Victories
Well, I survived a dance class. I've been icing, not practicing everyday and taking Advil (The nurse at one of my schools calls it "Advil Bombing") Don't worry, not planning on getting a bad habit or anything. I'm already feeling a lot better and I'm hoping in a few days to be back to normal. That...or the doctor is in my future. :( But like I said, I did okay until maybe the last 15 minutes of class. My brain wanted to continue but my body...it was done. Either way...Victory #1.
I've probably mentioned that my T.C. is an older gentleman. I would bet that he is in 60's or so. However, you would never guess because he dances with us almost the whole time. When he's not dancing, he works us even harder. I have never been so disgustingly sweaty before, but it's so WORTH IT! Since there was only 4 of us last night we got a lot of work done.
Victory #2: We added 3 steps to my hornpipe! The third step is overwhelming; it's long and it has ROCKS in it! Did I ever think I'd be doing rocks 4 weeks into my Irish Dance career? No. Having tender ankles isn't helping because I would like to practice...but probably shouldn't. Luckily the 4th and 5th steps are pretty easy in comparison. I think there is still one step to go?
Victory#3: I know the first 8 counts of St. Patrick's Day! Once again, did I think I would be learning set dances 4 weeks into my Irish Dance career? That answer again is no because I knew there were rocks in this one. Looking forward to my hard shoes arriving so I can hear the correct sounds and get used to the feel of them.
Victory #4: This one is smaller. We started my reel. More so, my T.C. was working with prizewinner on her treble Jig and my AB or Novice friend helped teach me my reel. First two steps, I would say were easy enough to follow along, but then she kept going, I had St. Patrick's day and Hornpipe still jumbled in my brain...so I only wrote down the first two, which might be funky. We shall see tomorrow.
Victory #5: I know my entire light jig, on both feet. Unfortunately this was around the time that my ankles had decided that they'd had enough so parts of it looked really poopy but I know it and can do it quicker than when I started several weeks ago. (Yay fellow adult and music teacher who was drilling with me.)
Victory #6: Did I mention on here that I found the Antrim Reel online and wrote it down? I felt so foolish about last week I didn't want to be in that position again. It helped so much! My T.C. actually had to consult it! Didn't have any "$%&@! Where am I supposed to be?" moments, but I still feel really frantic during hop two three and what not. Perfectionist Kay is rearing her ugly head! I don't have time to look at myself but I feel like an Elephant trying to do these moves sometimes; trying to keep up with my prizewinner partner (Whom I mention all the time and I think shall just be known henceforth as K.) T.C. says it looks okay for me being a newcomer and various other levels dancing together. Here's to polishing and not feeling so frantic next week.
I had an epiphany tonight at gymnastics after watching a much more experienced gymnast fall during one of her tumbling passes and most likely break something. (One of the coaches had to carry her to her mothers car, she was crying, it was really sad). I already was taking it easy because I want my ankles to get better and not worse but once that happened I was like..."Nope!"
I love the sport of gymnastics, some of those young women are absolute inspirations. But as I am sure I stated earlier, tumbling was my weakest area of dance. But my hugest dance injury? It was from a back handspring. I know that people break things in Irish dance too. But, I think I went into this gymnastics class thinking that I could become an Aliya, or Simone or Gabby, and I just don't see that happening. Maybe if I trained everyday, but tonight is perfect proof that one wrong landing and you can be done no matter how many hours you train...
...but it's more than that. Tonight I sat on that big squishy mat in between trying things on the uneven bars and I knew I could have pushed myself further, but I didn't. I wanted to save myself for tomorrow. When I'm at dance, I feel in my element, like a sponge desiring to soak up as much technique and knowledge as I can. In the gym, I am not the least experienced, but I still feel awkward because I'm a loner. One person talks to me and she's home schooled so I feel like she is dying for contact just as much as I am. It is not an environment that is helpful to me learning and improving. But at dance, it's crazy. I've been there for just shy of a month and I already feel like I am part of this little unit, a strange extended family. Really if you think about it, if you count all of my T.C's students...there 15 or 20 at the most. I imagine a lot of schools are bigger but I almost wonder if that is what makes my school special. I have the least experience and no one seems to judge me or think me unworthy. I have been welcomed with open arms and all of them, from 9 year old girl, K and the other prizewinners, to the adults all talk to me and make me feel accepted. Not to mention the fact that In four weeks I know 1 full dance and parts of 3 others. I'm sure my previous experience helped, but the atmosphere and people certainly help.
So...Victory #7 Seems like I found my niche. :)
Goodnight,
Kay
I've probably mentioned that my T.C. is an older gentleman. I would bet that he is in 60's or so. However, you would never guess because he dances with us almost the whole time. When he's not dancing, he works us even harder. I have never been so disgustingly sweaty before, but it's so WORTH IT! Since there was only 4 of us last night we got a lot of work done.
Victory #2: We added 3 steps to my hornpipe! The third step is overwhelming; it's long and it has ROCKS in it! Did I ever think I'd be doing rocks 4 weeks into my Irish Dance career? No. Having tender ankles isn't helping because I would like to practice...but probably shouldn't. Luckily the 4th and 5th steps are pretty easy in comparison. I think there is still one step to go?
Victory#3: I know the first 8 counts of St. Patrick's Day! Once again, did I think I would be learning set dances 4 weeks into my Irish Dance career? That answer again is no because I knew there were rocks in this one. Looking forward to my hard shoes arriving so I can hear the correct sounds and get used to the feel of them.
Victory #4: This one is smaller. We started my reel. More so, my T.C. was working with prizewinner on her treble Jig and my AB or Novice friend helped teach me my reel. First two steps, I would say were easy enough to follow along, but then she kept going, I had St. Patrick's day and Hornpipe still jumbled in my brain...so I only wrote down the first two, which might be funky. We shall see tomorrow.
Victory #5: I know my entire light jig, on both feet. Unfortunately this was around the time that my ankles had decided that they'd had enough so parts of it looked really poopy but I know it and can do it quicker than when I started several weeks ago. (Yay fellow adult and music teacher who was drilling with me.)
Victory #6: Did I mention on here that I found the Antrim Reel online and wrote it down? I felt so foolish about last week I didn't want to be in that position again. It helped so much! My T.C. actually had to consult it! Didn't have any "$%&@! Where am I supposed to be?" moments, but I still feel really frantic during hop two three and what not. Perfectionist Kay is rearing her ugly head! I don't have time to look at myself but I feel like an Elephant trying to do these moves sometimes; trying to keep up with my prizewinner partner (Whom I mention all the time and I think shall just be known henceforth as K.) T.C. says it looks okay for me being a newcomer and various other levels dancing together. Here's to polishing and not feeling so frantic next week.
I had an epiphany tonight at gymnastics after watching a much more experienced gymnast fall during one of her tumbling passes and most likely break something. (One of the coaches had to carry her to her mothers car, she was crying, it was really sad). I already was taking it easy because I want my ankles to get better and not worse but once that happened I was like..."Nope!"
I love the sport of gymnastics, some of those young women are absolute inspirations. But as I am sure I stated earlier, tumbling was my weakest area of dance. But my hugest dance injury? It was from a back handspring. I know that people break things in Irish dance too. But, I think I went into this gymnastics class thinking that I could become an Aliya, or Simone or Gabby, and I just don't see that happening. Maybe if I trained everyday, but tonight is perfect proof that one wrong landing and you can be done no matter how many hours you train...
...but it's more than that. Tonight I sat on that big squishy mat in between trying things on the uneven bars and I knew I could have pushed myself further, but I didn't. I wanted to save myself for tomorrow. When I'm at dance, I feel in my element, like a sponge desiring to soak up as much technique and knowledge as I can. In the gym, I am not the least experienced, but I still feel awkward because I'm a loner. One person talks to me and she's home schooled so I feel like she is dying for contact just as much as I am. It is not an environment that is helpful to me learning and improving. But at dance, it's crazy. I've been there for just shy of a month and I already feel like I am part of this little unit, a strange extended family. Really if you think about it, if you count all of my T.C's students...there 15 or 20 at the most. I imagine a lot of schools are bigger but I almost wonder if that is what makes my school special. I have the least experience and no one seems to judge me or think me unworthy. I have been welcomed with open arms and all of them, from 9 year old girl, K and the other prizewinners, to the adults all talk to me and make me feel accepted. Not to mention the fact that In four weeks I know 1 full dance and parts of 3 others. I'm sure my previous experience helped, but the atmosphere and people certainly help.
So...Victory #7 Seems like I found my niche. :)
Goodnight,
Kay
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