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8- Robyn’s Jazz

 Rehearsal Log 8~

Robyn’s Opening

Session Summary:

This week’s rehearsal focused heavily on spacing, learning new choreography, and cleaning up the number. I’m becoming quite comfortable with the choreography, though there are still a few new sections that I'm struggling to count accurately. As third-year dancers, we’ve been given sections to improvise and showcase our individuality, which is a great opportunity for self-expression. Robyn gave us specific notes regarding footwork, head, and arm lines. With so many of us on stage during the larger dance breaks, it's essential that I remain precise and fulfill my role in maintaining the visual cohesion of the piece. The choreography is high-intensity and demands a lot of agility and stamina.

Personal Observation:

So far, I’ve been experimenting with my individual sections, but I need to solidify my choices to avoid confusion, both for myself and for others who might be using my movements as a visual cue. There were a few moments where Robyn changed previously learned choreography, particularly switching steps from one leg to the other. This was challenging because my muscle memory had become ingrained, and it took active concentration to override my instinctive movements. However, I’ve noticed improvement in my stamina running the piece multiple times, I was able to maintain my energy levels. That said, there’s still room for improvement. Performance-wise, I’ve found it difficult to avoid a concentrated facial expression during the more complicated parts of the choreography. However, in the sections where the music becomes more dynamic, I’ve been able to lean into the instrumental inflections, which has allowed me to enjoy the changes in the music, particularly during the "big time" clump.

Research:

Rehearsing in large group formations has made me acutely aware of how important spatial awareness and ensemble synchronization are, especially in high-energy dance breaks with so many dancers on stage. I've been working on maintaining precision in my movements so that others can use me as a visual cue. This led me to explore how dancers develop better group coordination. A study by Chauvigné et al. (2019) highlighted that dancers rely on a combination of auditory, visual, and tactile cues to stay in sync with one another, with tactile contact like holding hands particularly powerful in creating synchronous movement. This made me reflect on how small points of contact in choreography can greatly support group cohesion.

Further research by Bigand et al. (2024) examined how music and visual contact work together to synchronize group dance. Their study found that certain movements, like head and torso movements, often align with music, while lateral gestures rely more on visual awareness of other dancers. This finding has made me more conscious of using my peripheral vision and listening carefully to the rhythm, especially when I don’t have a clear sightline. Additionally, research by Ellamil et al. (2016) showed that torso movement synchrony increases when the rhythm of the music matches the natural walking pace (around 100–150 bpm). This insight resonated with me because some of the most dynamic moments in our piece fall within this tempo range, making it easier to synchronize with others when the music feels instinctive.

Moving forward, I want to focus on responding more consciously to the group around me. It's not just about executing the steps, but also staying sensitive to timing, spacing, and the shared energy of the ensemble. By honing in on these physical and sensory cues, I believe I can become a more reliable and cohesive member of the group.

What can I do to progress for next lesson:

  • Practice actively with other dancers, as well as individually for my specific sections.

  • Review timing and watch videos of the choreography to self-correct.

  • Continue focusing on improving and sustaining my stamina. 


    References:

    -Ellamil, M., Berson, J., Wong, J., Buckley, L. and Margulies, D.S. (2016). One in the Dance: Musical Correlates of Group Synchrony in a Real-World Club Environment. PLOS ONE, 11(10), p.e0164783. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164783.

    -Félix Bigand, Bianco, R., Abalde, S.F. and Novembre, G. (2024). The geometry of interpersonal synchrony in human dance. Current Biology, 34(13), pp.3011-3019.e4. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.055.


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