Ballet Tinsel

Having a day off at work, gives me the chance to look back and reflect on my week at the company and what I have been up to concerning my BAPP arts studies. Time is my friend at them moment, so mornings like these when I can quietly sip my coffee and assemble my thoughts are very much appreciated. After a long week of full call rehearsal building up to next week's Premiere, a dinner with close friends sounded like the perfect idea. As a dancer, the time you have outside the theatre is very limited. Most of that free time you want to spend it at home, resting your body, preparing dinner, seeing your family,loved ones is some people's cases. So it's not often that we get to rest our minds and appreciate the city. As a foreigner in Romania, I feel like it is important to have some knowledge of the place in which you are living in as a respect for the country, as well as for our own culture.

The evening was spent in an isolated bar that looked more like a beautiful abandoned villa, right in the heart of Bucharest. The décor was a rustic vintage feel; ripped floral wallpaper on the walls in olive colours, what looked like Turkish rugs, and  bell lamps that created a very cosy atmosphere for their people enjoying their drink. From a casual night of laughter, the night had unconsciously evolved to a stream of deep conversation over the topic of the arts somehow.

Mind mapping my way through the conversation this morning (hope I haven't forgotten anything important), I discovered many things, not dance related necessarily but some real eye opening issues that have caught my attention and would love to get more into throughout the course of my studies.
Some questions that were raised on the table were about the quality of performances taking place in big ballet companies at the moment. How much is it of an artistic attribute and how much of a crowd attraction? - What the person who whom I was having this talk with called it 'Ballet Tinsel'. How far are we going out of tradition in order to fit in the times we live in? Is tradition losing its value, or are we simply progressing to the future of dance?

It is unavoidable that a ballet will not look the same as the original version created, since the same production can be performed for years after. Times change and so do the dancers and productions to fit in the present and attract the audience. There is a fine line in sustaining the tradition and evolving with the times. Your market in performing arts is your audience, so a company would have to adapt and fit in with what the audience wants to see. As long as that doesn't have an negative affect on the quality of productions by producing 'Ballet Tinsel'. 

As a passionate person of the arts, I am all for the arts moving forward and developing, as I have mentioned in previous blogs. However, I am also a strong believer of recognising the roots and the history behind the art. And when I see a recreated ballet being stretched and altered so much from what the original that it becomes unrecognisable it takes me some time to decide what to think about it. I am talking both on the artistc side and production of a ballet. Naturally, the dancers' technique has really developed throughout the generations. A greater awareness is given to correct placement and use of leg work due to the knowledge in training accessible nowadays. There is a safer in training benefiting the dancers in having a long career. Professional dancers now are generally more flexible, more technically correct, have stronger and leaner bodies (because of alternative exercise and awareness of good nutrition which are encouraged usually). So that is already a change, and as a result, the ballet is bound to look different from what it used to be in the 19th century for example. That is development! One of my wonders tough is if this focus on strong physique and technique taking away from the artistry and style of the ballet? Are we forgetting about the roots, the purity of dance? The history?

The issue had been brought up by a comparison from a person in the table, leading to an interesting observation; Taking example the controversy of taking down the Statue of Cecil Rhodes in Oxford University (April 2015). Not knowing much about the history, I researched about his actions and dominant role in South Africa in discrimination. A big debate and poll took place to take his statue down, since it represented controversial and inexcusable ideas. However, others believed that 'the battle isn't won by taking the statue away and pretending those people don't exist'. These people saw that it was an 'important reminder of the complexity of history and of the legacies of colonialism felt today.' (references bellow) ...This brings be back to our observation. By drifting away from the traditions in dance, are we forgetting about the history?

Leading me to my next question...Can we bring awareness to the issue? What can we do to sustain the value of the history, and origins of dance?

>>The one thing we can do is to expand the exposure and to share the knowledge with the people. We can do this from a young age by introducing occasional trips not just to museums but also galleries and the theatre. This way, you are giving the youth the option and the opportunity to discover a part of their personalities they perhaps were not aware of. The are not making blind conclusions about the art, but instead they are building their knowledge through their own view point. This way we can sustain the importance that origin and history plays in arts.

>>Perhaps lowering prices to an affordable amount for students going the theatre. Therefore, the theatre is not excluding a vital community involved in the future of performing arts.

Creating an awareness about this is the first step. I would be very interested to hear your ideas on this!


(Methods of Reflective Writing -Task 2b - I have used writing this are Description, List, Mind Mapping Evaluation and through asking myself questions! I found myself discovering so many dimensions that I could expand my thoughts in!)



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http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32131829
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/jan/28/cecil-rhodes-statue-will-not-be-removed--oxford-university

Eat Sleep Dance Repeat ___________?

Working a full time job - of any kind - requires your body to adapt to a routine. Once that alarm goes off, your body is suddenly on automatic mode and everything must be perfectly timed so as to fit in the busy schedule of the day. We end up basing our lives around our work, that even on our free time, our brain has not escaped that void. As a full time dancer myself, I feel the effects both mentally and physically. A dancer has to look after their body in order to function properly the next day and be able to build up to improvement rather than move two steps back from where you have began in the first place. It's not as easy as a cha-cha after all! 

A healthy sustainable diet is necessary to nourish and fuel your instrument - in the case of a dancer, being your own body - as well as replenish it with vital proteins and minerals and vitamins. Never forget your body is irreplaceable unlike a violin. I make sure to start my day with a good breakfast to get me through class and morning rehearsals. Oatmeal is the way to go usually, or a simple musli-yoghurt combo to kickstart the morning fancy!

Having a good night's sleep is important as well. That is the time that your body and mind can have a break from any thoughts, choreographies, worries and expectations of the day. It is when the body recharges in order to activate for the next full day ahead of you. 7 hours of sleep seems to be the ideal for me personally. It is enough to recover yet not feel too rested, or even 'tired' from sleep overload... does any one else feel that? I sometimes feel like a special case when I say that to other people and makes me wonder. 

After a long day of rehearsal I like to roll out my muscles and stretch so as to avoid any stiffness in the process of the week. Usually the pains and niggles build up as the weeks goes on which is why special care needs to be taken charge. Every dancer has a different way approaching problems like these, so I can't say what works best for everyone. I find that strengthening the body , aside from dancing, has been very beneficial and has attributed not only to the health of my bones and muscle tone, but my dancing technique also. We have been very lucky this week to have as a guest teacher from the Royal Danish Ballet, Stephane Dalle, come to our Opera here in Bucharest and share his wisdom and knowledge with us. Stephane has been famous for his methods in teaching Floor Barre in order to improve a dancer's leg lines, strengthen the posture and and enhance performance ability. After guesting with us the first couple of weeks of this season, optional Floor Barre lessons have been added to the schedule, an hour before class starts, for any dancer who wants to attend. I found it extremely helpful in improving my technique and as a morning motivation! The class is taught through the DVD he has created with himself teaching the class. It is useful and convenient too as no big tools and machinery is necessary to be able to do Floor Barre. All you need is your body (instrument) and a towel (it can get sweaty when done right!) Having him teach us live though has been truly amazing; his French voice is like melody in the studio.It's like a breath of fresh air to see the passion that one has for what they dedicate their lives for and I feel that this feeds off to the dancers as well. A great inspiration he has been for the company. 

The day ended like we do usually. This time with a rehearsal preparing for our new premiere of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, A jewel ballet for any company to have in their rep in my eyes and an absolute masterpiece. This very afternoon, I felt that the energy in the studio had suddenly changed when the principal couple had performed the last Pas de Deux, leading to Manon's sad end and des Grieux's tragic loss. The dancers were fully engaged into the story and their characters that I almost forgot it was them acting. You could feel the maturity, the commitment and the passion through every breath of the movement. everyone was left speechless and the silence before the applause was very powerful. It is days like these that remind us why we do what we do. Why we have started this in the first place. What moves us. What inspires us. What makes us the people we are. What makes as the artists we dream of becoming. 

It is a routine only if you make it one. Until you find that one thing...that everything! That can transform your whole way of approaching your day and take you a step closer to fulfilling your dream, whatever that may be!!! I would be very happy to hear your thoughts and perhaps your own motivations/inspirations in your everyday life :)

TASK 1b: Dance Networking

I have recently taken some time during my lunch breaks at work, simply reading some interesting blogs from my fellow colleagues of BAPP Arts course and some which I discovered through the new application called 'Feedly'. It is a great way to keep all articles and blogs that attracted your interest, in a 'portfolio' to peruse at your own time. In doing so, I have realised just how much you can learn in just three days, merely using the power of the internet. Nowadays, everything is becoming so easily accessible. The knowledge we can gain is hanging right by the tip of toes which brings me to why I want to further discuss about the influence that Web 2.0 technology has had on our generation.

Reading through the Reader 1 book given to us by the university, has allowed be to identify the options that one can have in order to share their expertise and ideas with the world. The best part of using Web 2.0 technology is that reader can interact with the creator. One can debate about a subject, express an opinion and therefore even become a creator by discovering new ideas, which is very much what the BAPP Arts Course is about! Through the blogs and other social networks we can all communicate from any part of the world as well as collaborate in order to enhance our knowledge as the future examples for the next generation. It is fascinating how the relationships and interactions among people has changed with the influence of social networking. Not everyone will agree whether it is for the best of the worst. My diplomatic mind says that there are always two sides of a story.

I have been thinking about ways I can use in order to expand my connections with the dance world, but it seems like I have a lot covered already. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all part of my repertoire. I find twitter to be useful as a means of discovering news about upcoming performances, dance companies and even what is going on with your idols and artists you are inspired by. I keep my search feed very professional, as I have other networks like Facebook for communication purposes, especially since I live away from my family and friends at home. What I thought would be a good idea for the purposes of my job is reactivating and updating my Network Dance account!! I haven't touched it since I had last auditioned which was two years ago. However, it is a perfect example of a Social Network that serves its purposes on a professional level:

-finding out about auditions abroad-job vacancies-photoshoots-connection with other dancers-self promotion

I found it extremely helpful during my first year of auditions after graduating from my vocational training. Perhaps without Network Dance I wouldn't have ended up where I am now in the first place so I couldn't be more thankful!

So, I have taken some time to finally update my account! Feel free to browse. The information shared, I made sure is safe. No addresses or phone numbers have been shared for safety reasons.http://www.networkdance.com/Nastazia-Philippou/#Board

I have been contemplating for a while now if creating a LinkedIn Account or  Flickr Account would be of benefit, considering the amount of networks I participate in already. One which I haven't mentioned is Pinterest which is my weekly source of inspiration, including cooking, secret (not so secret) hobby of mine!

As we all know, and recognise from proof, Social Networking is truly beneficial, in the way of sharing thoughts, knowledge, new ideas, and opening new doors to conversation, hence, interacting and connecting with people. It is also a means to building up one's self esteem, which is not a bad thing since dance is an element whose nature typically draws criticism; just like any form of art or literature.

However, my question is:

how much is it of benefit and how much of harm? How does one's personal profile online really illustrate who the real person is...behind the screen? Could one post influence the decision of a director hiring a dancer? Can directors really recognise personality through an online profile. To go even further, how much are we relying on the power of the internet. We seemed to have gained great skills in electronic communication, however, is this leading to an isolation and closure from experiencing the real connection with people? How much is Social Networking an eye opener and how much a hinder of imagination? 

I would love to find out! I look forward to really discovering more about how the power of Web 2.0 technology plays a role in the development of an artist.

'Where have all the women gone?'

This is a question that has very recently been raised by Arts Commissioning Editor of Financial Times, Griselda Murray Brown. A very interesting report based on the quite evident observation that despite the breakthrough of female pioneers in the world of dance back in the 20 century, like Martha Graham,and one of the most recent and well known Pina Bausch; nowadays the most prominent choreographers are mostly men, known for their 'bold and physical work' they present on the stage. 

There seems to be an inclination towards a stereotype that women's work seems to play an emotional part in the world of dance whether this means professionally or that it is present in their choreography. The truth is that there is a greater number of women encouraged to become dancers than men and I believe that this will always be the case. However, there is a bigger demand for male dancers since the number of  them is distinctively less. The male prominence is of course not only present in dance, but it many areas of individual leadership one can say, such as chefs an artists. (don't misunderstand me, there are many talented female individuals that have made it also.) Is it the stronger authority, the larger demand leading them to pushing the boundaries. Have women been influenced throughout the years to 'fit in' - as mentioned in the report? It could be just pure talent; however, I feel that there is a lot that the audience has not yet been exposed to concerning the works of female choreographers. 

A very intriguing event to attend, if anyone is in London, would have to be English National Ballet's new premiere of a Triple Bill called 'She Said', featuring the works of some of the world's great female choreographers of our time, which will be performed in April. A fantastic theme chosen by the Artistic Director of ENB , Tamara Rojo, who is a very powerful woman in the world of dance right now, with great intentions in developing and advancing the arts. As a woman herself, and still a dancer, I feel that she can relate from experience the needs of a dancer as well as the needs of the theatre. Perhaps experiencing the position of leadership and business, the observations have been more apparent, and therefore there is a hope to open people's eyes to new ideas and different perspectives. 

Choreographer, Aszure Barton, mentions in her interview how there should not be a stereotype to whether a piece of work is by a male or a female. In my opinion, any work is created by an individual and every piece of choreography will be different according the the style of every choreographer, and not only. The background, ethnicity, beliefs, training, as well as the gender would play a tremendous role for the stage. The same idea could be expressed in numerous ways depending on the choreographers vision. And this is art. This is what the audience is interested to watch and experience. It is important for the audience to be exposed to different perspectives as a means of entertainment, as well as developing the art form.   

The video report ended with a strong point saying that 'The problem is not a lack of women, but the lack of exosure'. I look forward to seeing more reviews on this topic and seeing how ENB's performance of 'She Said' will be welcomed by the crowd!

The link below shows the full report and interviews of the choreographers involved in 'She Said' . Do click and watch if you get the time :)

http://video.ft.com/4804047522001/Sexism-in-the-dance-world/Life-And-Arts

Choreographic Evening 08/03/2016

Every year, the Opera organizes a choreographic evening where it gives the artists of the company the wonderful opportunity to be creative and choreograph a piece on your fellow dance coworkers. What a great chance to let your imagination flow for once and your  personality to shine through your own choreography. As members of the company we are always expected to follow a certain choreography of the ballet with the acquired style that is required by the era of the ballet, ie. Romantic, new-classical, or the choreographer himself. So to be given this opportunity, you get to create your own rules, your own style and steps. I feel that as an artist, training your imagination and creativity is just as important as picking up choreograph and executing steps. I personally don't feel fulfilled as an artist if I just had to do what I was told, so to get to create a piece for my own company with some beautiful dancers, I feel lucky. I love music. I find that on my spare time if I have my headphones on I will unconsciously be improvising steps in my brain and it's as if I see it happening in real life. I have been asked before 'how do you come up with steps?' , to which I replied, the music makes me feel the way I should move. I imagine the dancers moving as it it was a movie which is why I find sometimes my choroegraphies seem have a theatrical touch. I like to see the dancers personality come through to the audience. A choreography can be simply for pleasure, however, you find that it can be so much more than that. I like the audience to feel something, whether it is joy, confusion, sensitivity or thought. I am also a person that needs to connect with the dancers and make sure they feel comfortable with what they will be bringing up on stage. 

This year I had the great pleasure to choreograph a duet on two dances and friends of mine, Rachelle Bergstrom and Egoitz Segura. the story is about a complicated relationship between a woman and her husband who has forgotten what love means. The woman finds herself obsessing over her invisiblility to him, leading her to foolish madness; to the point that she is forced to test if there is even a drop of care left for her to save her for driving herself crazy. Them dancing together opens up an explosion of memories and emotions that had been left untouched for what it feels like, years. The piece ends with an outburst of laughter from them both reminiscing on the best memories they had shared together, finally leading the woman into tears from the pain realizing what they had lost. 

Creating a story has been a new challenge for me, as I am used to abstract work. However the music had really spoken to me from the moment I very first listened to it. With the score of Alexander Balanescu (a Romanian composer) and the voice of a legendedary singer of Romania called Maria Tanasse, who's story seems to have written down history for the Romanian people. Of course, being a non Romanian, I had no idea how significant to music was to the country and how popular it would be. The lyrics are also Romanian, however I wanted to let the music speak to me and let the emotions direct me in my choreography rather than the direct meaning of the words. Finding out that this piece of music was so well known just a week before the performance, I can't say I wasn't nervous. I was, as I knew that choosing such a popular song with the crowd, I would have to do a good job in making it justice. I believe that perhaps it was better I didn't know as I didn't allow myself to restrictions. 

The process of the creating 'Absent Knights' (that is the name of the piece) and working with the dancers was an absolute delight. Part of the biggest pleasure is seeing how the piece evolves and how the dancers put there hearts in the choreography. It is vital to work with dancers who are open to any suggestions and are willing to try and fail so that then we can all together come up with a good result at the end. I like to connect with the dancers. I like to know that they want to be a part of this and I want them to feel comfortable. Comfortable with me and the choreography. 

So in Monday was the big day of performance, the excitement was present in all the dancers and choreographers and I feel like it was a very successful evening for all of us!! I'm hoping to share some clips with you from the rehearsal process of the choreography and some pictures from performance soon :) 

Time Management

Working full time in a company you find yourself dedicated to your work, and may I say to your passion 100% percent. Even when your rehearsals finish late in the evening, going home having dinner and resting your body after a heavy work load, your mind is somehow still in the studio. You have left it there ready to find you at the same space at the barre where you will probably repeat a similar pattern of a routine the next day. Ofcourse, sometimes you have surprises! A new rehearsal may be added to your afternoon, a dancer could be injured last minute so you would have to fill in for her spot in the next performance, a new guest is staging the new ballet therefore you would have to dance at your best of abilities to show a good impression. These are surprises that keep you up on your toes (literally) every day!! It can be very exciting! finally a chance to show what you can do! But it can also sometime be overwhelming, depending on the responsibilities you have as a professional, which are usually a lot. At the end of the day, you are the one carrying the performance, you are the one on stage, so as the say, 'the stage is yours' ! 

So as you can imagine, the stress can get be quite overwhelming for many dancers out there, leaving little opportunity to let the brain from detoxing from all the worries on a daily basis. Speaking to a few dancers from my own company and friends working abroad in all different areas of dance a feel that there is a similar pattern going on. Isolation, lack of sleep, and constant thoughts of work, choreography, self doubt, which are factors that stop us form evolving into the artists we can actually be! I have been trying to work on this a lot since a few years now. I feel that I am a person who gets paranoid and quite worried for small thing very easily, feeling that there is just too much on my plate to handle. So what I have been trying to do is to step back and look at everything in perspective. I am human, therefore I cannot complete tasks with the click of a finger, as much as that would be nice. What I can do though is not 'drown myself into a drop of water' like my father tells me when I get stressed, but instead look back and prioritise. I have a lot to learn from my father, who would write a 'to do list' every evening before he would go to bed, just to make sure he would not leave anything behind. And that is called Time Management. 

I always give the excuse that I work best under pressure, however, even if I do get there at the end, this is not the way things should be done. Especially when working a full time job, whatever that may be, and University studies. So I will take a moment, and organise myself and take one step at a time. Instead of waiting for the perfect idea to pop in my head with final result, I can instead build up to that idea through my blog and discover more about what is out there in the world of dance through research and interesting discussion with colleagues, tutors and friends :)