The New Haven Feis and My Week Off
If you follow me on any form of social media you already pretty much know how I did last week, but I figured I'd finally do a more indepth report on how my impulsive day at the New Haven Feis went.
I had another one of those fun experiences where I had my set first thing in the morning and then my regular dances at the end of the day, so I was there all day. The weather for this feis was beautiful compared to the one where it rained all day. I danced in my school dress and I bought a wig from a classmate (Ironically my very small, nine year old classmate. The Alliyah was too big for her head but looked lovely on mine, perfect color match! I need to play with it because it was starting to come off after my softshoe dances, but I'm happy with it) so I was feeling very confident. I also practiced so much the couple days before and made sure I had a good warm up. I ended up not placing because I slipped during the left foot of the step, but I'm happy with how everything else went. There's still time to polish and perfect. Plus there were four of us dancing Jockey! I think that might have been a record.
I spent a good part of the day hanging out with my TC and a few other girls. I watched my rival dance in her new prizewinner group (though I think she and I will not be dancing in the same group again as I think the & over group is higher in prizewinner.) and I looked at new hair accessories for my bigger wig and cried about how much money they cost. Eventually it was time to do my actual dances.
I feel incredibly lucky because my TC's husband is a feis musician and he was playing the stage that I was on. So I totally knew all the songs he was going to play and that really put me at ease. I also got to practice on the stage because we were after the lunch break. The stage was actually pretty big and I think when I'm able to move it works to my advantage. There ended up being a corner that was really springy (It reminded me of a gymnastics floor. Jumps were extra high and that scared me so I tried to avoid it) There ended up being SO many people in my competition because they combined u14 with us and naturally boy who I beat in reel and he beat me in treble jig was in my competition. (We make awkward eye contact at competitions. Eek!) So while I had low expectations, it was a little disapointing that there were so many dancers and many of them were really good. Soft shoe went well. As I said being able to move around is a confidence booster. I did my old slip jig step with my new lead and with the ability to really move I felt that it was the best slip jig I'd ever done in competition. My reel went pretty well too, but there were three boys in that competion as well as plenty of girls who were good so no placement. I did pull at third in Slip Jig which was super exciting! I was just complaining that slip jig is my worst dance and how it's going to be in Novice forever, but that 3rd was definetly a good thing. Now I have 15 3rd places...but I got to believe that means I'm getting ready to move on up.
Hardshoe was a little disapointing, but I'm trying to find the silver lining by telling myself I wasn't even planning on doing this feis and the more I dance these dances in competition the better they will get. I rushed the beginning of my treble jig, but was able to realize it and slow it down. Everything else came out nice, no missing trebles, no wrong feet on clicks, but no placement. Hornpipe was the one that I was annoyed about and while I was dancing my TC kind of gave me this sheepish smile like "wtf are you doing, at least your not stopping." LOL. It started off okay, I almost did something that I've never done before chreography wise, but stopped myself before it was a glaring issue. It wasn't until I was on the left foot of my first step that the girl I was dancing with hit me. Like I'm not talking like a soft bump on her way by me, she was an agressive dancer and I was completely thrown off. I got on the wrong foot. I end up on the springy piece of floor. It fell apart. It was definetly better at the Hartford feis so I knew that one was out. I'm still pleased with my dancing in general and on a day that I wasn't planning to feis at all I cannot complain. I could have bought my marks to see how close I was, but I'm hoping the rest and then private lessons and camp will help me when it's time to start up again.
So yah, I took a week off from dance. I swam laps one day this week, other than that I've been writing and binge watching Sailor Moon Crystal and Game of Thrones. It's all for the best because my TC had a million things going and left for Nationals a few days ago. I think I will start easing into my practice schedule as I work 5 days next week. (YAY money, BOO free time!). I'd like to start drilling trouble spots in reel and slip jig and run the poop out of hornpipe so if someone smashes into me again I won't fall apart. Next week is fairly unieventful because my TC is still in Orlando until the 8th but the 9th is our open house, the 11th is my workshop (that I need to plan eek!) and I leave for Rehobeth Beach on the 16th. Hoping to have my private lesson during that week but we shall see.
Okay, that's everything I think. I'm off to bed.
Kay
I had another one of those fun experiences where I had my set first thing in the morning and then my regular dances at the end of the day, so I was there all day. The weather for this feis was beautiful compared to the one where it rained all day. I danced in my school dress and I bought a wig from a classmate (Ironically my very small, nine year old classmate. The Alliyah was too big for her head but looked lovely on mine, perfect color match! I need to play with it because it was starting to come off after my softshoe dances, but I'm happy with it) so I was feeling very confident. I also practiced so much the couple days before and made sure I had a good warm up. I ended up not placing because I slipped during the left foot of the step, but I'm happy with how everything else went. There's still time to polish and perfect. Plus there were four of us dancing Jockey! I think that might have been a record.
 |
| I have snapchat but rarely use it. I'm kay_jigs89 if you want to add me |
I spent a good part of the day hanging out with my TC and a few other girls. I watched my rival dance in her new prizewinner group (though I think she and I will not be dancing in the same group again as I think the & over group is higher in prizewinner.) and I looked at new hair accessories for my bigger wig and cried about how much money they cost. Eventually it was time to do my actual dances.
I feel incredibly lucky because my TC's husband is a feis musician and he was playing the stage that I was on. So I totally knew all the songs he was going to play and that really put me at ease. I also got to practice on the stage because we were after the lunch break. The stage was actually pretty big and I think when I'm able to move it works to my advantage. There ended up being a corner that was really springy (It reminded me of a gymnastics floor. Jumps were extra high and that scared me so I tried to avoid it) There ended up being SO many people in my competition because they combined u14 with us and naturally boy who I beat in reel and he beat me in treble jig was in my competition. (We make awkward eye contact at competitions. Eek!) So while I had low expectations, it was a little disapointing that there were so many dancers and many of them were really good. Soft shoe went well. As I said being able to move around is a confidence booster. I did my old slip jig step with my new lead and with the ability to really move I felt that it was the best slip jig I'd ever done in competition. My reel went pretty well too, but there were three boys in that competion as well as plenty of girls who were good so no placement. I did pull at third in Slip Jig which was super exciting! I was just complaining that slip jig is my worst dance and how it's going to be in Novice forever, but that 3rd was definetly a good thing. Now I have 15 3rd places...but I got to believe that means I'm getting ready to move on up.
 |
| Torn because it was so hot, but I love feisanna that have TROPHIES! |
Hardshoe was a little disapointing, but I'm trying to find the silver lining by telling myself I wasn't even planning on doing this feis and the more I dance these dances in competition the better they will get. I rushed the beginning of my treble jig, but was able to realize it and slow it down. Everything else came out nice, no missing trebles, no wrong feet on clicks, but no placement. Hornpipe was the one that I was annoyed about and while I was dancing my TC kind of gave me this sheepish smile like "wtf are you doing, at least your not stopping." LOL. It started off okay, I almost did something that I've never done before chreography wise, but stopped myself before it was a glaring issue. It wasn't until I was on the left foot of my first step that the girl I was dancing with hit me. Like I'm not talking like a soft bump on her way by me, she was an agressive dancer and I was completely thrown off. I got on the wrong foot. I end up on the springy piece of floor. It fell apart. It was definetly better at the Hartford feis so I knew that one was out. I'm still pleased with my dancing in general and on a day that I wasn't planning to feis at all I cannot complain. I could have bought my marks to see how close I was, but I'm hoping the rest and then private lessons and camp will help me when it's time to start up again.
So yah, I took a week off from dance. I swam laps one day this week, other than that I've been writing and binge watching Sailor Moon Crystal and Game of Thrones. It's all for the best because my TC had a million things going and left for Nationals a few days ago. I think I will start easing into my practice schedule as I work 5 days next week. (YAY money, BOO free time!). I'd like to start drilling trouble spots in reel and slip jig and run the poop out of hornpipe so if someone smashes into me again I won't fall apart. Next week is fairly unieventful because my TC is still in Orlando until the 8th but the 9th is our open house, the 11th is my workshop (that I need to plan eek!) and I leave for Rehobeth Beach on the 16th. Hoping to have my private lesson during that week but we shall see.
Okay, that's everything I think. I'm off to bed.
Kay
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