taking class
on tuesday night i took helanius wilkins’ class at joy of motion in friendship heights. i’ve taken it many times and it’s a great class, energetic, technical and with combinations that often really flow. helanius does a lot of upside down work, which i like a lot. i felt sick so it wasn’t a great night for me, but it’s always good to move.
that class is, unfortunately, one of the only decent int/adv modern technique classes in town, at least in the evenings, and that’s something that continually bums me out. i used to take ed tyler’s class at ADI, a long time ago, long before ed died. that was a fantastic class, well crafted, focused and with beautiful choreography, that i still miss.
because there aren’t a lot of classes available in dc in the evenings, it means lots of folks pass through helanius’s class at various times. i’ve seen gesel mason there and meisha bosma, as well as dancers with both of those companies.
last night there were a couple of beautiful dancers taking class. one in particular was just gorgeous, with a fluid, graceful style that seemed to come to her effortlessly. she was really strong, her back rippling with muscles almost like a guy’s, and i wondered if that contributed to her lovely quality.
i like that idea, but i doubt it’s that simple. otherwise body builders would have a smoother transition into dance, right?
instead, what i do notice for myself is how absolutely key my center is to controlling and directing my movement. of course, that’s a well known fact, and i see it in others, but it’s still a beautiful surprise when i’m trying to hold a balance or make a movement a little crisper, and suddenly find my center. it’s like finding a friend on whom i can rely. and when i tighten it, somehow my legs and arms are instantly a little lighter and a little clearer and a little bit freer.
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i regularly take helanius’ class on sunday afternoons. its even better. also i take helen hayes’ modern on wednesdays - great class if you’re up to the challenge. dana burgess teaches a good class on friday evenings that i have attended in the past. feel free to comment if you disagree.
i wish gesel mason taught a class regularly at a location that was accessible to me.
Comment by stephen poy — September 20, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
West African Dance Class Last Night at Alvin Ailey…
Last night I took a beginner West African dance class at Alvin Ailey with Maguette Camara. This was first West African class I’ve ever taken and it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had dancing - all though I……
Trackback by Great Dance Weblog — September 21, 2007 @ 5:10 am
thanks for your comments. stephen, i agree–helanius’s sunday class seems even better (and smaller!). i like helen hayes’s classes, but sometimes find that they move so fast that i can’t concentrate on really dancing and all the small details b/c i’m trying so hard to get the combination. but she’s a great teacher. and last yes, i really like the friday dana tai soon burgess class. plus the dancers in there are great so it’s a nice challenge.
if others know of any other classes, please let us know.
and doug, thanks for linking the post about takikng the west african class. i think west african is good for everyone, including beginners, b/c the movement isn’t quite as technical and allows you to feel the joy of dancing without first having to be a master.
Comment by Amanda Abrams — September 22, 2007 @ 7:43 am
I adore Helanius’ class and try to make go twice a week as much as my schedule allows. What I enjoy about him is that he creates a very positive environment. The quality of his movement is beautiful and there is a nice flow to everything. I agree that Helen Hayes’ class can be too fast, especially with all the direction changes she throws in. I haven’t been back since I got kicked in the head in her class. I do like a lot of things about her too, though. She really helped me find my center– she does physical adjustments, something most instructors don’t seem to do.
Comment by Maria — September 22, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
maria, right on. there’s something extremely positive about his class.
in terms of helen’s class. i would go if i could figure out how to memorize the amount of choreography in the time frame given.
Comment by Lotta Lundgren — September 22, 2007 @ 6:22 pm
Lotta, That’s exactly right. I think that’s why I always get injured in Helen’s class. I always come out of there with bruises in the most random places. Everyone else seems to have memorized the insanely long choreographies, which are fast and contain all these directions. If you can’t keep up, it’s frustrating and dangerous. The more I go to class, the better I get at picking up choreography. I think this is absolutely a learned skill that can only come with practice, particularly if you are more used to improvising.
Comment by Maria — September 23, 2007 @ 6:28 am
SOG knives…
Interesting ideas… I wonder how the Hollywood media would portray this?…
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