Task One: Evaluation of process and performance of SIX

 Evaluation: Reviewing my performance of SIX

Identifying strengths from feedback 

An evaluation of my strengths from SIX the musical. I personally think that I have improved greatly when it comes to my dance skills throughout the rehearsal process and the performance as a whole. My overall technique and skills have been consistent and have enhanced throughout the process of this show. This evaluation is based on peer and teacher feedback, also using feedback from audience members. 

Stylistic quality 

I believe that the quality I offered when dancing in specific genres was strong and accurate throughout the production of SIX, based on my personal experience and feedback. I thought that my posture, alignment, dynamic range, facial expression, relationship of movement to the music, and rhythm continually demonstrated precision and strength in my dance style. All of these technically accurate characteristics enabled me to execute a strong jazz dance performance. This was evident in 'Ex-Wives,' when I employed proper posture and dynamic range in the dance breaks to perform in a stylistic and strong manner, employing a low centre of gravity, isolations and contractions, and obtaining a proper understanding of the jazz and musical theatre infused style in which we were dancing in. 

Physical skills 

From feedback, it is evident that my physical skills remained strong throughout the whole Production of SIX. Starting with strength, I can confidently say that my movements were strong throughout, maintaining a high level of strength to allow myself to execute each movement with power and stability. My flexibility was strong in this production also, this is evident throughout all of the numbers but specifically in 'Heart of Stone'. I was using my flexibility to really elongate and stretch my limbs to create nice lines and accurate motions. I also used this flexibility in each number where I was using jazz dance techniques such as splayed fingers. Overall, my flexibility was strong and allowed me to perform each movement and dance properly, finishing each movement. From feedback, my use of isolations was something that was picked up on specifically in 'Ex-Wives', in the dance break I delivered the isolations of my upper body, head, hands and lower body with accuracy and confidence. This made these dance breaks look sharper and made my performance more technically accurate. My stamina has defiantly improved greatly from doing this show. This has been gradually improving throughout all of the rehearsals and was evident in the final production by going over numbers one after the other, this also improved my muscular endurance. Stamina is very important to maintain a high standard of performance and technique, I felt I was able to deliver this show to a high standard because of my maintained stamina and energy. My use of coordination was also to a high standard throughout as I was able to perform fast and high energy choreography while coordinating all parts of my body accurately. My accurate use of coordination allowed me to perform movements seamlessly and properly as the choreographer intended and created, I feel this was evident in the dance break of 'No-way'. As my coordination was accurate, I was able to add energy and character to the movements to preform it in a more entertaining way. I also felt I had complete control in my movements as this allowed me to perform dynamics accurately and also allowed me to perform each movement with strength. This skill most evident throughout all numbers as I had complete control over every movement and gesture as I always performed with a high level of stability. This links to my use of balance which allowed me to maintain the center of gravity in each number. 

Expressive skills 

My expressive skills where definitely a strength throughout the whole production of SIX. In each number I used facial expressions to really communicate the intention of each dance and the meaning behind the songs. I also used my facial expressions to communicate the nature and personality of each queen. An example of this can be seen in 'Don't lose your head' where I was really expressing the nature of the queen Anne Boleyn. I used my facial expressions to communicate the funny and sarcastic characteristics she carries and made sure that my expressions were enhancing each number. The show is very much about being over the top, so without large facial expressions and movements, the show wouldn't be as entertaining to watch and wouldn't be communicating the intention of the show as a whole. 

Musicality 

I felt that my working knowledge of musical concepts such as tempo, rhythm and phrasing were all consistently accurate which led to the precision of my musicality. This allowed me to interpret the movements in my own unique ways and add dynamics that related to the music. This ability is helpful in displaying the movements with high technical accuracy and also allowed me to communicate the mood of each dance. Musicality allowed me to have a sensitivity to the music which allowed me to perform each number with intention and purpose. My use of musicality abled me in performing choreography in time consistently which is something I felt I improved on greatly throughout the rehearsal process.  

Areas for development from feedback

The discussion of areas I need to develop after the rehearsal process of SIX and the overall performance. From this production I know that there are areas I need to develop and improve on my own behalf to improve my overall dance abilities. 

Use of space

One skill I felt that I needed to improve on was my use of space and spatial awareness. I felt that in a few of the numbers I would stand too close or too far away from peers which made the formations look off and uneven. This was evident in 'Heart of Stone', on the first night, I knew I wasn't in the correct spacing for the first V formation as I was too near to the center which made it look off and uneven. I did pick up on this and improve however I felt that in 'No-Way' I did the same thing, and this resulted in me standing too close to my peer which meant we both could not elongate and stretch our arms fully upward. I plan on improving this skill by focusing on my spatial awareness in future dance classes and rehearsals. I will do this by using my peripheral vison. This can also be helped by recording myself in group dances and making sure that my spacing is correct, asking for feedback from the choreographer about it. 

Balance

Although I did mention balance above as a strength, I felt that I needed to improve on it further. I felt that in Heart of Stone when I did my free-styled arabesque, I did wobble on a few occasions. This resulted in me not being able to do this move on relevee, remaining flat footed which did not look as good. I need to work on my core strength to improve my balance, I plan on doing this through core exercises and stretches outside of lesson time. 

Flexibility 

Although I felt that my flexibility was strong throughout, I felt that I could improve further to make my performance more polished. I think in dance in general improved flexibility will really help with my overall technique. I plan on improving this through useful stretching on a much more regular basis. I will find stretches online or through teachers to really help target what needs improving flexibility wise. 

Body language

Although I gained positive feedback, I felt that my body language could improve. I feel that sometimes for example during House of Holbein I lost my expression through my body language which made some movements slightly unpolished. I feel that my body language was lost sometimes which didn't match up with my facial expressions making the performance less entertaining. I can improve my overall body language through the improvement of posture. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, I can say with confidence that my dance skills and techniques have greatly improved since doing SIX the musical. This is evident from feedback from teacher and peer feedback I do however need to improve on certain areas of my technique to make myself an overall more accurate and polished performer and dancer. 

I need to plan my improvements, starting with beginning to stretch every other day of the week to really improve my flexibility and agility. I need to make sure my performance is keeping consistent across all skills. I must work on my balance further to ensure a more accomplished and polished performance and I plan on doing this through improving core strength from exercises that will target this.