Jessica Reeve- 12/SM

Assignment 5: Exploring Contemporary Dance Technique Graham Technique

Unit 45- Developing Contemporary Dance Technique
TASK 3- Evaluation
Over the past few week i have been learning and participating in Graham Technique
classes, which has involved performing a variety of different exercises such as floor

work which especially focused on the use of the contraction, release and the
spirals all these exercises are designed to improve flexibility, core strength,
stamina, co-ordination, balance and alignment.
The weaknesses of my performance:

Pleadings- Whilst watching the video recording it shows my alignment of my

legs are incorrect as they wasnt high enough off the ground in the
contraction to the side. I also found this exercise hard as we had
to spiral out towards the side after the contraction but
maintaining a good contraction and spiral technique. To
improve this movement I would work on my core strength by
doing regular crunches to strengthen my abdominals as this would improve my
overall dance technique. Also i would work on the contractions sat up in the first
exercise.

Another one of my weaknesses was my Bison

was because i found it hard to balance keeping in
a good contraction whilst i was in fourth open
position with arms and feet throwing body
downwards and contracting at the same time. I
could improve this by working on the contraction
in the warm up exercises and making sure the
placement of my feet are in the correct position
which would help me maintain balance (picture
shows bison positions)

A weakness i felt was that I felt less confident at travelling phrase 1- this was
because part of it is performed by doing a releve on my left leg. I found this hard
as i could tell my left ankle is weaker then my right which makes the movement
harder to perform. I would strengthen the muscles in my ankle by doing releves
regally and making sure my ankles have been fully warmed up before this
phrase.

In travelling phrase 2 the split box jump would be one of my weaknesses, I feel
this was because i found it hard to elevate my jump off the floor then having to
land in a contraction. I believe also this is a weakness because graham technique
is all about contraptions and releases and all the contractions need to be correct.
I could work on my spine stretches and high releases in second to improve my
flexibility in legs and also on the tilt step exercise to improve elevation.

Movement this

Jessica Reeve- 12/SM

I feel also that projection performing the whole of the graham exercises could
have been better i feel i didnt project as much as we was being recorded and
evacuated which made me nervous.

Strengths:

I am able to demonstrate good studio practice as i am always

prepared for physical and written work in contemporary class; I
maintain my focus throughout the whole class picking up on
corrections and what i need to improve for better technique.
Also I have been able to respond to corrections which have
helped me improve my moments. An example of this would be
on the spiral openings exercise, I was corrected by being told to
keeping my pelvis aliened and to keep my bottom on the floor.
(see photo to show the exercise. I have demonstrated responding to this
correction in the video evidence.

One of my strengths would be my flexibility in my latisimus-dorsi and hamstrings.

An example of this would be shown in the spirals and openings as I was able to
extend my extension of line towards the opening leg which shows a larger range
of movement. This is needed as graham technique uses a wide range of flexibility
throughout the whole body. (See video evidence)

One of my strengths would be seen in the tilt steps. This move in the
exercise has to be performed covering a large amount of space and
needs to travel. i feel that i performed it travelling quite well as i
made sure that i didnt cut any corners whilst performing it in the
dance space. This can be seen on the video evidence.

In plies and contractions i feel this exercise was one of my strongest strengths as
i made my movements fluid in the plies, but also maintained a good contraction
whilst doing them to the side then opening. I feel this is because i tried to work
worked on my contractions on the floor which then made my standing
contractions easier to perform.

I feel that i have good core strength in the exercise spirals and
openings because I can maintain this opening position shown in the
picture without wobbling or putting my feet back on the floor.

Targets:

I feel like i need to work on my pleadings the most and try to improve my
alignment of the body, my target for this exercise would be to use the
mirrors more in the studio to make sure i am in the correct alignment then
get used to automatically putting myself in the right pleading position

Jessica Reeve- 12/SM

My second target would be that I would like to improve my flexibility in my
hip joints so that in the exercises which Im in second and in the slit box
my legs look further apart this would help my dance technique for every
class.
Another target I would like to achieve would be my turns in attitude in the
travelling phrase one i would need to make sure my leg doesnt drop down
whilst Im turning.
The last target i would like to achieve would be my overall projection whilst
doing a assessment and to feel more confident with my performances