1. RebeccaSellors
Keydance rehearsal learningthe jive–
The focus intoday’srehearsal wastoresearchintothe style of Jive andthenalsolearnthe
choreographyfor“Born to Hand Jive”fromthe musical Grease.
My SMART targetfor today’srehearsal wastouse more energywhenperformingthe choreography
we learnedandalsocorrectlyreplicate the style of the Jive.
The objective fortoday’srehearsal wastolearnmore aboutthe style Jive anditscharacteristicsand
alsoto learnthe choreographyforBorn to Hand Jive.
Duringtoday’srehearsal we hada guest choreographercalledAbi Sweeneywhohasbeen withinthe
musical theatre industry asshe graduatedfromMADD College,duringtoday’sworkshopAbi
Sweeney taughtussome basicsof the Jive.We learntshortsectionsof choreography andpieced
themtogether,one motif we learntwas flickthe rightlegacrossyourbodyto the leftdiagonal front
twice bouncingthenflickthe rightlegouttothe rightside twice andthenbringthe leginto tap the
toe behindthe left footwhichissupportingyouandthenflickitoutto the rightside and repeattoe
flick.Afterthatwe ball changedthe leftlegbehindclickingthe fingers,thenturntothe leftend
facingthe front afterthat we thenran to our partnerswith flickingbehind runswithourarms
straightby our sideswithourhandsflexedpalmsfacingthe floor.I foundthis workshop very
valuable asI nowhave a greaterunderstandingof the jive andalsoit allowedme toworkonthe
amountof energywhichisneeded notonly forthe jive butthe whole waythroughGrease.
The nextmotif we learntwasa partner section, holdinghandsthe girlsperformed leftfoot
backwards, andstep forwardon the right foot and stepsidewayswiththe leftfootsteptogether
step(like achasѐ).We completedthistwice facingourpartnerandthenturned while performing
the same motif.Flickthe leftlegtwice acrossthe bodyfollowedbyachasѐ,thenflickthe rightleg
across the bodyand chasѐ,switchstepleftfootstepsforwardtothe back thenstepside withthe
rightlegand stepball change to the front.Jumpout awayfrom yourpartner still holdinghandsgirls
righthand boysleft.Afterthatthe boyspicksthe girl up movingthemtothe rightside of theirbody
girlsdo a little jumpwith flickingbehindwiththe legs,girlscrouchonthe floorwhile boyswings
theirlegoverto thenpull the girl throughthe boyslegs. Fromthispiece of choreographyIhave
learntbasicjive stepstobe performedwithapartner,I feel asthoughthischoreographyhashelped
me to work onboth myenergyand characterisationwithinGrease asitgave me a greater
understandingonhowitshouldbe played. Thispartnerworkalsoallowed ustoworkcloselywith
the musicto ensure thatwe were all intime together.
We alsolearntthe key handchoreographywithin “BorntoHand Jive” whichispat your thighstwice
and clapyour handstwice,thencrisscrossyour handtwice righthand overthe top firstandthenleft
handover the top,both timesthe handsshouldglide pastone another.Afterthatmake yourhands
Me performingthe Jive withmypartner.
2. RebeccaSellors
intofiststhenhammerthemtogetherwiththe righthandontop firstand the left,sothe righthand
knocksthe lefthandtwice and thenthe lefthandknocksthe righthand twice.Putyourthumbsup
shake overyourshoulderlike yourhitchhikinggoingoveryourightshoulderfirstwiththe righthand
and thenoverthe leftwiththe lefthand.Thenrepeat thiswhole motifagain,the handjive lastsfor
16 beatswhichistwo setsof eightcounts. Whenlearningthe “HandJive”motif Iwas able topick up
the choreographyquicklywhichhelpedme whenchangingthe focusof the choreographytothe side
as I was able tocontinue performingthe choreographycorrectly andalsowhenwe addedthe little
bouncesin.
Duringtoday’srehearsal we were taughtthe majorityof the choreographyfor“Bornto Hand Jive”
howeverwe needtocontinue learningthe choreographytocomplete the dance.The progressIhave
made so far isthat I have a good understandingof the keycharacteristicsof the style JiveandalsoI
have learntsome keyJive motifswithintoday’srehearsal.Iamnow beginningtofeelmore confident
withthe dance style Jive asmy movementmemoryof the style isalmostthere whichallowsme to
focusmore on the energeticbouncyelementof the Jive.
My strengthsduringthisrehearsal weremyenergywhenperformingthe Jive asonce Ibecame more
confidentwiththe choreographyIwasable toadd inthe bouncyenergeticcharacteristicsthatare
neededwithinthe Jive. Icompletedthisbyworkinghardtoensure when performingthe jumping
motif whichhelpedme to portraythe correct amountof energyto ensure mycharacter isportrayed
throughoutthe dance.I usedthe jive tohelpme workon myenergetic,overexaggerated
movementswithinGrease whichenablesme toplaythe role of Frenchybetter.
I thinkthisprogresswasachievedbymyfocusduringtoday’srehearsal andmypositive attitude
towardslearningthisnewstyle of dance.
The improvementsIneedtomake are to continue practicingthe choreographytoensure thatmy
timingiscorrect andalso to ensure Ihave goodmovementmemorywhichwill thenallow me to
focusmore on the projectionof mycharacter Frenchywithinthe dance. AnotherimprovementthatI
needtomake is ensuringIsetup extrarehearsalsforme andmy partnerto ensure thatwe are both
confidentwhenperformingthischoreography.Notonlythatbut we also needtoworkon our lifts
duringour solosectiontoensure accuracy andplacementof the movementsare consistencybeing
seenwhenperformed.
To ensure Imake improvementswithinthisstyle Iwill continue topractice the choreographyand
keycharacteristicsof the Jive outside of rehearsals. NotonlythisbutIwill alsovideomyself during
these extrarehearsalstoensure Ican self-evaluatemyperformance whichwill helptowardsmylong
termSMART targetsas my longtermtarget isto workon my projectionandenergyportrayedwhile
dancing.I feel asthoughmyenergywhendancingisimprovingaswhenIleant the Jive style I was
able to addthe bouncyfunelementtothe style whichisneededtohelpportraymycharacter as
Frenchyan overexaggeratedAmericanteen.
