Making the last step of my reel more 'convincing'?

[CurlyClodagh]

My teacher said that the very end of my last step of my reel needs to be more convincing, but I don't know how to make it this!! Can anyone help me?

[FeisQueen]

sorry it would help if we knew what the step ending was. all i can really say is at the end, if you do a swing or a jump or a click, don't sink into the floor and just look like "ugh i'm finally done". stay up on your toes with perfect footwork at the end. hope this helps!

[idanceirish101]

Make your ending as strong as the beginning! It is not that hard, just really practice stamina things when you practice at home. Such as doing all three steps (or two) plus one or two steps. Start with one and then go up to two or three as you gain more stamina. You will get really tired, but this is EXTREMELY helpful when you finally go to the feis!

[LauraTheAussieDancer]

Build up your stamina and make your last step stronger than your first! Remember, people remember what they have seen latest so if your last step is super strong and energetic compared to your exhausted competitor's you're going to fare a lot better.

[sashtrebles]

You know how when a song comes to an end it often has a crescendo into a massive high note or the singer really belting out that last few lyrics? Well that's what you need to do with your step. Work on your stamina so that it becomes easier to get through your whole reel without feeling too tired, and think of your last step as the icing on the cake of an already beautiful reel. Make sure your movements are crisp, flowing and full of bounce (because it is a reel after all) and if it ends with a kick, turn or jump make sure that is as perfect as you can get it so that you really end on a high note.
If you have an iPod touch you can get this app (just search irish dancing) which has 3 lengths (or levels) of reels, slip jigs, heavy jigs and hornpipes so that you can build up your stamina. It goes from full reel + 1 step to +2 steps into doing your full reel twice. You can practice at your pace with this but it's a good way to build up stamina. Alternatively you could try training yourself into something different as well, such as running which I discuss on my blog. I found it really helped and it's a free way to build up your stamina.
Hope this helps. xxx

[irishdancer4life320]

What your Teacher means by that is don't let the Judges see you as "Tired" or out of the energy by that dreaded "Last" Step make it seem like to the Judges you have so much energy that even doing 3 steps or more wouldn't bother YOU.
And that comes from Stamina and determination.
Do lots of Stamina Exercises and you will get it down.
For example as "One" exercise of many do Double-Skips to Siamsa from Lord of the Dance.
The "Whole" thing.
Best of Luck.

[dancingal]

Originally Posted by irishdancer4life320

What your Teacher means by that is don't let the Judges see you as "Tired" or out of the energy by that dreaded "Last" Step make it seem like to the Judges you have so much energy that even doing 3 steps or more wouldn't bother YOU.
And that comes from Stamina and determination.
Do lots of Stamina Exercises and you will get it down.
For example as "One" exercise of many do Double-Skips to Siamsa from Lord of the Dance.
The "Whole" thing.
Best of Luck.

haha thats a killer i was doing that and i died about halfway through every time but it really does work
you can also try doing the ladder.
thats what my class does and it works but it kills.


the ladder:
right foot 1st step
above with left foot 1st step
above with right foot 2nd step
above with left foot 2nd step
etc.

(basically you just add a one foot of a step each time)
youre supposed to go all the way up to doing all three steps together thatn come back down, but my school just goes up to doing 10 steps in a row.

[irishdancer4life320]

Originally Posted by dancingal

haha thats a killer i was doing that and i died about halfway through every time but it really does work
you can also try doing the ladder.
thats what my class does and it works but it kills.


the ladder:
right foot 1st step
above with left foot 1st step
above with right foot 2nd step
above with left foot 2nd step
etc.

(basically you just add a one foot of a step each time)
youre supposed to go all the way up to doing all three steps together thatn come back down, but my school just goes up to doing 10 steps in a row.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.
I knew it would work for YOU Em.
I give out at the end but meaning that they get more and more sloppy.