that much more motivating to me and I cannot wait to see what the rest of 2016 brings me. Still trying to figure a lot of stuff out; What competitions I'm doing this summer, if any. How many days I'll be dancing next year (I'd like for it to stay at two but that could be a whole post in itself.) Which dances to focus on (Prediction: Treble Jig will be the next one out, so probably Hornpipe or Slip Jig) and so much more. For now here's my to do list for the next two weeks (Mostly because I have Passover break and the Lynn Feis coming up in the next two weeks)
-Practice the POOP out of slow hornpipe so I can do it at the Lynn Feis (So close to being ready!)
-Drill clicks in general, but do double on the left side
-Stay higher on my toes and cross more in slip jig (drill the end of lead, it's better now but it won't hurt to be really sure)
-Jockey (drill difficult rhythm piece until legs fall off)
-Work on jumping higher
-Get comfortable with New Reel Lead, keep Novice one polished until we make the switch (I don't know when that's going to be. Hartford Feis? Fall? 2017? NO IDEA)
-Make treble jig perfect i.e. clicks
-Practice treble reel because who knows someday?
Okay, I have clearly written enough. If anyone has spring goals, advice for getting me to overcome my fear of jumping off the ground, or just generally wants to say hi, comment down below!
Kay
I think I'm finally bringing my floor to my house. One of my weekend tasks is to shampoo and vacuum the carpets so I can use my three season room as my little studio. I'm debating on buying some jubilee tiles so that I'll have even more room. I've got a few mirrors. If I want to be really serious I can buy some shower liner. Haha, we'll see.
I was only able to get to dance once this week, not completely my fault, spring break in South Windsor, my TC is teaching a workshop in Houston this weekend and had to cancel class tonight. I also had to work at my second job 3 DAYS THIS WEEK! Honestly that whole situation stinks and my husband has no sympathy at all. So I'm starting to look at freelance writing jobs. Maybe I can pay for dance that way, or you know buy my solo dress when the time comes. (There are two that I really want. AHHH!)
UPDATE: ONE OF THEM DROPPED TO $600 dollars! The humanity!
Anyway, I went to dance last night and was given the choice to stick with the AB/Novice class I had done in the past or to work out with the Prelim/those very close to prelim group. Most of them are older so I chose that. I know I posted a while ago about how my past self wouldn't recognize me if they saw me. Not only did I run our normal warm up, but I did sprints, planks, wall sits, lunges, and the same conditioning circuit that the champ girls do. We've been doing a more watered down version of it in South Windsor, but this was longer with more stations. The old me would have struggled, the old me would have played it safe. I'm sore as hell, but I see how strong my friends are getting, I see how close they are to prelim or to becoming an open champ. Why would I not want to do the same? Not only do I feel better about my health, I feel stronger, and honestly I'm so proud of what I can do. If I can keep up with girls half my age in conditioning, I should be able to dance against them right? I also got to work on birdies, crabs, and doubles in the front in back along with the normal across the floor things that I do. I think the biggest struggle right now is getting off the floor. Honestly, I think a lot of this is psychological. I can do box jumps and I jump high when we do straight jumps across the floor, but there is something about throwing a birdie or even a double front sometimes that makes me jump maybe an inch off the floor. I blame having shin splints, it's like I forgot how to jump or I'm afraid that I'm doing to crack my leg bone in half if I really pull that leg up. I'm going to be looking into how to fix that.
I learned the lead for my new Prizewinner reel last night and it's going to be SO cool when it's ready. Where my novice one had mostly skip 2,3s with a few jump 2'3s and things to spice it up, this new step is a lot more intricate. The changes and placements are going to be difficult to drill and memorize, but as I've already stated, it's going to be worth it. I'd be working on it now, but I'm pretty sore so I figure I'll rest and start fresh tomorrow.
A SURPRISING TURN OF EVENTS THAT I'M TOO EXCITED ABOUT NOT TO SHARE EVEN THOUGH IT'S WAY TOO EARLY FOR ME TO BE THIS STOKED ABOUT IT: Somehow last week me and a girl from prelim were talking about the requirements to get to prelim and I was like "Oh yah, 2 firsts in each dance." Well, um...my teacher said that she's thinking about not making us older folks follow that. In my brain I was hyperventilating a little, but I put it out of my mind...UNTIL my lovely friend Siobhan announced last night that she is one dance away from Prelim. I was like "Wait a minute, you only have 3 first places." She then informed me that my TC is allowing her to move up with only 1 win in each dance. Um, I'm older than her so I have to believe that I would be in the same boat. I'm not there yet, I still have 3 dances to get out of Novice (One of which hasn't placed since I got a new lead around) but do you realize what that would mean for me? That means (with tons of hard work, practice and etc) I could potentially be in Prelim well before I am 30 years old, which is the goal.
All of the things that I've written about in this post have been that much more motivating to me and I cannot wait to see what the rest of 2016 brings me. Still trying to figure a lot of stuff out; What competitions I'm doing this summer, if any. How many days I'll be dancing next year (I'd like for it to stay at two but that could be a whole post in itself.) Which dances to focus on (Prediction: Treble Jig will be the next one out, so probably Hornpipe or Slip Jig) and so much more. For now here's my to do list for the next two weeks (Mostly because I have Passover break and the Lynn Feis coming up in the next two weeks)
-Practice the POOP out of slow hornpipe so I can do it at the Lynn Feis (So close to being ready!)
-Drill clicks in general, but do double on the left side
-Stay higher on my toes and cross more in slip jig (drill the end of lead, it's better now but it won't hurt to be really sure)
-Jockey (drill difficult rhythm piece until legs fall off)
-Work on jumping higher
-Get comfortable with New Reel Lead, keep Novice one polished until we make the switch (I don't know when that's going to be. Hartford Feis? Fall? 2017? NO IDEA)
-Make treble jig perfect i.e. clicks
-Practice treble reel because who knows someday?
Okay, I have clearly written enough. If anyone has spring goals, advice for getting me to overcome my fear of jumping off the ground, or just generally wants to say hi, comment down below!
Kay
No real advice here, but I did have a bit of fear getting off the ground with double kicks/double in the back after I sprained my left ankle doing one a couple years ago. Mainly just drill, drill, drill anything with jumps and hops and you will get there! Now I just have to keep telling myself that and work on drills myself so I can get back to where I once was!
ReplyDelete