Blog 17: Answer 3

EQ

• What is the best way for a dancer to prepare for the RAD Exams?

Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*

• The best way that a dancer can prepare for the RAD Exams is to have have proper technique and training and a strong foundation in ballet.

3 details to support the answer (a detail is a fact and an example)

• My mentor requires all the dancers at her studio to take at least one ballet class a week before taking any other genre.
• In all three of my interviews, when asked what is the most important dance style, all three interviewees responded with ballet.
• In the book, Basic Principles of Classical Ballet: Russian Ballet Technique , the author also states several times throughout the book that ballet is the foundation for a lot of other genres of dance.

The research source (s) to support your details and answer

• Vaganova, Agrippina Ja. Basic Principles of Classical Ballet: Russian Ballet Technique. Transl. from the Russian by Anatole Chujoy. Incorp. All the Material from the 4th Russian Ed. Inchiding Vaganova's "Sample Lesson with Musical Accompaniment" Transl. by John Barker. New York: Dover Publ., 1969. Print. 25 Sept. 2014.
• Interviews 1,2, and 3
• Copeland, Misty, and Charisse Jones. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. New York: Touchstone Book, Published by Simon & Schuster, 2014: 23-28. Print. 14 Nov. 2014.

Concluding Sentence

• Having a strong ballet foundation can not only help a dancer with their exam work, but also help them become stronger dancers in other genres.

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?

I watched several documentary films relating to dance. The films were about various genres of dance and different methods of teaching and learning a certain style of dance.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

That there are various styles of dance in just one genre alone and if a particular style doesn’t suit you, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad dancer, it means that the particular style isn’t for you, so you shouldn’t give up. I learned this in both a documentary entitled “Ballerina” about Russian ballerinas and a article in Pointe magazine.

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers for your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

I would either talk to an official RAD examiner, because they know what to look for in a dancer and what makes a dancer pass or fail an exam, or I would talk to my Friday ballet teacher because he was in a company and knows ways to add style to your dancing without going over the top and ruining your technique.

Blog 10: Essential Question

1. Essential Question

Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
• Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

This EQ does not meet the rule of three because it is not specific enough and it would cause the student to lack “breadth and depth” while doing research.

b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

This EQ does meet the rule of three because it is specific enough to allow the student to focus on a certain aspect, takes a stance and is worded correctly.

c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

This EQ does not meet the rule of three because the format is off.

d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

This EQ does meet the the rule of three because it gives “breadth and depth”, takes a stance, and is formatted correctly.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

What is the best way for an aspiring professional dancer to train?

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1. My working EQ is "What is the best way to train as a dancer?"

2.What is a possible answer to your working EQ?

• Dancers should have a strong background in various dance genres.
• Dancers wanting to pursue a professional dance career should train everyday for at least an hour and a half daily.

3.What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your EQ?

• The most important source that I have used is the book Basic Principles of Classical Ballet.

4. Who is your mentor, or where are you doing your mentorship and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

• My mentor is Belinda Maturo the director of a dance studio, for my mentorship I am taking classes at the studio and training, at my mentorship I take various genres of dance classes so the different training helps me see the differences between genres and their similarities.

Blog 5: Mentorship and Research Reflection

1. Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?
    
   I found my mentor actually 2 years ago, when I signed up for dance classes at her studio. So when senior project came along and I decided on dance for my topic, I asked if she would mentor me.

2. What has been the most important article you have read and why?

    The most important article I have read so far is an article I found in Pointe Magazine, entitled "Forward Momentum" by Kristin Lewis. I found this article to be the most helpful because it shows that dance is continuously evolving and if a dancer wants to become a professional they must evolve with it.

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. Topic: Dancing Professionally 

2.Question to focus on this month:

• What must a dancer do in order to make it as a professional?

3. A link to my Working Bibliography can be found here or on the right hand side of my blog under links.

Blog 1: 2 hour presentations

1. What presentations did you see?

Alejandro Espinoza                    Teaching Biology
Krystal Lam                                 Editorial Publishing
Gabriel Mendoza                        Creating a Franchise
Bryan Pinto                                  Plant Science
Samantha Cooper                      Military Leadership
Nathan Mira                                Graphic Design
Erika Lara                                    Acting
Christian Demesa                      Clinical Pharmacy
Johnathan Shoemaker              Theater Tech
Kimberly Gonzalez                    Counseling
Lara McConnaughey                 Linguistics 
Juan Munoz                                 Business (Corporate Leadership)
Gustavo Rios                               Theater Acting
Cheyenne Capener                    Organic Architecture
Felicia Stears                               Marine Biology

2. What questions do you have that haven't been answered about senior project?

• What are the independent components? 
• If you are not happy with your grade on your senior project can you choose to represent?

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

• Making time
• Citing sources
• Have everything nice and organized 

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

      I am considering dance for my topic because it is something I have a lot of joy doing and I'm constantly doing it whether at school or at my dance studio after school.

5. What are you doing for your summer mentorship?

     I will be mentoring with the director of my dance studio assisting her with classes and seeing how she teaches different age groups and how the different age groups respond.