Chocolate Love: Day 3

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Sadly I had to work at night, but at least I had most of the day with my dad.

l didn't get to dance on Saturday because my dad was sick. At first I was just about to get up to get ready when he came home from his military show, and I didn't really care that he was home, but he was sick. I didn't want to be downstairs for an hour in case he needed something and I didn't want to disturb him with the music.

Luckily I was back in my regular department today, so that meant less hours and more time to dance. I almost didn't make it today, either. I was laying around in bed for a while before I fell asleep twice, and then I just laid around until 3:30. I finally convinced myself to get up because I had been looking forward to dancing again and the song was in my head all day.

So today I was really itching to learn something new. I didn't want to keep doing the same thing for an hour. I'd been doing the steps in my head just about everyday, so I didn't forget them. I started off reviewing what I already know, which is the best way to start a session.

After just a few run-throughs, I moved on. I started from the beginning up until the part I already know, up to about 0:30. I already knew the opening walk, but I'm still having some trouble with it. I sometimes lose my balance when I bring my knees up, and there are some times where I feel like I'm bringing them up too early or too late. I can't really explain it, but it just feels like I'm doing it wrong. I'm just going to have to keep practicing.

On the first half of the first verse, Tiffany's part, I had some trouble at first. I had to learn the arms first and then the legs because I kept getting confused. I kept messing up the hands in the very beginning. I kept turning my hands inward too early. Then the legs on the same movements were messing me up. I kept forgetting to turn my left leg in on the second hand movement. It took a bunch of tries but I'm getting it. I still don't feel 100% comfortable with it, but it'll come with practice.

I pretty much already had the second part of the verse, Jessica's part, when I started to focus on it. It leads into the part I learned last week, so I kept seeing the end of it, then the first part of the verse leads into it, so I kept seeing the beginning of it. However, seeing and doing are two different things. I felt very awkward doing all of those movements. My movements aren't very fluid, so it felt weird. Also there's not a lot of room in the basement, so I kept having to turn around and find the amount of space that worked. But one movement felt okay facing one way, but the next move wouldn't. So I would turn sideways and try facing that way, but the same thing would happen. The part where they take two steps backwards, but would still kind of move toward the side, is the part I am referring to. Facing one direction was good for backing up, but there wasn't enough room to move to the side comfortably. Turning sideways was good for moving to the side, but it wouldn't be good for backing up. I really can't wait to find a good open space, whether it be a studio, a park, or a spacious room in a friend's house.

That's about it for today. The second half of my session consisted of running through everything I know, from the beginning to the end of the first chorus. Tomorrow will consist of practicing it all again, if I don't get too distracted by the UKISS variety shows L is supposed to send me. We're going to try to go to the concert in January! I really hope it works out, because it'll be our first KPOP concert! Hopefully S can go too!

Chocolate Love: Day 2

(I did say I was done with trying to be creative with my titles)

I was off from work today so I got to dance some more. I decided to just spend today's session practicing what I learned yesterday. I definitely felt more comfortable and less awkward than I did yesterday. I mean, it is a bit awkward swinging your hips from side to side as you slowly walk backwards while making fists with your hands and moving them up and down next to your head.

 

I mean really

 

 

But like I said, I did feel better about it today. After about 20 minutes, though, I was starting to get messed up. I would move my hips the wrong way again and I would turn my fists the wrong way or get confused as to which way they were supposed to face. That does happen sometimes. I would be doing well for a while and then all of a sudden I'd start messing up. But after a few tries I was back to doing everything correctly.

 

I can't remember if this happened yesterday (or really how often it happened because I know it did happen), but I noticed myself losing my balance quite a bit. It mostly happened during various parts of the bridge. Ever since I stopped dancing at my studio when I was 16, I lose my balance easily. It really sucks when you're a dancer because dance relies on balance. I just try to ignore it most of the time, but it usually catches me off guard and then I end up embarrassingly stumbling. I really need to work on that.

 

Aside from mini mistakes and slight loss of equilibrium, I had fun dancing today. I really feel like I'm getting the bridge and the chorus, and I'm thinking that next time I dance I should be able to move on. It all depends. Maybe not next time since I don't think I can dance again until Saturday, and I'll want to make sure I'll still remember what I've done so far.

 

Because of the holidays, work is going to start getting crazy, so I may be dancing less, but I'll try to squeeze in more time!

I Call It Chocolate Love

I call, I call it Chocolate Love~
Yup, I'll be learning this dance next.


I've gotten so slack with this omg. I'm going to try harder to update more.

So it’s about high time I finally choose another dance to learn. I haven’t done anything since the Growl classes ended, but I’ve really been feeling like dancing lately. Funny how I was unsure if I really wanted to put Chocolate Love on my list, and now I'm really excited to try it. It did take a little while for me to like it. I didn't like the song or the dance very much when I first saw it, but several months ago I decided to give it another try. Again, I didn't really care for it, but I was liking the dance more, so I decided to just put it on the list. It’s now been in my head ever since I randomly selected it over the weekend. It has a slower, sexier feel to it, and I guess it’s better to start off with this one. Like I said, I haven’t done anything since September, so it probably wouldn’t be good to do something fast, difficult, and high energy. I think this is the perfect dance for me right now.

I've been watching the practice video nonstop for the past few days, and today I finally had the house to myself, so I started learning it. Instead of learning a new section of the dance each day, I’m going to learn a new section every week, (or at least try to) as if I was taking a class. So tomorrow and every day I get the chance I will be going over what I did until next Tuesday, and then I will learn the next part. I feel like this worked with the Growl class to help me remember (as well as having an excellent teacher; I really do better in an instructional setting), so I’m going to try it on my own.

I focused on the bridge into the chorus, from 0:33 to 1:05. The chorus was probably the first thing I picked up from watching it over and over, so it was really easy to do. The part where they take small steps backwards while bringing their hands up and down by their faces was a little confusing at first. I had started to try it the other day and I kept moving my hips in the wrong direction. But since I had the space to practice I was able to actually move backwards, so it was easier to do and my hips were moving in the right direction.

The second half of the bridge is really easy, just small steps from side to side while fan-opening and closing your hand over your head. The first part is a little trickier, just a lot of quick, sharp movements that can get your head spinning at first. It took a lot of repetition and watching that part on the video over and over until I got it. What works with difficult parts is to split the arms and feet. I first practiced all the hand and arm movements separate from the feet then vice versa. Of course at first when you put them all together you might get a bit tripped up, like I did, because now you have to remember two things at once, but you’ll find you’ll get it quickly. After the first try with the hands and feet together it was smooth sailing.

After practicing for almost an hour, I decided to run through Growl one time because I haven’t practiced it since the last day of class. Oh my gosh I forgot a lot more than I thought I did. I knew I’d have trouble with the second bridge and the part during the rap leading into the slower section, but I wound up messing up in just the first verse! That was embarrassing. I had to turn around and try it with my back to my laptop. I think I was distracted by anticipating messing up and wanting to watch the boys dance. I’m afraid to do all the other dances I know now >< I haven’t practiced in months!

I’m going to try to be better at updating. My accounts of the last two Growl classes at I Love Dance will be up soon.

Growl Day 2: Second Day of Class 9/13/13

Since right after the first class had ended I was extremely excited for the second class, and L felt the same way. That first class was her first dance class EVER, and she really had fun and enjoyed herself, which I was really happy to see.


(picture of studio from street)

The second night we learned the beginning up to where we started the first week, up to 0:36. This was the part I thought I would have trouble with (aside from the floor part, but I'll cover that in the next post). At first glance I thought the beginning would be hard to learn because of all the little movements. They were simple but fast, and it was sometimes hard to catch little things. But when everything was broken down in class, I saw it really wasn't hard at all and it was really fun. There was one part, from 0:29 to 0:33, where I was having some trouble. For some reason I kept messing up and it wouldn't click. I knew I would definitely have to practice this once I got home.

L and I left class in a lot of pain once again. I didn't practice until the following Wednesday. I finally got up and took a walk around the development for about 30 minutes then I came home to practice. I started out in the living room but my bouncing around knocked stuff over (whoops...sorry dad). So after I fixed everything I headed to the basement where I have a small piece of floor to work with. I danced for probably over an hour. I was having way too much fun.

While I was practicing I did notice a slight error we learned in class. During 0:29 to 0:31 after the little leg twist, the boys quickly cross their legs while raising up their left arm, then they step out with their right leg when they put their hand on their...crotches (that's right I said it). When I was practicing with the video, I remember thinking that I didn't remember doing the quick leg-ball-change-cross. When I got to the third class I realized why: we stepped out right away with the right leg instead of crossing first. Now, I'm such a perfectionist, so this slight difference really bothered me. On my own practice time I did the cross, but in class I wouldn't do it.

I was only able to practice that one day, because Thursday I woke up with a sore shoulder and a sore neck, and the sore turned into a strain when I moved the wrong way. I could barely move until later that afternoon, and I spent all night and the next day trying to keep the pain away. I couldn't believe I hurt myself that badly, and I was just hoping it wouldn't hurt in class and that I wouldn't strain it again.

Growl Day 1: First Day of Class 9/6/13

So I'm going to stop with the lame titles because I'm not creative, and I'll post screencaps from the video later because right now I don't feel like doing it (don't kill me).

 

The first night we learned the first bridge and right up to the end of the first chorus, from 0:37 to 1:03. The chorus is so much fun. The little floor part was a little tricky at first because I felt like I was just switching legs instead of swinging them around, but after a while I started to get it. Everything on the "eureurong" parts is really fun. I especially like the parts from 1:01 to 1:03. It took several run-throughs, but by the end of the hour I felt pretty good about knowing what we had learned.

Once class was over, though, L and I were in so much pain. My shoulders and thigh muscles hurt so bad, and they took days to heal. I'm really out of shape.

And then I was bad all week and didn't practice. But I had a lot to worry about! I took the NCLEX the following Wednesday and I had to make sure I was prepared. I also still needed to figure out where to practice, as my dad's house has some room but a lot of breakables. I did review it in my head constantly and reviewed the video several times. I know it's important to physically practice it, but I at least remembered what to do and when. I was also resting up my muscles for the next week.
Now let me take a minute to talk about the experience itself, because that was probably more exciting for me than the dance. L and I took the train into NYC and then hurried off to the studio. Luckily it's only a few streets and an avenue away from Penn Station, otherwise we probably wouldn't have been there. We get to the door and had to buzz in, then we walked up stairs, walked down a short hall to another set of stairs, then probably went up 2 or 3 more flights until we got to a door. We went inside and came to a small open area with a desk, couches, several doors to different studios, and another set of stairs. We signed in then went upstairs where there were many other studios and more couches, and waited outside of Studio 10. The whole area had a kind of loft appearance, and I really liked it a lot. Inside the studio there were big windows on the wall opposite side from the door. You could see inside them from the street, and I just thought that was so awesome. As we were dancing, I couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride and achievement. I was dancing in NYC. Okay, sure, it wasn't a prestigious ballet company. It was just a KPOP class purely for fun. But I was dancing in a studio in NYC, where many other dance companies practice. It's something I never thought I'd ever do, whatever the style of dance. I just thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the atmosphere, and enjoying the dance made it even better.
 

I Am Extremely Late

Wow September has flown by. I passed the NCLEX and I learned a new dance! So obviously I don't have my review yet for EXO's "Growl." I'm still trying to figure out what exactly to put in the reviews.

*Sigh* I keep saying I want to make this blog into something good, and I've been wanting to do it for a while, but I never update. That's not going to get me anywhere.

I had an amazing time at I Love Dance in NYC, and once I get a job (which should hopefully be soon) I hope to return to learn more dances. I definitely do well in a class setting with someone teaching me the moves. I remembered the moves from week to week and I still remember them. I am also in the process of locating local dance studios that will take adults. My friend is taking classes at her college, and I almost signed up until I found you have to be associated with the school in order to go :( I know of one other studio that one of my old teachers now teaches at. I don't think it's all that close, but they teach adult classes so I will keep them in mind. I definitely want to take jazz classes again, and I really want to try ballet again. I haven't done ballet since I was 6, but watching Dance Academy last year gave me a new, greater appreciation for it and I want to try my hand at it again. I may also try lyrical and hip hop. Lyrical looks very pretty, and I usually picture lyrical dances in my head when I listen to music. I also want to feel more comfortable dancing hip hop, and I've been gaining a new appreciation for it as well.

Since I don't want to make a really long post, I will write about each class in four separate posts.

New Dance Next Month?

So I *might* be learning EXO's "Growl" next month! I Love Dance is teaching it on Wednesdays at 7 and Fridays at 8 in September and I really want to go! I've talked to L and S about it, and they're both really into it. It's looking like Friday might be the day for us, but it all depends on their schedules. Of course I've got nothing going on ._. It sucks being jobless. But that's a whole other story!

The problem is if they can't go, then I can't go either. It's really not a good idea to walk around NYC at night, as much as I'd still want to go anyway. We'll just have to see how it goes. If everything works out, hopefully once we learn it we can get together and record it, and then I'll finally have a cover up! That'd be great!

I really hope everything works out, because I REEAALLLLYYYYYY want to learn this dance! It looks like it's a lot of fun! But I'll talk more about how much I love it in my next post (that was supposed to come before this one D: ) when I list the new dances I've added to my list. I'm really looking forward to this class, and if we have a good experience I hope to attend more of their classes again!

*I Love Dance has not paid me or anything to talk about them here. I just think that they've got something really awesome going on and I really hope to join them next month*