Healthy Performer

Healthy Performer Lesson 1

18/09/18
Breakfast: Eat slow release carbs such as porridge or brown bread.
-This ensures that you will have good consistent energy levels throughout the day to allow you to train.
Lunch: Low sugar meal to keep energy levels constant.
-Whilst eating sugar may temporarily spike energy levels, after this the performer’s energy levels will drop even lower than before making them feel more tired.
Dinner: High protein meal to build muscles overnight.
-Examples of healthy protein sources include salmon, nuts, chickpeas and various meat.

 


















Healthy Performer Lesson 2
25/09/18                          
In today’s lesson we used our picture that we resourced to draw out our “healthy performer’s plate”. In my case I made a vegetarian version of this plate as these are predominantly the foods I eat.

We also each took a food group (mine was dairy) and researched what different vitamins or nutrients these gave us.

We also began to discuss health and safety within the studio and reasons for each rule.
















Healthy Performer Lesson 3
02/10/18
Today’s lesson we focused on what warming up is and why it is important.
Warming up can be simply described as preparing the body for the task it is going to do.

For exercise in particular it is very important to warm up properly for several reasons, these include:
-Allowing the muscles to have full range of movement
-Loosening up the muscles
-To avoid injury

Warming up for physical exercise should always start with cardio such as star-jumps, running or jumping. This increases heart rate which increases blood flow to the muscles. This also ensures the blood is less viscous and the fluid in the joints is less viscous allowing greater movement in the joints.

This should then be followed by warming up the muscle groups- starting with the largest ones. In general this will mean going from the middle out, so starting with the spine first.

Then the prep stretches should begin, such as lunges and gentle stretches of the back and arms.

Next the specific muscles that are going to be used in the exercise (for example the feet for ballet) should be warmed up and then finally stretching can be done safely as the right steps have been taken to avoid injury.

This whole process should take between 15-20 minutes in order to be done properly.


Healthy Performer
30/10/18

The Skeleton- bones
There are 206/207 bones in the body, and we spent today's lesson learning about the main bones in the body that will help us develop our knowledge of the way the body is structured and moves in dance.

The role of the skeleton is for protection, to allow movement, to keep your shape and to store bone marrow. Bone marrow is in small reservoirs in long bones as they are slightly hollow.

Bones are shaped for the job they do, there are 4 main types:

• long bones e.g fibula
• short bones e.g metacarsals
• irregular bones 
• flat bones e.g cranium

Healthy Performer
06/11/18
Joints in the human body:

• Ball and socket joint e.g. hips
• Hinge joint e.g. knees
• Gliding/sliding joint e.g. fingers (filanges)

Healthy Performer
20/11/18

Healthy Performer
27/11/18

In todays lesson we tested our knowledge of the different types of movements. We then picked a series of 13 movements- these are shown below. We are planning to make a performance piece including these movements.
























Healthy performer
15/01/19

In todays lesson we began devising our performance pieces based on our 13 movements. I chose to do mine sitting on the floor as I felt I could be more creative this way. We also began thinking about what sort of soundscape we would like to accompany our piece as we are planning to make a short film out of these pieces once they are complete along with proper lighting that we will work with the production arts students to create. We commissioned the production arts students with our current ideas for our sound scape which included sound effects such as a door creak or a spring or perhaps a slowed down or sped up version of the movements we are basing our pieces on.

Healthy performer
15/01/19

In todays lesson I taught my sequence to Tilia, Alexandra and Ella and we started to figure out how we could perform and stage this sequence of movements. I also learnt Tilia's sequence of movements and we performed these together and played around with each doing movements on the opposite leg.

Contemporary Warm up Research

• based on jazz, ballet and hip hop.
• a warm up for contemporary dance should include exercises to help with balance, alignment, coordination and awareness of a centred body.
• should last 15-20 minutes.
• examples of alignment exercises include: wall sit with snow angel arms; hands behind back with palms facing the back, bending knees and turning hand and bringing the arms level with shoulders; pressing lunge (hands lock together and go above head); hands behind head then pushing elbows back.
• examples of balance exercises are standing on one leg with eyes open, then closed; leg swings front to back, touching floor in-between and then no touching floor; one leg stand with clock arm going round different numbers as the exercise goes on; one legged squat.
• examples of exercises for coordination are picking up one leg and circling along with the same arm circling to the front; arm swings including going alternate ways; hopscotch across the room; balance on hands and knees bring opposite arm to leg up at the same time.
• mobility exercises include turning head one way then another way; gradual arm swings starting with shoulder roll and building to a reach; shoulder sweeps while played on the side of the body; crab reach; shin box where one leg is infant one behind and the are both bent while sat on the floor, you then sit up onto your knees; lunge with arm rotation; side lunge; lunge with extension of one arm etc.
• for cardio and flexibility exercises I will use my own exercises that I have picked up in various dance classes/ warm ups.

References:
Marice Huggins, T. (2019). Contemporary Dance Exercises. [online] LIVESTRONG.COM. Available at: https://www.livestrong.com/article/347144-contemporary-dance-exercises/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

YouTube. (2016). Posture Reset and Alignment - No Equipment Necessary. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6edQjTq-M [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

Rutherford-close, A. (n.d.). 7 Exercises to Improve Balance. [online] ACTIVE.com. Available at: https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/7-exercises-to-improve-balance?page=2 [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

Sullivan, A. (2017). 3 Exercises That Will Help Improve Your Coordination. [online] The Path Magazine. Available at: http://www.thepathmag.com/3-exercises-will-help-improve-coordination/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

Pritchard, E. (2018). 11 MOBILITY EXERCISES TO POWER UP YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING. [online] Women's Health. Available at: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/workouts/a708010/mobility-exercises/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].


Healthy Performer
05/01/19

Today we focused on staging our movement sequences and working out what will work best in terms of filming and music. We are planning to film my sequence from above as it will be more interesting visually for the audience to watch. I learnt Rina's sequence today and made the suggestion that perhaps we could have a movement we all do which takes us out of the last position as it is an awkward position to end with. As Tilia's sequence will be performed in pairs with opposite arms/legs we each drew out suggestions for staging with the people in our group so that we could still incorporate this idea.


Harvard Referencing and advanced internet searching
In our log sessions we completed a course in advanced internet search and Harvard referencing. After taking a test and passing I was awarded with a certificate.

Online health and safety test