I am sick, so I missed the contra dancing!! I am bummed. I was looking forward to it from the preview on Wednesday. But! I did some Estonian contra dancing last weekend, though (long story short--I am doing research on Baltic musical traditions, so I often go to their community events, at which there is ALWAYS contra dancing), and I have to say that contra dancing is one of the most brilliant ways to bring a community together. By the end of it, you have danced with everyone! And what was, at the beginning of the evening, a group of miscellaneous people, has now become a group of individuals who have all danced together, made eye contact together, laughed together..created together! It is just awesome. I wish there were more of it in our culture.
It was hard work! Contra is aerobic both mentally and physically. Every new couple that we danced with had familiar faces. It was like a small visit with every dancer in class. The amount of camaraderie increased also by having to dance and work together to get the dance to function. Maybe because it was Halloween but we were pretty silly today. We had a great time!
Ahhhhhhh the contra dance. My legs feel it every time I say that word, yet my heart bounces with delight! I had a lot of fun doing this dance, and actually had never participated in one before. But I loved it! I felt a lot of camaraderie with everything and a very fun and light hearted mood. It was great to be able to dance with everyone and sort of take note of their ballet styles and how they interpret the moves and effort to be part of the group. So while it was my first contra dance, today was one of the most fun dance experiences I have had and it will definitely take a lot to beat it out!
way fun! i was outta breath by the time it was over! this is my favorite kind of dancing... i have some minimal sca (society for creative anachronism) experience and irish dance and these have always been my favorite, and combined with the higher skill and aerobic endurance required for the ballet steps it was a challenging and enjoyable experience. i find that the speed at which we are forced to go through the steps is a great aid in memorization, and that we could probably go through the moves again more slowly and have them down pretty well. i am still confused about which leg to stick out with before the sousou-soutenu-passe bit. if somebody could remind me i could practice on my own, thanks :) also, i can't believe how quickly everybody here knows the venetian waltz, it took me years to get the feet straight on that one.
I thought the contra dance was hard work psychically but wonderful to preform. I always see the dances in movies like Pride and Prejudice, and I always thought it looked like fun, but I can't imagine doing it in the heavy ball gowns. It was really fun getting to do a dance were we got to interact with other dancers instead of just dancing by ourselves.
The contra dance was a wonderful way to move in an aerobic way. That is the sort of exercise I like best, and it was a fun way to work hard physically, as well as try to synthesize all of the pieces we had learned previously. I was worried that the dance would be a mess, but we all supported each other and had a lot of fun. It is good to see the application of all the techniques we have learned so far this quarter.
It looked so much fun. I was a little disappointed to be sitting on the side watching...but in the long run the better thing to do. The most interesting thing i saw was the squares would sometimes angle in a way that deformed the rest of the line, and yet everyone who ended up in these misturned squares recognized it and in certain parts compensated for the angle to be lined up with the next pair! The other thing I enjoyed about it is it really did level the field in terms of who is a better dancer than others. I doubt anyone would disagree with Vika being amazing in the class (and not to offend you in anyway vika) but even she had her little mistakes like everyone else, had her moments where it was like "which way do i go again?" like the rest of the class. I would also like to point out the level of cohesion that is taking place in the class, the circle of people stretching and talking to each other before class began, during the stretching circle, learning the contra dance and performing it! The class is clearly coming close together in that studio!
I really enjoyed it. Though it was challenging to get not just the steps, but the timing right and most of all to try and keep up the energy for the whole line, there is something about dancing as part of a group that is very energizing and also freeing since everyone is dancing together. The freeing also came from not being able to stare in the mirror and worry about if I was doing the steps right and rather just worry that I wasn't leaping into anyone and just dancing. I hope we get to do this again, if not a contra dance at least something similiar.
It was so fun! We've been doing exercises and small routines, but never got a chance to actually dance like last class! So I was really excited to dance. Honestly, it was hard for me to dance with enthusiasm beginning of that class, but when we started to dance the contra dance, I was gaining my energy and positive attitude back! It was a lot of work and definitely was not easy, but I really enjoyed it and am up for another one to challenge my ability.
My foot has been feeling on the verge of death for the last week, so I was soooo sad when I woke up Friday moning and could hardly walk... I wanted to at least hobble my way though the contra dance! I have seen them in movies and always though they would be so fun to be a part of. I decided not to come to class because I knew I wouldn't have enough will to just sit there watching, I would want to try it out too, but then I would be even more broken. I really, really hope that we get to do this again so I can give it a try. Everyone makes it sound like a-ton-o-fun!
My cat died that morning...although I didn't know it so I spent the entire afternoon looking for her so I missed that class. Although I wish I would've made it because I love learning new ways of dance even though I may not always be that great at it. It's always fun to laugh about it though.
The contra dancing was quite fun, and it was nice to be dancing for so long and to be able to put the steps into a phrase instead of them just being an exercise. I think I enjoy ballet more if I can dance with other people instead of it being a soloist experience like it is on the bar...
I have been sick, so i missed the contra dancing on Friday. However, I have contra dance experiences in Japan. At school and community events, I did some contra dance. I guess Japanese like to do contra dance. On top of that, when I was in basketball club, we often did contra dance as a part of practice and before games. It made us relax and close to each other emotionally. I remember that it worked very well. However, here is the difference between Japanese one and other countries. When Japanese do contra dance, we don't see partners' eyes because Japanese are shy..
The contra dance was so fun! I loved how the dance evoked a common sense or spirit of joy and camaraderie in class. It was also an excellent physical and mental workout. However, because I was more concerned about timing and not messing up my partners, my dancing was not very technically precise. On the other hand, while some of the steps I did may not have even been ballet, I just felt uplifted by the feeling of the dance.
I watched most of the dancing, until the last bit, but was watching with the intent of learning it later with Vika and some roommates of mine. It was interesting watching because I could see how it was done from an omniscient point of view rather than from single sided view, which I think made it easier to catch on. I ended up dancing at the end when Kristin left because it would have been tragic if there had been a whole in the line. It was a lot of fun doing the dance, I have been square and contra dancing a few times before and was very excited to hear we were learning a Ballet Contra. After class I told a friend of mine about it, and he insisted I teach him and a few of our friends (all guys), which I did, and which we then preformed later to live bluegrass music at a Halloween party. Although they did not know the Ballet moves, we made it work and looked beautiful.
I was so sad that I had to leave right before we put the whole dance together, but doing the first part and learning it in our little groups was so much fun! I feel like ballet is so often a really personal/introspective thing where you're always worried about what your own arms and legs are doing, but this was so interactive with other people, it really took a lot of the pressure off for me. I think we were all just out to have a good time, which is what dancing should really be about anyway.
I loved the contra dancing! It was so much fun, I was all smiles that day! I really enjoyed dancing w new pairs but still keeping one partner, I feel I may have gotten super confused if I had an entirely new group each exchange.
It's kinda funny but I felt like I understood the steps and turn for the "wheel" portion of the dance a lot better during the contra dance when compared to going straight across the floor. go figure.
It was a lot fun, I felt like I was actually dancing more than a rigid combo that has all these restrictions. Not to say I don't like restrictions but the contra dancing had me feeling much more free when dancing. :)
The contra dancing was so much fun. Dancing with other people made me enjoy it so much that I could've just gone on and on though I was out of breath... In ballet we always try to be precise about our alignment and the lines we draw, but when dancing together in a formation we also need to be precise about the directions and moving in relation to others, like how long steps you take or how far you jump. Combining the things we'd learned made the pieces more meaningful, it became a dance instead of a bunch of exercises.
And it's so nice to dance with everyone, see their dance styles and learn from them. Everyone interacting with everyone also brings us together as a class which always makes learning more fun!
I thought the ballet contra dance was really fun! It was a bit of a workout, but that made it even more challenging. I liked that there was a specific pattern to the dance and enjoyed the repetition. It was also really neat to see the entire class (or to be in the midst of the entire class) dancing together, not in a unified but in an corresponding way. I really liked it and think it would be fun to do again.
I really enjoyed the contra dancing, even if there were a few steps I was still unsure of. The important thing was the rhythm, the directions, and the partner contact. As long as I went in the right directions at the right time and clapped the right person's hands, it was okay that my tendu was on the wrong foot. It certainly got exhausting fast. I had to start marking certain parts about halfway through because I was so tired. I really enjoyed it though, and I hope that's not the last we'll see of it (or something like it) this quarter!
I really, really enjoyed our contra dance! Overall, it was just a lot of fun. It was fun to put the steps we learned together in a combination. It was fun to see the rotation work. Every time we switched to a new square it just made me smile to see it work again. It was fun to have the same partner next to you the whole time so it stayed familiar. It was fun to be with another couple each time and adapt in little ways as they did the dance just a little bit differently. And it was fun to just dance and dance until I was so tired that it was fun to stop.
Didn't make it to contra dance class. Although when we were doing a preview of the contra deal the class before I was very excited. It reminds me of dancing at a ball in the 1800's when people actually had to know how to dance the steps.... It would be fun and energizing though I imagine and give the guests a beautiful rosy glow. :) I think I am a romantic.
Hey Dancers,
25 comments:
I am sick, so I missed the contra dancing!! I am bummed. I was looking forward to it from the preview on Wednesday. But! I did some Estonian contra dancing last weekend, though (long story short--I am doing research on Baltic musical traditions, so I often go to their community events, at which there is ALWAYS contra dancing), and I have to say that contra dancing is one of the most brilliant ways to bring a community together. By the end of it, you have danced with everyone! And what was, at the beginning of the evening, a group of miscellaneous people, has now become a group of individuals who have all danced together, made eye contact together, laughed together..created together! It is just awesome. I wish there were more of it in our culture.
It was hard work! Contra is aerobic both mentally and physically. Every new couple that we danced with had familiar faces. It was like a small visit with every dancer in class. The amount of camaraderie increased also by having to dance and work together to get the dance to function. Maybe because it was Halloween but we were pretty silly today. We had a great time!
Ahhhhhhh the contra dance. My legs feel it every time I say that word, yet my heart bounces with delight! I had a lot of fun doing this dance, and actually had never participated in one before. But I loved it! I felt a lot of camaraderie with everything and a very fun and light hearted mood. It was great to be able to dance with everyone and sort of take note of their ballet styles and how they interpret the moves and effort to be part of the group. So while it was my first contra dance, today was one of the most fun dance experiences I have had and it will definitely take a lot to beat it out!
way fun! i was outta breath by the time it was over! this is my favorite kind of dancing... i have some minimal sca (society for creative anachronism) experience and irish dance and these have always been my favorite, and combined with the higher skill and aerobic endurance required for the ballet steps it was a challenging and enjoyable experience. i find that the speed at which we are forced to go through the steps is a great aid in memorization, and that we could probably go through the moves again more slowly and have them down pretty well. i am still confused about which leg to stick out with before the sousou-soutenu-passe bit. if somebody could remind me i could practice on my own, thanks :) also, i can't believe how quickly everybody here knows the venetian waltz, it took me years to get the feet straight on that one.
I thought the contra dance was hard work psychically but wonderful to preform. I always see the dances in movies like Pride and Prejudice, and I always thought it looked like fun, but I can't imagine doing it in the heavy ball gowns. It was really fun getting to do a dance were we got to interact with other dancers instead of just dancing by ourselves.
The contra dance was a wonderful way to move in an aerobic way. That is the sort of exercise I like best, and it was a fun way to work hard physically, as well as try to synthesize all of the pieces we had learned previously. I was worried that the dance would be a mess, but we all supported each other and had a lot of fun. It is good to see the application of all the techniques we have learned so far this quarter.
It looked so much fun. I was a little disappointed to be sitting on the side watching...but in the long run the better thing to do. The most interesting thing i saw was the squares would sometimes angle in a way that deformed the rest of the line, and yet everyone who ended up in these misturned squares recognized it and in certain parts compensated for the angle to be lined up with the next pair! The other thing I enjoyed about it is it really did level the field in terms of who is a better dancer than others. I doubt anyone would disagree with Vika being amazing in the class (and not to offend you in anyway vika) but even she had her little mistakes like everyone else, had her moments where it was like "which way do i go again?" like the rest of the class. I would also like to point out the level of cohesion that is taking place in the class, the circle of people stretching and talking to each other before class began, during the stretching circle, learning the contra dance and performing it! The class is clearly coming close together in that studio!
I really enjoyed it. Though it was challenging to get not just the steps, but the timing right and most of all to try and keep up the energy for the whole line, there is something about dancing as part of a group that is very energizing and also freeing since everyone is dancing together. The freeing also came from not being able to stare in the mirror and worry about if I was doing the steps right and rather just worry that I wasn't leaping into anyone and just dancing. I hope we get to do this again, if not a contra dance at least something similiar.
~Natalie
It was so fun!
We've been doing exercises and small routines, but never got a chance to actually dance like last class! So I was really excited to dance. Honestly, it was hard for me to dance with enthusiasm beginning of that class, but when we started to dance the contra dance, I was gaining my energy and positive attitude back! It was a lot of work and definitely was not easy, but I really enjoyed it and am up for another one to challenge my ability.
It was fun!!!!!!!!
Yet, my legs were tired after the last two rows of the "ballet contra dance".
Other than that, it was fun.
Oscar Milano MAI
My foot has been feeling on the verge of death for the last week, so I was soooo sad when I woke up Friday moning and could hardly walk... I wanted to at least hobble my way though the contra dance! I have seen them in movies and always though they would be so fun to be a part of. I decided not to come to class because I knew I wouldn't have enough will to just sit there watching, I would want to try it out too, but then I would be even more broken. I really, really hope that we get to do this again so I can give it a try. Everyone makes it sound like a-ton-o-fun!
My cat died that morning...although I didn't know it so I spent the entire afternoon looking for her so I missed that class. Although I wish I would've made it because I love learning new ways of dance even though I may not always be that great at it. It's always fun to laugh about it though.
The contra dancing was quite fun, and it was nice to be dancing for so long and to be able to put the steps into a phrase instead of them just being an exercise. I think I enjoy ballet more if I can dance with other people instead of it being a soloist experience like it is on the bar...
I have been sick, so i missed the contra dancing on Friday. However, I have contra dance experiences in Japan. At school and community events, I did some contra dance. I guess Japanese like to do contra dance. On top of that, when I was in basketball club, we often did contra dance as a part of practice and before games. It made us relax and close to each other emotionally. I remember that it worked very well. However, here is the difference between Japanese one and other countries. When Japanese do contra dance, we don't see partners' eyes because Japanese are shy..
The contra dance was so fun! I loved how the dance evoked a common sense or spirit of joy and camaraderie in class. It was also an excellent physical and mental workout. However, because I was more concerned about timing and not messing up my partners, my dancing was not very technically precise. On the other hand, while some of the steps I did may not have even been ballet, I just felt uplifted by the feeling of the dance.
I watched most of the dancing, until the last bit, but was watching with the intent of learning it later with Vika and some roommates of mine. It was interesting watching because I could see how it was done from an omniscient point of view rather than from single sided view, which I think made it easier to catch on. I ended up dancing at the end when Kristin left because it would have been tragic if there had been a whole in the line. It was a lot of fun doing the dance, I have been square and contra dancing a few times before and was very excited to hear we were learning a Ballet Contra. After class I told a friend of mine about it, and he insisted I teach him and a few of our friends (all guys), which I did, and which we then preformed later to live bluegrass music at a Halloween party. Although they did not know the Ballet moves, we made it work and looked beautiful.
I was so sad that I had to leave right before we put the whole dance together, but doing the first part and learning it in our little groups was so much fun! I feel like ballet is so often a really personal/introspective thing where you're always worried about what your own arms and legs are doing, but this was so interactive with other people, it really took a lot of the pressure off for me. I think we were all just out to have a good time, which is what dancing should really be about anyway.
I loved the contra dancing! It was so much fun, I was all smiles that day! I really enjoyed dancing w new pairs but still keeping one partner, I feel I may have gotten super confused if I had an entirely new group each exchange.
It's kinda funny but I felt like I understood the steps and turn for the "wheel" portion of the dance a lot better during the contra dance when compared to going straight across the floor. go figure.
It was a lot fun, I felt like I was actually dancing more than a rigid combo that has all these restrictions. Not to say I don't like restrictions but the contra dancing had me feeling much more free when dancing. :)
good times.
The contra dancing was so much fun. Dancing with other people made me enjoy it so much that I could've just gone on and on though I was out of breath... In ballet we always try to be precise about our alignment and the lines we draw, but when dancing together in a formation we also need to be precise about the directions and moving in relation to others, like how long steps you take or how far you jump. Combining the things we'd learned made the pieces more meaningful, it became a dance instead of a bunch of exercises.
And it's so nice to dance with everyone, see their dance styles and learn from them. Everyone interacting with everyone also brings us together as a class which always makes learning more fun!
Perhaps we will bring this dance back for out final presentation! Don't forget it!
I thought the ballet contra dance was really fun! It was a bit of a workout, but that made it even more challenging. I liked that there was a specific pattern to the dance and enjoyed the repetition. It was also really neat to see the entire class (or to be in the midst of the entire class) dancing together, not in a unified but in an corresponding way. I really liked it and think it would be fun to do again.
Katrina Hamilton:
I really enjoyed the contra dancing, even if there were a few steps I was still unsure of. The important thing was the rhythm, the directions, and the partner contact. As long as I went in the right directions at the right time and clapped the right person's hands, it was okay that my tendu was on the wrong foot.
It certainly got exhausting fast. I had to start marking certain parts about halfway through because I was so tired. I really enjoyed it though, and I hope that's not the last we'll see of it (or something like it) this quarter!
I really, really enjoyed our contra dance! Overall, it was just a lot of fun. It was fun to put the steps we learned together in a combination. It was fun to see the rotation work. Every time we switched to a new square it just made me smile to see it work again. It was fun to have the same partner next to you the whole time so it stayed familiar. It was fun to be with another couple each time and adapt in little ways as they did the dance just a little bit differently. And it was fun to just dance and dance until I was so tired that it was fun to stop.
Didn't make it to contra dance class. Although when we were doing a preview of the contra deal the class before I was very excited. It reminds me of dancing at a ball in the 1800's when people actually had to know how to dance the steps.... It would be fun and energizing though I imagine and give the guests a beautiful rosy glow. :) I think I am a romantic.
Nicole Boutillier
I had to leave early this week, so I did not get to do participate in the contra dance. I was really sad to have missed it!!
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