You Should Be Dancing
Content
Variety Show
20th February 2015
YOU SHOULD
BE DANCING
My Strengths
Creativity
Although I wasn't added to the
puppetry group I came up with an
idea that we worked and now
have the making of for a piece. I
feel like I'm all the acts I have
participated in I have had a clear
leadership and possession inside
and worked my creativity into
them.
Communication
When reworking our pieces or
starting from scratch I have
always communicated with all
of the company members in
that group and come to clear
choices for the work which I
think is a strength this week.
Determination
We don't have long till the show
so I had the determination this
week to try and get as much done
as I could. As well with the
audition prep I have looked more
into characters songs and during
my lunch took time to go over
monologues so I felt that my
drive to get things complete this
week was a strength.
Variety Show
17/02/15
Puppetry:
We did a workshop on puppetry today with Claire that might
go into the variety show, we got into pairs and started
manipulating different parts of the body and the partner was
the rag doll. I was with Daniella and she holds a lot of tension
in her body, especially when she doesn't believe in herself, or
is scared she with tense and laugh. She was lifting her arms up
before I went to grab them which I said showed she was lying
to herself. I tried to loosen her body and manipulate it as
though she was a puppet, I felt I started to become more
creative with my movements and really taking into account
the structure and tension from certain body parts and how
they affect the rest of the body. My favourite body part to play
with was the legs because they affected so much when you
move the foot the knees move and when a leg moves I moves
the joint in the hip and so on. I felt that being the one being
manipulated was fun because I just trusted Daniella and made
my body loose the most tense bit of my body was my
shoulders which I tried to shake off. I could feel this and once
I identified it, it made it harder to loosen them but I tried
and felt I started to get there.
We then made our puppets which took up the majority of the
day. My puppet looked like an alien so I started to mould it
like on, gave it black eyes, three tits and called her latita. I felt
that at the beginning I could see it taking shape really nicely
but when it came to the more creative part of sticking and
clueing I just imagined my alien quite plain so then I had to
add extras but some I didn't like, Amber and Levi's were the
best.
We then gave three words to our puppet and handed it to
1
Variety Show
My Weaknesses
Commitment
Sometimes this week when
we did workshops as a
company I felt I let other
people's attitude get me
down and I didn't commit
to the workshops like I
should have and put my all
into them and I think that
was a huge weaknesses of
mine.
Energy
My energy has been quite
low this week and so had
the whole company and I
need to build up stamina
for the show and although
we have been doing warm
ups I feel that towards the
end of the day it's draining
and there work is
jeopardised.
Honing Skills
I'm in a few acts now but I
don't feel that I am honing
in my skills that I have
learnt over the two years to
make the pieces fun for
myself. In the Beyoncé
dance I know I'm not a
dancer so I'm trying to
bring character to it. I need
to go back and think of the
rules of clowning as well.
Variety Show
20th February 2015
someone else, I traded
Latita with Jesus. We were
given a scene to act out in
our pairs with our puppet, I
was with Lewis creating a
robbery. Claire showed us
some tips on how to move
our puppet and that the
hand always points to
where its going, the weight
if you jumped the feet
would be heavy and
weighted as it dropped,
same as flying. Claire
showed us how to
manipulate the puppets
head up and down and how to put emotion in and use the
state 7 of tension to create a laughing affected or elated mood
upon the character. When we were devising the robbery scene
we started improvising but it was hard because our characters
did not fit into the scene; Jesus and a showgirl. We tried but
also when Connor exchanged his puppet with me he told me
his three words; peaceful, calm and enthusiastic and being
Jesus it was hard to incorporate that into the scene. Claire
gave us a few pointers and then we worked on it more and
started to work together and create more of a solid story with
a beginning, middle and end.
When we watched everyone's pieces back when the
puppeteer was moving like the puppet having the same
emotion, like Amber demonstrated I felt that It became more
believable and easier to watch because as an audience member
you still subconsciously know that the puppet is being held by
a human. When the movements were precise and clear it was
easier to relate to especially when it was movements that we
do as humans. I thought mine and Lewis's piece went alright,
I was corpses a couple of times but it was nearer the end as
we finished then through the whole thing because my
concentration was solely on the puppet to make sure it was
looking where I wanted it to. That was a big mistake from
most of the company that the puppets were facing one way
and the eyes another which didn't create the exact illusion.
We then got into pairs or threes and had a puppet between
our group and had to manipulate the body and work as a
team. Amber and I kept changing it up so I'd have the head
2
Variety Show
20th February 2015
Company Strengths
and a leg and she would have an arm and a leg or both legs and head
and arm. I felt that I started to get to grips with the head walking and
looking the same and the arm walking the opposite to the legs. I felt
that Amber and I started to get the hang of working together and I
started with the voice and incorporating that into our sequence of
movements as a ninja wizard. I felt that when it came to performing it
started to go wrong with timings so we started again and then with
the audiences laughter it started us off but when we finally did it we
worked well together and I felt convinced the audience of our wizard
ninja.
Creating
during the week when we showed
each other what we have got for
our separate sections in the show I
felt only over the course of an
afternoon we worked really well to
produce such workable idea for the
show.
Warm Ups
18/02/15
Split Time:
Amber and I were in a pair to go with Claire first to work on variety
show and more the Beyoncé dancing. We marked it through and then
as we went to dance to it the music wasn't the right one, but a remix
which had more of an upbeat tempo. Claire said try it to this which I
felt could work with rehearsing it to that beat instead but not in the
section of partition because it is not giving off the same vibes that we
want, it's sexier when it's slower and that dynamic and shift in the
music helps. Claire said to be more dynamic inside each piece and to
decide on our characters; she told me I'm more like a dominatrix
which is what I could take it to. There were some movements that
Claire felt can be changed and I think I have an idea of movements I
want to change but it was hard without the other two especially with
it being Alex's idea in the first place. There was just a awkward
atmosphere in the room and it's more because it was just Amber and I
and I don't think she is too confident with all of the choreography
Variety Show
This week the company
took it in turns to run warm
ups and I felt that this was
a strength that we all joined
in, it was nice to do it as a
company and built our
energy for the day.
Ensemble
I feel this week we have
been more of a company
than we have for a while, I
feel that during our warm
ups and some acts we are
coming together and trying
to see the light. We are a,so
supportive of each other's
work when we present it to
one another.
3
Variety Show
Company Weaknesses
Timing
When we were set time
slots to do certain acts I felt
that this was better but for
most of the week we didn't
spend our time wisely and
sometimes were left with
not a lot to do or we
worked on a piece too much
we wanted to give it a rest
for a while.
Attitude
AGAIN, this week there have
been negative vibes more so
from Lewis about not wanting
to do the show and when this is
in the room everyone finds it
hard to work and justs want to
get on with it but we can't see to
find a way around it.
Stamina
This week the company have
just been low on everything
from creativity to positive to
energy! I feel we need to pick it
up a lot for next week because
we are doing lates as well we
won't be able to work with low
energy.
20th February 2015
and when Claire said you have ten minutes to devise she watched us
which made me feel under pressure and uncomfortable. We had more
of an idea on where to take it but I think attitude with work more
than burlesque because it's not that feel to the dance, we wanted it to
be a dance number, that was it.
Later on we were with Innes and I just got almost of characters songs
to take a look at which made me excited to go away look at them and
come back to try and practice that with him soon.
Variety Show:
We had time to go over our Beyoncé routine with Alex and Levi and
after having a discussion they didn't like the sped up version so we are
sticking to the original. They didn't mind changed some moves but we
need to define the choreography, we need to make the chairs look sexy
and add more character. When we go into the audience I think we
need either set things to say or a theme because I just feel awkward
and that there is no point saying something stupid and random and
spoiling the feel we are generating. We came to more conclusions and
looked at taking more risks with doing lifts and other more impressive
looking illusions, how well they fit into the dance I'm not sure but I
think we could work this in and gives it more of a sceptical and is
challenging us more.
I was actually so happy that Claire wanted to work a stomp piece for
the opening which was what I suggested I wanted to do. When looking
at their videos it's more like a sketch with beats and rhythms in and
has a story to it which helps the build and the beginning, middle and
the end flow nicely. What we created today has potential but I think
we need to make a choice if we should do a sketch or go the samba
band way and just hit the instruments. I think it's harder doing it when
some of the company aren't as good at picking up or staying in rhythm,
I think it would be great to work as an ensemble but creating a
storyline to it would help us as actors bring more character to it. I'm
liking where we have started and I think if we spend a whole afternoon
on this we could have a better structure to it and have more potential
of being done to be in the show, but right now looking back on the
videos it feels as though we are making clashes and noises and it just
gives you a headache. Good start but still a long way to go.
19/02/15
Audition Prep:
Variety Show
4
Variety Show
20th February 2015
We had time slots today with Innes to work what we wanted and show him things or ask for advice so
during this time I was going through the list of songs Innes suggested to me for characters songs. I
was seeing which ones caught my attention and I liked and also ones which I thought would best suit
my voice and had character in. I found a few and started to learn them so when I have a go with
working them with Innes I have somewhere to go or work. The rest of my time I spend coming up
with an idea for what to do for the puppetry piece in the show, I wasn't originally in this group and
was put in but also they already had ideas. However Lewis wasn't keen on puppetry and Sam said he
has a lot of acts to focus on so this isn't his main focus. Daniella and I were looking up ideas on
YouTube about different types of puppetry but came to an agreement that with only two or three we
couldn't make the puppets we made work or look affective if we wanted more than one puppet. Finger
puppets are great but would be too small for stage, we looked at 'the boy with tape on his face'
although I loved him, I wanted the act we create to be original. I thought of the human being the doll
and the doll being the puppeteer but none of us have ventriloquist experience or skill and we don't
have puppets whose mouths move.
Eventually I researched humans trying to be puppets and then found some mechanical music and
thought that could be the start and then go into a disco move. When Lewis and Sam came in on the
idea I had so many more ideas how to make it more comical as well.
Variety Show:
We started to work on the puppet piece continuing on from the idea we started to develop and
Daniella and I started to choreograph the first section and because 70's is my favourite era and I love
disco I choreographed most of the moves. I was trying to go with the comical theme that we are
human but been made into puppets and have a brain but don't have control over our body and we
share this with the audience; but we like the music and start to jig along to it. I liked where we went
with it and Sam in now the puppeteer on the table and I think it would be nice to get him involved at
some point. Where we have come so far in it I don't know where Connor could fit into it. I was
thinking a mirroring ending image to the
start with the factory being shut down.
I have had so much fun with this
because the music and style is
something I'm passionate about and the
comedy we can go further but I think
it's nice it's just innocent and not full on
funny in your face but subtle and I like
that about it. I think with the beginning
it's nice when we are sharp and get it in
time with one another, that starts to
look really affective as well as the other
choreography. There is still more we can
do but we have come so far to finishing the piece already and we only worked on it for an afternoon!
Variety Show
5
Variety Show
20th February 2015
20/02/15
Variety Show:
We sorted out costumes for our pieces in the morning or an idea of what we wanted and then we
worked the Beyoncé dance. We looked at the video and decided we wanted to cut a whole section and
we re-choreographed it and I don't know what it looks like but it feels better and tighter and that we
are creating a picture and adding character into the piece now. There are still sections in partition that
we need to make clear and choices to keep or throw them but it's coming along better and I feel this is
the act that for me is the most complex that at the moment I'm not having complete fun in and just
want to finish but when it comes to getting costume and amending certain bits it will be fun.
-
Variety Show
-
Action Plan:
Commit more
Build up energy
- Sustain energy throughout the
day
Spend time wisely
Positivity
6
20th February 2015
YOU SHOULD
BE DANCING
My Strengths
Creativity
Although I wasn't added to the
puppetry group I came up with an
idea that we worked and now
have the making of for a piece. I
feel like I'm all the acts I have
participated in I have had a clear
leadership and possession inside
and worked my creativity into
them.
Communication
When reworking our pieces or
starting from scratch I have
always communicated with all
of the company members in
that group and come to clear
choices for the work which I
think is a strength this week.
Determination
We don't have long till the show
so I had the determination this
week to try and get as much done
as I could. As well with the
audition prep I have looked more
into characters songs and during
my lunch took time to go over
monologues so I felt that my
drive to get things complete this
week was a strength.
Variety Show
17/02/15
Puppetry:
We did a workshop on puppetry today with Claire that might
go into the variety show, we got into pairs and started
manipulating different parts of the body and the partner was
the rag doll. I was with Daniella and she holds a lot of tension
in her body, especially when she doesn't believe in herself, or
is scared she with tense and laugh. She was lifting her arms up
before I went to grab them which I said showed she was lying
to herself. I tried to loosen her body and manipulate it as
though she was a puppet, I felt I started to become more
creative with my movements and really taking into account
the structure and tension from certain body parts and how
they affect the rest of the body. My favourite body part to play
with was the legs because they affected so much when you
move the foot the knees move and when a leg moves I moves
the joint in the hip and so on. I felt that being the one being
manipulated was fun because I just trusted Daniella and made
my body loose the most tense bit of my body was my
shoulders which I tried to shake off. I could feel this and once
I identified it, it made it harder to loosen them but I tried
and felt I started to get there.
We then made our puppets which took up the majority of the
day. My puppet looked like an alien so I started to mould it
like on, gave it black eyes, three tits and called her latita. I felt
that at the beginning I could see it taking shape really nicely
but when it came to the more creative part of sticking and
clueing I just imagined my alien quite plain so then I had to
add extras but some I didn't like, Amber and Levi's were the
best.
We then gave three words to our puppet and handed it to
1
Variety Show
My Weaknesses
Commitment
Sometimes this week when
we did workshops as a
company I felt I let other
people's attitude get me
down and I didn't commit
to the workshops like I
should have and put my all
into them and I think that
was a huge weaknesses of
mine.
Energy
My energy has been quite
low this week and so had
the whole company and I
need to build up stamina
for the show and although
we have been doing warm
ups I feel that towards the
end of the day it's draining
and there work is
jeopardised.
Honing Skills
I'm in a few acts now but I
don't feel that I am honing
in my skills that I have
learnt over the two years to
make the pieces fun for
myself. In the Beyoncé
dance I know I'm not a
dancer so I'm trying to
bring character to it. I need
to go back and think of the
rules of clowning as well.
Variety Show
20th February 2015
someone else, I traded
Latita with Jesus. We were
given a scene to act out in
our pairs with our puppet, I
was with Lewis creating a
robbery. Claire showed us
some tips on how to move
our puppet and that the
hand always points to
where its going, the weight
if you jumped the feet
would be heavy and
weighted as it dropped,
same as flying. Claire
showed us how to
manipulate the puppets
head up and down and how to put emotion in and use the
state 7 of tension to create a laughing affected or elated mood
upon the character. When we were devising the robbery scene
we started improvising but it was hard because our characters
did not fit into the scene; Jesus and a showgirl. We tried but
also when Connor exchanged his puppet with me he told me
his three words; peaceful, calm and enthusiastic and being
Jesus it was hard to incorporate that into the scene. Claire
gave us a few pointers and then we worked on it more and
started to work together and create more of a solid story with
a beginning, middle and end.
When we watched everyone's pieces back when the
puppeteer was moving like the puppet having the same
emotion, like Amber demonstrated I felt that It became more
believable and easier to watch because as an audience member
you still subconsciously know that the puppet is being held by
a human. When the movements were precise and clear it was
easier to relate to especially when it was movements that we
do as humans. I thought mine and Lewis's piece went alright,
I was corpses a couple of times but it was nearer the end as
we finished then through the whole thing because my
concentration was solely on the puppet to make sure it was
looking where I wanted it to. That was a big mistake from
most of the company that the puppets were facing one way
and the eyes another which didn't create the exact illusion.
We then got into pairs or threes and had a puppet between
our group and had to manipulate the body and work as a
team. Amber and I kept changing it up so I'd have the head
2
Variety Show
20th February 2015
Company Strengths
and a leg and she would have an arm and a leg or both legs and head
and arm. I felt that I started to get to grips with the head walking and
looking the same and the arm walking the opposite to the legs. I felt
that Amber and I started to get the hang of working together and I
started with the voice and incorporating that into our sequence of
movements as a ninja wizard. I felt that when it came to performing it
started to go wrong with timings so we started again and then with
the audiences laughter it started us off but when we finally did it we
worked well together and I felt convinced the audience of our wizard
ninja.
Creating
during the week when we showed
each other what we have got for
our separate sections in the show I
felt only over the course of an
afternoon we worked really well to
produce such workable idea for the
show.
Warm Ups
18/02/15
Split Time:
Amber and I were in a pair to go with Claire first to work on variety
show and more the Beyoncé dancing. We marked it through and then
as we went to dance to it the music wasn't the right one, but a remix
which had more of an upbeat tempo. Claire said try it to this which I
felt could work with rehearsing it to that beat instead but not in the
section of partition because it is not giving off the same vibes that we
want, it's sexier when it's slower and that dynamic and shift in the
music helps. Claire said to be more dynamic inside each piece and to
decide on our characters; she told me I'm more like a dominatrix
which is what I could take it to. There were some movements that
Claire felt can be changed and I think I have an idea of movements I
want to change but it was hard without the other two especially with
it being Alex's idea in the first place. There was just a awkward
atmosphere in the room and it's more because it was just Amber and I
and I don't think she is too confident with all of the choreography
Variety Show
This week the company
took it in turns to run warm
ups and I felt that this was
a strength that we all joined
in, it was nice to do it as a
company and built our
energy for the day.
Ensemble
I feel this week we have
been more of a company
than we have for a while, I
feel that during our warm
ups and some acts we are
coming together and trying
to see the light. We are a,so
supportive of each other's
work when we present it to
one another.
3
Variety Show
Company Weaknesses
Timing
When we were set time
slots to do certain acts I felt
that this was better but for
most of the week we didn't
spend our time wisely and
sometimes were left with
not a lot to do or we
worked on a piece too much
we wanted to give it a rest
for a while.
Attitude
AGAIN, this week there have
been negative vibes more so
from Lewis about not wanting
to do the show and when this is
in the room everyone finds it
hard to work and justs want to
get on with it but we can't see to
find a way around it.
Stamina
This week the company have
just been low on everything
from creativity to positive to
energy! I feel we need to pick it
up a lot for next week because
we are doing lates as well we
won't be able to work with low
energy.
20th February 2015
and when Claire said you have ten minutes to devise she watched us
which made me feel under pressure and uncomfortable. We had more
of an idea on where to take it but I think attitude with work more
than burlesque because it's not that feel to the dance, we wanted it to
be a dance number, that was it.
Later on we were with Innes and I just got almost of characters songs
to take a look at which made me excited to go away look at them and
come back to try and practice that with him soon.
Variety Show:
We had time to go over our Beyoncé routine with Alex and Levi and
after having a discussion they didn't like the sped up version so we are
sticking to the original. They didn't mind changed some moves but we
need to define the choreography, we need to make the chairs look sexy
and add more character. When we go into the audience I think we
need either set things to say or a theme because I just feel awkward
and that there is no point saying something stupid and random and
spoiling the feel we are generating. We came to more conclusions and
looked at taking more risks with doing lifts and other more impressive
looking illusions, how well they fit into the dance I'm not sure but I
think we could work this in and gives it more of a sceptical and is
challenging us more.
I was actually so happy that Claire wanted to work a stomp piece for
the opening which was what I suggested I wanted to do. When looking
at their videos it's more like a sketch with beats and rhythms in and
has a story to it which helps the build and the beginning, middle and
the end flow nicely. What we created today has potential but I think
we need to make a choice if we should do a sketch or go the samba
band way and just hit the instruments. I think it's harder doing it when
some of the company aren't as good at picking up or staying in rhythm,
I think it would be great to work as an ensemble but creating a
storyline to it would help us as actors bring more character to it. I'm
liking where we have started and I think if we spend a whole afternoon
on this we could have a better structure to it and have more potential
of being done to be in the show, but right now looking back on the
videos it feels as though we are making clashes and noises and it just
gives you a headache. Good start but still a long way to go.
19/02/15
Audition Prep:
Variety Show
4
Variety Show
20th February 2015
We had time slots today with Innes to work what we wanted and show him things or ask for advice so
during this time I was going through the list of songs Innes suggested to me for characters songs. I
was seeing which ones caught my attention and I liked and also ones which I thought would best suit
my voice and had character in. I found a few and started to learn them so when I have a go with
working them with Innes I have somewhere to go or work. The rest of my time I spend coming up
with an idea for what to do for the puppetry piece in the show, I wasn't originally in this group and
was put in but also they already had ideas. However Lewis wasn't keen on puppetry and Sam said he
has a lot of acts to focus on so this isn't his main focus. Daniella and I were looking up ideas on
YouTube about different types of puppetry but came to an agreement that with only two or three we
couldn't make the puppets we made work or look affective if we wanted more than one puppet. Finger
puppets are great but would be too small for stage, we looked at 'the boy with tape on his face'
although I loved him, I wanted the act we create to be original. I thought of the human being the doll
and the doll being the puppeteer but none of us have ventriloquist experience or skill and we don't
have puppets whose mouths move.
Eventually I researched humans trying to be puppets and then found some mechanical music and
thought that could be the start and then go into a disco move. When Lewis and Sam came in on the
idea I had so many more ideas how to make it more comical as well.
Variety Show:
We started to work on the puppet piece continuing on from the idea we started to develop and
Daniella and I started to choreograph the first section and because 70's is my favourite era and I love
disco I choreographed most of the moves. I was trying to go with the comical theme that we are
human but been made into puppets and have a brain but don't have control over our body and we
share this with the audience; but we like the music and start to jig along to it. I liked where we went
with it and Sam in now the puppeteer on the table and I think it would be nice to get him involved at
some point. Where we have come so far in it I don't know where Connor could fit into it. I was
thinking a mirroring ending image to the
start with the factory being shut down.
I have had so much fun with this
because the music and style is
something I'm passionate about and the
comedy we can go further but I think
it's nice it's just innocent and not full on
funny in your face but subtle and I like
that about it. I think with the beginning
it's nice when we are sharp and get it in
time with one another, that starts to
look really affective as well as the other
choreography. There is still more we can
do but we have come so far to finishing the piece already and we only worked on it for an afternoon!
Variety Show
5
Variety Show
20th February 2015
20/02/15
Variety Show:
We sorted out costumes for our pieces in the morning or an idea of what we wanted and then we
worked the Beyoncé dance. We looked at the video and decided we wanted to cut a whole section and
we re-choreographed it and I don't know what it looks like but it feels better and tighter and that we
are creating a picture and adding character into the piece now. There are still sections in partition that
we need to make clear and choices to keep or throw them but it's coming along better and I feel this is
the act that for me is the most complex that at the moment I'm not having complete fun in and just
want to finish but when it comes to getting costume and amending certain bits it will be fun.
-
Variety Show
-
Action Plan:
Commit more
Build up energy
- Sustain energy throughout the
day
Spend time wisely
Positivity
6
