Last week, we concluded our final morning classes for the 2017-2018 season with lots of floor work! Our communications intern, Jackie Hynson, had the opportunity to take class with teachers Scott Wheet and Ashley Ramsee. Read on to hear her reflection!
Inhale. Exhale.
The edge of my left shoulder hits the ground and as I roll I feel the marley make contact with the space between my shoulders. My side and hips touch the floor next as I roll through the continuation of my body. My arms make a rainbow around my head to propel my body through the shape.
Inhale. Exhale.
Curving through my spine, I pass my head through the midline of my body to rock my entire body and fall on my right side.
Inhale. Exhale.
Hands catch my fall and I plant into that same matted black floor and align my shoulders to boost my lower half of my body into the air. Falling out of this position feels as though I hit the top of a swing and the decent is forcefully smooth with its pathway.
Inhale. Exhale.
Following the guidance of the instructor, my breath is the foundation of each initiation of movement. I am conscience of all of the facets of this movement because of my sensory awareness of the floor beneath me and the awakened receptors in my body. Each necessary stepping stone of the class has led up to my execution of this combination and nothing was given in vain.
Taking class at Core Dance this past Monday and Wednesday under Scott Wheet and Ashley Ramsee was a such a beneficial experience for me. Though most likely unintentionally, their classes carried a similar theme and structure and the building block frameworks helped me thrive in class. These classes started with basic studies of sensory awareness with a partner and built off a foundation of miniscule movements. These movements attuned our focus to the proprioceptors in our body and the others in the space. The warm up was audibly guided by the class instructor and allowed us to explore the sensory experience rather than remembering a series of movement. These slow, grounding practices with the floor was vital in providing a foundation for the rest of the class. I thoroughly enjoyed the floorwork combinations and the way they challenged my ability to connect and rely on my partnership with the floor. I was challenged and hungry to know more by the end of each class!
When moving onto structured combinations, the class still encouraged exploration and personal thoughtfulness of the initiation of each movement. I adore this because thoughtfulness in my movement is one of the reasons why dance is so stimulating to me. With each movement there are endless possibilities of thought process behind the execution of the movement.
Without this kind of thinking, the dancer can lose their artistic exploration. Taking classes that encourage this creative stimulation revitalizes me as a mover and as an artist. Core Dance is creating a space to grow and mature artists to internally process their art. What is their medium of communication? Asking dancers to breath first and then roll on the floor. Â Â
Working as a Communications Intern with Core Dance, I am using the means of media communication and marketing to further the dance field in a way other than performance or choreography. While my first love is performance and choreography, I see the necessity and worth of behind-the-scenes work. As marketers, we act as the voice of the artists. This is what specifically drives me to value marketing for the arts. It is an honor to intern at Core Dance and study this skill of communication for the dance field while still gaining training in my technique.
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