Overall I think my programme was rather successful as I managed to meet my goals in the time period I set myself. One of my goals was to become slim enough to fit into the costume (leotard and skirt) that I was given for my "Skinny Love" contemporary dance, in time for the dance shows. When I first tried it on, I struggled to pull the leotard up over my hips - although I could just about fit in the costume, it was very tight and restricted my breathing and movement. However, by becoming slimmer I could fit into the costume comfortably. Another one of my goals was to become physically fitter to improve my stamina. My stamina did improve in time for my dance show as I managed to do the matinee show without getting too physically tired before doing the second show in the evening. My final goal was to become more flexible for the "Skinny Love" dance to get my legs higher on the kicks to make the dance look more impressive and also so I can perform these moves with more ease.
The general programme went well (especially the sit ups) as I did manage to become thinner. I know that I achieved this as I could fit into my "Skinny Love" costume and by taking measurements throughout the programme meant I could track my progress and see how I improved across the three weeks. The flexibility section was very effective as I can now get my legs higher on kicks, have improved my splits and have better extension. To see my improvements at the end of the programme, I took pictures on the first and last day of my programme to see by what extent my flexibility had improved.
I feel a big difference having completed my programme. As I crafted my programme so it would fit into my everyday life, I have now carried on with it as it has become a part of my daily routine. I find my contemporary dances and ballet a lot easier now as I can lift my legs higher and with more ease. I can also hold positions (e.g. arabesque's and attitudes) a lot longer as my balance has improved as I have improved my core strength. I also find singing and projection a lot easier now as my diaphragm is now stronger. My confidence has also improved now, in terms of what costumes I wear, as I can fit into smaller sizes and know that I can improve myself further (as I have improved since the start of my programme).
If I were to begin this unit again, I would have added jogging/running sessions in to improve my stamina further. This would have been useful for long runs of shows and for my dancing. I would have also improved my diet to fit alongside my programme as a healthier and organised diet would complement my programme and allow me to progress further and faster.
To ensure that I implemented safe practice when doing my programme I made sure that I had the correct alignment when doing the sit ups and planks. Before dancing I ensured that I was thoroughly warmed up and the studio was free of hazards. When singing, I ensured that I warmed up and I supported all of my notes.
