New Adventures - Transitions Dance Company 2017/18 Let's GO!
…three weeks in and all I can say is WOW! Intense or What?!
September 4, 2017 – I have enrolled at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance to start my MA programme in Dance Performance (Transitions Company) along with 13 fabulous dancers. Transitions allows semi-professional dancers to train and work with three choreographers and create work which will be toured nationally and internationally. This year we will be working with Hagit Yakira, Richard Chappell and Jarkko Partanen. The choreographers this year are boss!
The night before, I was chatting to one of the members and stayed up past midnight to share our anxiety and nervousness together. Safe to say we did not really need to!I was so nervous; my heart was going to burst! I’d like to tell you everything and every detail but I do not want to bore you, so I’ll mention the highlights.
The first two weeks was Induction week for the new company members. Our schedule was packed! Commando mode on! Literally! Easing our bodies back into dance modes was crucial, and of course getting to know each other as individuals was very important and we played a lot of games throughout. Learning names was a hard task but the games really helped a lot. And of course seeing familiar faces during my audition helped even more. What's so great about this groups is that it is a very international company. So much culture!!! There are students from Italy, Cyprus, Florida, Portugal, Finland, Indonesia,Hong Kong, from the U.K. too 'cause you know - Yahssss! Why not?! And of course my little self from the Philippines - land of 7,000 islands. Reppin'!
In the first week, we took ballet classes *daily, and creative tasks. Now, for someone like me who is not classically trained in ballet? I was a mess! Last time I took a ballet class seriously was in high school! And over the summer, I had “attempted” doing ballet again by watching tutorials on YouTube and trying them in my bedroom. The basics. And then, when it came to the first class with Liz Alpe – the ballet teacher extraordinaire, who taught us advanced ballet...I was screwed! The exercises in complex patterns, my body was shaking. The other members of the company were amazing! I cried every day during that week! I even thought of quitting but I ain’t no quitter. The members were very supportive and gave me advice. I saw a glimpse of hope when I applied some of their advice and when I made sure I breathed from the throughout the class. I told myself "process the information she's giving you and performance at your own pace". It worked. I was starting to feel good about myself, and suddenly my mood got better. I was bonding a love-hate relationship with ballet, even though I am not so good at it.
In the second week, we did more creative tasks and Skinner Release technique and contact work every day. For those who do not know, Skinner Release technique uses poetic imagery which kindles the imagination and allows the body to transform in movement. I studied Alexander technique and contact improvisation during my undergrad so this technique was very familiar to me. I was back in my jam! The fire inside me was slowly but surely igniting!
By the end of these two weeks, I was so happy they happened! I needed it. We needed it! It could not have prepared us more for working with our first choreographer - Hagit Yakira! I'll write more about this experience after the process of working with her. And so, to celebrate our new bonds and hard work, sealed with a visit to the pub to share a beer or a cider or two. I am uber excited to share this new adventure with new friends. Until then!...