Jumpers

We have finished for the year now! On the last day of rehearsals,11th December we ran the whole show and it went really well. We only have the two parts of the rave, the escape and the fight to do when we get back. The show is really coming together! When we get back to school we only have 5 weeks then on the 6th week will be the show.

The jumpers finally came, they arrived on the 19th December. They look great and are very comfy. This is the jumper (sorry for poor quality). 

Rehearsals

Thursday the 4th December, we managed to run all of the show that we have so far. At first we went through each number slowly and cleaned up section by section. Then after that we went through half of the show as we only had about 20 minutes to go ,so didn't have a chance to go through all of the numbers. All we have left are two rave pieces, we have a special guest coming in to teach us that dance ,also a fight scene and the end number. There are little sections here and there to do ,but over all we are nearly there. Unfortunately for my small group piece there we were missing two students ,but it was still okay.

The jumpers are finally on the way. It was a stressful process ,but it was still fun. The company phoned me just to check that all the designs were ok, which they were. Then the company emailed last night saying that the designs were too poor ,therefore me and Hannah got our heads together to try and solve this problem. We then phoned the company just to double check the exact problem, once we were informed we went up to the library and emailed them the correct sources. Hopefully we will get a positive result ,but whatever way it goes we will get the jumpers eventually.

Opening Evening

The BRIT school open evening was on Wednesday 26th November. It was such a fun evening. There were lots potential students walking around. We finished school at 1:10 then had a break until 3:30, which was when we started rehearsals, which finished at 4:30. We then had to meet in the studio for a warm up at 5:00 with Jodi and Andrea. Open evening didn't start until 5:30 ,but we already had a small audience at 5:15.  We got started and throughout the whole evening we got a chance to go through most of our dances. My group was the first small group to perform and I felt like it went really well. Overall I felt like the night was successful and helpful as it made us as a class work and perform a lot more. It gave us an idea of space as well as we usually perform in a bigger space, but performing in a smaller space then we will actually have helps out a lot.

Myself and Hannah are hopefully going to get the jumpers this week or next week. On Monday I'm going to take some head shots for the programme. Rhianna and Danielle are going to being designing the programme. Hopefully that can all be done by next week. We have also been told as homework to take some selfies as we are going to have them projected on the screen behind when the Glam dance is performed to show we are getting ready for a party.

Assessment and logo

On Thursday we had our assessment on our small groups pieces I was soo happy with how it went everyone said they really liked it we just need to change the ending. We had it be filmed for the assessment and also had it be filmed by some post 16 media students as they are going to be doing the lighting and anything that we want on the back or anything like that to make the show more real.  After the assessment we went through all the dance that we had already done and cleaned them. the show is really coming together and can't wait to see the finished product.

Assessment sheet:-

The logo changed this week as it was too animated, now we have the logo we just need to get the details for the back of the jumpers then all we have to do is see if iur design is possible then order. Hopefully this will be done by the end on November! 

The new logo:

Logo design

Me and Hannah stayed later after school on Friday to get the logo design, it was worth the wait and this is our design:

I think me and Hannah work well together as we never give up and we have the same sort of ideas,but also using our different ideas we put them into one. We were both determined to get this  logo as we stayed back many days to get it, we sorted out a meetings with Ben and also went up to media countless times to see what was happening with the logo and designs.

Half term is over....

First week back after half term and we continue with our production. The sponsorship had organised a cup cake sale, it wasn't the most organised sale but it still went ahead. They asked for others to help so me and Sammy went around the canteens and front of the reception, we sold everything we had which consisted of 3 packets of cakes and one tub of cookies; we managed to make a lot of money.

Me and Hannah have been trying to get this logo for weeks, we have been able to get a post 16 student to design the logo and to design our jumpers, unfortunately even with lots and lots of nagging day after day we still haven't got it. Ben (the post 16 student) has designed and finished everything,  He has emailed them over but it hasn't come through so we have worked on it throughout today and are trying to get it for tomorrow. Mr Collins has emailed him and as soon as Ben emails back it will be transferred into a folder. This will enable us to send the design to get the jumpers and will allow us to continue with everything else. Me and Hannah haven't stopped reminding him which I feel bad about, but we will get it eventually.

Monday we started a new dance with Jodi, it is about refugees having no choice but to leave home to go to the refugee camps. They want to leave because of war but they don't want to leave their homes, family and friends; they don't know how long they will be away from them or whether they will even see them again. 

Today we carried on with the same dance but got asked to bring in suitcases, it was a good challenge as I couldn't say that I've dance with a suitcase before! We labelled ourselves A,B, and C. A's did the solos about wanting to leave, B's were the ones that didn't want to leave and did a duet with C's who were the ones who wanted to compromise. It was a fun lesson and I learnt a lot. We then got into pairs and danced  in front of each other to get constructive criticism. My feed back was to use more elevation. There are still lots of improvements I can make, I will take the comments on board and  just keep working on these aspects.

We then spent 45 minutes working on our small group work. Unfortunately we were missing someone which was disappointing but we went over it without the music, worked out the counts and movement. We then performed it to the rest of the class which wasn't the best but now we know what we can work on.

Bright 2015

We are on half term so haven't done a lot of work on the production. I have gone over all the dances at home. 

The marketing and production group can't do a lot yet as Hannah and I are still waiting for logo and jumper designs. Hannah and myself have set up an Instagram and Twitter both DividedDance. 

A little while ago we did a short film with the Wat Child Charity "Bright 2015" this was a very fun experience and I was thrilled to be apart of it. 

http://youtu.be/zmZ44PiyZLM 

Go watch it !! 

Group work & The Scottsboro Boys

On Monday we went through all the dances and added on more or the 'getting ready' dance, that dance nearly finished now. We focused on that for about an hour and a half.

We then moved onto our group dance, we managed to get our song which is:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=41ngnsC8w4E

We have got about a minute and a half done so we got to do some work but we will be able to do it. On Thursday we are showing the pieces to eachother which will be helpful as well can see how an audience will react to our piece.

Last night I went to see The Scottsboro Boys, it's was one of the best shows I have seen. It inspired me to try as hard as I can to be the best I can within the dance community in school such as our school production "TORN".

Production continues

We have finished the Refugee dance which still needs work I think this is because we all need to keep our energy up the whole time and just because we get tired we can't stop just keep the energy up the whole way through. It's a tiring dance but it's a big strong number.

Last Thursday we learnt a new dance which is the party one. This is the complete opposite to the Refugee dance its a fun number. We had to bring in clothes today so we could act out getting ready with others for a party. We haven't finished but I can see it coming together already.

For the final hour we got into our little groups to continue with our own choreography. My group picked 3 words describing the peice and then we all did 2 counts of eight and used all of them for the dance this was quick and easy and also this means that we can use all of our ideas instead of just one persons. We do this throughout when we don't have any ideas. We still need to find music whic is our main issue at the moment. 

Hannah and I will be going up to Mr Collins to get the logo design and maybe change a couple of things then check with the rest of the company that everyone likes it then will be able to send off the design for the jumpers. 

We have made:

Twitter: @DividedDance

Facebook:Divided Dance Company     Instagram:DividedDance

Starting maketing and publicity

Yesterday Hannah and I started discussing roles and responsibilites of the marketing and publicity department. Were aware that the company doesnt have a name but were working on possible names and logos.

Marketing & Publicity

We have got our logo idea which is the world with wires going around it. Me and Hannah went up to Mr Collins and post 16's so they can change it on to the computer then it will be able to be sent off and put onto our jumpers. Lucy got a jumper link so I have asked everyone in dance strand to see what colour jumpers they want, as we need everyone to be happy with them. 

My idea for the jumper was to have the logo in the top left corner on the chest. On the back I was thinking having the dates, email, number and times of the production. Having the company "TORN" written down the sleeve.

http://www.clothes2order.com/Personalised+Hoodies?oscsid=e8548c876372a5a3d5052602387c235b

Production Continues

Today we got warmed up and stretched out then we went straight into the production work. We were spaced for the pieces we have been taught and tidied it up by making sure everyone knew where they were going and their timings. I liked this as it was hard work, but fun at the same time. It took a bit of time to get it looking better, but there is always room for improvement. After today I need to always apply my posture, its got better from the beginning of the year, but I need to remember to apply without being told to.

We then added on duets, I'm partners with Laqwarn. The partner work involves contact, counter balance and lifts. We were shown the lift to do, it was a fightermans lift into a handstand then to cartwheel out of it, its harder than it sounds but its good to have a challenge, luckily Laqwarn is able to lift me and I can trust him not to drop me. I think this is one of the reasons we work well together because if we had no trust we wouldn't get anywhere.

We then moved on to the small group dances, each group got given a story, ours was about a family who was in a traffic jam on the way to a safe place then the dad goes out to see what has happened, but takes a long time so the mum goes out to look and finds the body on the floor and is forced to just leave him there. We were asked to make up a three minute dance around that story, but not to make it cheesy and tell a narrative so we were taught to think of three words biased on that story.

Year 11 production roles

Today we found out our production roles. We got asked to write letters saying what and why we should get a job role we have chosen. I asked to be in marketing and publicity, which I luckily got. There is a group of us; Hannah, Lucy, Rhianna, Danielle and myself. We had a discussion today on the first ideas, we came up with loads, such as the advertisement using things like instagram, Facebook, Twitter ect. We thought of making a an advert just to put up on social media. We are incharge of making the programmes, making hoddies, jumpers ect,and making posters/leflets. 

We all then got up and spread out, then were given exercises to do; such as, we had to close our eyes and pretend we where painting the space around us using just our head and elbow,then we had to chose 3 words about something we like and create a motif and do the same as if that thing we love has been taken away. After the exercises we were put into groups and given a war story, which we now have to make at least 3 minute dance up surrounding that story. 

War Child Charity Presentation

Yesterday we had a speaker from the charity War Child visit to give a presentation on the charity's invaluable work.. She explained which countries are involved; how war child helps; what's happening to families and children. Telling us touching, true, heart wrenching stories.

She has dealt with a lot of children who have seen some scary, traumatising events in their lives. War Child helps children get into education, gives them hope, tries to re-home the child, helps them become someone they have wanted to be but never been able to due to circumstances beyond their control.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nTh3VtnKTQ

War Child UK helps-
- Afghanistan
-Iraq
-Uganda
-Syria
-Central Africa Republic
-Democratic Republic of Congo

Afghanistan:
-If the child had run away from home they got put into prison, no matter what the reason was.
-If the mother had run away, the children get put in jail as well.

Uganda: (girl named Juliet)
-Forced to have a sexual relationship with older men and she became pregnant.
-Beaten with a gun
-Killed her neighbour in front of her so she wouldn't run away.
Please watch the video to see what happened to her and see how War Child helped, it is a moving and inspirational story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mj2ooJJD3A





 

Year 11 dance production

Exciting day Thursday 4th September, we found out what our year 11 show is. We have been given the theme of the show which is war children. This is a current topic,it's an upsetting subject which is interesting and makes people want to know more, but it needs approaching with sensitivity and tact. We learnt the first dance which involved having high energy and keeping low to the ground.

 I am looking forward to being a part of this performance because it goes towards a great cause which is the charity 'war child'. The war child charity supports children who have been displaced by war and help them get back into education and give them a break from the trauma.

http://m.warchild.org.uk

For the show we have been asked to chose one of the roles, among which are: Rehearsal Directors, Assistant Choreographer, Marketing & Publicity, Props and many more. I have been asked to write a letter to inform our teachers why they should consider me for the role I have put forward.

It's very easy to get caught up in the excitement of preparing the show, but I feel humbled to be involved in a show which is supporting a charity like war child.    

Year 11 project 12th night

The stimulus in the year 11 production of 12th night is for our dance we related it to the play by searching for Sebastian. 

I did a duet with Chante, our task was to create it by looking under, over and around looking for Sebastian.

Also did a group dance which included five of us. The dance was mainly hiphop which isn't my favourite style ,but it was something different and was fun to learn and pick up.

I feel like picking up the timing and choreography was successful because from the start I found that the choreography fitted in with timing and if u listen and watch everyone else u can count yourself in. I tried it two ways and found out which one worked best in the rehursles.

I need to focus on getting into character quicker and not just focus on the choreography, and once picked that up I can go onto my characterising which will make my performance stronger.

In the future I can use my timing and choreographic skills into our year 11 project to help others that are weaker in that area. Also to use other peoples strengths to help me develop in my weaker areas.

We used our feedback from Andrea and Jodie to develope our skills within the performance. My personal improvements will be to strengthen my core and posture, improving these to areas will help out with my pirouette position. This was performed on the Monday 10th February.