2020 club competition

This year's club competition was unforgettable! The event aligned with 2020's theme of expecting the unexpected. We, the novice/intermediate ladies, were just about to finish our floordrill routine when the blackout started. Some ladies joked that we could use this to our advantage as the judges would miss fine details. 

Family members were allowed to watch the show which was held in a large arena venue. However, the march past with our sashes and the men's marching challenge were cancelled. These two proceedings are a crowd favourite each year. 

I love how the annual club competition gives the club community a yearly gathering to watch and celebrate girls and ladies flourishing at physie. Thank you teachers, volunteers, supporters, venue staff, and my clubmates for making this year's event so special. 

Read more:

2018 Club competition

2016 Club competition 

2020 competitions: Team championships

My team competition earlier this month was the first time I've danced in front of judges all year. This year, I had opted to skip the individual championships due to not having any interclubs. 

My favourite of teams was the figure marching at the beginning of the warm up where 4 x 8 counts of the individual warm up were omitted to accommodate the cool choreography. We did a windmill pattern and it was spectacular! I wish we had gotten a video to self-evaluate as a team. 

This year, I was front-left, a position I'd been in for most teams. We had 5 spectators - 2 judges and 3 teachers from our club. Perhaps, this was even more intimidating as we only had experts watching us and not a sea of supporters from across the zone. 

We placed and got a frilly medal! It was great to have our team efforts recognised. 

Thank you to my intermediate teammates. Also, extraordinary effort to the novice team as it was the first competition for some physie newcomers. Thank you D who volunteered to do our hair, your generosity and expertise is truly appreciated. Thank you to our teachers S & L for preparing us for the weekend. Finally, thank you to the supporters cheering on from afar. 

Read more:

2019 teams

2018 zone championships

2017 teams

Practice competition 2020

It has been a long 10 months since I last performed physie. I'd forgotten the feeling on putting on heavy-duty fishnet tights and the fear of accidentally pulling or ripping the mesh.

The showcase was remarkably different from any of my previous physie performances. Usually, dancers would have had at least three opportunities to compete both in informal and judged settings by the end August. 

It was a nice sunny day outside, however, it felt quite chilly to me indoors. I didn't remove my jacket until we had to line up for marching in height order. The practice competition took place in a large sports arena where I'd physied on several occasions. At first, I could hear the lag between the sound bouncing off the walls from the speakers, it was quite boomy. Then, I concentrated on the music. A small audience may have contributed to making the venue 'ring' more as few people were there to absorbed the sound. All the ladies were relieved that we made it to the end of our performance and we felt not so cold anymore.

Well done to all competitors and especially the beginner ladies who have learnt their first set of physie routines through a mixture of online and in-person lessons. Thank you to all the volunteers who made this event happen. I am so grateful to perform physie after this hiatus. 

Learning the BJPop 2020 in 10 days

This August I am going to learn the 2020 BjPop dance. It's a special dance choreographed for all ages to be used as a display rather than competitive routine. 

Usually the juniors learn it during a holiday workshop and one year the ladies did it during a lesson. At my club's annual competition, physie girls and ladies are invited to do a mass display of the BjPop. Ladies stand at the back during club competition and follow the girls, because we often don't know it off by heart. 

This year, I am going to learn it properly and then memorise the BJPop using the SMART principle.

Read about the SMART method of goal setting applied to my 2016 goal here. 

Specific - BjPop 2020.
Measurable - End result = memorised the dance. 
Achievable/Actionable- Spend 10 minutes a day for 10 days.
Realistic - Yes, I can set aside time each day.

Timely - Sat 1st Aug - 10th July

Getting better at physie during isolation

It has been a while since I wrote my article for the self-improvement blog series, so I thought I'd share some activities I've been doing during isolation to improve physie. I have been doing a bit of cross training in similar disciplines to boost my overall fitness and flexibility. There are so many great video resources by inspiring and qualified teachers. 

Physie: Watch the training videos and other resources from your association and club. Have a look at other girls/ladies outside of your age/category and learn something from them. Are there extra resources/online sessions delivered by your club or association? If so, why not join in?

Ballet: Pointed toes, balancing, lengthening limbs and control are transferable skills to physie. 

Pilates: Core strength and control can help with balances and floor exercises. 

Yoga: Mental wellbeing, breathing, strength and flexibility can help you become a well-rounded physie girl/lady. 

Check out my other self-improvement blogs here.

Physie online/ April 2020 lesson journal

Our classes have moved to an online platform where members can share and upload progress videos and asking teachers/group members for feedback. Just last week, the club launched live lessons so that we get the motivation to dance at our normal times and learn routines as if we were at class.

A benefit of the online platform is that we get access to the tutorials throughout the week which might help learning routines. We can also pause, rewind and slow down the speed of the recordings.

However, a few pitfalls include the lack of social interaction (especially our prolonged drink breaks), no peripheral vision, re-watching can get boring, view is sometimes obscured (figuring out the intricacies of each move). Also, I am yet to figure out how to use the online platform to filter tasks I haven't completed.

So far, I have mastered only the warm-up and exercises routines ... Three more to learn.
Thank you to the teachers and volunteers who make remote physie fun!

My 5th year of physie

Welcome to my fifth year of physical culture. I am now in my 2nd year as an Intermediate Lady!

2016: Beginner
2017: Novice (year 1)
2018: Novice (year 2)
2019: Intermediate (year 1)
2020: Intermediate (year 2 of 3) [UPDATE: I did not compete individually in 2020. Therefore, I will keep my status as intermediate for 2 more years.]

This year my club is growing in popularity for the ladies class, so Opens are on a separate night. It's great to see new, returning and transferring ladies at the weekly lessons.

Practice music was released in a timely manner so that BjP Physie members were able to access the recordings to practise at home from the beginning of the teaching year. These recordings are usually not the final competition music. When the final cut of music is released, it is usually faster and more embellished.

My lesson journal: February 2019

I am back to physie for my fourth year which means I've progressed into the intermediate category. On arrival at my first lesson I learnt that over 40 registered ladies were attending my club this year. This is an incredible enrolment and a testament to the passion and effort from my teacher, clubmates and volunteers to build this wonderful club.

Lesson 1:

Warming up our bodies and brains included walking, lunging and marching in a (very) large circle. Then we learnt the travelling step in the warm-up routine. We start with learning a travelling step every year because travelling steps are always included in warm-up. Five lines gathered at the back of the hall and we learnt the step firstly with our feet, then added our arms. We also learnt the first few steps of 'exercises' and soon after class was over.

Lesson 2: 

We started with a circuit warm-up. Nine stations were set up including toe rises, lunges, wall push-ups and hip bridges. Then we all stood at a marker on the floor to revise and learn new moves for warm-up. Afterwards, we learnt the first couple of counts for swing. I'm guessing it won't be long before my teacher introduces bean bags for us to feel the weightiness in our arms (I hope that we have enough, we're the largest class now). A few more positions were discovered for exercises and then we revised all three routines at the end of class.

P.S. New format this year! All blog posts will be quick reads limited to 250 words so that you can get on with life and practising more physie :) 

2019! Back to physie challenge - Day 5

Today's the final day of the back to physie challenge and I encourage you to organise, sort and label your physie paraphernalia from previous years.

Organise - Keep all your items together in a display folder or special box/hanger/sash for medals.
Sort - Arrange items based on date in reverse chronological order or sort them into categories such as interclubs, zones, nationals. Keep the program booklets together its competition number and certificate.
Label - On the back of your medals and competition numbers write the date and event so that you can remember where you earnt your medals. Read labelling physie keepsakes for more tips.

2019! Back to physie challenge - Day 4

Follow Phoebe Collins, former Grand Champion, in her article about stretching and achieving the splits. While the splits is a staple in junior and senior floordrill routines each year, ladies do not need to perform the splits.
Find the article here.


Answers for day 2 challenge - naming physie positions:
1. Attention
2. Top stand
3. Yard
4. Oblique
5. Flight
6. Reach
7. Trunk forward bend
8. Lunge
9. Drag
10. Lateral bend

2019! Back to physie challenge - Day 3

Today's challenge is to march with the 2016 Ladies Grand Finalists.

Marching is the first impression that you present to judges. It demonstrates posture, pointed toes, turn out, musicality and shoulder flexibility. Marches for ladies are consistently around 100 beats per minute. 

Read "March into March" to see how I grasped the concept of marching in physie and turning corners.

2019! Back to physie challenge - Day 2

Today's challenge is to revise 10 basic positions of physie.

Execute the positions to the best of your ability with the clues given below. Answers of positions will be released on day 4 of the challenge. I recommend checking alignment and aesthetics in the mirror. Remember your physie smile. :)

Have a look at Physie 101's post for help and visual guidance.

1. Starts with the letter A, toes turned out, heels together, fingers down
2. Fingertips touching on the top of your head, elbows out
3. Starts with Y, arms sideways and parallel to floor
4. Arms form a V shape upwards, palms up
5. Palms down, fingertips level with head, straight arms outwards and slightly upwards
6. Arms stretching forwards, parallel to the floor, palms inwards
7. Three words, bending torso forwards and parallel to ground
8. Starts with L, front knee bent and both feet turned out
9. Works your shoulder flexibility, arms are pulled behind body diagonally downwards
10. Stretches your lateral muscles, usually done while hands are in 'adoration' or 'top stand

2019! Back to physie challenge - Day 1

I am ready to go back for a fresh, new season of physie in 2019.
In this seasonal series, I will be posting challenges every day for the next week to prepare and revise physie essentials.

Sara from Inspired Physiotherapy demonstrates quad exercises to allow physie girls/ladies to straighten their knees especially in floordrill. It's been a while (over three months) since I've consciously done physie so this is a great revision. 

2018 competitions: Club competition

A rainy afternoon set the scene for my club’s annual competition. Despite the weather, enthusiastic dancers and supporters welcomed the dazzling display of physie. The late afternoon to early evening event showcased the talents of girls from preschoolers to ladies. This year the ladies’ class had over 20 members with most participating in this event leading up to teams and champion lady the following weekend.

I enjoyed watching each age groups’ routines and seeing the girls grow up each year. This year also introduced a front facing audience. Although last year’s club competition had the audience to the front, they were seated well above eye level. With the audience in direct sight this year, it took a few moments to settle and focus at times. Little did I know that this was preparation for the following week’s zone competition also with an audience at the front. The club event had the annual men’s marching challenge where male friends and family participated in a round of marching. Their siblings, partners or family members made great instructors, teaching their men how to have nice pointed feet and stride to the music. This year I also had a go at the BjPop which is the association's leisure dance for all ages. Since the ladies had not learnt the choreography in class, a few of us stood in the back row and followed along. It was amusing and in a few moments we'd struck our end poses.

The annual march past where all girls and ladies wore a sash displaying the medals received during their physie careers was held during this day. My sash was embellished with eleven shiny medals and I would earn one more the following weekend with my novice team. As usual, I had labelled my medals with a sticker at the back. Afterwards, the club photo was taken. The evening ended with awards presented to age champions, best performances, marching champions and the overall club champion. Congratulations to all the girls and ladies who danced on the day.

Read about my previous competitions here:

Club competition 2016 
2018 interclubs
Interclub #1 2016 (my very first interclub competition)

2018 Competitions: Interclubs

On two consecutive weekends during August, I competed in interclub competitions and was awarded second place in both. Both of the events I attended were multiday competitions due to the ever-increasing popularity of physie and competition participation.

2 x 2nd place

On the first weekend, I competed in an interclub hosted by my own club. It was professionally set in an arena that I'd previously danced in. However, the last time I'd physied there, spectators were allowed to view from the front as it was not part of an interclub and therefore had different guidelines. Interstate competitors came from afar to take part in this event. It's amazing to see how physie brings people together.

The next competition was just six days afterwards hosted by another local club. We were seated on the side of the dance floor after our marshalling. While waiting and watching, I noticed that the first marker in the middle lane was deliberately closer to the judges compared to the other lines. For the last routine, I was dancing on this marker which made it feel like a solo as I had no others in my peripheral vision. Blue leotards were popular at this occasion. I'm now looking forward to my Annual Club Competition.


You may also like to read:
My lesson journal: May/June
Interclub #2 & Club Competition 2016
2017 Interclub competitions 

My lesson journal: April 2018

Last week was my twelfth lesson of the year! Where did all that time go? I have a feeling that it's going to be time to perform these routines very soon.

Lesson journal 30/04/2018

As always, our teacher likes to start the class with marching. Then we then ran through all our routines although we were still missing some moves from 'advanced'.

I know all the steps of the warm-up routine but the transition between the 16-count sequences is still unfamiliar and awkward to me compared to the choreography of the last two years' routines. With exercises, I think that its repetitive nature and regimented positions make it the easiest to learn. Floordrill is also very positions-based but the view from the floor obstructs peripheral vision. Swing and advanced are least familiar to me and sometimes the moves get blurred between the two because of both their swinging, flowing and free-moving nature.

We learnt the remainder of the choreography for advanced. Again, I am having trouble with remembering swing and advanced at home. I can remember small parts but can't remember preceding and subsequent moves.

Then we worked on the techniques of turn-out and lateral bends. My teacher's innovation was to have two dots on her inner thighs near the knee. Laying on the ground, she showed the class how the dots were revealed when the whole of the hips and legs were correctly turned-out. In pairs, we worked on our position of the week the 'lateral bend' checking that our partner's hips were still and their back not caving in.



For more tips and exercises on goal setting, progress tracking, learning routines and inspiration, check out the self-improvement blog series. 

My lesson journal: February 2018

It's the end of February and my classes have already been back for a month! Today, I'll share with you what I've learnt in this week's lesson.

26/02/18

Marching
- put band on left ankle, this is the leading foot
- brushing the foot from the ball until the toes flick up to point
- left foot on the down/heavy/prominent beat of music

Warm-up routine
- revised
- added a few extra steps
- isolated the arm movements from the leg movements
- then put together arms/legs

Advanced routine
- learnt the first few counts

Floordrill routine
- we were shown a couple of additional moves
- learnt from peripheral vision as mostly lying down

Exercises routine
- routine uses a lot of mirroring on reverse side
- revised a few times, but didn't learn new counts as lesson was nearly over

Skills learnt:
- multitasking, learning arms/legs/together
- flexibility
- core strength (especially the 'crunch' in floordrill)

To do before my next lesson:
- Visualise: draw a series of stick figures to remind myself of some of the routines.
- Practise the routines that I can remember and won't mislearn eg. exercises.
- Work on interchangeable skills eg. positions, turnout, facial expression
- Train my abdominal muscles - crunches will help me in floordrill.

For more tips and exercises on goal setting, progress tracking, learning routines and inspiration, check out the self-improvement blog series.

BjP 125

It only happens once every 25 years !!! Congratulations to all the performers, zone leaders, volunteers, families, supporters, archivists and event staff. Even though I didn't go to the show, the photos of the event looked marvellous. My personal favourite was the lighting display during the finale when the characters "BJP 125" were made by the arrangement of torch lights. What a beautiful example of how each person's contribution is integral in making something amazing and worthwhile.


Here are some links to media coverage focusing on BjP's rich history and the event:

Physie marks 125 years | photos (Newcastle Herald)

Wow, some of these photographs are truly a blast from the past! 

Combined celebration for physie at 125 (Tenterfield Star)


Weekend Breakfast ABC News 24

Interview: First practice competition

Last month at my club's practice competition, I had the opportunity to interview one of the new ladies in my class. K, began physie at the beginning of this year and after a few short weeks she's here doing her first physie competition. Way to go!

Me: How are you feeling ... pre-dance?

K: Slightly nervous and slightly excited as well.

M: What inspired you to come to ladies' class?

K: My daughter, watching her dance. I danced when I was younger and I thought I'd take it up again and it'll be good exercise ... and a good opportunity to meet people as well.

M: How have you found learning the syllabus?

K: Tricky, but I think once you start to come twice a week you start to consolidate a bit more, a bit easier to remember.

M: Are you looking forward to dancing today?

K: Yes! I'd give it a go. You can only do your best.  

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M: How did that go? How did you feel?

K: I was so nervous, way more nervous than I thought I would be. But it was good, it was good to finish.

Thank you K for sharing your experience.

Not long to go!

Only 1 more day until the whole cast rehearsal and 2 more days until the Spectacular! How exciting is that?

The BjP teddy bear has been named 'Tassie' after Tasmania where physie all started. Also suggested by a few people was the name Quasquicentennial, meaning the 125th anniversary, what an impressive word.

Registrations for performers opened last September and huge surge of eager dancers trying to get onto the site caused a bit of a delay. Yes, this event is as big and important as the Aussie '16 census. Fast forward 6 months and most zones had begun their rehearsals (late March - early April). Now it's June and 2000 physie girls and ladies are ready to portray the story of physie history to thousands of audience members.

This is what I've gathered from overhearing conversations during our drink breaks:

• Transitions roughly every 50 seconds and due to this performers can be running around to get to their next formation. 
• 50 cm box of personal space.
• Each zone (or combined zone) represents a decade in history, not just for physie but they have music, props and costumes pertaining to their relevant era.
• The finale of the show will be all performers doing the current BjPop dance.
• If in doubt just do the arms.