When I first thought about moving to Europe, I knew I wanted to find my way into a dance scene. Particularly: CONTACT IMPROVISATION (ci)
Contact is a dance of physics-momentum, gravity, inertia, energy, time, space. (CI) is a dance technique in which points of physical contact provide the starting point for exploration through movement improvisation... And the rest we just make up along the way ! :)
The past three weekends I have been lucky enough to take part in jams around Brussels. Finding a small, loft studio with eight other dancers one week to an open warehouse covered with marly and 20 movers the next. I am very much looking forward to finding new, hidden corners of dance in this great city.
here's a short video of me dancing CI in PA this past summer (celebrating Contact's 36th birthday!!)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
I Think They're Teaching Me...
After one month of teaching, I have learned so much:
On Friday I wore blue jeans and a red polo (according to "The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher" by Wrong & Wrong, elementary-aged children really enjoy primary colors!). We just finished painting self portraits in Kindergarten Art and I was observing some of the masterpieces. I also made one of my own, modeling the proper form when holding a paint brush and how to add extra details like pockets or multiple colors to our clothing. A young boy approached me near the drying rack and said, "That one is yours." When I asked him how he knew, he responded in his cute, russian accent. "Your pants are blue. Also, your shirt is red. And also you have moooo-stash!" I love kids. And I LOVE Fridays!
My name is Blake. Not Mr. Blake. Not Mr. Nellis. Not even "Ummm...Miss Blake, I mean Sir Blake" (oh yes, I've heard it all). So I ask the five/six year olds what their name is, then I ask what I should call them. Then I repeat that my name is Blake and they can call me just BLAKE. Most seem to understand. (apparently that's not how all teachers want to be addressed!) ;) But there are always a few that make me laugh (I mean, MRS. BLAKE! thank goodness for laughter).
Sitting in class with students, the music specialists reviewed the importance of raising hands before speaking. Near the end of the class she asked, "now what is the MOST important thing to remember when you want to say something?" And in almost perfect unison, 18 children anxiously yelled out "REMEMBER TO RAISE YOUR HAND!" Needless to say, none of their hands were raised. Oh, elementary education.
While observing some preschoolers play with toy animals, I approached and asked if they knew the names of all the animals. They recognized the rooster just as a chicken (but were great at the sound!) so I helped explain the difference between the boy and girl chicken. Then I asked, a bright young girl if she knew what time of day the rooster crowed. She replied with the sound and a smile, "Wednesday!"
http://picasaweb.google.com/movingdance/ISBPhotoSavers?authkey=DV2FCE4wWsg#5251161862867843170
Laughter is present each and every day. Time and space are given for thinking. And I am grateful for the kind-hearted, energetic spirits I'm working with. I thinking this teaching gig may be for me after all...
On Friday I wore blue jeans and a red polo (according to "The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher" by Wrong & Wrong, elementary-aged children really enjoy primary colors!). We just finished painting self portraits in Kindergarten Art and I was observing some of the masterpieces. I also made one of my own, modeling the proper form when holding a paint brush and how to add extra details like pockets or multiple colors to our clothing. A young boy approached me near the drying rack and said, "That one is yours." When I asked him how he knew, he responded in his cute, russian accent. "Your pants are blue. Also, your shirt is red. And also you have moooo-stash!" I love kids. And I LOVE Fridays!
My name is Blake. Not Mr. Blake. Not Mr. Nellis. Not even "Ummm...Miss Blake, I mean Sir Blake" (oh yes, I've heard it all). So I ask the five/six year olds what their name is, then I ask what I should call them. Then I repeat that my name is Blake and they can call me just BLAKE. Most seem to understand. (apparently that's not how all teachers want to be addressed!) ;) But there are always a few that make me laugh (I mean, MRS. BLAKE! thank goodness for laughter).
Sitting in class with students, the music specialists reviewed the importance of raising hands before speaking. Near the end of the class she asked, "now what is the MOST important thing to remember when you want to say something?" And in almost perfect unison, 18 children anxiously yelled out "REMEMBER TO RAISE YOUR HAND!" Needless to say, none of their hands were raised. Oh, elementary education.
While observing some preschoolers play with toy animals, I approached and asked if they knew the names of all the animals. They recognized the rooster just as a chicken (but were great at the sound!) so I helped explain the difference between the boy and girl chicken. Then I asked, a bright young girl if she knew what time of day the rooster crowed. She replied with the sound and a smile, "Wednesday!"
http://picasaweb.google.com/movingdance/ISBPhotoSavers?authkey=DV2FCE4wWsg#5251161862867843170
Laughter is present each and every day. Time and space are given for thinking. And I am grateful for the kind-hearted, energetic spirits I'm working with. I thinking this teaching gig may be for me after all...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Blake's Blog Begins In Brussels, Belgium
there's something incredible about how fast time is going here. Some people say its just the beginning of a great roller coaster. Others that I'm suffering from culture shock and it won't always 'fly' by. And still some say that this place can be like a dream for years and years and I just need to get used to how fast the good and bad go screaching by like some surreal video I'm watching in fast forward.
In Motion,
Cause I have to be...
Yesterday, I awoke to sun shining through the curtains. I met Megan Meyer for breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien, meaning The Daily Bread (one of the best bakeries in Belgium - http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/05/business/wbspot07.php). We walked through the sunny district of ULB (university area in Brussels). Then I found my way home, dressed for a run in shorts and t-shirt, found a great second hand shop 45 mins later, rode the tram for a bit, made a great chicken/pepper/basil dish with fresh caprese (YUMMY), and strolled downtown (with Meg again!) to watch Mamma Mia (what a hoot). It was a picture perfect day in Brussels.
In Motion,
Cause I have to be...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Colors On Paper
