"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt

2014.

A whole new year, bringing different achievements and different targets. Since my last entry ,the 23rd of September 2013, Dance Strand and myself have created, worked through and performed our Year 11, final major project "12th Night". A rejuvenated, reinvented version of Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night' about deception and love. This process incorporated development of expression through facial and body language, pushing ourselves to showcase polarised styles of dance; from Matthew Bourne inspired ballet to sassy commercial choreography. The understanding of the storyline bettered everyones enthusiasm for the pieces, which enhanced the performance. I, personally feel that undergoing this creative process helped me grow with regards to creativity, musicality and understanding the trust and spacial awareness is crucial to dancing within a company. Being selected, alongside Talia-Brodie Francis and Blue Makwana, to be the focal point in the commercial dance to 'A little party...' by Fergie, was a big responsibility and privilege. To make sure the choreography was presented in a way 'Klicks Entertainment' were happy with, analysation of their previous choreography, studying performers such as Beyonce and Yanis Marshall and applying the emotion and atmosphere appropriate for this dance was necessary. Oddity Dance Theatre presented "12th Night' on the 10th of February 2014.

Just to remind myself and everyone to the specific targets I set last year, here they are:

1. To continue to project emotion through my dance using my body and facial expression on a higher level. This will enable any audiences and myself to be able to relate with whatever I'm trying to communicate.

2. I believe I need to stop saying I will dedicate time outside to work on my flexibility and start trying to achieve it. Making a timetable including coursework/ homework and leisure with stretching will allow me to succeed in the results I want and still be able to complete other tasks.

3. My final target is to remember to stretch my body after dancing and keep to my healthy diet. Stretching after dancing is crucial for muscles and to reduce pain in the long-run. Maintaining my healthy diet has proven difficult but with more dedication and persistence it will improve my bodies health and ability.

As everyone, regardless of industry or social circumstance, is aware meeting goals set a year before is very challenging. Likewise with New Years resolutions and Lent promises, these targets usually fail...miserably. However with hard work and perseverance certain aspects of the goals set I managed to succeed in. These elements consist of:

1. Throughout the rehearsal and performance period of '12th Night' I was able to project many emotions and practise doing so for performance purposes. I personally think that I was selected for having a small part in our production because I was able to communicate with the audience through facial and body language. I consider my achievements proof that I have met the goals set from Year 10.

2. This target was the hardest for me to succeed in yet I have improved with scheduling and organising revision timetables as I am very close to taking my GCSE's. Dance has taken a little bit of a back seat due to having to focus on my academic studies, this means flexibility hasn't exactly been improved. This coping mechanism I've developed is helping me maintain good grades in all subjects and will not hinder my dance because I will be thrown into a hectic dance schedule for Post 16. This will restore my technique and persistence in achieving any old and new targets, especially flexibility because it enables you, as a dancer, to make better shapes and dance with ease.

3. I am happy to say that my diet has drastically improved. I am eating a vary of different food groups, three times a day, without snacking...well I do now and again, I am human! I basically only drink water, I feel like a cactus-which isn't a bad thing, I grill most meat/fish and do a lot more exercise and walk everywhere! I do stretch after classes more than I ever have and am continuing to build upon that. All in all I am a working progress as everyone is and everyone will aways be, with ambition.

I guess it's time to set some new goals, so here it goes; targets for my Dance career are ...

1.  My first target is for the next two years studying at BRIT. To keep up with the work load therefore having to sacrifice certain things such as social life to achieve the grade I need and want in order to carry out and have the lifestyle I desire. This entails working hard and achieving previous targets in dance especially as I am still unsure of my career choice.

2. This target is for the following 3 or 4 years, depending on whether I do a BA and an MA. I'd like to enjoy first of all the subject I am studying in Uni and put in a lot of effort, more than is asked. This would consist of looking for internships whilst studying, as well as having a job and just gaining my experience I can therefore I'll have a degree and experience when walking into an interview.

3. My final target is for always. I always aim to be working or involved in two projects/ career opportunities at a time so therefore if one fails I can continue with the other. I think it important to always secure yourself in whatever you do, so stability is never an issue. 

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress" Frederick Douglass

The last year has been full of set backs, accomplishments and realisation. Starting BRIT School in August 2012, choices that had to be made regarding injuries and options becoming more apparent and appealing.
There has been progression for me ,in terms of gaining a confidence, of trying different styles due to classes organised by BRIT, with a former student Jo Leahy. Also developing more of a thirst for choreography and show design with our Year 11 Showcase approaching. As well as acceptance of responsibility and coming to terms with the reality of the industry I love. However coming to terms with the reality of the industry and my own mindset is also a set back. This is because I realise that there are factors of being a dancer that aren't appealing.  For example the pay, uncertainty of work, the general life span of the career and restriction of capability due to injuries. Another obstacle is that I've injured my knee and the injury is permanent.This is a limitation in itself because due to the injury I've had to decrease the amount of dancing I do. This has meant stopping classes outside of school although this does mean I am less tired overall and more capable to devote my full attention to BRIT and Dance Strand.

Because of what I talked about above, my career aspirations haven't changed but doubled. I now have developed a back up plan that I will enjoy as much as dance and if succeeded could ensure a better lifestyle. To start my own magazine and become a fashion editor-in-chief that incorporates music, fashion, dance and youth current affairs. I have already drawn up a blueprint to 'SwerveMag' which is an online magazine for teenagers and young adults. The blueprint has developed into rough copies on photoshop and the choice of my work experience at #5mag, the first online magazine. Future plans to move to the States are still intact as I believe opportunities are greater, although I have moved it back a few years to gain experience and a name for myself in the industry over here. In order to achieve this I have promised myself to put hard work into getting an A in English in order to be able to do A Level twilight English, Media and Dance.

Just incase I am able and do choose dance as a career or one of my careers, my new targets regarding dance are:

1. To continue to project emotion through my dance using my body and facial expression on a higher level. This will enable any audiences and myself to be able to relate with whatever I'm trying to communicate.

2. I believe I need to stop saying I will dedicate time outside to work on my flexibility and start trying to achieve it. Making a timetable incorporating coursework/ homework and leisure with stretching will allow me to succeed in the results I want and still be able to complete other tasks.

3. My final target is to remember to stretch my body after dancing and keep to my healthy diet. Stretching after dancing is crucial for muscles and to reduce pain in the long-run. Maintaining my healthy diet has proven difficult but with more dedication and persistence it will improve my bodies health and ability.

BRIT School's "The Anything Box" 2013

At the moment Year 10 Dance Strand have been choreographing a piece inspired by Zenna Henderson's "The Anything Box" for the Year 11's dance showcase. The showcase is their interpretation of "The Anything Box" and they have asked us to create a dance for the playtime section in the middle of their performance. We thought that our choreography should exude positivity, a sense of fun and happiness whilst trying to keep the brief of a 1950's era. We were able to put a slight modern twist on it with our choreography adding to the dances versitility. Our stand was divided into groups in which we were to choreograph motif''s inspired by playground games we all remembered playing in primary school. These included; chatter boxes, chinese whispers, hopscotch, skipping and lots more. Fusing all of the motifs togethor we created a sequence that involved aireoplanes, clapping games and reading as dances moderfying the 1950's inspirited choreography with spongebobs, kicks, rippels and other moves.

Whilst continuously aiming to polish the final piece we have been undergoing dress rehearsals. The costumes make the dance come alive as does the music although we have yet to perfect our facial expressions to add that final touch. The performance is taking place as a matinee in BRIT School's Obie Theatre on Tuesday 12th February 2013 at 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm.