Spring Quarter - Season of Air - Spins, Turns, Movement Across the Floor

Dear Ones -

I need your help.

Can you recommend good YouTube links and even DVDs for dancers who make good use of space in their dances?

If you would, please send me your suggestions, to alaynya (at) alaynya (dot) com. Also, I'll post your name (if you'll allow me to) as the person who recommended a link; and if you have a website, I'll post that also. So please give me the name that you'd like used when I post the link and reference you, and give me your website, and whatever title you have ("Professional Dancer," "Artistic Director of Troupe Whatever," "Dance Teacher," etc.)

Thank you, and I'm looking forward to getting your inputs!

The starter-webpage for the Spring Quarter is up, please visit at Spring Quarter Studies. Not done yet, but a "working draft."

I've got a starter set of "recommended resources" in terms of music and DVDs, and even books (for the academic part of the study). But I don't have a good set of YouTube links on the various themes for Spring.

The first theme I'd like to get going is that of "using space" intelligently in our choreographies. Do you have any favorite YouTubes of dancers whose choreographies make good use of the space in which they dance?

By this, I mean: Do they have a good opening sequence in which they define and claim the space? Do they have a variety of movements-in-space, such as big circles, diagonals, etc? Do they intelligently use the depth of the space, so that when they come forward, it has an emotional meaning, and when they withdraw, it also means something?

I'm interested in a variety, ranging from good artistry and technique, to good conceptualization, to good emotional understanding of how their movement in the space of the stage communicates to the audience.

I'm also interested in posting links to YouTubes that show different sizes of stage environments; from small and intimate to large, and even the open-air types of spaces.

Alay'nya with veil - photo courtesy E.J. O'Reilly

Spring, in our Judeo-Christian heritage, is the Season of Air. (Think, "the March winds.") It corresponds to the Suite of Swords, where swords represent our intellect and ego. And of course, being the Season of Air, it's time for us to move forward.

During winter, we practiced grounding. Over these next three weeks, as we transition to spring, we'll introduce movement patterns that help us "transition" between stationary dance techniques and those that take us across the floor. We'll also work with our veils; learning veil drapes, framing ourselves, and how to "unveil" ourselves as we move into a light and airy veil dance.


yours in dance - Alay'nya