Last night, I attended Ainoa performance in her school’s International Night event. I am so impressed with this event. First of all, it is a night solely represented by dancing-boys and girls alike and there are dances representing at least 12 different countries such as India, Mexico, Iran, Ireland, China and Peru. Ainoa’s dancing has reached a new level. She has found her self within the music, knowing the choreography, understanding the rhythms. We can call this the comfort zone. So now we attack the emotional content and how to express it to the audience.
Seated yoga sequence to balance the chakras
Muladhara Chakra- root chakra- color red
- Easy pose (habitual cross leg first-both of us chose right over left). Feel sit bones. Show on skeleton model, where the sit bones are (Remind of the wrap of the psoas muscle and the Nerf ball.) Recross to non-habitual side and feel sit bones.
Svadhistana Chakra- sacral chakra- color orange
- Upavishta Konasana, with legs only as wide as the mat (short ways), with bolster under knees. Just resting arms on upper legs and letting head drop forward.
- Butterfly pose.
Manipura Chakra- solar plexus chakra- color yellow
- Easy seated twist. Right leg in front, right hand holds left knee. Recross. Left leg in front, left hand holds right knee.
Anahata Chakra- heart chakra- color green
- Bolster under shoulders and then moves after 3 breaths down the spine. Stopping and always taking at least three breathes in each spot. End with bolster under hips and do knees into chest. I pointed out to her that this is a back bend too. At first she did not believe e as she sees wheel as the only back bend, but I had her close her eyes and I told her to imagine she was standing on the edge of a pool and by leaning back, she was going to be able to dive in backwards. I could just tell from her energy shift that she was getting it.
Vishudda Chakra: throat chakra- color blue
- Ocean breath, in constructive breath, on in breath still holding, knees go out and on out breath pull knees back in towards chest, like a bellows.
Ajna Chakra: Third-eye chakra- color purple
- Release legs and let them rise to the ceiling (Make your body into an “L” shape-do not do shoulder stand). Make ankle circles in and out. Point and flex feet. Re-hug legs into chest.
Sahasrara Chakra: Crown of the head chakra- color white light/ glimmering diamond
- constructive rest. 1 minute mindfulness meditation.
Savasana- Chakra balancing
- Conscious rest
Emotion Cards: How to Dance With Heart (or how to access your emotional body)
I started to create a deck of cards that have emotions and energies written on them.
I chose words that I felt were evoked during flamenco dance and by listening to flamenco music:
Adoration, Anger, Despair, Determined, Energized, Fatigued, Fury, Grief, Happy, Sad
These cards jump started Ainoa and she started to create her own deck, where she then proceeded to create her own definitions and how they could relate to dance (they key words are underlined):
Angry: scrunched up face; angry eyes; eyebrows narrowing; eyes on fire
Calm: laying on the couch and watching TV.
Clumsy: bumping into things.
Curious: wanting to uncover something.
Determined: refusing to quit.
Happy: smiling, jumping, breathing fast.
Funny: you can make people laugh or other people can make you laugh.
Mysterious: lifting up one eyebrow; skulking; looking everywhere
Nervous: you have to perform in front of 3,000,000 people.
Pushed: feeling forced to do something
Sad: someone died; crying; eyes drooping; looking down; not really moving; dancing energy in down
Scared: you see a monster.
Suspicious: not believing what someone is telling you.
Identify flamenco emotions. Choose three or four emotion cards
Looking on youtube for
- Silvia Moreno: bulerías https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_5PT1rwQEA
- Merche Esmerelda: Guajiras (Saura) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_fZdzw_4v4
- Rocio Molina y La Tremendita: Bulerías https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYaY4zZgTas
- Miguel Poveda y La Lupi “Triana, Puenta y Aparte” Tangos de Triana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcbDYPO-uAU
- Tangos de la cava en Triana (El Titi) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwc_pzvP3G4
Ainoa and Eve Sevillanas
I Am Uniquely Eve 