Teach Them How to Dougie

Each week, we have an hour and a half class, called Peer Led Movement. Each member of the course takes turns teaching a unique class. This is my favorite time of the week, because I get to take free, technique classes in a supportive, creative environment, with my friends, taught by my friends.

First, we had an improvisation and skinner release technique class, led by a Canadian who just finished her Masters in Choreography at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance. For the record, we have to go there for my course sometimes, and the building is amazing. The 360 virtual tours on this page are great:

http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/student-experience/campuses-accommodation/faculty-of-dance

This class was nice, because the material was familiar to me and it brought me back home.

The next class was in hoop dancing, taught by a professional hooper from London. She makes and sells her own hoops as well, and brought them for us to use. She is actually amazing.

I’ve always hulla hooped, but I’ve never done hoop dancing. I left that class being able to hoop with different rhythms, do arm tricks, and walk and turn while hooping. It is so much fun!!

Then, we had a class in Chinese folk dancing, led by a dancer from Tiawan. This class included lots of intricate finger movements and hand exercises. It was really difficult! We had to have total control over our bodies, each finger, and sustain that while adding scarf manipulation into the dance. We ended by learning a Buddha dance. Here is a professional company’s version of what we learned.

Fun fact, all of these dancers are deaf. We watched this at the beginning of class, to get a better idea of what we were going to be doing that day.

Last week, an Israeli student taught a belly dancing class. She went over all the basic steps and hip movements that are typical of a beginner class. She looked at me skeptically as I swirled my hips in figure 8s, while snaking and popping my ribs. No, I’m not a belly dancer (I’ve taken one class in my life), I’ve just been trained in isolations from an early age. I really enjoyed the music and the dancing, though.

Tomorrow, I am teaching my class, and it’s going to be hip hop. *Gasp* What?! But, Jenna, you’re a contemporary jazz dancer! Yes, this is my forte, but I am not going to teach a jazz class for three reasons:

1. I would rather die than teach jazz basics to mixed level adults.

2. This class is meant to be unique, and I assume that out of 20 dance graduates, most have had some jazz training.

3. Everyone freaked out in excitement when I mentioned hip hop as an option.

Also, I have a lot more hip hop training than most people realize. I actually started dancing in elementary school in a hip hop club, in the gym during lunch. I have taken various hip hop classes in studios, and at workshops with people like Tabitha D'umo, Travis Wall and Craig Hollamon. I also did competition hip hop for 4 years on my high school dance team. Then, continued to perform hip hop with a few companies, while in undergrad. And, as many of my Irish friends can attest to, I will throw myself into dance battles at the drop of a hat.

Anyway, I just thought it would be a fun class to teach. I decided to compile an all Detroit playlist, with the exception of one song. Because, well, I have to teach them how to dougie.

Wicked Witches and Magic Forests

School has been getting hectic, as I’m coming to the end of term. There are papers, projects, and placements galore. My placement is two days a week in a mainstream primary school, in Hackney. I get exhausted just watching the teachers keep the organized chaos in the classroom under control. My projects are on fibromyalgia and DMP, and a group project on setting up therapeutic spaces in schools. My other papers are mostly on movement analysis and observation. Thankfully, one of these papers provided a much needed break for me, because it involved going to a dance performance.

I chose to see Wicked, because a fellow Michigander had already invited me to see it with her, and because I’ve wanted to see it for ages. I was completely giddy on the train to the theatre. I know every song by heart and will always associate them with my time at Studio 1 and with DEMI. The Apollo Victoria Theatre is only showing Wicked, so the entire theatre is transformed into a green, glowing, magical place. I passed on the old timey candy cart, but didn’t regret the fancy glass of pink fizzy wine, that I balanced precariously in my hand, as I made my way to my red velvet seat.

The show was spectacular, beautiful, and uplifting. I left the theatre, soaring and nostalgic for high school.

The previous night was almost as wondrous. About once a week, I go to Brick Lane, with Abigail to get Indian food. The street literally sells nothing else, and you can walk down it until the best deal is offered to you.

“Miss, come here! 10% off!” Not good enough.

“This is the place ladies, free wine and pappadoms!” Sold.

Our Indian dinners are always fabulous, if not slightly awkward when I have to reassure the waiter multiple times that, yes, I know phall is extremely hot, and yes, that is what I want to eat. I swear my street cred on Brick Lane is through the roof, because this little, White, American girl can easily stomach the hottest curry available.

After dinner, Abigail told me about a popup promotional event in the neighborhood, The Rekorderlig Winter Forest Bar (I later learned that this closed 2 days later and was completely sold out). We tentatively approached the red velvet ropes, but were let in right away. It was beautiful.

The sampler given to everyone included apple cider, orange-ginger cider, winter cider, wild berries cider and an arctic cheese croquette topped with cloudberry chutney.

With Kesha and One Direction playing in the background, I could barely sip my mango raspberry cider through my giant grin. Forget Disney World, this is truly the happiest place on earth.

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November

Today is Guy Fawkes Day. This is commemorated with Bonfire Night, where his effigy is burned in a bonfire, with the addition of fireworks and sparklers. The celebration is so similar to our 4^th of July, that is has me a little thrown. You hear fireworks popping all weekend, lots of people have off school this week, overhearing conversations on the train, “Do you have the meat for the barbecue? What about the fireworks? Yeah, everyone will be arriving around 6. Collin is bringing the spirits and Alice has the sweets.”

All weekend there was an array of firework shows, and I was determined to see at least one. I am a HUGE fan of fireworks “just because they’re pretty.” I went to the Blackheath Fireworks, because it was free and because the comprehensive list I found online had a little star that said “recommended” next to it. The website also mentioned that 100,000 people attend the Blackheath show annually, so it seemed like a good idea.

When I got off the bus and started walking toward the commons, I suddenly spied a tilter whirl in the distance. “Oh my god. IT’S A CARNIVAL!!” The group I was with started laughing at me, because without noticing, I had begun skipping and hopping toward the fairgrounds. “Oh look, she bounces! That’s fun.”

I tried to control the spring in my step, but found it impossible. I thrive on events like this, not as a participant, but as a spectator. As I approached the carnival, I was not disappointed. It was aesthetically pleasing and the positive energy was infectious. As we made our way through, finally some of the girls with me started to get excited. I think all of us had to control ourselves when we saw the human hamster ball area.

We made our way to the food stands, picked up some mulled wine to heat up our chilly hands, and waited for the fireworks. The huge crowd continued to gather as paper lanterns were lit and left to float into the sky, children played with their glowy swords in epic lightsaber battles, while groups of adults twirled sparklers around with the same enthusiasm.

Finally, a voice came over the loudspeaker and started a group countdown from ten. Then, boom! The fireworks began.

The show lasted for about 20 minutes and was absolutely beautiful. Mouth gaping, staring at the sky, eyes twinkling; I wished to never lose my sense of wonder.

Street Feast

A few weeks ago, I found out about a weekly event called Street Feast. This video will describe it a lot better than I could:

Also, their website is pretty cool:

Street Feast London

Basically, this place was heaven: a warehouse with 18 different food stalls, 2 bars serving mulled wine, vintage clothing, books and vinyl for sale, music and face painting for this week’s Halloween theme. The group I went with decided to divide and conquer, so we could try as much different food as possible. Here are a few of my favorites:

Duck and pomegranate bite from The Russet stand

Wild boar and venison sausage sandwich with melted cheese and grilled onions from Wild Game Co. stand

You Doughnuts - rolled in vanilla sugar, drizzled with melted white chocolate and sprinkles

And here are just a few other pictures:

Harry Potter and Halloween

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. There were 2 problems with that this year:

1. It fell on a Wednesday. My Wednesdays go from 7:30am- 5:30pm, sometimes 7:30pm. Then, I have class at 9am Thursday morning. Needless to say, Wednesday is not a night for merriment.

2. They don’t really do Halloween here, save for a few decorations and some halfhearted costume parties in pubs and clubs.

I spent Halloween week doing the best I could with what I had to work with.

I went on an informal outing to go see some Harry Potter filming locations around the city, whilst nibbling on fresh falafel, which was my main incentive to go. As most of you know, Harry Potter is not really my cup of tea…. I sort of cut off our relationship in middle school and we haven’t talked since. Before I hear a thousand gasps and cries of blasphemy, let me just say that I have actually been inspired to pick him back up and make amends. When I’m home for the holidays, I may dust off that 5^th book and read past page 50 this time. Here’s why: This city is filled with mysterious doors, roads and alleys that ignite my imagination, which is one of my favorite things about wandering around and losing myself here.

The Alley that Rowling cited as her inspiration for Diagon Alley was my favorite of the Harry Potter walk. It has interesting shop fronts selling maps, old books, antiques, etc. One shop, called “Through the Looking Glass” was just completely empty and had two women sitting in chairs inside. It was bizarre.

 We also saw one of the filming locations for Diagon Alley

 And Gringotts bank

We concluded our walk with a drink and some nibbles at a thai restaurant in the area.

Fast forward to Wednesday:

I wake up, basking in the glow of Halloween happiness. I go to therapy, then skills class, then peer led movement, then movement studies… energy and glowiness fading along the way. I get home and waffled between immediately going to sleep, or listening to some jams and hyping myself up for the best holiday ever. While doing my flat mate’s hair and makeup, I decided that not dressing up was not an option. But, going out was also not an option. I decided to throw on a bunch of different outfits until I “looked liked something” and then do hair and makeup to play it up. I ended up being a pinup girl “for my man overseas.” Get it? I thought it was clever. Anyway, I had some wine with the ladies before they went out to the pub. Then, went back to my flat and crawled into bed.