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2- Emma’s Lyrical

Emma’s Jazz

Summary of Session:
Today was our first rehearsal for this piece, which is a lyrical number set to a mashup of Burt Bacharach’s songs. The first section is to “This Guy’s in Love,” the second to “The Look of Love,” and the third to “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” The storyline focuses on new love and a girl finding maturity through heartbreak. The choreography is both technical and requires a lot of contraction and release. Even though the storyline changes between songs, the choreography remains the same, which I found difficult to distinguish between at times.

Emma was very specific about our lines and postural positions. As this is a long piece, it’s easy to let technique slip during the more “floaty” moments. One motif that’s repeated throughout involves two shoulder/arm throws in opposite directions in a jazz fourth position. For this move, Emma emphasized that I should draw power from the back and shoulders, rather than the arms, to conserve energy.

A lot of the session was spent piecing the choreography together. As the rehearsal time before the show is limited, we’ve been instructed to memorize everything we’ve learned and return as accurately as possible for the next session.

Personal Observations:
Since we had learned sections of the choreography at different times earlier in the year, I found it challenging to recall the details, especially compared to when I’ve learned choreography more recently. I also noticed that I was struggling with elevation in my jumps, and my body felt stiff, which made the session a bit more difficult. However, the focus of today’s lesson was more on spacing and entrances rather than the precision of movement.

Emma choreographed a partner section and a circle section, which I found difficult to count due to Burt Bacharach’s use of alternative time signatures. I also need to start learning the lyrics and phrases to help with timing. For example, during some of the cannon moments, I rely on lyrics. In the first cannon at the end of the piece, I come in on “don’t tell,” and the next cannon is on “lies and.”

Research:

“Dancers call it muscle memory. And while it obviously manifests itself physically as far as dance is concerned, what actually happens, according to neuroscientists, is that the movements become thoroughly mapped in the brain, creating a shorthand between thinking and doing.” (Solway, May 2007)

To help create that brain mapping, I can use specific methods suited to my kinesthetic and visual learning styles:

Methods to Improve Memory and Recall:

  1. Chunking: Break the choreography into smaller sections or steps, practice these chunks, and then link them all together.

  2. Word Association/Imagery: Associate each movement with a visual or descriptive cue, like “this move is like a wave in the ocean, it goes up and over.”

  3. Listening/Audio Cues: Listen to sounds or rhythms from the choreographer (like a specific count or “dadeedadedum”) to reinforce patterns, then try singing them as I practice.

  4. Questioning and Class Discussion: Engaging in discussions about the choreography with the teacher or peers helps deepen understanding and recall.

  5. Layering: Once the steps are learned, repeat them with a new focus, such as focusing on gravity in certain counts to find the swing.

  6. Mind Mapping: Listen to the music and mentally map the steps to the rhythm and flow.

  7. Floor Pattern: Focus on the direction of movement for each section, as well as changes in eye focus.

  8. Relating to Personal Experience: Find personal associations to make movements more memorable, even if they are silly!

  9. Association with Experiences: Practicing choreography with a partner, for example, helps link the experience with the movements.

  10. Repetition: Continue revisiting the steps, trying different variations, such as facing a new direction or dancing to different music.


    (The Ballet Academy, 2023)


What Can I Do to Progress for Next Lesson:

  • Apply memory recall techniques to improve choreography retention.

  • Take care of sore muscles and prioritize self-care to ensure I’m physically ready for the next session.

  • Listen to the music repeatedly to internalize the timing and phrasing.



    References:

    -Academy, The Ballet. “All about Memory for Dance Choreography and How to Improve It.” Theballetacademy, 30 May 2023, www.theballetacademy.com.sg/post/all-about-memory-for-dance-choreography-and-how-to-improve-it.

    -Solway, D. (2007). How the body (and mind) learns a dance. The New York Times. [online] 28 May. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/arts/28iht-dance.html.

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