Aerial Sunday
Jan. 18th, 2005 12:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidSunday I took two classes from Firefly Dance: fabric sling, and aerial silk.
Wow. I'm not sure just what I expected, other than trying something new, but this was great.
First was the fabric sling class. Both classes use long fabric hanging from the ceiling/girders above, but in the sling class, it's looped over so there's a sling. There was a demo of some things that can be done, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to do anything. Thanks to the help of the spotters, I was. I'm not graceful, and I need help, but I was able to loop up and over into the sling; this is still the hardest part for me. The first time, my feet wanted to wrap themselves in the silk; after that, I kept my eyes closed. Weirdly, this worked. Oh, and since I didn't have a band to keep my glasses on, I ended up taking them off every time (I wish I'd had someone take a picture of me; the spotters didn't realize how blind I am without the glasses, since they thought I could see myself in the mirror. Not for at least a decade...).
First time up, it was just getting up. The second time up, I learned how to balance myself, arms stretched in front of me, the fabric over my hip bones just so. The third time up, I went from this stretched out position, rolling over (well, sort of; that definitely needs work) to my back (this was the position that felt most like pain, the fabric on my lower back), then turning upside down into "star" position: arms down, legs in a V upward (the sling around my waist). From there, I tilted up again, into a "cross", the fabric around the back of my shoulders. I raised my arms, and slid down to the ground. The fourth time up was a repeat of the third, trying to be more coordinated, more balanced, more graceful. I'm not there, but I'm still pleased and rather amazed that I did as much as I managed. It would be nice to be able to pull myself up into the sling with less (or no) help from the spotter(s)...
The second class I took was aerial silk, another beginner class. Except that everyone else had had at least one class under their belt, which made me feel a bit untalented with what I managed to do.
The silks for this class are hung from the ceiling/girders, but as two long trailing pieces, not a loop. So some of the moves can be similar, but getting up is a little different, requiring more strength, or muscle, or something. Something that I don't quite have. Or I was more tired. Or my muscles aren't up to bearing the mass I have. Or something. So while others were climbing to the top, then doing beautiful figures, I was working on getting onto the silks, pulling myself up a little, wrapping one foot in the fabric, then putting the other foot on top of the first. In the end, I managed it once, but my arm strength gave out, and I felt a bit discouraged. Still, it was more than I've ever managed before*, and that felt good. I really appreciate the spotters' help (which was more than in the first class), and that the master teacher congratulated me on pushing my boundaries, doing things I'd never tried before, which felt very nice. Perhaps undeserved, but still nice.
* This reminded me of one of the horrors of junior high gym class, climing the rope. Which I never managed, not even a foot. I hated how many public humiliations there were in junior high gym.
These classes were fascinating, invorating, and hard on my body. I woke up not only with muscle aches in unusual places, but bruises too. I have to admit I'm rather proud of them, despite the twinges of pain...
Oh, and *waves* to Infinitehotel, Klingonlandlady, and the other LJers there. Good to see you (also impressive to see what you've accomplished).
Sunday evening, I went to the Boston Theatre Works production of The Tempest. Due to a series of unfortunate events, it's at the Cyclorama, which is not an ideal space for theater.
The production is a good one, nevertheless. Not that I'd expected anything else, knowing the director's abilities, but it was still fun to see how it was played.
The round space was blocked to have a rectangular stage area, the audience circling it partway, and black curtains most of the way around, through which the actors could enter and exit. The set was minimal, more props, lighting, and sound than anything else. The beginning tempest had storm sounds and some ropes as the rigging, but nothing else. The biggest drawback to the space is how it can echo, more than is ideal with some of the dialogue.
The rest, well, the rest was lovely. Tempest is not my favorite play, but I'm always curious to see how it's played, especially Ariel. I suspect this is partly because the first production I saw of it had two people playing Ariel, as a three-legged character, saying lines together or trading off, which I was told is not usual. This Ariel was one person, a sprite in shiny silver with gold ribbons of cloth fluttering over it, a sprite who leapt, jumped, and cartwheeled about acrobatically, a sprite with a sense of humor. She was easily the most impressive actor in the production, though the one playing Caliban gave her a run for her money. Favorite costuming (other than Ariel's main costume) included Prospero's magic coat, an impressive floor-sweeping garment with lace-edged sleeves (I wants it!); the snorkel gear that Ariel used when told to appear as a water sprite; and the fantastic masks used late in the play, impressive headgear of feathers and height.
I enjoyed the show, though the muscle-sore part of me wished I'd been smarter about when I went to see it...
Wow. I'm not sure just what I expected, other than trying something new, but this was great.
First was the fabric sling class. Both classes use long fabric hanging from the ceiling/girders above, but in the sling class, it's looped over so there's a sling. There was a demo of some things that can be done, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to do anything. Thanks to the help of the spotters, I was. I'm not graceful, and I need help, but I was able to loop up and over into the sling; this is still the hardest part for me. The first time, my feet wanted to wrap themselves in the silk; after that, I kept my eyes closed. Weirdly, this worked. Oh, and since I didn't have a band to keep my glasses on, I ended up taking them off every time (I wish I'd had someone take a picture of me; the spotters didn't realize how blind I am without the glasses, since they thought I could see myself in the mirror. Not for at least a decade...).
First time up, it was just getting up. The second time up, I learned how to balance myself, arms stretched in front of me, the fabric over my hip bones just so. The third time up, I went from this stretched out position, rolling over (well, sort of; that definitely needs work) to my back (this was the position that felt most like pain, the fabric on my lower back), then turning upside down into "star" position: arms down, legs in a V upward (the sling around my waist). From there, I tilted up again, into a "cross", the fabric around the back of my shoulders. I raised my arms, and slid down to the ground. The fourth time up was a repeat of the third, trying to be more coordinated, more balanced, more graceful. I'm not there, but I'm still pleased and rather amazed that I did as much as I managed. It would be nice to be able to pull myself up into the sling with less (or no) help from the spotter(s)...
The second class I took was aerial silk, another beginner class. Except that everyone else had had at least one class under their belt, which made me feel a bit untalented with what I managed to do.
The silks for this class are hung from the ceiling/girders, but as two long trailing pieces, not a loop. So some of the moves can be similar, but getting up is a little different, requiring more strength, or muscle, or something. Something that I don't quite have. Or I was more tired. Or my muscles aren't up to bearing the mass I have. Or something. So while others were climbing to the top, then doing beautiful figures, I was working on getting onto the silks, pulling myself up a little, wrapping one foot in the fabric, then putting the other foot on top of the first. In the end, I managed it once, but my arm strength gave out, and I felt a bit discouraged. Still, it was more than I've ever managed before*, and that felt good. I really appreciate the spotters' help (which was more than in the first class), and that the master teacher congratulated me on pushing my boundaries, doing things I'd never tried before, which felt very nice. Perhaps undeserved, but still nice.
* This reminded me of one of the horrors of junior high gym class, climing the rope. Which I never managed, not even a foot. I hated how many public humiliations there were in junior high gym.
These classes were fascinating, invorating, and hard on my body. I woke up not only with muscle aches in unusual places, but bruises too. I have to admit I'm rather proud of them, despite the twinges of pain...
Oh, and *waves* to Infinitehotel, Klingonlandlady, and the other LJers there. Good to see you (also impressive to see what you've accomplished).
Sunday evening, I went to the Boston Theatre Works production of The Tempest. Due to a series of unfortunate events, it's at the Cyclorama, which is not an ideal space for theater.
The production is a good one, nevertheless. Not that I'd expected anything else, knowing the director's abilities, but it was still fun to see how it was played.
The round space was blocked to have a rectangular stage area, the audience circling it partway, and black curtains most of the way around, through which the actors could enter and exit. The set was minimal, more props, lighting, and sound than anything else. The beginning tempest had storm sounds and some ropes as the rigging, but nothing else. The biggest drawback to the space is how it can echo, more than is ideal with some of the dialogue.
The rest, well, the rest was lovely. Tempest is not my favorite play, but I'm always curious to see how it's played, especially Ariel. I suspect this is partly because the first production I saw of it had two people playing Ariel, as a three-legged character, saying lines together or trading off, which I was told is not usual. This Ariel was one person, a sprite in shiny silver with gold ribbons of cloth fluttering over it, a sprite who leapt, jumped, and cartwheeled about acrobatically, a sprite with a sense of humor. She was easily the most impressive actor in the production, though the one playing Caliban gave her a run for her money. Favorite costuming (other than Ariel's main costume) included Prospero's magic coat, an impressive floor-sweeping garment with lace-edged sleeves (I wants it!); the snorkel gear that Ariel used when told to appear as a water sprite; and the fantastic masks used late in the play, impressive headgear of feathers and height.
I enjoyed the show, though the muscle-sore part of me wished I'd been smarter about when I went to see it...
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