Dancing With Spirits Part 2

by **Savacea Jovellana** on July 25th, 2015, 6:28 pm

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Dancing With Spirits Part 2

22nd Summer 515 AV

Savacea was a little sore from all the activity as of late, but she forced herself out of bed this morning either way, determined to learn more of her late Mother's craft at Dancing. She walked a little sluggishly to One Foot in the Grave, the ran down dance studio where Strid taught Dance to people. Although it seemed not many people of the island was interested in such endeavors, usually it was just her and Strid in the studio. Sometimes she would bring in someone to assist Savacea in certain moves though that required help, or someone with a better understanding.

The doors to the studio were perched open as usual and Savacea strolled inside. Strid was sitting down looking a bit forlorn, it seemed she was in a mood today. Savacea let out a sigh and walked up to her, "Strid? I am here for my lesson." She said faintly, and Strid did not even look up, it was as if she was in a completely different world. No matter, Savacea went over to a different area and started doing her stretches like the first day of lessons. She stretched the tired and aching muscles of her body, loosening them up for the lesson that was up ahead. Well hopefully there would be a lesson as Strid did not seem to move, just sat there looking so forlorn.

Savacea went into the splits, putting her head to one knee, switching position then doing the other knee. It made a aching go through her legs as her muscles protested, but she shrugged it off, she had to do the stretches not only for flexibility but so the muscles do not bunch up in pain while going through dance moves. She kept the splits, both legs spread at the sides, with her body in the middle, then leaned down slowly as her forehead went to the floor, stretching her inner leg muscles and back as she did so. Then she leaned back putting her hands over her head and onto the floor, raising up from the floor into a back bend. This made her back feel better surprisingly, as it stretched all the muscles out in her back, and muscles in her legs.

She continued doing stretches for an hour, until Strid finally noticed she was there. Oh lovely you came back.. Did not think you would. Strid said on a sad voice. Savacea gave her a grin, "How could I not come to the best teacher of Dance? Of course I am back!" Savacea said reassuringly to the woman, and it seemed to perk her up as she came up to Savacea.

Today we will be learning Dance moves, are you ready? Strid asked in her stern but excited voice. Savacea gave a grin and a nod, feeling her muscles in her body. The stretching help loosen them, making her more limber, the soreness a little less making her more capable of doing what ever Strid had planned for the day.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 6th, 2015, 4:38 pm

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Basic Dance Move 1

"The first basic dance move I would like to teach you is the Ball Change, it is a basic move that is needed for another one. It only has two steps, and you will be transfering some of your weight on the ball of your foot, followed with a step from your other foot." Strid explained this, then demonstrated the move. It seemed easy but everything did with her. She was such a graceful and wonderful dancer, she made everything look easy.

Savacea gave a nod of her head, placing her feet out apart, she took her left foot raising it, placing all the weight on her right, and placing the left behind her on the ball of her foot. She went to left her right foot and stumbled not shifting the weight as she should. She gave a grumble and attempted it once more.

Spreading her feet apart again, she took her left foot, taking it behind her right, putting her weight on her right foot and stepping on the ball of her left that was behind her, then lifting her right foot from the ground.

She went back to standing with her feet apart and proceeded to to the movement again, this time putting the weight on her left foot, taking the right foot behind the left on the ball, and lifting the left foot.

Once she had accomplished this slowly, Strid snapped her fingers to get her attention, "Alright now we will do it faster, I will begin counting, a1 and a2. When a say 'a' that is when you will be on the ball of the opposite foot, and you will be fluid in the motions on the count. I will get faster as you go." Strid explained, counting out load 'a1' and 'a2' as she demonstrated what she meant, looking graceful as always.

"I will do my best." Savacea said with a smile, as she resumed the stance with her feet apart. Strid began counting but it only threw her off and she missed the beat. She heard Strid say again, and she did the move on beat this time, only stumbling a few times. Savacea realized that this technique was simple but required a lot more balance then she thought. One had to know how to shift the body and place the weight, kind of similar to acrobatics.

Once she had the beat and movement down with out the wobbling, missteps, and out of beatness Strid snapped her fingers to get her attention again. "The next move will be the Kick-Ball-Change, which is what the Ball-Change prerequisites too."

Ball Change Video :

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 6th, 2015, 5:46 pm

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Basic Dance Move 2

Strid showed her the technique, Savacea keeping her eyes on her feet. She showed her slowly, then picked up the pace. Nodding her head, she stayed in the same position, but with her feet closer together. She kicked out her left foot then her right foot, going back and forth in a slow rhythm, "Okay I will give it a try." Savacea said, comfortable now with adding the kick to the Ball-Change.

Like before, she stood with her feet apart. This time though she brought them closer together. "The count this time will be 1and2. On the count of one, kick out your left foot, letting it swing back naturally. When I say "And" you will push off the floor by the ball of your left foot. Then on "Two" you will step with the right foot. Put a little sway into your hips, like a seductive sway like this..." Strid showed her the move once again, this time her hips swayed to the left and right in a seductive manner. Savacea blinked a bit wide-eyed. Who knew a ghost could be sexy?! Savacea was not sure she could even match the seductive hip sway of the dead woman, which made her feel a little less confident about her body, but she was going to give it a try either way. "I am not sure if I can match that level of sexiness, but I will try." Savacea laughed playfully as she returned to her stance. Strid just rolled her eyes and began to count.

On the sound of 'One' Savacea kicked out her left foot like she was told to do, pushing off of the floor on the ball of her foot on 'And' then stepping with the right foot on count 'Two'. She did not implement the sexy hips and Strid shook her head, "The hips!" Strid emphasized this by shaking her hips back and forth in a stern manner, which made Savacea chuckle because she looked a little crazy doing that, "Okay.. Okay.. I will try." Savacea said holding up her hands in a defensive manner against her thrusting hips. Strid stopped the hip thrusts and nodded, counting once more.

This time on the sound of 'One' Savacea kicked out, implementing the sway of her hips as she went through the ball change on 'And' and the stepping with the right foot on 'Two', she continued to do the Kick-Ball change with a seductive hip sway for 5 minutes, until Strid was satisfied with not only her timing, but her hips.

"Now we will learn a more difficult move. A few turns, soutenu turns, soutenu pique turns and chaines turn ." Strid said, showing her the move in a fluid grace.

Kick Ball Change :

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 6th, 2015, 11:46 pm

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Dance Turns 1: Soutenu

"The first turn I will teach you is the Soutenu. The stance you will take is the fondu tendu." Strid took her right leg stretching it out, with her left leg slightly turned outwards in the back. Stepping out she crossed her left leg over and then she turned around, unwinding her body, going back to the original position, Fondu Tendu. "Make sure you cross the left leg over, then turn out, do this twice and return to the starting position."

Savacea nodded, repeating what she observe her do, "So I start out like this..." She paused talking so she could stretch her right leg out in front of her, with her left leg in the back slightly turned outward. "...Then I will cross the left foot over the right, turning and unwinding my body. Do the turn twice and resume the Fondu Tendu?" Savacea asked for reassurance, making sure that she understood what she had to do, that way she perhaps would not mess up too terribly. Strid nodded her head, clapping her hands for her to began.

Savacea was already in the Fondu Tendu position. The Symenestra brought her left foot that was in the back, over her outstretched right food, turning so she could unwind her body, wobbled slightly and returned to the Fondu Tendu. "I messed up a little, am I doing this right?" Savacea asked faintly, as she felt like she did not look as fluid and graceful as Strid when she did it.

"When you turn try to be on the ball of your feet so you do not put weight on the side of the foot. Also hold your arms in a nice rounded position when you do the turn, that way it can help you balance. Keep your body elongated and the core strong." Strid provided her critique and assisted Savacea with how to place her arms. Savacea nodded and inhaled a deep breath then exhaled.

In the Fondu Tendu, she brought her left foot over her right, keeping to the ball of her feet and her arms in a nice round shape as she turned once, then twice, then returned to the Fondu Tendu. It was a lot easier with her arms having something to do, as well as how to shift her weight in the turn. Strid clapped her hands happily.

"Great that was beautiful, it will become more graceful in time! Now to move on to the next turn." Strid said filled with joy, making Savacea smile excitedly. She did enjoy the praise Strid give her, she wanted to do well and being told she was made her slightly giddy inside.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 7th, 2015, 12:01 am

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Dance Turn 2: Soutenu Pique

"Okay the next turn will be the Soutenu Pique. It is similar to the Soutenu you just did but more extended, adding a Pique turn out. Starting out with the Fondu Tendu as before of course." Strid said with a teaching voice, as she started out in the stance before the Fondu Tendu, she did two Soutenu turns and ended in a Pique which is with her right leg stepping out and pricking the floor like a needle, it was long and straight with the tip of her toe touching the floor.

"Hold your arms in a rounded position just like before, it is what you just learned but ending in the Pique with your right leg out and pointed down long and straight, like it is a needle pricking the floor." Strid explained, clapping her hands for her to begin.

Savacea nodded ready to begin her self with a quick inhale and exhale, she started out in the Fondu Tendu stance. She proceeded with the Soutenu turn she did before with her arms rounded, her left foot over the right, turning out once, then twice, and she messed up before she could do the Pique. Her leg was not long and straight like Strid told her to do, it was bent at the knee. She grumbled slightly and returned to the Fondu Tendu.

"Remember to prick that floor with your right foot, stretching your leg out. Think of a big bug that you need to squash with your big toe out in front of you." Savacea glared at her and Strid laugh, "Or someones face... which ever will get it done!" The glare left her face and she chuckled, "Someone's face.. Now that I can do." Savacea said with a playful grin, and Strid smiled back nodding her head.

Savacea returned to the starting position, then she brought her left foot over her right foot turning out. She did the Soutenu turn twice, then she imagined Dran's face on the floor, as she Piqued stretching her right leg out and pricking the floor with her right leg straight and long. Strid clapped her hands to congratulate her as she returned to the Fondu Tendu position.

"The face thing helped a lot actually." Savacea chuckled, bright eyed and smiling. Strid nodded her head, "Dancing is about emotions, any emotion you wish to portray, sometimes angry.. happy... other times sad. It is best to get it all out, it is very therapeutic. " Savacea nodded agreeing with what she said, it was indeed therapy like to be doing this. Keeping her focused on the task at hand, exerting her body, building her body strength, endurance, and learning rhythm. It was all she thought about when she was here, nothing or no body else, it was quite nice to have such a relief from her morbid thoughts.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

by **Savacea Jovellana** on August 7th, 2015, 12:18 am

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Dance Turns 3: Chaines Turn

"Alright, now for the finally turn and lesson of the day. This one is called the Chaine turn. It is a sequence of steps starting at Fondu Tendu, and Releve through out the turns." Strid explained, stretching up elongating her body raising both feet from the floor and bending her toes to place her weight there, "This is Releve... Now we do the turn.." Strid trailed off as she took the stance from the beginning, the Fondu Tendu, then keeping both legs straight and locked, she focused on a spot on the wall, turning in the Releve up position as she did a complete circle on the floor.

"Now you try it, focus on something on the wall, keeping your eyes there do the Chaine turn. Keep your arms rounded and your head up with your eyes on that one spot." Strid explained, nodding her head with a grin, she clapped her hands for Savacea to begin.

She gave a small sigh, then took her stance the Fondu Tendu. Bringing her arms up into a rounded position, she straightened and locked her legs. Spying a dark spot on the withered wall, she began to turn. Keeping herself up right in Releve as she turned, her head and eyes dropped as she looked down at her feet. Strid tsked her loudly and she stopped, returning to the Fondu Tendu stance.

"Eyes up.. Core strong.. Elongate your body.. Stretch those legs further locking them." Strid instructed, Savacea nodded training her eyes back on the dark spot on the wall.

This time she elongated her body more, straightening it out. Then she stretched her legs out as far as she could, locking them. Turning to the left, she went up in Releve, keeping upwards with her weight on her bent toes. She trained her eye on the dark spot as she began turning in a wide circle, then finished going back into Fondu Tendu.

"Wonderful! You are doing so well." Strid said clapping her hands. Savacea blushed a little giving a grin, "Thank you.." She said a bit bashful at the praise she was receiving. Wiping the sweat from her brow she shook out her limbs, picking up her silk pack from the floor.

"Until next time." Strid said wistfully as she was in ghost form, floating away. "See you soon." Savacea replied, waving her hand and walking out the opened doors in the cool, moist evening. Her body was not as sore as she thought it would be, although she supposed it was not as strenuous as acrobatics, mainly just frustrating. Her toes hurt a little and her legs were aching slightly, as she walked slowly to the Dorms so she could relax.

Soutenu, Soutenu Pique, Chaine Turns :