Modern Dance (for Majors II) Goals: Bryttni Pugh

1. My body will, at its best, create and maintain a balance between mobility and stability through

proper weight shifting whilst using turn-out or in parallel.

I need to practice certain exercises that Ive learned thus far in class that demonstrate this

concept clearly. The leg swings across the floor require a balance of mobility and stability by

grounding the standing leg like a tree with its roots extending outward and brushing the working

leg through first position to either attitude front or attitude back. The chasss and preparation to

start the other leg require weight shifting. Every other day (i.e. Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday;

Saturday will be a day off), I need to do four sets of leg swings with the left and right legs turned

out. The first two sets will not have the arm coordination and will be a slower tempo; I need to

be able to feel the contrast in movement. The next two sets will include the arm movement done

in class and will be at a faster rate to test my balance. I will then repeat this exercise in parallel to

notice the difference in range of motion. Additionally, I will revisit elementary balance from the

Horton technique to improve this balance.

Another class exercise that encompasses these concepts is one where I pli and lift the foot

with resistance, tendu, lift my leg from the knee to place it gently outside of my box, and shift

my weight back to my standing leg. As I shift I pass relev for a balance and quick weight

transfer. Every other day (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) I need to complete this exercise

en croix in parallel and with turn-out. As a warm-up to capture each concept individually, I will

execute sways (side-to-side and front-to-back with easy breathing until I am comfortable) for

weight shifting, jump squats (set of ten for mobility), and lunges (two sets each leg for at least

thirty seconds with and without high arms for stability).

2. I will sustain a handstand for at least five seconds through a concentration in upper body

strength primarily the triceps, biceps, and core/abdominals to not only accomplish a

handstand, but to connect the newfound strength to various exercises that will benefit from a

balance between upper body strength and lower body strength.

I need to begin by seeing where I am at in a handstand. I will do a few of my best attempts

and then go up against a wall to hold the position. I will then break down the components of a

nicely executed handstand by different muscles. Every non-yoga day (i.e. Monday, Thursday,

and Friday), I will do five to ten push-ups to target the pectoral muscles and triceps, as well as

ten triceps dips and ten one-arm presses on each side. For my biceps, I will do ten bicep curls

and one-minute arm circles in both directions. For my core, I will do twenty-five sit-ups while

actively engaging my mouse-path ab space, five coccyx balances (fully stretched with arms

above head, lift upper body up as knees come towards the body), twenty knee-to-forehead leg

scissors, and the core lifts exercise we do in class (lift up with arms in second or lift up with arms

in first to second).

As I improve towards the end of the semester, I challenge myself to test my strength and

stability by doing ten pike rolls with an exercise ball (roll up to pike and roll down to plank) to

mimic the transition from downward dog to plank that I work on in my yoga practice and ten

shoulder taps (tap shoulders while holding a handstand against the wall) to test my progress. I

will also be working out my legs in these exercises, but the focus is towards my weaker upper

body. Upon improvement, I will be able to balance better in turns or in weight shifts for both

modern and ballet technique, and I will understand the proper way to align my body (i.e. using

core muscles to not stick out ribs).

3. My body will, at its best, embrace and control fluidity by utilizing pli and allowing certain

parts of the body to be free-flowing in space.

Undercurves require a pli before and during the shift in weight in order to be fluid. I

smoothly slide beyond my own space to encourage travel within each movement. The

undercurve exercise needs to be done outside of class at a slow and fast pace to truly utilize the

pli; therefore, I will execute undercurves en croix twice on each side every other day (i.e.

Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday). I believe a simple pli exercise needs to be included: two

demis and a grand pli, pli to relev for eight counts, and roll through to balance for each

position.

For free-flowing movement in space, I would revisit the leg swings to make sure I am not

trying to be sharp with the attitudes and arm coordination, but to be more relaxed and continuous

like a swing. I will use my head to lead me into a falling sensation. Just as I fall or nearly do so, I

need to catch myself and repeat it right away; the sensation is still like swinging. I need to

complete this exercise for at least five minutes every other day (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday), and I may want to explore leading with other body parts and notice how I react with

each, depending on how I would like to move in that present moment.

 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
Goal One *4 sets of *Sways, 10 *4 sets of *Sways, 10 *4 sets of *Sways, 10 Rest Day
leg swings jump leg swings jump leg swings jump
turned out squats, 2 turned out squats, 2 turned out squats, 2
*4 sets of lunges *4 sets of lunges *4 sets of lunges
leg swings without leg swings without leg swings without
in parallel high arms, in parallel high arms, in parallel high arms,
*1 set of 2 lunges *1 set of 2 lunges *1 set of 2 lunges
elementary with high elementary with high elementary with high
balance arms balance arms balance arms
*Weight *Weight *Weight
~ 5-10 mins transfer en ~ 5-10 mins transfer en ~ 5-10 mins transfer en
croix croix croix

~ 5-10 mins ~ 5-10 mins ~ 5-10 mins

Goal Two *Optional *5-10 *Optional *Optional *5-10 *5-10 Rest Day
yoga (or pushups yoga (or yoga (or pushups pushups
the *10 triceps the the *10 triceps *10 triceps
challenges dips challenges challenges dips dips
for later in *10 one- for later in for later in *10 one- *10 one-
the arm presses the the arm presses arm presses
semester) *10 biceps semester) semester) *10 biceps *10 biceps
curls curls curls
~ 1.5 hour *Arm ~ 1.5 hour ~ 1.5 hour *Arm *Arm
class circles class class circles circles
*25 sit-ups *25 sit-ups *25 sit-ups
*5 coccyx *5 coccyx *5 coccyx
balances balances balances
*20 *20 *20
scissors scissors scissors
*Core lift *Core lift *Core lift
exercise exercise exercise

~ 10-15 ~ 10-15 ~ 10-15

mins mins mins
Goal *Under- *Falling *Under- *Falling *Under- *Falling Rest Day
Three curves en exercise curves en exercise curves en exercise
croix croix croix
*Plie ~ 5-10 mins *Plie ~ 5-10 mins *Plie ~ 5-10 mins
exercise exercise exercise

~ 5-10 mins ~ 5-10 mins ~ 5-10 mins