Through our practice we were given the incredible opportunity to travel to Nottingham’s Dance4 studio to take part in a workshop with Feet off the Ground Dance. The change of environment and new movement material had a clear impact on everyone’s confidence. The positive atmosphere led to some incredible work being performed and allowed us to work strongly as a collective. Applying the techniques we learnt throughout the class into a piece of repertoire, really gave us the confidence to let go of any preconceptions and put everything we had into the movement, “the dance was within us” (Curtis, 1988, p.156). Having these additional techniques has allowed me to be less anxious about entering contact jams and has pushed me to want to experimenting working with new people.
How does a change of pace and momentum affect the movement created during contact improvisation?
Exercise 1: Slow paced movement, starting on a low kinesphere. The aim of the exercise is to allow the dancers to explore all the different points for rolling, anchoring, levering and weight bearing. Discovering new platforms that could be used on different kinesphere or when travelling, “each body […] is unique and presents another opportunity to explore what movement is available” (Curtis, 1988, p.157).
Exercise 2: Travelling across the room. Exercise begins slow paced and is restricted to low and middle kinesphere. The exercise the progresses to fact paced movement and the higher kinesphere is opened up. We wanted to take away thinking time so that there would be no pauses in the movement, “I found my body starting to move in patterns that did not exist in my mind or in my previous experience” (Curtis, 1988, p.156) The aim is that the movement is not rushed, it is just a continuous flow of movement “[…] the internal rhythm of shifting weight, sensation and the communication that goes back and forth between the dancers” (Curtis, 1988, p.158)
Overall Feedback
Did you prefer moving at a slower pace and did it help you find more anchor points?
The slower paced movement helped the dancers explore new points of connection and new movement material. The overall feeling of both exercises seemed to stay at a slower pace, even when bodies should have been moving quicker. The participant explained this was because the movement felt more fluid.
Did the change of pace affect the momentum?
The dancers explained that they found it difficult to go from two slow paced exercises into a quick on with a partner. They suggested that a solo fast paced exercised may have encouraged their movement when in a duet. The music was complement as it helped lift the atmosphere and did have an effect on the movement. The quicker pace led to some difficulty getting started and a demonstration helped to make it clear on what movement was available. There was much more communication in this exercise to keep surrounding people safe.
Does changing pace steer you away from habitual movement?
Our peer discussed that the found it difficult to move at a fast pace because they couldn’t explore the movement. It was made clear that they would become stuck in certain kinesphere’s i.e. bodysurfing, because they forgot about the other possibilities and techniques we had learnt. An overload of things to think about caused a physical block and put everybody’s movement on hold, “when we don’t make fences around our bodies, all movement becomes acceptable” (Curtis, 1988, p.158)
Bibliography: Curtis, B. (1988). Exposed to Gravity. Contact Quarterly/ Contact Improvisation Sourcebook I, Vol. 13. Pp.156-162.
