Final Performance

So we already had our final performance last week at Berkley Middle School and I am pleased to say that it went well. We all put forth our best foot and effort as a banjar and got a great response from the audience. In the initial stages of getting dressed back at the theatre, everyone seemed so confused and stressed. That made me even more stressed. But in the end, we pulled it together and had a great performance. I was glad that we got a chance to incorporate the students and have them chant along. I was really skeptical at first, I thought they would all just laugh at us but suprisingly, it wasn't like that. Yes it was completely foreign to them but they tried chanting with us and even tried to learn some steps which was really neat. My favorite part was when the boys were all googly eyed over Sarah aka Sita. They were dropping lines and trying to get her number, very ammusing. All in all I am very proud of our banjar and its sad to know that it was the last time we will have class together. I look forward to seeing everyone on campus and sharing that connection we had in our banjar. :)

So once again, I forgot to blog. Our Kimball performace was about two weeks ago, on the 14th, and to say in a one word summary-amazing! I was really impressed with our banjar and the team effort that we put forth that night. It was simply phenomenal. I really enjoyed putting all the face paint on and putting on the traditional attire, as it allowed me to fully experience the culture we were representing. I was really nervous backstage but at the same time, really excited. When we were lining up to go one stage, I was afraid I was going to mess up big time. But thankfully, it was a success. Everyone did such a great job that night, I was really proud of our banjar.

I really enjoyed the guest speaker we had in class last week. His lecture was very interesting and intriguing. I never knew anything about taiko drumming until that lecture. It was very fascinating and I wanted to learn more, but we were running out of time. It was neat watching the different videos and styles of taiko. I really hope that our school starts our own taiko group, I think it would be really neat.

Today is another important day...we are performing for the middle school students! I dont know how I feel about this..I'm concerned that they won't understand what we are doing and will laugh at us. I'm also very nervous! We didn't practice as much as I think we should have last week-however, I have full faith in our banjar and know that we will put our best foot forward to put on an amazing performance.

The performance for Kimball Theatre is only days away...I am extremely nervous! I am at the same time excited. I found out last class that we will be wearing the sacred clothing from Bali and painting our entire face-interesting. I think were almost ready but I am worried that something will go wrong. I just am excited to go to class tomorrow and get things down to perfection. I am the type that worries until I know things are near perfection. Our sub banjar has been working very hard for the past few days and I feel that the showcase on Friday will portray that.

I am very grateful to Guru Kalyani. She has been very patient and helpful throughout this entire course, and especially with this performance. I am grateful for her generosity in helping us. She has been extremely helpful in pointing out things we can do better and change up to make it unique. Without her, our performance would be incomplete.

The performance is just days away...I hope things go well! I also hope we practice tomorrow in class with the costumes. I want to make sure I can move around gracefully. I want to be a good presentation of our class and put forth all the great things we learned, and I want to do it right.

Last weeks classes were quite interesting and fun. This upcoming Friday a small portion of our banjar is expected to perfrom at the Kimball Theatre in CW. I didn't thing that at first I was going to be able to perform but it happens that my schedule cleared up so I will be! I am very nervous but excited. This is a great way to showcase what we have learned so far in our classes.

We split out banjar into two sub banjars. One portion is concentrating on the performance on Friday and the other portion is concentrating on the final performance for the class. As for Friday's performance, we are concentrating on the scene in which the golden deer deceives Rama and Sita is kidnapped in the end. We are all incorporating different chaks and chants. We are also incorporating several different mudras and dance movements to portray the scene, without actually speaking.

I will be playing a tree and yes I know its not a big part but I'm really excited! I will be focusing more on the chants for a good portion of our performance. We are all working extremely hard together to pull of this amazing performance. These next two classes this week are crucial as we need to fix the fine points and make sure everyone is on the same page, since a many people have been absent througout last week. There's a lot we have left to do, but I have faith in my banjar and can't wait to pull it out on stage on Friday.

Last week was fun and interesting. I thought it was a fun exercise to go around the circle and embody Sita. At first I wasn't sure really what to do but then I remembered all the mudras Kalyani taught us. It was interesting to see what everyone did and what mudras they used. At first I was really nervous and had to re-do it but then I kinda got the hang of it, I surrendered myself. I also was intrigued by our group effort to work on the chak and figure out how to fit it into our skit we made and follow the beat to the drum. It was neat to see how we were all involved in one way or another.

It was fun creating short skits and incorporating what we learned. At first I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to perform a good skit, but then when I look back, we have learned so much! There are so many different things we can incorporate into our performances, it simply amazes me! I'm becoming anxious for our final presentation, I think we can do a great job if we all put forth our best foot.

I've been really busy lately so I haven't blogged in a while-sorry!

A few classes ago, we focused an entire session on learning the many different forms of expressions. It was neat being able to silently portray an emotion, without actually speaking it. I'm not used to doing that, so it was hard essentially. I couldn't help but smile or keep a straight face. But soon, I got the hang of it, and let go of myself. My partners were great at portraying their emotions so it helped make it easier for me. It was a fun excercise and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to incorporating it into our final performance in one way or another.

It was great breaking up into our sub banjars to discuss our final projects. Our group had a lot of amazing ideas. We ended up settling on the idea of the wedding scene and went ahead and assigned the roles for the performance. We started designing a plan of what to wear and what we want to incorporate. I wasn't at last Wednesday's class but I heard that we will be performing at in November at a small stage? I didnt get the name, but I'm really nervous! I'm not found of performing outside of our banjar group yet so this will be an obstacle indeed for me. But I will do my best to overcome my fears and give my best foot forward.

I'm really excited to go to class tomorrow! I missed class last week on weds soo I'm looking forward to seeing our banjar and everyone :)

Getting the Full on Experience

This weeks classes were very interesting. I enjoyed the ball excercise we did on Mondays class. It was a completely different experience for me. I'm very much used to relying on my eyesight for everything. So it was interesting to not be able to see but darkness. I had to be extra careful not to hurt anyone and really rely on my sense of touch and hearing. I'm not going to lie but I was really afraid that someone was going to kick me in the face...so I had to stay in the same spot for a bit till I could move out. But in the end, I was able to reach the other side of the room which was great-I got there without harm :) I also enjoyed the excercises we did in the dark. It was interesting to hear everyone at once, die down and then start back again.

As for Wednesday's class, it was one my favorites thus far. I thought it was fascinating to see the clothes on people. I really got a chance to experience the significance and feel like apart of the culture. I never understood the importance of the clothing until that class. I feel very lucky to have been able to try on the clothing, although it was difficult to sit down in at first, I learned. I learned that your not allowed to let the clothing hit the floor, as it is really sacred and has a lot of meaning. But once you are wearing it, it becomes apart of you. That was really neat. It isn't symbolic as guru said, by symbiotic.

Our Banjar

These past two weeks in class have been quite beneficial to me, in the sense that I am creating a stronger relationship with our banjar. Two weeks ago, we had class outside (enjoying the beautiful weather) and we discussed how we each had a fish, which was a goal we wanted to achieve. After going around the circle and discussing our "fish", we made a strong bond I believe in the sense that we are all working in one way or another, towards a common goal. I also feel that I would rather help others find their fish rather then mine because I feel that is what a banjar should do, help one another.

Then this week we had a very intense discussion in class in regards to the economy and how it affects everyone. I like how Guru Francis took the time to really discuss the things we discussed because in a usual class setting, the likelihood of that happening is zero. For the first time, I really really realized that this class is different from my other classes on so many levels and it makes me happy knowing that I can go to this class with an open mind and discuss things that are effecting us. So basically, I am very appreciative of our banjar.

Last week was a good review of all the mudras and steps we learned. I liked splitting up into two smaller groups and having the gurus focus on us in smaller groups. It was a lot more helpful and beneficial. I feel that I've immensly approved from week one which is a lot considerng my lack of coordination.

I also thought it was interesting when we did the monkey activity a few weeks ago...I've never witnessed something so different and frightening all at once. At first I was having trouble letting myself go and get into character but I also got frightened at the end when people were just in full on monkey gear...BUT it was a good excercise

This week I hope we can learn to put together the many steps we learned into a routine, I think it would be fun and complicated but rewarding at the end. Well see what this week entails....

I'm glad that we have two gurus now for bharatanatyam. Our new guru, Ravali, is also really good, and I hope I can learn something new. I'm enjoying learning the new steps but get easily frustrated because my hand and foot coordination is terrible. I keep stumbling or forget to change the positions of hands when we move a certain direction. But I feel that if I practice some more...I can get it down. I also am trying to figure out if there is another way of stomping my feet without really hurting them-so far I haven't really found a technique and don't think there's really anything I can do about it but its ok, I'll get used to it eventually.

I am beginning to create a strong liking and appreciation to bharatanatyam-its a lot harder than I thought it was. I've had some friends in highschool perform it but I never really understood how hard it was until recently-and all I can say is it took a lot of hardwork and dedication.

I'm hoping that this week I can improve the steps from last week-while learning the new ones. I'm starting to remember the names of the mudras which is neat because I never knew them really at the start.

Well heres to the new week...and new lessons

So this past week has been great. I thought it was really neat to learn some small lessons of bharatanatyam from Kalyani (sorry I hope thats the correct name and spelling!). It was intimidating at first but she was very patient and took the time to make sure we got it down correctly. I personally was having issues with coordinating my movements but hopefully I can get it down soon! I think that its really neat that we got a chance to learn something about bharatanatyam because I have some friends who have learned it and know that it is very very hard.

It was a great experience watching Ramayana, the play, on Wednesday's class. First I was a bit confused because their was absolutley no dialogue and just dance. But I was able to relate some of the scenes from the reading to the play. It was interesting and confusing at first, when their were several dialects in the beginning. I had no clue what they were saying but realized their were several different languages being used in that scene. Also, because I haven't read the entire story yet, I wasn't able to follow at the end. But overall, it was a great play.

I was inspired and terrified after viewing this play. I was inspired in the sense that I didn't know that a entire play could be performed without any form of dialogue and be based entirely on dance. However, I don't think I am coordinated enought to perfrom those moves or play. I have trouble moving my feet and stomping and just dancing in general. I look forward to learning more and keeping an open mind but this play made me nervous.

Starting Fresh

Ok so first off, I really suck at technology because I really was having trouble making this blog for the longest time, soo I have to make up for missed blog entries into this first one. I never have really taken a dance class, so this is entirely a new experience for me. I'm not really that coordinated so its takes a bit of time for me to catch up to speed and really learn new steps. But so far in class we've been focusing on stretching and our greetings which is great-baby steps.

The first day of class was mostly streching which I enjoyed. It really helps relieve stress and clear my mind. However, I didn't do much stretching over the summer so certain areas in my body were sore. But the next few days it got a lot better. I also learned that you shouldnt wear jeans on the first day of dance class-big no no. But so far, the stretching seems to be going great. Now, introducing the hand motions and leg motions at once is a bit tough for me. I'm having trouble focusing on both at once but its getting better.

I also never knew how much thought and detail was put into dance until this class. Everything from your posture, movement to facial expressions can change the entire message of the dance.

Chanting was another new thing for me as well. I've never really done it before so the first time I felt a little akward but it got better as we practiced more.

My goal for the end of this course and semester would be to get a better understanding of the meanings of these dances we will be learning and being able to properly perform them. I guess only time will tell how badly I can do it. :)