Task two: Evaluation of performance of Bollywood dance

 Evaluation of performance of Bollywood dance 

The evaluation of my performance of Bollywood, reflecting on both my weaknesses and strengths. 

Strengths 

My use of directional focus is the first skill I believe I have shown strength in. I noticed that in early videos of myself dancing and first drafts of the Bollywood dance rehearsals, I was frequently gazing down rather than forward. This made it difficult for me to completely convey and present my movements, resulting in mediocre performances. I knew I needed to work on this skill to truly round out my performances, especially in Bollywood dance, where the dancers always appear to use their focus to heighten their performances. After learning about Bollywood dance in Unit 14, I found it difficult to use directional focus when following my hand movements/mudras and was told that I needed to concentrate on this performance ability. To improve this, I made sure that every time I learned/created Bollywood choreography, I was completely confident with the timing, precise moves, and arm placements. I would next go through the choreography, looking for instances in the dance where I might apply directional concentration to improve the performance even more. I made certain that there was a focal point or centre of focus in the movement space; this helped me with concentration, attention, or specific energy directed towards movement in the choreography. 

Another ability that I believe I have improved on during the Bollywood rehearsals is my use of dynamics. When I danced,  I felt that my motions were quite static and lacking in control. After watching early videos of the rehearsals, I felt that I didn't fully appreciate the significance of employing dynamics to create texture to the dance and its style. I wanted to concentrate on this skill since I thought it would help me in communicating the sharp and upbeat Bollywood style. I made it a point to think about this skill every time I we refined the choreography , looking for opportunities to add dynamics to make the piece more aesthetically appealing. I investigated several dynamics such as fast/slow, sudden/gradual, and so on. In Bollywood this skill is needed as there are an array of contrasting and different paced movements, being able to control these movements made them look a lot more accomplished and visually appealing. This allowed my performance to connect with the music and overall look more polished and accurate. Practicing this ability has improved my overall movement quality and musicality since it helps myself and the audience to see the music clearly and visually.

Another ability I believe I improved on greatly throughout learning and refining the Bollywood choreography was my use of expressive skills. My performance/expressive skills were relatively inadequate when I first started the learning of the Bollywood choreography, which made my performances less accomplished and unappealing to the audience. I observed this deficiency in early footage of our run throughs and performances prior to it. I knew I needed to improve this skill to enable me to fully communicate the fun and vibrant nature of Bollywood and I realised it was a skill I wanted to work on to become a more well-rounded performer. This skill was something I focused on, I made sure I was confident with in the Bollywood choreography first, polishing it so that I could then focus on my expressive skills afterwards.  I concentrated on my expressions and performance skills because the show required a lot of vibrant  and exciting expressive aspects in order to completely represent the nature of the stylistic features as a whole. I made sure to mirror my expressions with the nature of each section of the dance also, giving the chorography more life. 

Another skill I believe I have shown strength in is my use of musicality. I believe my musicality has improved while learning the Bollywood choreography as seen in the final video performance. I believe this was evident throughout as I was always making sure to include more musicality into the dance steps, this stopped the motions being mechanical and take on the fluidity of the score's various moods and tones. This ultimately manifests itself in the manner in which I was able to connect each movement and gesture in the dance. My accurate use of musicality aided me greatly in being able to stay in time with the rhythm of this song, matching its changing tempo and pace throughout. This allowed the dance to look a lot more polished and detailed as well. 

The final skill I think I have been able to show strength in is my use of extension. This dance requires a lot of extension and elongating of gesture, specifically in the mudras. Having good extension allowed me create finished and strong lines in my arms and legs, giving the choreography greater shape and fluidity. I made sure I was always extending my fingers in a strong manner especially in the still image section of the dance when holding and placing my mudras/gestures, this allowed me to fully communicate the stylistic features of Bollywood dance accurately. I also made sure these extensions went through my whole body, keeping a strong upright position to start and extending my legs when needed. 

Weakness - Room for improvement 

One skill I need to improve on is my use of Balance. Throughout the duration of the Bollywood rehearsals and dance as a whole I have heavily noted my lack of a strong balance. I have found that within this choreography I'd lose my balance when holding positions and exiting turns in this dance.  I also feel that I frequently lose my balance when dancing in general, which makes my performances look sloppy and unfinished. I've struggled to distribute my weight in a way that allows me to be steady during transitions and holding postures. I know this is a talent I need to work on because it prevents me from correctly completing fast-paced choreography because I find myself wobbling and missing steps as a result of this weakness. I intend to enhance this skill by doing core strengthening exercises because I know that a strong core is vital for finding stability while balancing. I intend to enhance this skill by doing core strengthening exercises because I know that a strong core is vital for finding stability while balancing. Yoga and Pilates, as well as exercises such as the plank, side plank, and bicycle crunches, are great core strength training activities that I can add into my daily practise to strengthen this physical talent. After doing some research, I discovered that standing facing a wall, placing my hands on the wall, stepping one foot back maintaining both legs parallel, then leaning my weight into the wall until I felt a stretch in my calf is a simple means of strengthening my ankles and hence my balance. 

Another area for improvement is my posture. I naturally have poor posture, which I believe influences my dancing. In the Bollywood dance, I saw that I would start with a solid stance, but then my posture would gradually deteriorate, making my motions look sloppy and unfinished. I know I need to work on this talent in order to improve my overall dance abilities. Because I believe that poor posture contributes to poor stability and balance, I need to work on this physical skill. I should start with the basics, visualising appropriate posture for myself. I should start by looking at myself in a full-length mirror. My feet should be shoulder width apart, my knees slightly bent, and my pelvis should be over my legs from the ground up. The torso, including the shoulders, should be elevated above the pelvis. Keeping my gaze forward and my head level and above my torso. Consider tying a string to the top of my head and being pulled up to the ceiling. I can feel my spine lengthening as I stand tall and confident. I can achieve optimum performance, reduce my chance of injury, and improve my overall function by maintaining excellent posture. I must keep in mind that practise makes perfect. A stable posture takes time to develop, but I know the benefits of excellent posture will last a career.

Another quality I believe I need to work on is stamina, particularly during the dance aspects. I frequently find it challenging to dance and complete the choreography with the same level of stamina throughout. I frequently find myself out of breath, and I struggle to withstand both muscular and cardio-respiratory strain when performing this dance number. I observed this stamina issue when performing in shows, and in Bollywood dance, I found each show and run through tough because I began with a high level of energy but by the middle of the choreography, I felt worn out, making my moves look unfinished and lethargic. I see that this will have an impact on my dancing and prevent me from reaching my maximum potential, so I've decided to concentrate on this ability. Because of my low stamina, I find that after dancing, my motions become sloppy and incomplete; this also implies that I am unable to execute dance after dance without feeling weak and weary. To enhance this ability, I intend to become a more active person, walking and staying active every day. I also intend to dance more frequently outside of college in order to build my stamina to a healthy and constant level where I can perform for an extended period of time without feeling weary. I will also begin doing aerobic exercises at home and in the gym to gradually boost my stamina and energy levels so that I can improve my talent. 

Another area I need to build on is my dance strength. Throughout my journey in Bollywood, I've realised that my strength is one of my greatest constraints, keeping me from realising my full potential. My lack of strength was noticeable during warmups and dance performances in this Bollywood style, specifically when having to hold positions as my core shook and my body wobbled. In this performance, I want my moves to be explosive and vibrant, not fatigued and lifeless. Despite a lot of dance practise, my muscles lack the strength needed to help me perform at my best. By combining strength training into my weekly routine, I can overcome lethargy and increase physical endurance. Getting out and practising my dance routines is especially important if I have a lengthy or difficult performance ahead of me. Strength training can also help me with general movements and balance, which will allow me to perform my skills more successfully. Before extending my hamstrings, I alternated between pointing and flexing my feet and bending and straightening my knees. Active stretching, as opposed to static stretching holds, can assist me improve my range of motion and flexibility through movement.

A final skill I need to improve on is my use of space. After watching video evidence, there are a few moments where I am not in the correct space. This can be seen in the held images section near the beginning of the choreography. There are moments where I can be seen too far to the right which made the image look off centre and uneven. I also noticed this at the beginning of the choreography where I go off centre during the hip swivels. This lack of spatial awareness is an issue for this dance as there are a lot of symmetrical images and held positions. For future dance numbers, specifically large dances such as this one, I need to make sure I am watching back video footage to double check my spacing. I also need to make sure I am using my prereferral vision throughout so that I become more aware of the dancers and overall space around me.