[nabs-l] Taking acting and dancing to learn natural movement and expression

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Andi,

I danced for almost 20 years. When I was four, when I started, I was a
little elf in a local performance of The Nutcracker, and ever since,
I've had a life-long love affair with the stage! Smile. My mom was also
a dancer and owned her own studio. She recently opened another dance
studio after years of not dancing. My feet never bled from ballet
pointe, though I would experience aches and pains after dancing for
hours. Since I'm diabetic, I took extra care of my feet. I also was on
my high school dance team, but senior year decided to do cheerleading
and I ended up a captain for the cheerleading squad. I no longer take
formal dance classes since I've not found being blind condusive to
certain dances especially ballet, at least in terms of how I use to
dance. When turning and such, it becomes disorientating and my balance
isn't always great, which does not lead to expert conditions for ballet.
I do still dance for fun, and while swing, hip-hop, latin dancing still
have a very technical aspect, they are fun and can be easier to pick up.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 10
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:20:54 -0500
From: "Andi" <adrianne.dempsey at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Taking dance and acting to learn natural
	movement	andexpressions
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Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Yes any dance form to truly be performance ready takes many years and 
dedacation, but any dance class would be helpful.  I took several
diferent 
dance classes for many years and was on my HI school and college dance
teams 
so I agree with what you are saying.  However there are shorter classes 
designed to give the basics in lattin ballroom, swing,  treditional ball

room, and hip hop.  The Y offers such classes as well as  community 
colleges.  It will not make anyone a professional but it will deffenatly

help.  Zoomba classes are also offered at many gyms and will be just as 
helpful as well as give anyone who does it a rockin body.  You are so
right 
about the acting classes and I never thought of moddaling classes.  I
think 
it is awesome you did ballet that was one thing I never had the disaplin

for.  I didn't like the idea of my feet bleeding.  It is so beautiful 
though.  I took the easy way on that front and did moddern.  My favorite
was 
lattin ballroom though because I like the rhythms and how sexy it feels
and 
looks.  I allso really loved swing because it is so fun and hi energy
that 
even if you mess up you cant help but smile.  Also it is much simpaler
to 
cover a mistake in swing.  How long did you dance for?