[nabs-l] Acting and dancing

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Ashley,

Much of the dancing done in clubs, at least the actual dancing and not
the simulated sex some consider dancing, is considered hip-hop, but
there's an actual style of jazz dancing, which is hip-hop and is based
on specific moves and dances. A background in traditional jazz can help,
and many music video dancers have strong traditional dance backgrounds.

The rumba, I believe, is a form of Latin dancing, but often used in
ballroom dancing. The cha-cha is a ballroom dance. I'm not an authority
of Latin or ballroom dancing. I only did traditional dancing though
elements like Latin dances were incorporated into routines.

I took to dancing quite naturally, and started when I was four since my
mom was a dance teacher. I spent a lot of time in the studio dancing but
also practiced at home. During lunch in high school, a group of us opted
to eat in a room off the theatre rooms together, and a dancer friend and
I would practice ballet exercises together. This was more for fun than
practice though.

The type of dancing done in clubs or at parties doesn't require practice
and follows no real style or movement unless it is a type of line
dancing, which still doesn't require much practice. It's more a matter
of just learning the combinations.

I took dance classes from a studio. Most cities and towns have dance
instructors. I initially took from my mom and later from her cousin who
used to be the president of the dance association in Omaha. I later took
ballet classes with a local theatre group in Omaha, but I was 19 when I
started there and stopped when I was 21.

While in high school, cheerleaders and girls on the dance squad met only
met 2 or 3 days a week, and the dance classes I took were usually on the
weekends. I'd dance any where from 4 to six hours on a Saturday, doing
an extra week night every now and then.

I also did music and theatre in high school, but again, our practices
weren't every night with the exception of plays. We'd rehearse every
night until the weekend of a plays run then there would be a few weeks
between the next play we did. I was in swing choir and chorale which we
had to audition for, but were classes so a lot of practice time was done
during the day during class.

I usually did most my homework during study halls in high school, or
would do one classes homework during another class,  so I had very
little to do at home unless it was a big paper or project. I also have
always been a night owl so I'd stay up late no matter if it was to do
homework, practice something or just read for leasure. I'd be up as late
as midnight during the school year, which I still do even though I'm no
where near as involved in extra-curricular activities, smile.

Plus, I had the energy of a teenager! Now only in my early thirties, and
I already am noticing the wane in my stores of energy! LOL

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: 21
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:32:09 -0500
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Taking acting and dancing to learn natural
	movement	andexpression
Message-ID: <5DE647B969864768BE93CACE419D4151 at OwnerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Bridgit,
If I make it to a national convention, it would be cool to see how you 
dance.

Where do you dance performing this swing, hip-hop, and latin dancing?
Do you go to formal parties or clubs? I think some night clubs have
dance 
floors and that type of dance is more a hip-hop thing.
I've heard from many people that those are easier to pick up. Ballet
is one of the harder dance forms; takes more precision, control and
balance.
Even if you were sighted growing up, I don't know how you found time to 
learn and practice all these activities!
It takes practice to get things right. But it sounds like you were a
very 
well rounded child. I only took private piano lessons as a kid.
I remember homework taking up so much time that I did not have much
other 
free time. I was listening and reading books in braille and it took
longer 
to study and do assignments. I could not skim for any answers in the
text, 
nor can I now, but we don't have to answer questions after reading a
chapter 
fortunately.

Anyway, did you also learn salsa?
Are the rumba and waltz latin dances? What is  the cha cha considered?

Thanks.