Where We Are:

          This dance is practically complete.  All that remains are little pieces of work here and there.  We need few edits in the music, which will be done by Kaitlyn, a few alterations in the choreography, finalizing the exact ways each step will be done, lighting (when the lights flicker and don't), costumes, making the steps look better, and each of our emotions.  The bulk of this project is done, but all of those details will take time to be worked on and are a major aspect of what can make this a great success of a dance or a terrible flop.  Let's do this.

It's Coming Together

          The dance is almost complete.  All that's left is the lingering ideas of how to end the dance.  Choreographing the beginning is done.  The middle is set, and the end is already decided when it comes to its ideas.  All it needs now is the moves to portrait it.  Finally, we will be able to touch it up and pay close attention to the counts for each step and where they will fit in the best.  This is where Kaitlyn can help a lot.  She edited the song a little, leaving some space for it to be comedic and for where it will take after the Broadway show, "Gypsy".   Besides the choreography to the ending and the little touch ups, this dance is almost ready to hit the road (or the stage).  Since it is all about my dream of what I have and could have gone through with my training to become a great dancer,  at one point I decided a ghost should come through.  This character will be played by Sarah Robinson and has a very simple role of playing the craziness that happens in dreams and plays the part of the trickster.  The ghost twirls Jessica around so Kaitlyn can capture me and use me for her own purposes which she decided to be for money.  With purposes to every character, the dance gained more meaning and depth.  It also gave us a plethora of ideas to work from, since we had a story on our minds.

Tear It Up, Switch It Up

          I kept putting more and more choreography together.  To be honest, it bored me.  I knew I had to do something, but I had no clue what.  I asked if I could stand on a girl's legs (Emily's) that were stretched out as she was leaning on the wall.   Yes, it was very bizarre, but it lead me to the ideas I needed.  I balanced on one leg, bending my right leg behind me in what is known as "back attitude" in ballet.  I grabbed her hands telling her to keep her arms tight.

          "Do you want to be in my dance," I asked her while still standing on her legs. 

          "Sure," she replied.

and we began...

          I had ideas racing through my head (finally).  We spun and twirled, made her into what would be presented as my "dance teacher."  We did flips and all of my favorite steps.  She learned so much, having no former dance experience.  I had a dance.  It was perfect.

Community

          I was completely stuck and felt like I was getting nowhere.  I needed ideas, so I asked Sabrina who can dance like their is no tomorrow to help me out.  The two of us managed to come up with how I will portray my story and what I could do with it to make it more interesting.  We collaborated until we thought of me being awkward at the beginning and not knowing how to dance.  She showed me some steps that were  her least favorite of what she was taught and said how awkward and weird they both felt and look.  Then I would improve after showing how much effort and practice I have done by doing the same steps till it appears that they are right.  After that, I would go crazy from all the hard work.  This would be displayed by having pillows and sheets thrown at me.  I would dance with them, calming down a little and going to sleep.  I've done all I could to practice and be great, but now I need to rest.  Let me see if I made it when you "Wake Me Up When September Ends."

          I've been coming up some ideas for steps including Fosse, but in a played down kind of way, less isolation of most of the body and more movement.  I also had some ideas of using other people in my dances.  Perhaps a line dance as Luke suggested could be really cool behind me.  Then I started getting into the ides of simple props that could be used in many ways as we did with sheets in Metamorphoses.  Maybe they could line dance behind they main steps and story told through my movements.
          Ways of recording my ideas:  My mind and My computer.  I took a video of steps i came up with so I wouldn't forget them, a very useful way of remembering my past ideas.  (Only have my slow beginning, but it will definitely pick its pace up.)
file://localhost/Users/jsh/Pictures/Photo%20Booth/Movie%20on%202012-05-09%20at%2014.03.mov

Influences

     I'm not sure which direction I'm going in with this dance.  I've tried out putting classical modern steps to "Wake me up when September Ends,"  but it seemed too dull and ordinary.  That's when the research came in.  I  looked up some choreographers to see their steps and some could have potential to work in my choreography.  I found some great people and videos:

Cathy Roe:  (dance techniques)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_pTEMaMUxM&feature=relmfu      

Christopher Bruce:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvX7zG71SI

Jiri Kylian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFcJ0a3aBJs&feature=related

It's All In The Research

          It is obvious that in order to do something, you need to know how.  If you want to play a game, you need to know the rules.  If you want to do a math problem, you need to learn the steps.  In the dance Me Verses Myself, I decided to make it lyrical, a kind of dance that I haven't had much training in.  Since I want to do this style, I need to learn how.  I have an idea and a little bit of experience, including a major dance background, but I still need to learn more.  Today I was looking up videos of how to do lyrical steps.  I found a person online that teaches steps for jazz and lyrical dance, so I began to go along with her exercises.  Her name is Cathy Roe and is excellent at both dancing and making great educational dance videos.  Another way that I found I could become a better lyrical dancer is by practicing the replication of other people's lyrical dance routines.  From this, I will be able to add many kinds of steps into my portfolio of knowledge, which I will be able to pull from when putting together the dance; Me Verses Myself.