A note from Caroline Calouche, Dance Captain and Ringmaster, of the Charlotte Cirque & Dance Center
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Surely, every coach at CC&DC has been asked that almighty question in any Level 1 class, “How do I move up to Level 2?”. Besides learning a very comprehensive list of skills in our syllabus, we also are looking for maturity and strength.
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Maturity: Can you take corrections? Are you eager to learn or wait for a teacher to ask you to do a skill or exercise?
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Strength: Are you aware that your leg is bent when it should be straight? Can you hold yourself up in the air long enough to do the skill?
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Vocabulary: Do you understand the words coming out of our mouths? (yes, that's a nod to Rush Hour 😀) Seriously, we need to be able to communicate.
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What can you do? Practice. Practice. Oh and practice!!
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You have the opportunity at CC&DC to participate in Open Practice and you can do exercises at home that you do for warm-up to build strength and body awareness.
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Build a habit.
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It will be boring at times. Hang in there and find a way to enjoy the reps.
Because every drop in the bucket counts and eventually it will overflow with accomplishments.
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A matter of safety
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However, it’s not just a matter of strength; it’s also a matter of safety.
You need strength and body awareness to get up from a double ankle hang in an apparatus.
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You need strength and body awareness to pirouette (turn) in dance.
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You need strength and any guesses?…body awareness to hold someone standing on your shoulders in a two high.
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To conclude, you are in charge of moving to the next level. Our coaches are here to help you reach your dreams. But we can’t do it for you.
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It’s all you and you CAN do it!
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P.S. Another great question we get is "Can I do this aerial drop?"
Read this great resource from a friend of ours here.
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Leveling Up Exams are 3 Times a Year
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January
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May/June
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August
Process
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Teachers recommend by completing this form.
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School Admin emails parent(s)/student with notification and this form to sign up.
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Exam administrator calls out skills at random from the syllabus and student demonstrates them with proper technique.
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Each student needs a printed syllabus and the administrator tracks what they know with notes for improvement.
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Take a photo and add to their ASANA Leveling up Card.
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School Director shares results 1 week after exam with parents/student. And notifies the teacher of the class that they are moving into the results of their exam.