T4 Stars 2011

Last weekend I went to T4 Stars to see some of he biggest music artists around. It was an amazing day and the atmosphere in Earls Court was unreal. I went with four of my friends and we were GUTTED when we got there late and missed Jessie J and Professor Green. I was really looking forward to seeing Jessie J and I'm in love with Professor Green so it really wasn't a good start to the day.

One of my favourite performances was by Ed Sheeran. I think he actually has pure talent and it's judged on the way he looks or dresses just purely by what he does best. He plays the guitar and writes all his own songs. He gave an amazing performance by purely just standing in the middle of the stage. He didn't have to dance around and make a big perform of it. For me that is real talent.

For me, I was most disappointed by Pixie Lott. She was one of the biggest names there but I feel gave one of the weakest performances. Her voice is no where near as strong as some of the other performers and her performance involved a lot of moving around to avoid singing.

All round it was a very good day and the atmosphere was amazing. It was my 2nd year running of going to see it and I would definitely go again. It is something I would recommend people to go and see not just for the performances but for the atmosphere. It is something I would LOVE to do when I'm older is be a part of a show like that. It would be an absolute dream. I will keep dreaming... 

 

                                                                     

Ballroom and Latin

Ballroom dance is a partner dance. As a style of dance it was most popular in the early 19^th century but it lost popularity towards the end. The programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing have brought Ballroom back to life.

Ballroom is popular as a social dance but in these days it’s more of a competition dance. It’s also sometime done by dance groups and group dances. Originally ballroom dancing was for the upper classes while the lower classes did folk dancing. The word ball came from the latin ballare which means to dance. Large houses had ballrooms which is where the phrase ballroom dancing came from.

The first record of ballroom dance is in the 16^th century. Many of the dancers were developed to entertain royalty. The original movements were based on ballet steps. This lasted until the 1800’s when it was decided that ballet should be left to professional dancers.

The Waltz was the most popular dance in England in the early 1800 until other dances became popular such as the Polka and Mazurka. At that time everybody danced around the room in formation. Modern ballroom changed in the 20^th century and couples danced interpedently. The most popular era was the 1930s when ballroom dance was featured in many major movies. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were probably the most well known ballroom dances in film.

Around this time ballroom dancing was popular for the public as well. People would go to dance halls in the evening to do ballroom dancing. Ballroom was originally for royalty but over time it became popular with everybody. In the earlier part of the 20^th century Latin dance became popular along with the more traditional styles of ballroom. During the Second World War years when the American forces were in England Latin American dance become more popular.

Ballroom and Latin dancing is now a very popular competitive sport. The dances that are used in competition come into two categories.

The International Standard Dances
- Waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1o31fsZxCc
- Tango http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDCtYRY3LQY
- Viennese Waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5crgpP8ClIs
- Foxtrot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjopi9GICbM
- Quick Step http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcBop6cQV_k

The International Latin Dances
- Samba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za-jol3P7Y8
- Cha-Cha-Cha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb2Om6lwi6U
- Rumba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cMoR6Z2YzY
- Paso Doble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GSoZAzMNlI
- Jive http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajcmtpR4oV8

Dancers in competition are marked on -
- Poise
- The Hold
- Posture
- Musicality and Expression
- Timing
- Body Alignment and Shape
- Floor Craft
- Foot and Leg Action
- Presentation     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cYAOskFoBY – This is an example of a ballroom competition.
People used to enjoy ballroom dancing as just an evening activity. There didn’t practically wear anything special although they may have had a pair of dancing shoes. However with the rising competition and TV shows such as Come Dancing and more recently Strictly Come Dancing have made amazing costumes a part of ballroom dancing. Traditionally the costumes were very long and elegant but as time has passed the costumes have got smaller and sexier. This has brought around the argument that people should focus more on the dance than the costume.    

 

Anton and Erin
Due to the popularity of Strictly Come Dancing most people can name someone from the world of ballroom. Probably the most famous ballroom dancers in the country at the moment are Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag. The couple have been dancing together since 1997. Erin is originally from New Zealand but moved over to England in 1997. They are international dance champions. They were one of the first couples invited to create the programme Strictly Come Dancing which started in 2004. Erin was the winner of the 2006 Christmas special with Colin Jackson. They then went on to do a series with Sky 1 called Ballroom High. In this series they thought teenagers from a poorer part of London how to ballroom dance. Other performances include - 

- 2004 Royal Variety Performance,
- BBC TV’s Test the Nation,
- Celebrity Star Spell,
- The Weakest Link
 - ITV’s Loose Women 
- GMTV

They have both been so successful that they have done a sell out tour in major venues throughout the UK. They both also have DVDs on sale. Anton is quite an encouraging figure in the dance world because he didn’t start dancing until he was 14 whereas, Erin started dancing at the age of 3. She is the longest running female in the series of Strictly Come Dancing.

     I chose to do this style for my project as it’s an interesting style to research. Ballroom dancing has been around for many years and there is a lot of information about it. It’s a style I would like to try but I think it would be difficult to learn all the steps. I think I would probably enjoy watching it more than taking part. 

Street Dance

The term street dance covers lots of different urban dance styles. It describes dances that people have created outside studio settings. The dance style originally started literally in the street. This type of dance wasn’t originally called street dance it covers lots of styles of dance such as
- popping
- locking
- hip hop
- break dancing

Street dance and hip hop are now recognised as styles of dance and dance school and studios offer classes where you can be taught.  Traditional street dance doesn’t have set steps so anything goes, this is the same as contemporary dance. However some street dance that is taught in classes does follow set steps and moves. The two different styles are often called just ‘street dance’ and the more formal style that is taught is known as ‘commercial street dance’.

Street dance is so popular because anyone can join in and develop their own style. Even street dance troupes performing a routine well often have a section which lets individual dancers to freestyle. Street dance became popular because not everyone can afford dance classes so crews that started dancing on the street offered a free alternative. Dance street is often showed as a battle between dancers so by doing this dancers can express themselves and battle with other crews through dance without actually fighting.       

This is a quote from the idance website-
‘At idance, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves through dance.  Whether to exercise, socialise, improve technique, relieve stress, or simply for the love of it, dancing encompasses so many benefits from building confidence and self-esteem to increasing fitness, physique, and improving your moves on the dance floor!’ (2)   I decided I would use this dance group as my example because we have worked with them in the past on projects, also they are a local group and I like to encourage and support local based groups. I also use some of their dances for inspiration in my own work.

idance is a dance group in Watford that has been running since 2007. It started as an informal group of street dancers from the Codicote Youth Project. They only met to train when they could and they just experimented with moves and did some choreography. Unfortunately their original venue flooded and they didn’t have enough money to get another venue so they applied to North Herts District Council for help. They accepted their application and got a lot of help to get a new venue. After this idance developed a lot and became very popular. It now offers lots of different classes of many different varieties of dance. It offers classes for young people and adults.

Street dance started in the 1970’s so although it’s 30 – 40 years years old it’s still now compared to other forms of dance. Influence of street dance has even had an impact on Bollywood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPzj8W_EPdQ&feature=player_embedded
I liked this dance by Hrithik Roshan because it was very original and had a western twist to it but also has very traditional Bhangra dancing in it. It made the dance look modern and a bit different the traditional Bhangra. It was a party and a celebration so all the moves were very big and over the top. It was also an upbeat dance to reflect the mood of the party. The western twist made the dance original but it also looked very good with the traditional Bhangra. The dance was also telling a story because you can see a connection between Hrithik Roshan and the girl watching. This is telling us that they like each other and he is trying to impress her. In our Bhangra dance we decided that we were going to put a western twist to our Bhangra. This meant twisting our Bhangra moves and making them more street like. This made it our own but also made it easier for us because we know street dance a lot better than we do Bhangra. 

Major movies have been made based around the street dance style. One of the most popular being Step up. Three movies have been created and have been a massive hit with all ages. Personally my favourite is Step Up 2 The Streets. The blurb on the back of the DVD reads – “The follow-up to the smash hit STEP UP is an electrifying tale of bodies, hearts and dreams in motion. Rebellious newcomer Andie (BRIANA EVIGAN) is an outcast street dancer trying to fit in at the elite School of the Arts. Chase (ROBERT HOFFMAN) is the school’s red hot talent and a rising star. Both want to win the biggest, baddest street dancing battle, “The Streets”, and they might just do it if they team up. As the gifted dancers clash and sizzle, Andie must learn to build a bridge between love and loyalty, between who she is and who she believes she can be. It’s time to Step Up.

The dancing in the film is amazing and must of taken ages to choreograph and make perfect. This film made street very popular and encouraged a lot of people to start after seeing the film. My favourite dance is the end dance they do in the streets. It’s raining at this point and it gives it a really good effect. I really like the part where they dance with lights in their hands. As it’s dark they really stand out, it’s gives the dance the wow factor. The only bit I could criticise it that because it’s dark you can’t always see very well a bit more light would have complimented the dancing more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv-cQrD4MS0

I have taken part in Street dance showcases before at Watford Palace Theatre. This is a showcase of talents that blends contemporary, hip hop and street dance. Previous guests have been - 

- World Hip Hop Champions Plague
- Sin Cru
- Former UK Champions and Britain’s Got Talent finalists Nemisis
- UK Hip Hop Junior Varsity Bronze Medalists Dance Nuvo
Plus local groups such as -
- idance
- T21 Collective
- Alter Ego
- R-te Crew
- XenZam
- the best of work from local dance groups and schools
The two times I have done I have really enjoyed myself and it’s been a great experience. The dancing is always up to such a high standard. One year we mixed a soundtrack and created a dance with a mix of street dance and contemporary. This went down a real hit and the dance troupe Peridot loved it. Seeing and performing in this performance has encouraged me to take up street dance as a hobby.

Street dance has become very popular especially on talent shows such as Britain’s got Talent. There has been many successes with the street dance groups such as –

- Diversity
- Flawless
- Twist and Pulse
- Peridot
- George Sampson
Diversity won Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. 2 million viewers tuned in to watch the troupe win the competition. The troupe formed in 2007 in memory of a friend. There are eleven members in the troupe all from East London and Essex. The ages range from 13 – 26. Diversity’s members think of each other as family. The troupe also consists of a number of brothers. The leader of the group is Ashley Banjo who also choreographs the pieces for the troupe. He has been dancing since the age of 5. Simon Cowell described the troupes performances as “sheer and utter perfection”. The troupes motto is ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’.
      

I have just started doing street dance classes and I am really enjoying them. I find it very hard but I’m determined to learn the style and be able to do it well. Since starting I have learnt how to baby freeze. I got taught how to do it and did it first time. Since then I have developed it trying to use one hand and not resting my legs on my arms. I’ve done it a few times but haven’t mastered it properly yet.

Contemporary Dance

‘If I could tell you that, I wouldn’t have to dance it.’
Isadora Duncan, asked what one of her dances meant. 

Contemporary dance came around in the 20^th century. Things move on and dance styles change, Contemporary dance has evolved over time from other styles of dance. There’s not really any rules to Contemporary dance it’s all about expressing yourself and putting your own interpretation into it. It’s very different to tradition styles like ballet, it doesn’t have a set techniques. Often the choreographer uses personal experiences to create their dance. Contemporary dance is all about exploring your natural energy and expressing your emotions. Some important names in

Contemporary dance are –
- Martha Graham
- Trisha Brown
- Isadora Duncan
- Merce Cunningham
- Jose Limon

Martha Graham is probably one of the most famous people in Contemporary dance. The Martha Graham Dance Company comes from America and was founded in 1926 by Martha Graham. It’s a contemporary dance company and dance school where people travel from all over the world to study. Her works are so famous and have been performed by many successful dancers such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Margot Fonteyn, Liza Minnelli and Rudolf Nureyev. Martha Graham is one of the most important creative influences in contemporary dance in the last century. She was the founder and creator of contemporary dance and the inspiration for many contemporary dancers and groups. Her work is different and pushes the boundaries. Martha Graham had a set dance company she uses for all her pieces. I have focused on her as I have heard a name a lot in the dance world. I’ve studied her on other projects and know lots of information about her. 

Isadora Duncan is another very important person in the world of Contemporary dance. Isadora Duncan was born in America in 1877. She started teaching when she was 5 and she would get all the girls in the neighbourhood together and taught them to sway side to side to look like waves. She was very unusual for a woman of her time, she encouraged people to dance in their own style. She said “The dancer of the future will be one whose body and soul have grown so harmoniously together that the natural language of that soul will have become the movement of the human body. The dancer will not belong to any nation but to all humanity.”  Isadora is said to be the creator of modern dance. She wasn’t afraid to take risks and break boundaries with her work.

Another being Merce Cunningham. Merce Cunningham danced in Martha Graham’s Dance Company from 1939 to 1945. He formed his own dance company in 1953. His work has been performed by many international ballet companies and has been used in several films. He’s won lots of awards for his work. Merce’s dance company include dancers, musicians and artists. The company created a computer software called DanceForms. It’s a software where you can sketch out a dance and see it come to live in a 3D image. His style was ballet and contemporary. Merce Cunningham says it’s all about the dancer expressing them self through the dance and not the choreography by someone else. It’s all about individual expressing them self through dance. This is a quote from Merce Cunningham – “If a dancer dances – which is not the same as having theories about dancing or wishing to dance or trying to dance or remembering in his body someone else’s dance – but if the dancer dances everything is there... Our ecstasy in dance comes from the possible gift of freedom, the exhilarating moment that this exposing of the bare energy can give us. What is meant is not license, but freedom.”   

Contemporary dancers can have any training background. They can put anything from any other dance styles into Contemporary. Contemporary dance connects the mind and body because the dancers express their thoughts and emotions which pushes against the traditional ways of dance.

In Contemporary dance classes students are taught a number of different things. They are taught to connect their mind to their body and use their emotions to create a dance. They also focus on breathing and posture. They could be either taught a piece or asked to improvise their own. Contemporary dance normal has a story or stimulus to it. This is normally personal to the dancer so it makes it easier to be able to perform the dance and give out emotion.

A number of different major cities around the world offer Contemporary companies that perform to the public. You can go to college, university and dance school to study Contemporary, it’s a very popular style.    

I chose to look at contemporary dance as it’s a style I’ve only been doing for a few years. A lot of my GCSE dance course was based around contemporary dance and it interests me a lot. Being a ballet dancer from a young age I find contemporary easy to pick up but then again it can be very hard. For example ballet is very flowing and graceful where as in contemporary it’s more about attack. Contemporary doesn’t really have any set moves so you can put your own interpretation on it. This is what I like about it as you can really go outside the box and make it your own.   

Britain's Got Talent

Today I went for my Britain's Got Talent audition and I had a fantastic day! I sung 'Out Here On My Own' from the musical 'Fame'. I chose this song because it's a song I feel confident performing after singing it in a singing exam and passing with distinction. I always sang it at our annual Rock Challenge Showcase. After this performance I was given a lot of compliments and made my Mum cry;) As it's Britain's Got Talent I wanted to be different. Doing this song meant it was Musical Theatre and it's a song that I could put a lot of emotion into. I wasn't just singing the song I was telling a story. Fingers crossed I did enough to be able to at least get through to see the judges. I would be more than happy just to get to that point.

I brought along my Mum and my two friends, Charlotte and Georgina. We arrived to a MASSIVE queue but I wasn't complaining. I knew what I was letting myself in for. The most disappointing part of my day was when I didn't get a Britain's Got Talent printed sticker. I changed days which meant they hadn't printed me one with my number. I got a plain sticker with my number written on. I know it might sound pathetic but I wanted to keep that as a sort of memory. The waiting room was packed and the atmosphere wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be. Everyone was very nervous and some wanted to be noticed by the cameras more than others.

I was given the 1pm slot and didn't go into my audition until about six o'clock. It was a very long wait which made me more and more nervous. When I was finally called to go through to the next room my nerves turned to excitement. my voice went so high pitched and        I just wanted to jump up and down. We were all lined up outside and Charlotte was more nervous than me pacing up and down. The little girl next to me was lovely and we were just chatting away. The others just sat in silence but she was really talkative. It was better to be chatting to someone because this kept my mind off the fact I was seconds away from my audition. I had countless amount of compliments on my orange and pink wedges. I wanted to stand out and these shoes definitely made me stand out!

My name was called and all of use were like ahhhhhhhh!!! Charlotte checked me over and made sure I had my music. Mum stayed well away just in case she said the wrong thing and got all 'emotional' which would of thrown me and Georgina pulled the bottom of my jeans down because I had wrinkly knees. I had Good Luck shouted at me about a million times but I was too busy worrying I was going to fall over in my massive heels when walking into the room. I was sent in and the first thing the researcher said to me was "OMG I love your shoes!!". It wouldn't actually surprise me if I just got through purely on the shoes. I handed over the music and confidently chatted away as I do. You were allowed to have people in the room with you but I decided to not have my Mum in with me because I wanted to show I was confident. Your Mum can't be with you to hold your hand all your life.

My song went really really well and the letter said you would only be required to sing a verse and a chorus. She listened to 3 verses and 2 chorus'. I'm hoping this is a good thing? I was a little bit shakey at first but by the end my confidence came and my voice just came out of nowhere! I added in a lot of emotion just to make me that little bit different from people just standing there and singing. I am happy I chose the song I did because I know there were a lot of people going in and belting out 'Adele' and 'Whitney Houston'.

I went on Britain's Got Talent for the experience. At first I wasn't too bothered about getting through but after being there for the day I would love to get through. Being there makes it real and I never thought I would say I enjoyed an audition. I loved it! I wanted to go back in and sing some more. Still if I don't get through it is an experience that I will remember my whole life. At the end of the day thousands and thousands of people audition and the acts that are good for TV go through. You might not be TV material but what about musical theatre? or smaller forms of entertainment not as big as TV? Just because you don't get through doesn't mean you don't have 'talent'. The word talent can be used and seen in many different ways according to who you are.