I’m in the homestretch now of eight weeks out of the air due to a silly finger injury, a metacarpophalangeal joint collateral ligament sprain, to be precise. I’m usually pretty private about injury, but nearly two months of buddy taping my middle and index fingers together kind of let the cat out of the bag.
Throughout a lifetime of dance and aerial, I’ve never taken time off for injury. Not that I haven’t been injured—I’ve had bulging discs in my cervical spine, tendonitis in my elbows, and most recently, a torn labrum in my hip—just that I’ve always kept dancing right on through it (admittedly, not always the smartest choice...). So it’s almost funny that something as seemingly small as a finger has taken me down. While I’m not trying to paint a picture of my recovery time as all sunshine and rainbows, I have been trying to focus on the positive opportunities that have come from it:
About the Author: Elizabeth Stich is an RTAP reviewer and contributor to Born to Fly™. She holds an MFA in Modern Dance, a Certificate in Movement Analysis, and has performed as an aerialist in various parks including Sea World. She currently teaches at Salt Lake Community College and Aerial Arts of Utah.
Brought to you by Rebekah Leach
Several months ago, AerialDancing.com featured an article on a studio in Louisville, KY. Here's a link to that article. Below is a live interview conducted at the studio with the owners, Anne Brock Miller and Meg Wallace. This interview was done February 2016. (Sorry for the late posting.) It's a great look into the lives of two incredible women who are embarking on the journey of opening and sustaining an environment for the aerial arts. Listen as they talk about the surprises of opening a studio, structures that have worked/not worked, and balancing home life with the studio life. My suggestion: treat it like a podcast. Start making dinner, and hang out as Anne and Meg share their journey with you. Enjoy! The growth of a teacher is a fascinating process to witness. Having observed many teachers, I’ve noticed some common trends in the way teachers progress in their practice. For simplicity and the sake of this article, I have divided the growth process into 4 phases.
Phase I: Beginning Where they are: The brand new teacher may format classes a bit randomly at first. Warm-ups might not connect to the goal for the day, and there may not even be a theme. A teacher who is new to either the material or the process of teaching may hesitate to be an authority figure, or they may try to teach things they really don’t understand in an effort to impress. They gradually become aware that becoming a strong teacher is a long process. It involves observing, assisting, practicing on one’s own, cueing colleagues through sequences, studying each skill in-depth, and teaching a ton. How to move forward: A teacher in this phase needs structure. They should take and observe more classes, and pay attention to how other teachers structure the learning experience, cue, and respond to students’ needs. It’s important to realize that teaching is a completely different skill set from having a large aerial vocabulary. Teaching involves understanding the body, mind, and heart. Phase II: Emerging Where they are: This teacher may have been teaching for a short while, and is still getting the hang of things in terms of goals and theming. They may have a clear beginning, middle and end in their classes, but feel like they are only one step ahead of their students. Sometimes, stepping into the role of authority figure results in dogmatism (this way is the only right way). An emerging teacher might expect students to perform all skills in exactly the same way, and not understand why their small batch of cues don’t work for everyone. They might also expect every student to learn in the same way. This teacher’s cues are usually based on personal experience of each skill, but they may not necessarily see each student as a unique body/being just yet. How to move forward: A teacher in phase II needs to observe many, many different bodies moving in the air. Even people-watching at malls and airports can be enlightening. It’s important to recognize that different bodies require different alignment, cueing, and so forth. Learn to treat each student as a unique individual not just in their movement, but also in their mental processing and emotional landscape (while still maintaining clear boundaries). This teacher should search for new ways to teaching old stuff. Studying anatomy, kinesiology, and even educational psychology can also help. Finally, collecting images and cues from other knowledgable instructors will support this teacher’s ability to work with diverse movers and learners. Phase III: Expanding Where they are: This teacher has likely been teaching movement for an extended period of time. They modify and adjust class content based on the unique bodies and minds in the room. They can easily focus on proper alignment because of their knowledge of the body and their ability to move around the room while cueing and spotting. It’s possible that this teacher is getting bored or burnt out because they have a consistent routine, and they don’t know how to grow from here. How to move forward: A teacher in phase III could explore new teaching methods that are outside of their norm (i.e. using global methods, puzzles, etc. instead of always teaching linearly). They might benefit from a deeper study of anatomy, kinesiology, developmental movement, and other movement practices to carry new information back into the aerial studio. Learning to cross-pollinate aerial classes with other movement forms can provide a breath of fresh air if classes are becoming stale. Advancing one’s technique and vocabulary as far as possible is a great goal, but studying the theory behind aerial work may be even more powerful because it leads to invention. And if the teacher understands how skills are invented, then that process can be taught to students also. Then every class will bring out something new and unique. Phase IV: Innovating Where they are: This teacher is evolving the form through experimentation with various teaching methods and the invention of skills. They carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of different movement training systems, and make appropriate choices based on their findings. This teacher focuses on efficient movement patterning (working smarter, not harder) by emphasizing proper alignment, movement phrasing, initiation and follow-through. They appropriately challenge their students, but also encourage rest when it is needed. How to move forward: If the phase IV teacher has become caught up in training elite level aerialists, they should remember what it’s like to be a beginner. This teacher could find ways of viewing the most basic skills in a completely different (or deeper) way for a change in perspective. Or, this teacher might finally pursue the pet project they’ve always wanted to but never had time before. Studying another movement form or enlisting a teacher for oneself can also be powerful at this stage. Most importantly, this teacher must remember why they teach in order to sustain their career. I had the great pleasure of presenting workshops at the 1st Atlanta Aerial Arts Festival 2 weeks ago (thanks to Constance Echo Palmer at The Space for organizing it!) What an amazing event. Instructors and speakers from aerial arts, physical therapy, sports massage, make-up, and other specialties contributed to a well-rounded program.
My workshops focused on fundamental movement patterns and how they inform our work in the air. As a Certified Laban Bartenieff Movement Analyst, I often reference these movement patterns when working with dance and aerial students. Since the system is rather large, I chose to zoom in on a specific pattern for each workshop. On trapeze I focused on flowing through the spine, or the head-tail pattern. The articulation of each vertebral joint as well as the relationship between the head and the pelvis is a powerful awareness for an aerialist to develop. This pattern enables us to speed up or slow down rolls, balance across the bar, and slither around the apparatus using various pathways. Learning to lead with the head and flow through the spine, or lead with the tail offers us more movement possibilities that not only create more support in the air, but also invite more creativity. I also offered a mixed apparatus workshop focused on the upper-lower body pattern. This workshop could become a 1.5 - 2 hour session because there is so much to explore! This pattern helps us to ground into one part of the body to facilitate freedom in another part. On the floor, we typically ground through the lower body to find freedom in the upper body. This is the basis for dance, Pilates, and yoga. But once the body is in the air, any part contacting the apparatus can become the foundation for grounding. We began on the floor exploring how babies learn to crawl, because that is where the upper-lower pattern begins to form. This connected us to a sequence that Bartenieff called, “yield and push to reach and pull,” the foundation for walking and complex movements in aerial arts. Taking this idea into the air was both fun and challenging. I found it easier to access the “yield and push to reach and pull” pattern from seated on the bar, but it can also be translated to mounting the bar and other movements using hand holds. When an aerialist embodies the upper-lower body pattern, the performer appears to be in true relationship with the apparatus. I think of the great aerialists who know their apparatus so well, it’s like having a dance partner. As a mover, I personally feel more relaxed and efficient when grounding into the apparatus. I can move with greater ease and joy because I am not holding so much weight in my upper body, but allowing my weight to be supported by the bar. I am excited to develop these workshops further, especially since there are 4 other body patterns besides the 2 mentioned in this post. If you’d like to learn more about Bartenieff Fundamentals or movement patterning, please contact us and we’ll send you some references. What have you noticed about movement patterns in your own movement practice? Please let us know in the comments below! About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. Lions and mermaids and angels, oh my!*
It’s safe to say the animal (and supernatural) kingdoms are well represented in the aerial arts. Explaining to students why the 12th mermaid is different from all the previous mermaids they’ve learned may make you want to rip your hair out. I've certainly been there! While brainstorming with Rebekah Leach the other day, we noticed something interesting: There is a stark difference between a shape and a movement. A shape is stillness in form.** Examples include nouns like mermaid, bird’s nest, hip hang, star, and ball. A movement, however, is action. Actions are verbs like pull over, tuck, roll, slide, and drop. While moving the body does pass through multiple shapes, so combining both shapes and movements to describe skills could come in handy. Now, to make matters more interesting (or confusing?). Some aerial terms are dual-purpose, operating as both shapes and actions. For example: “A hip key” refers to the position of the body holding the fabric in a sine curve, and “to key over” refers to the action of rolling into position. To take it a step further, you could key over into any number of shapes like ball, pike, passe, etc. This reminds me of The Language of Dance, which states that actions often arrive in still shapes. Action arriving in a shape is a primary phrasing structure in the aerial arts, and it would make sense to utilize that format in naming skills. Historically speaking, many skills have been named for the ending shape (hence 30 different angels), while other skills have been named for the action used to get there. If we wanted to be very technical, we might use a combination of actions and shapes to describe a skill (i.e. seated drop to angel under the bar). I know, it’s a mouthful, but it is clear. So, should the short and sweet names be replaced by long technical names that define each action and shape in sequence? I think students respond well to shorter names because they are easier to remember (well, except for the 12 Mermaids, and maybe the Flying Purple Elephant is a bit much). Perhaps both can be useful. In her aerial dance manuals, Rebekah uses both a technical name for each skill as well as a poetic name - much like a generic name and a brand name. She also organizes skills into families, and mermaid is one of those! Why doesn't everyone agree on what to officially call each skill? I see three reasons - age, lineage, and systems. Aerial arts were originally passed down through professional circus performers, actors, and dancers from all over the world, making the form extremely diverse. Because each family or performance group came from different backgrounds, they worked under different vocabulary, not to mention different languages. Recreational aerial fitness is quite young, still in that "gangly teenager with acne" phase. In other words, it's a bit awkward. Remember Beowulf? It’s a great example of Middle English, with all the misspellings and inconsistencies that languages go through. Compare that to the refined technique of ballet celebrating its 355th birthday. As a technique ages, some terms stick because they are useful while others fade away. That is sure to happen over time in the aerial arts, too. Lineage also plays a role, as some skills are classically circus while others have an aerial dance lineage. Even ballet, while mostly consistent, has different systems like the French School, the Russian School, Cecchetti, Bournonville, and so on. I remember discussing Laban Movement Analysis at a conference with certified colleagues, and we still couldn’t agree on everything. That doesn't mean we couldn't eventually agree, but it is a process that involves respect for different viewpoints. The third challenge deals with systems, or making skill names cohesive within a bigger picture. When naming skills, consider how each skill relates to the others. The connections between skills reveal core concepts that make learning easier, opening doors to infinite movement possibilities. Where do we go from here? It's all personal preference. You could:
At the end of the day, do what is best for your studio, and have fun with it! What are your thoughts about aerial vocabulary? Please share in the comments below. _______________ Many thanks to Nancy Carter (Aerial Arts of Utah) and the Facebook group, “Creating a Common Language for Aerial Artists” for the inspiration to write this post. References: Your Move by Anne Hutchinson Guest and Tina Curran (see Language of Dance Center); inspiration from The Wizard Of Oz film. About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. Music…it’s the heart of every good aerial class and show. While it can be time-consuming to find just the right music for each class activity, I happen to make lots of them and am sharing my finds with you.
Music is important to me because it influences mood. I want my music to match the pace of the class activity, whether its warming up, practicing skills, improvising, conditioning, or cooling down. Music is a big motivator! The right tunes can help students to push through a challenging workout, or become more expressive. Studies show that music, “can reduce the perception of effort significantly and increase endurance as much as 15%.” (American Council on Exercise). That’s a huge number in the aerial arts! Think of getting just one more pull-up out a workout, which can help overcome a strength plateau and advance in skill level. For conditioning, I choose songs with a clear, easy-to-follow beat and an energizing tone. Some songs are faster than others to accommodate different types of movement, and to keep it interesting. Conditioning Playlist #1* (for adults) Faster: The Sun, Klingande Remix by Parov Stelar Lay It All On Me by Rudimental, feat. Ed Sheeran Memories by Romeofoxtrott Punga by Klingande Crazy by Gnarls Barkley Slower (Stretching): Leave a Trace by CHVRCHES 1998 by Chet Faker Finally Moving by Pretty Lights Instrumentals: Alphabets (Dakhimh Instrumental Remix) Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture Bohemian Forest by Panta du Prince Seventeen Years by Ratatat (short verbal intro in the beginning only) Loud Pipes by Ratatat Wildcat by Ratatat Check back for future playlist posts. Each with have a different theme or mood to use in class or inspiriting for new performances. Enjoy! *Disclaimer: Please check every song for appropriateness for your studio/classes before playing them live (and get appropriate licensing). It’s beyond our ability to check every song an artist has ever recorded or will record in the future, or to know what any one group of students/parents might find offensive. We do not receive any commission for recommending these artists. Reference: Bryant, C., D. Green and S. Merrill. ACE Group Fitness Instructor Manual: A Guide for Fitness Professionals, 3rd Ed. San Diego: American Council on Exercise, p. 287. About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. In Part 1 of this series, I focused on choices outweighing talents. If you missed Part 1, check it out here. In today’s post, I have found another great Harry Potter quote that relates to aerial teaching.
“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both influencing injury, and remedying it.” ~ Dumbledore, The Deathly Hallows Great news…we are all capable of a little magic! While the quote refers to words of encouragement or support, I will focus on a slightly different interpretation. Words can become “magic cues.” A magic cue is a word, phrase, or image that makes sense to a lot of people and produces the movement you are aiming for. Phrases like “float the foot” and “hug the fabric” not only clarify directions, but they also make a class more colorful. Peggy Hackney (dancer and somatics educator) writes that images organize the body/mind more clearly toward an intention than focusing on engaging individual muscles.* So, painting a picture with words is a powerful teaching tool. While I know there isn’t one best cue for every learner, it is good to note which cues have a strong success rate so you can keep them handy. I also like to stockpile images to help me work with many different learners. It’s particularly useful when working with beginners from different backgrounds, and it makes teaching more interesting for the instructor! When searching for “magic cues,” I think of the most common mistakes made in an aerial class and work from there. I remember the special words or phrases that helped me learn those skills. I also consider other movement methods like dance, rock climbing, and acrobatics to find links that can cross over into the aerial world. Then I visualize the exact direction, quality, and timing of the movement to select the best images. Testing them out to see what works (with an eye to safety, of course) completes the process. To take this a bit further: Combine several images to create a story. People love stories because they are memorable. And what better way to remember a series of steps than to add a little fun? I have a great cowboy/girl story for tying the stirrup foot lock, and it definitely reflects my playful teaching style. Keep collecting those magic words to help your students progress, and then share them with the community. What are your favorite “magic cues” or metaphors for aerial skills teaching? Let us know in the comment section below. *Peggy Hackney is co-founder of Integrated Movement Studies and author of Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals. About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. I like to quote movies in my aerial teaching that reveal brilliant life lessons. As a child I could quote The Princess Bride from beginning to end, (anybody want a peanut?) but that’s a story for another time.
While re-watching the Harry Potter series, I found several quotes that apply to aerial teaching. I'll admit it - I have a one-track mind! My favorite character besides Harry is headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. A great teacher in his own right, Dumbledore (written by J.K. Rowling) is full of wisdom. Here is one of my favorites: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Dumbledore, The Chamber of Secrets Which is more valuable…talent, or character? Our culture frequently values talent over character. Growing up as a dancer I was complimented for being gifted, not for being a hard worker. I did work very hard, by the way! Through my dance and aerial training I have learned the opposite is true - hard work gets you so much farther than talent. How does this play out in the aerial studio? I think it can be easy to give more attention to the talented students. Showering them with praise on their beautiful lines, strength, and so on may send a mixed message that ability is more valuable than grit. That’s not to say we shouldn’t point out students’ strengths. Everyone has strengths that should be shared because it helps us appreciate and learn from one another. But strength in aerial training involves far more than learning sequences or mastering difficult skills. An aerialist’s strength is not just what’s on the outside, but also what’s on the inside. Have you noticed anyone being brave lately? Think of the student who works hard, showing up multiple days per week to overcome their challenges. Or the student who keeps working on the one skill that frightens them the most. Have you noticed students encouraging one another? Or students volunteering to help with set-up or clean-up in the studio? These people show what it means to work like an adult. They know their choices have an impact reaching far beyond themselves. How can teachers acknowledge the inner strength in students? When I see a student take an expressive risk (i.e. dancing on the ground before moving into the air), I say, "I appreciate your bravery - keep going!" They may not be aware they are doing something worthwhile until someone else acknowledges it. When a student overcomes a challenging or scary move, I celebrate with them. When a student goes out of their way to be encouraging or help out at the studio, I thank them. Our words can be simple, yet powerful. Focusing on choice reinforces a studio culture of creating your own destiny and overcoming the odds. Like Harry Potter, we realize it is our choices (not talents) that make us heroes of our own lives. What stories do you have about overcoming the odds through aerial training? Please share in the comment section below! About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. I’ll admit it - I love a good quiz! We all have a special “zone” in the creative process where we feel right at home. Whether working on a performance piece, building a show, or running a studio, this quiz reveals which stage within the creative process makes you shine brightest. And you know me - cited sources are at the end. Have fun!
Take the quiz! When getting dressed for training, I: a) Wear whatever feels right. Sometimes I don’t even match. b) Consider my goals/to-dos that day and dress accordingly. c) Put together coordinated outfits. When choreographing a piece, my favorite part is: a) Improvising! I feel at home tossing around 100 different ideas. b) Making a statement. I want my piece to have a clear purpose and intent. c) Refining the details. Each gesture and moment contributes to the whole. When collaborating with others, I am the one who: a) Brings a shoebox full of ideas to the table. b) Reminds the group to focus on the goal of the project. c) Shapes the vision into a neat and tidy finished product. The training advice I relate to most is: a) Consider all the movement possibilities within each skill. b) Work harder and toughen up. c) Clean lines and fluid technique make all the difference. Which statement is most true for you? a) I am inspired by feeling. b) I am driven by purpose. c) I am focused on details. My favorite objects are: a) Anything with texture and color. When shopping I always touch the products on the shelf! b) Tools. Whether its a great web app or a hammer, I like things that help get a job done. c) Frames. I like finished edges that showcase the images they surround. One of my faults is: a) Getting distracted easily. I have so many ideas I don’t know what to do with them all. b) Digging in and not wanting to change, OR wanting everyone else to change. c) Getting so bogged down in the details that I forget about the big picture. I am most excited when: a) Exploring a new apparatus or idea. b) Mastering a skill I’ve been training for months, and moving on to the next challenge. c) Showcasing what I’ve learned for family and friends. The life stage I most relate to is: a) Youth. The wonder of childhood reminds me to explore and be creative. b) Teenage Years. I often give advice to those dealing with tough situations. c) Adulthood. I enjoy seeing a career come to fruition and think often about legacies. My favorite apparatus is: a) Invented apparatus, or aerial fabric. There are so many possibilities! b) Static trapeze, rope, or straps. I like the stability and linear movement. c) Aerial hoop or cube. It frames my lines beautifully. During performances, people come to me for: a) Group warm-up games. b) Advice in balancing a handstand or sticking a tricky move. c) Scissors. And eyelash glue. And a sewing kit. The backstage advice I give most often is: a) Enjoy the moment. b) Just do it. You've got this. c) Your rosin is right here. The word that best describes me is: a) whimsical b) methodical c) polished My favorite part of performing is: a) Playing with different hair and make-up ideas. The piece is never done! b) Setting up. I can haul chairs, pop popcorn, or do whatever job needs doing. c) Seeing everyone’s pieces come to fruition. I most prefer: a) Playtime. b) A hard workout. c) Finishing things. Tally your number of a’s _______ b’s ________ c’s ________ And here are the results! Mostly a’s: The Explorer You are an adventurer and creative to the core! Your many ideas win you friends all over, and your whimsical spirit is infectious. You dabble in many different projects, often handing off your ideas to others to finish. You tend to like mornings, youth and anything with the word, “new.” While you may have trouble deciding which projects to focus on (and can’t even fathom finishing anything), your ability to offer ideas to others makes you a prized member of any group. Mostly b’s: The Driver You are on a mission. Everything you do is intentional, with clear purpose. You are known for drilling tough moves again and again, inspiring others to do the same. When a challenge arises, you are just the one to get the job done. People often seek your advice when in difficult situations. Sometimes you dig your heels and resist change (or try to change others to your way of thinking), but your talent for coping with struggle is one your community can use. Mostly c’s: The Publisher You are a curator of the complete. You relish in seeing projects come to fruition. Your eye for finishing touches shows others that the devil is in the details. Clean lines, including straight knees and pointed feet, give you a sense of peace and calm. You are the perfect person to sew on a detached sequin, or save the day with your well stocked performance kit. Sometimes you get bogged down in details and forget about the big picture. But your talent for seeing things through to the very last lighting cue is vital to a smoothly running show. Sources: This quiz was inspired by Dr. Charles Johnston’s Creative Systems Theory (personality types are based on Early, Middle, and Late Axes), and Warren Lamb’s Movement Pattern Analysis . Lamb, a student of Rudolf Laban, looks at movement to understand people’s decision making patterns. What results did you get? Tell us about it in the comments section below, and please share with friends! About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook and Director of Training for Born to Fly Productions. Making enough time for personal workouts in a busy aerial teacher’s schedule is a huge challenge. If you teach multiple classes each week and have other obligations like family, another job, performances, etc. then regular personal workout time often doesn’t make the cut.
We prioritize our time based on what we feel is most important. If I felt that personal workout time was very important, I would never cancel it without good reason. Personally, I struggle to keep workouts on the calendar, so writing this post is motivating me to honor my own training time. How do we perceive personal workout time as valuable? If you are an altruist, know that prioritizing workouts actually helps students because it refreshes the teacher. During workouts I get new insights about aerial theory that I share with students the next week. I also enter class with renewed excitement rather than boredom. When I take better care of myself and set the example, I can take better care of others. Once we get decide the value of personal workouts, how do we make time for them? Here are some ideas that I’ve found to be helpful. 1. Create a personal warm-up for yourself to do before you begin teaching each day. Our creative minds crave rituals. The repetition and predictability of a choreographed warm-up frees up brain space to discover new things and get new ideas. It also prepares the body/mind to work and focus in a specific way. 2. Give yourself deadlines. Is there an upcoming performance you’d like to be part of? Or perhaps your studio has a student showcase that could feature faculty work. If you commit to performing on a certain date, you will be motivated to train regularly and get an act together. 3. Do a week of training with an outside coach. This is a great ritual to do once a year. Either bring in a a coach from outside just for you, or go out-of-town to do a workshop. Being a student again is the most powerful process a teacher can go through. Remembering what it is like to learn new skills or train in a new way helps you empathize with your students. 4. Teach a class that forces you to do movement research. Teaching new material has always been a great motivator for me. Developing a new course will get you in the studio, and can improve your technique or creative process. What ways have you learned to protect your personal training time? Share your comments below with the Born to Fly community! About the Author: Julianna Hane traded life on a cotton farm to become a dancer and aerialist. She is the author of the Aerial Teacher's Handbook, Director of Training for Born to Fly. |
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