What are your goals for next year?

[Guest AmyLiz008]

Hi everyone!

 

I was inspired by Treefrog's thread about proudest moments of the year, and so I started thinking about next year. My goal is to be able to hold a 90 degree arabesque for more than a second, and it doesn't matter if it's on flat or demi pointe. Right now it's at about 60, but it's directly behind me and straight! I have far to go...

 

Anyone else want to share?

[Guest mic31]

I would like to be able to manage better pioruettes, with more than 4 turns. I would also like to have better more coordinated jumps

[psavola]

During next year, I'd like to improve my technique and artistry - which handily covers everything.

 

On a more concrete note, I'd like to continue taking an average of 5 classes a week, on at least 4 days, continue doing abdominal workouts before class and start to stretch every day after class for at least half an hour. If possible I'd like to add some rotator strength exercises in my "before class" regimen.

 

In my classes next year I have special goals of improving placement and rotation (again!) and fixing a large number of known technical glitches. (I shorten the front arabesque arm in penchee, I sink into my right hip in some situations, my head is too slow in the "coming around" part of spotting, my left foot tends to sickle when rising to sur le cou-de-pied from fifth and then adjusts to the correct shape at the ankle etc. The list is endless.) Basically this last item just means that I want a cleaner technique with more "polish".

 

Additionally, since I think I'll be doubling my level in the school (Intermediate 2) next year (I very barely cleared the bar for this level last year, and I'm still quite challenged in my classes), I hope I'll have some extra time to put into starting to develop some artistry. Currently my dancing shows very clearly the effort I'm putting into it, which is not quite the point.

 

Päivi

[Diana180]

For a start:

 

1. To put my feet back on the ground at maximum turnout (for me) every time, which will probably improve my balance in center. This involves keeping the heel forward when the foot is in the air and traveling back to base.

 

2. To learn to stretch and see if I can't get my feet and my lower back (and the muscles connecting them) to be any more flexible. My inability to even point my feet fully or to come all the way down in cambré forward really irritate me, more than the lack of rotation or elevation because they seem like such elementary things.

 

3. To try to think of my center of gravity higher so that I stay upright and don't compensate by pushing my hips away from the free leg. I have not mastered the art of having all your weight on one leg while making it look as if you only have half your weight there.

 

The past year's major goal was to not always be looking at the feet of the person two feet in front of me, which I succeeded at. Now I look at the feet of people halfway across the room, and actually not that so much since I've now memorized the basic combination patterns. The goal for the year before that was to learn to tell the difference between left and right, or to fake it.

[spankster]

I'm not sure. I'm still new back at it, so I can't say where I'll be in a year. Everything keeps changing so fast, it seriously seems like every time I am working with a different body.

 

But definitely I would like to add another class in the late fall, to make it three times per week. So by this time next year my goal is to be taking three or possibly four times per week.

[silvergreydancer]

Well, to work hard to re-learn all the stuff I used to know and make it better! Descent Pirouettes! Better flexiability

[Dick]

4 priorities, amongst an endless list:

 

1- Improve my extensions particularly in jumps ; get amplitude

2- Improve the position of my back in arabesque and atitude, specially during and when landing jumps (I tend to lean forward when landing)

3- Complete my double tour en l'air (my best is 1 3/4 up to now)

4- Improve consistency in pirouettes

 

Dick

[Guest beckster]

To find a good class near my new job in October, and not lose too much of what I have learned during the break!

[Guest Until The End Of Time]

To be all I can be ......

[lampwick]

I would like to relax my face and focus my eyes more in class, so I actually look as happy as I feel when I am dancing. I would also like to continue trying to find that feeling of abandon--so as to not be fighting my body constantly and tensing and flinching. Just trusting that I WILL NOT fall out of pirouettes so there's no reason to throw myself backwards out of them.

 

OH, and I'd like my extension side to be well over 120 degrees within a year.

[Jaana Heino]

Next year, I want to keep at taking 4-5 classes a week. I will be starting on a new level (intermediate 2! me! that's amazing), so I want to work very hard on keeping the basics I got now and learning the new work. My balance has taken a great leap forward during the past month, and I have high hopes for my general alignment and turnout, and hope I won't lose any of that when struggling with the new material.

 

Some things I hope the improved alignment and balance will affect: I would like to make my balances in retiré constantly as solid as they are now at best, and achieve a tolerable balance in attitude. I want to keep on polishing my pirouettes so that I will be given the permission to try doubles (my teacher calls out to specific people to do doubles when their singles are good enough, and I want to be one of those). I want to be so comfortable in adagio in the center that I can actually start concentrating more on things like usage of upper body and "artistry".

[Kitty]

I would like to improve on my balances and extensions. It would be nice to be able to do one full pirouette without falling over

 

I would also like to improve on pointe and lift my leg to 90 degrees!!!