Final Project Written Overview
2B. Final Project Written Overview
Describe your process. How did you choose your project? Why did you choose this method?
I chose three Floor Flow style warmup exercises (one song each) specifically for a class I was teaching on a skill - double leg waves (aka “vagina monsters”) both on the floor and on the pole. The video is only the warmup exercises. To do this skill, students will need to warm up their hips/pelvis areas, obliques (to allow the side-to-side motion) and legs.
For the first exercise, the focus is on rocking and circling the pelvis, using the floor as support, but also to provide feedback so students can become more aware of the anterior / posterior tilt of the pelvis (without having to learn the terminology). Since it was the first warmup exercise, I also wanted them to feel grounded and connected to their bodies and breaths, so the music was slow and the cueing was more around sensations.
For the second exercise - the oblique warmup, I made a small loop that incorporated the X/Star shape to side crunch to seated straddle stretch. The focus is to have students feel their obliques contracting when they side crunch, and feel their obliques stretching in the seated straddle stretch.
To warm up their legs, I expanded the exercise into a “limbs warmup”. As this is the last warmup exercise, I also wanted to get their heart rates up and really loosen up. So I told them to do whatever they feel like doing as long as 1. They are waking up their limbs 2. They keep changing their body shapes / positions. They are also told to face away from the mirror, encouraged to move across the floor, and look drunk.
What felt good (or provided a healthy challenge) in creating this project?
Breaking down the skill I want to teach later in class and designing specific warmup exercises to prepare them for the skill. Also think about what state of mind I would like to put them in, and how to link all of that with music and cueing. It felt like a fun design project.
What do you think your project offers the viewer/participant? (Tools for accessing a Flow state, more awareness of the floor, etc.)
I hope it offers a few examples of how to encourage students to focus on sensation rather than looks (e.g. ask them to face away from the mirror), encourage them to play and interact with the floor and each other, encourage them to move across the room and take up more space.
If there is one thing that you would do differently, what is it?
My voice. I was surprised (and a bit embarrassed) to hear in the video how high my voice was when I got excited. I am now aware that it could make it uncomfortable for listeners / students.
What did you learn from this experience that you will apply to your own training or teaching?
To incorporate the floor as a support mechanism or apparatus more in warmup.
2C. 1-3 Sentence summary of your project
What did you do? Why should anyone watch it?
I designed and led three Floor Flow style warmup exercises (~10 min total) for a class I taught on double leg waves (aka “vagina monsters”).