February Entry

Mid term challenges of the last year at university

So even though this month was probably the most stressful, it was also the month when some things seem to fall into places. The little pieces take its place in a bigger image of our practice. As we finally got to controlateral pattern exploration (opposition), the previously explored patterns really seem to make sense understanding the process of movement pattern development within the body. Now that we can recognize those patterns, it does not only help to find what needs more attention in personal practice and movement development, but also highly supports teaching abilities, as we now can recognize and verbally articulate what the intentions of certain movements are, by using a number of learning tools, which we are about to experiment in the coming weeks.

Coming back to the exploration of controlateral pattern, the most significant thing for me was to find a way to incorporate previously explored qualities of movement in a very gentle way of transitioning from one to the other / combining different patterns, which I was struggling with before because of its complexity. Again, I found that the problem I had was over-thinking and focusing to the details too much; the resolution was hid in lighter attention to the detail and just trusting the unconscious to do the best job.
Although, bringing awareness to the details of patterns was needed to remind the body the better qualities of movement, which is a birthright. For example, noticing of the crawling qualities was a very fun experience, which also highly informed my practice in finding the relationship of movement, hearing and seeing. As my interest in the ability to see and be seen was present for the last few months, this new information almost felt like finding a treasure, a magic tool to work with in order to improve.
These new qualities were apparent in all the classes recently. Such an obvious changes appeared, like dynamics of my movements,increased general presence, higher tone, more interaction with the external rather than just internal relationships that I was so used to. Consequently, this gave me the opportunity for a greater exploration and connection to the nervous system, helping me notice the transitions and even recognize the conscious and unconscious choices of my movement and its effects. Even though I still catch myself on moments when I lose my presence and start to block out the information given or some potential unfolds, I think this recognition and critical but not judgmental evaluation of it is a good point for improvement.
I think every single class we had recently had it's impact in it's own way. Makes you wonder, how such different material refer to one another, and how intellectual understanding can actually make a difference on the technical side of movement and vice versa....Few years ago nobody would have made me believe that dance art form would be so intelligent ;]]]]]]

Some more unfolds...

As my MS3 studies consist of morning classes on Mondays and Tuesdays as well, I would like to shortly  comment on them. Untypically for me, I really enjoy contact improvisation, when this gets involved. Recently I had an opportunity to dance in very different contexts and scores with few different people - some of them are well known in this kind of work for me already, with others I have been doing contact work for the first time. Even though I always felt really comfortable with giving weight and taking weight, etc, now I am much more interested in exploring different qualities and really noticing the difference in them, and recognize which of them are more preferred for me and informing more than the others. However, the most important thing I notably become better is ability to listen and find greater connection with my partner. Ability to follow it is the most beautiful thing I have explored in 3years of developing my contact improvisation skills at University. 

Phrase work mainly informs my practice technically, but it is interesting to notice, how much of imagery is used when teaching and clarifying the movement intentions, which is an interest of mine as a possible future teacher and practitioner. 

Though Improvisation classes mainly feed me as an artist. It develops my perceptiveness, as I learn how to listen, interpret, tune for artistic processes anywhere, anytime, which teaches how to be an artist and feed the process of work even when I am not in the studio. Writing more poetically is also something that unfolds through this practice, which I really appreciate, being so much of a realist !

January Entry

In January we have explored Homologous pattern, homolateral pattern and touched contralateral pattern of the movement as well. Through hands-on work and solo explorations, working with sensing, moving and imagining, we had an opportunity to go back to basics, to where our abilities to do certain movements underlie. In a first place, the transition itself from exploring the patterns through animal species, to actual human beings, felt quite a big change for me. For example, at first, when I started my exploration of homologous pattern, I found it very uncomfortable and unnatural.  excerpt from my notes: 'Frog- felt quite intimate and uncomfortable, very difficult to rock being on the front, because of adult body structure. Quite unfamiliar - felt like split in half! I fount it really demanding and athletic.'

As if 'split in half' was not explored enough, later explorations, starting in Feldenkrais, and continuing by going towards contralateral pattern explorations, made the sense of being split in half , like the blue line shows.

This also felt quite unnatural at the beginning, though much less demanding than homologous pattern. However, the more I was doing it, the more clear and familiar it became, or at least did not feel uncomfortable anymore, even though restricted. This also made me aware of the detail and clarity of the movement, especially when explorations involved teaching aspects. 

In solos, I noticed how much information gained through MS3 classes have already instilled within my body and intellectual understanding. This mainly happened, when at several points during the class, I tried to think about all the qualities of movement that we have been exploring, and tried to integrate them all. which was pretty impossible to do consciously - just too much information at a time. It felt like too much complexity to be thinking of every single one at the same time. 

Generally, I can tell January was great month for my dance practice, even though it was difficult to keep fully engaged, because of all the stress caused by dissertation writing, which was extremely tiring, even though it broadened my understanding of what we were doing as being subject-related. I think my previous 'new' approach of not caring too much, letting things be and reveal itself without too much thinking really worked in my favor. it did not only let me find the momentum, it did actually take me off the floor! i noticed myself much more energetic and open, much less rejecting,, and it also even gave me greater connection with the nervous system, which was and still is my high interest- the stress management, loss of pre-conceptions, ideas of letting go etc. let much more potential to unfold, which I wasn't aware of before. I have let myself dance as my body knows and wants rather than do what I was expected, or what I thought I was expected. I think that just made me much more present in classes and my own practice. So continuing finding the ways to tune up, fully inhabit movements that I do, trying to explore nervous system even further are my current aspirations. oh yeah, and letting things just be. Enjoy the dance, dancer !