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Introduction
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freestyles
Freestyle
Design
music selection/digital
editing/choreography
The
Process
timing/procedures/working over
distance
Clinics
and Seminars
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Freestyles etc.
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Clinics and Seminars
Clinic
schedule 2006 My
clinic schedule is full through June 2006. If you are interested in
booking a clinic for later in the year, or if you would like to know if
there are clinics taking place in your area, please contact me.
Clinics
The purpose of a freestyle clinic is to give riders the skills to create their own freestyles, or to better understand the process if they are having their freestyles designed by Applause Dressage. Because they do not focus on the technical aspect of training, freestyle clinics are fun for both riders and horses. The private mounted sessions are also interesting and educational for spectators, whether they are riders, coaches, judges or non-riding friends and family.
While the rider will benefit from a single session, two sessions on consecutive days are recommended, in order for me to be able to cover the entire design process. In the initial session the rider first learns how to determine his or her horse's tempos. Once the horse's tempos at trot and canter have been measured, music is introduced. I bring to every clinic a large selection of music from many genres. Music for the trot and canter that matches the horse’s gaits is now played, and the rider learns to develop a feel for riding to a constant tempo and to different types of music. This is probably the most fun part of the clinic (riders have told me that it is like having a personal horse DJ), and can take up most of the first session. In the second session, we start with a music warm up, and then the focus turns to choreography. Using a piece of music that suits the horse's tempo and way of going, the rider and I work together on designing a pattern that conforms to the technical requirements for that pair's level. The rider will learn to interpret transitions in the music and to perform movements in a sequence that takes advantage of these transitions. By the end of two sessions, the rider will have gone through the entire freestyle design process. If the rider is having only one session, I try to briefly touch on the choreography process at the end of the hour.
Seminars
Seminars can be given either on their own or in conjunction with a clinic (clinic organizers: it is advisable to hold a seminar the evening or day before a clinic). In the three hour lecture I cover all the points that are important to understanding how freestyles are created and judged. Attendees will learn about every step of the design process, and what to consider when choosing music. They will watch videos of internationally and locally performed freestyles, and look at sample judges' score sheets. I go into considerable depth in explaining how freestyle tests are judged, and why there is often surprise at the score board. I welcome questions throughout the lecture, as well as at the end. The depth and breadth of topics covered makes the lecture meaningful to anyone interested in dressage freestyles.
If you have already held an Applause Dressage seminar in your area, I can give more specific and detailed follow up lectures that focus on an area of particular interest to the group. I never run out of interesting things to say about freestyles!
karen@applausedressage.com |
