Bryttni Pugh

Barker

DANC 2217-001

16 December 2015

Final Reflection

Video Observations

When viewing the recordings of my final exam, I noticed improvements as well as areas

where I could incorporate more expression. I, surprisingly, did not feel nervous whilst

performing the combinations, unlike in the midterm exam. I had a slight increase in

comfortability and confidence, which I believe helped me perform at my best for that day. In the

first combination, I thought that I transitioned into the falls well. I do not think they were as nice

as those where I go into the floor, but I noticed that I went right into the fall once I stood up and

once I had at least one foot land out of the cartwheel. I could see improvement within my

qualitative changes because I incorporated fast and slow movement, stillness, sharpness, and

limpness. The step-and-reach to the back could have been better; my focus was in the incorrect

direction, and I could have arched back more than I might have thought. I could also improve on

the wringing sensation because I could see myself hesitate during the movement. At times, I did

not think it looked too bad, but, at other times, the movement was unclear.

During the second combination, the wringing movement looked more properly executed,

and I felt like I genuinely fell to the floor when pulling my hip to the side. The main

improvement I saw in the video was with the concept of stability and mobility. I was definitely

grounded compared to my midterm video, and I brushed the floor when swinging my legs. My

inversions still need work, and I found it difficult at the time to do a full undercurve right before
them mainly due to my feet sticking to the floor. Maintaining turn-out will always be a goal of

mine, but I became aware of my inconsistency when the instructor commented on it; I do not

believe I even thought about being in turn-out or parallel when given the combination. I dont

feel as if I did my absolute best on the lunges merely because I was anticipating a different

combination. However, I managed to not squish my neck and lower back and to shift my weight,

even though I could have reached out more.

Overall, I believe to have progressed at a nice pace throughout the semester. I remember

when I would not risk-take, wobble a great amount when needing to be stable, be consistent with

one quality, crush my lower back, stiffen my head and neck, and not engage my core. I have now

been able to yield to gravity by falling truthfully. I loosen my head and wait for my weight to

shift over my centre of balance instead of just tilting my head over. Ive been able to risk-take in

cartwheels and inversions by going for it and by putting forth some force into them. I have not

done cartwheels in years and have not done handstands at all, so knowing that Ive been putting a

great amount of weight onto my hands without hesitation is progress to me. Pushing myself to do

planks without my knees on the floor and curl-ups without using my legs has helped my core

strength. Perhaps this translated into the leg swings because I was able to find balance more

easily. Although I have not been able to see each and every improvement or sense of progress, I

have felt rather confident towards the end of the semester. I am proud of myself to an extent for

feeling out new concepts, becoming capable of executing unfamiliar movement, and increasing

my awareness of the body and space.

Why Do I Dance?

I personally dance because I am fascinated with the exploration of my individuality. I

have always appreciated the arts and ended up playing the piano and guitar and drawing and
painting after quitting dance at a young age. Realizing that playing instruments did not suit me

well, I continued the visual arts, but the favoritism in my school lowered my enthusiasm for the

activity. I soon joined Piedmont School of Music and Dance, a studio where I found a growing

interest in dance. Being able to participate in varying styles, like hip-hop and ballet, allowed me

to embrace their qualities, like sharpness and gracefulness. After performing in The Nutcracker,

Cinderella and some recital pieces, I enjoyed dancing as characters; I could get out of my

mindset and adopt anothers to tell a story or to reveal a new identity. I found the use of character

as a way to escape judgement because I did not have to act like myself, although my personality

still showed through without my full awareness.

However, I did not know much about my own dance persona until I came to the

university. When asked to choreograph, I did not know how to move. When asked to improvise,

I did not know how to move. I first thought I would find a central purpose in dance after

perfecting my technique; but, I failed to realize that passion could overshadow technique, there

are numerous types of dance, and there will always be room for improvement. Technique has

never been irrelevant, especially in ballet, but discovering the relationship between my mind,

body and movement was quite essential. I began to learn how to connect movement to personal

anatomy, to my breath through yoga, to gravity and space, and to simple expression. Through

improvisation practice, I have become more comfortable with how I move organically and

slowly and can express how I feel or how I interpret the present moment. I even found a liking

for writing stories and structured improvisations to observe how others perceive my ideas.

Anyway, I did not share my experiences without having an intention; I used them to state that I

dance to explore deep within myself and the art form, uncovering who I am as a dancer.