Moving as we wanted to, I put a central focus on the feet and how I could move them. I played with the idea of them taking my whole body weight and creating different rhythms. From this I was able to come up with two different movement features. The first was playing with giving and taking weight off my hands and feet from a crouch position. The second was to sweep my feet against the floor, creating different sounds.
In the park we had to choose 5 different places of interest and observe how it influenced our moving.
1. Rocks next to the pond:They could take my weight in different ways. I played with dividing my body weight over more than one rock and observed which ones I trusted the most.
2. Trees:I investigated two different trees. The first was the smaller and thinner of the two. I leant against it and noticed how the bark on it was quite smooth. I didn't stay here for long as I felt it didn't have much of an impact on my movement. The second tree was a main feature of the park, as a result of its size. I used both the branches and the trunk to take my weight and found that I could explore this to a greater level than I could on the last tree.
3.Steps:Swaying from side to side, tilting, walking up them and down them. I was also able to play with the rhythms that I had created in the studio against the smooth stone.
4.Archway:I thought that the old archway refelcted the past of Coventry, whilst the new archway positioned above it was pointing towards the future of Coventry. I was able to sit in the archway as if I was part of its history.
Showing posts with label Improvisation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Improvisation. Show all posts
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Asnate and Rosalyn Worksop
Moving in a familiar place:
I found this relaxing and my movements were able to flow as I was aware of the trust and security I found from that particular place in the room. I didnt have to think too much about what I was doing, as subconsciously I was alreday aware of the movement vocabularly that I had previously created there.
Moving in an unfamiliar place:
I found this difficult to get into and I could feel more tension in my upper body than before. Becoming more aware of my breathing and trying to slow it down, I relaxed into my movements. By the end of moving I realised that having the opportunity to move in that particular place in the room, will have broken down a mental barrier for me. As opposed to thinking about what I dont like about the space, I can now challenge myself to think about what I actually like about it.
Surfaces:
I found myself being attracted to the black velevt curtains. They created a sense of warmth on my own skin and I felt as though they could take my body weight. I explored moving in front, behind and inside them.
Closing Eyes:
This allowed me to move in more adventuruous ways than I've done before. As a result of not being able to see what I was doing, I had to trust those around me and trust the knowledge that if I was able to get myself into an unfamiliar position, then I could get out of it again.
Moving with an Awareness of taste:
I tried to embody how I feel when I taste things, rather than physically try to taste the area around me. I danced in between the other senses', as in order to taste something you need all your senses'. I played with the idea of repetition, advancing and retreating towards something, and various speeds at which you taste something.
I found this relaxing and my movements were able to flow as I was aware of the trust and security I found from that particular place in the room. I didnt have to think too much about what I was doing, as subconsciously I was alreday aware of the movement vocabularly that I had previously created there.
Moving in an unfamiliar place:
I found this difficult to get into and I could feel more tension in my upper body than before. Becoming more aware of my breathing and trying to slow it down, I relaxed into my movements. By the end of moving I realised that having the opportunity to move in that particular place in the room, will have broken down a mental barrier for me. As opposed to thinking about what I dont like about the space, I can now challenge myself to think about what I actually like about it.
Surfaces:
I found myself being attracted to the black velevt curtains. They created a sense of warmth on my own skin and I felt as though they could take my body weight. I explored moving in front, behind and inside them.
Closing Eyes:
This allowed me to move in more adventuruous ways than I've done before. As a result of not being able to see what I was doing, I had to trust those around me and trust the knowledge that if I was able to get myself into an unfamiliar position, then I could get out of it again.
Moving with an Awareness of taste:
I tried to embody how I feel when I taste things, rather than physically try to taste the area around me. I danced in between the other senses', as in order to taste something you need all your senses'. I played with the idea of repetition, advancing and retreating towards something, and various speeds at which you taste something.
James' Workshop
I found myself taking a special interest in the box shape in the room as it felt secretive and out of the way. I rested against the door and took some time observing my surroundings. I noticed that I had picked the most non-claustrophobic space in the room. I followed the outline of the box until it led me a little into the floor. I lay flat on my back to feel the new surroundings and then sat up so I could see every part of the room.
Travelling across the floor and speaking at the same time allowed my movements to come quite naturally without a great deal of thought having to come into it. Sentences were all of a different structure and were quite random, not following any rhythm or being forced to make sense.
Movements that Reflect me:
1.Using my right arm to take me through space allows me to travel at speed. I enjoy living life at a fast pace as there is so much to do.
2.Spinning allows me to change direction when I want to. I can retrace an old path or create a new one. It allows me to feel surprised in my movement choices.
3.Jumping-I enjoy the sense of height and the release of tension it creates in the body. I can arch and articulate my feet well and remember my dance origins.
4.Lying on the ground-Creates a sense of my body weight in space, the lenghth of the skeleton, and encourages me to relax and let go of any unnecessary tension in the body. Contrast to moving quickly through life.
5.Leg Swings-Freeing the hips, allows the legs to move quickly and fluidly. Creates new ways of building momentum to explore new ways of moving out of the floor.
Travelling across the floor and speaking at the same time allowed my movements to come quite naturally without a great deal of thought having to come into it. Sentences were all of a different structure and were quite random, not following any rhythm or being forced to make sense.
Movements that Reflect me:
1.Using my right arm to take me through space allows me to travel at speed. I enjoy living life at a fast pace as there is so much to do.
2.Spinning allows me to change direction when I want to. I can retrace an old path or create a new one. It allows me to feel surprised in my movement choices.
3.Jumping-I enjoy the sense of height and the release of tension it creates in the body. I can arch and articulate my feet well and remember my dance origins.
4.Lying on the ground-Creates a sense of my body weight in space, the lenghth of the skeleton, and encourages me to relax and let go of any unnecessary tension in the body. Contrast to moving quickly through life.
5.Leg Swings-Freeing the hips, allows the legs to move quickly and fluidly. Creates new ways of building momentum to explore new ways of moving out of the floor.
DDC Workshop
This was quite difficult to do, especially whilst travelling in a room full of people; however, it opened my 3D self awareness. Working with a partner, we began playing with the idea of keeping our hand at arms length and then up close. It made me think of how a mobile phone can impair our movement when we try to use it while walking, and the importance of our own vision to get us about during the day.
DDC Workshop
We began laying on the floor and bringing awareness to our whole self. We then took our attention to our hand and began to slowly move it. I noticed how small my hands were, yet how I could create quite intricate details with them due to the many bones in the hand. I allowed the hands to come into contact with the surfaces of the ground. As the ground was cold, my hands responded by moving quicker along the ground to create a sense of warmth. Gradually moving to my feet, I kept eye contact with the hand at all times.
Direction Dance Company Workshop
As part of their FMP, Direction Dance Company are investigating the impact that social media , in particular twitter and facebook, and the use of communication through mobile phones has on our everyday lives. It has become apparent that we live in a society obsessed with means of non verbal communication.
Movement
I wasn’t aware of the group as we crossed paths as I was enjoying moving how I wanted to. However, I did notice that there always seemed to be one person on the floor and one person always upright. As a group, we didn’t really enjoy going back to the past and tended to avoid that section of the grid. I found it hard to change the mentality and focus from contemporary to Irish Dancing. However, the Irish dancing that I did seemed to be freer and relaxed than what I’m used to. I didn’t use the wildcard option but did explore using my left arm a lot to challenge myself.
Term Two-Class One
Physical Activities from your past:
• Irish Dancing
• Hip Hop
• Latin/ Ballroom and salsa dancing
Ways in which you enjoy making:
• Exploring rhythms through body parts
• Intricate details of the feet
• Floor work
• Eyes open
• Set material- the idea of perfecting it
• Jumping
What I find challenging:
• Use of voice in movement
• Upside down movements
• Letting other people take my body weight
• Forceful and aggressive movements
• Left arm- Don’t use and tend to ignore it
• Dancing outwardly
• To stop apologising for how I move
Wildest Dreams:
To own properties in Chicago and London
To travel around Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand
Learn another language
Learn as many different types of dance as possible
To share my passion for dance with the world
To perform with Riverdance before it stops touring
Adopt a polar Bear
• Irish Dancing
• Hip Hop
• Latin/ Ballroom and salsa dancing
Ways in which you enjoy making:
• Exploring rhythms through body parts
• Intricate details of the feet
• Floor work
• Eyes open
• Set material- the idea of perfecting it
• Jumping
What I find challenging:
• Use of voice in movement
• Upside down movements
• Letting other people take my body weight
• Forceful and aggressive movements
• Left arm- Don’t use and tend to ignore it
• Dancing outwardly
• To stop apologising for how I move
Wildest Dreams:
To own properties in Chicago and London
To travel around Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand
Learn another language
Learn as many different types of dance as possible
To share my passion for dance with the world
To perform with Riverdance before it stops touring
Adopt a polar Bear
Term Two-Class One
What are your interests as an artist and an improviser?
•Layering material to create a bigger improvisation
•Starting with something small and then resulting in having two or three things with you to take into the performance space
•Helps to explore and create opportunities of movement and allows for an element of surprise to occur
•Surprise for the audience, as well as a surprise for the person dancing
•Letting go of boundaries
•Activity and receptivity- within that is the idea of how we live in the world
Movement
I preferred to work in a duet as opposed to on my own as it helped me to be more creative and extends my movement vocabulary. The option to work using contact created a sense of closeness and a strong connection with my partner. It also brought more attention to the body parts that had just been given hands on work to.
Hands-On-Work
•Always imagined my rib cage was a lot bigger than what it actually is. Helped ot create a stronger image of my frame.
•Pulling and pushing of the ankles helped make the leg feel longer and made me more aware of the connection from the hip/ pelvis the whole way down to the ankle
•An awareness of the skull helped me to think of the length of the body and also helped to relax the tension in my jaw.
•Thinking about the shoulder blades and the arm as a whole makes me realise that they are stronger than I imagine and can support my body weight.
•Layering material to create a bigger improvisation
•Starting with something small and then resulting in having two or three things with you to take into the performance space
•Helps to explore and create opportunities of movement and allows for an element of surprise to occur
•Surprise for the audience, as well as a surprise for the person dancing
•Letting go of boundaries
•Activity and receptivity- within that is the idea of how we live in the world
Movement
I preferred to work in a duet as opposed to on my own as it helped me to be more creative and extends my movement vocabulary. The option to work using contact created a sense of closeness and a strong connection with my partner. It also brought more attention to the body parts that had just been given hands on work to.
Hands-On-Work
•Always imagined my rib cage was a lot bigger than what it actually is. Helped ot create a stronger image of my frame.
•Pulling and pushing of the ankles helped make the leg feel longer and made me more aware of the connection from the hip/ pelvis the whole way down to the ankle
•An awareness of the skull helped me to think of the length of the body and also helped to relax the tension in my jaw.
•Thinking about the shoulder blades and the arm as a whole makes me realise that they are stronger than I imagine and can support my body weight.
Collaboration with Music Students
•Change in my movement as a result of the changing speeds and rhythms
•Tended to react more towards the use of voice or the sound of a guitar
•Movement felt more easy and less controlled with the use of music
•Wanted to stay in the space and move as opposed to be an observer on the outside of the space
•Constantly inspired and as a result new movements are created
•Sense of creativity and togetherness in a larger group
•Tended to react more towards the use of voice or the sound of a guitar
•Movement felt more easy and less controlled with the use of music
•Wanted to stay in the space and move as opposed to be an observer on the outside of the space
•Constantly inspired and as a result new movements are created
•Sense of creativity and togetherness in a larger group
Friday, 25 November 2011
Witnessing Movement
.Fuid movements
.Equal input of words-nice to hear different languages
.Consistently worked on the floor
.All seemed to move at the same pace
.Movements really stretch out and use the avaliable space
.Change of pace from walk to run
.Investigation takes place before the next word is thrown in
.Possibility to reject the instruction
.Equal input of words-nice to hear different languages
.Consistently worked on the floor
.All seemed to move at the same pace
.Movements really stretch out and use the avaliable space
.Change of pace from walk to run
.Investigation takes place before the next word is thrown in
.Possibility to reject the instruction
Movement With Words
Floats Continuious Glance Glee Pleasure
Host Stars Dance Company Daffodils
Golden Stretched Waves Pensive
Fluid Small Floor Water
Host Stars Dance Company Daffodils
Golden Stretched Waves Pensive
Fluid Small Floor Water
Poem Choice
I've always had an interest in this poem as it was introduced to me at a very young age when the description of dancing in relation to nature grabbed my attention. I also liked the idea that an image that is so simple, and yet one that we often take for granted, could bring the poet so much joy and as a result often take away the pain of lonliness.
If I Could Write Words
If I could write words
Like leaves on an autumn forest floor
What a bonfire my letters would make
If I could speak words of water,
You would drown when I said
"I love you"
Like leaves on an autumn forest floor
What a bonfire my letters would make
If I could speak words of water,
You would drown when I said
"I love you"
Daffodils- William Wordsworth
I wondered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Group Work
Working in groups of four we had to "look for the spaces" inbetween each other. This required seeing the space at all times and having a sense of where each of us where in the space. My feet and knees had to be soft and supple in order to move quickly and to be ready for surprise movements. Balance was also needed to start and stop abruptly. Adding onto the score we played with the idea of one person always standing and one person always being on a low level. This required extra concentration to see what other people in the group were doing.
The main difference in working with a larger group was the higher level of energy and creativity. It was interesting to watch everyone in the space at the same time and how that compared with only a few people in the space.
The main difference in working with a larger group was the higher level of energy and creativity. It was interesting to watch everyone in the space at the same time and how that compared with only a few people in the space.
Amy's Improvisation Class
As a warm up exercise we began on the floor and gave thought to the skull and where it was in relation to space. With this is mind we began to roll with the head leading. I find it easier to lead with the head on the floor as opposed to the pelvis because it feels heavier and therefore I can become more aware of the direction it wants to travel in. We then introduced the idea of using the hands and feet to take us in and out of the floor, with the head continuing to lead. This helped me to explore more with transitions from lying, to sitting, to standing. I noticed that as I roll my head up I tend to move the last few vertabres very slowly as they tend to feel more fragile and less protected.
I moved towards a partner with my eyes closed and placed my feet against theirs. Playing with giving and taking weight, I noticed that when I pushed against my partner she didn't move but when she pushed against me I had to use all my support and strength in my legs to resist. Even then, I found myself slipping across the floor. We explored the idea of having our heads always connected and I found this easier as it created a stronger sense of connection and the transitions in and out of the floor were more fluid.
I moved towards a partner with my eyes closed and placed my feet against theirs. Playing with giving and taking weight, I noticed that when I pushed against my partner she didn't move but when she pushed against me I had to use all my support and strength in my legs to resist. Even then, I found myself slipping across the floor. We explored the idea of having our heads always connected and I found this easier as it created a stronger sense of connection and the transitions in and out of the floor were more fluid.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Improvisation Class
We had an Improvisation class at the start of term that really gave me some food for thought! I was given some words that really feed into dance that I hope to remember when I perform and choreograph.
1. Empowerment
2. Passion
3. Inclusion
4. Celebrating the individual
5. Translate
6. Facilitate
7. Creative
We were also asked two questions that really made me think about the way in which I move.
What stops you, what blocks you and why?
After creating a very short improvisation I found that what stops me from really exploring as much as possible is the lack of space that we have in the smaller studios. I find myself constantly having to be aware that I don’t stand on someone’s hand or foot, and that I’m not taking up too much space either. As a result I can’t travel as freely as I would like to do.. What really surprised me about this improvisation was that when we were asked to move with a partner I really would have preferred to work on my own. This is definitely a new feeling for me, as I normally enjoy having another person to bounce off. I hope this means that I’m becoming more comfortable within my own movements and have a stronger need to explore them.
What do you celebrate about your dance and what do you need to do to feed it in your practice?
I am slowly beginning to appreciate the simplicity of my movements as I think this allows me to be more creative in what I do as I’m not overly concerned about making things look “pretty”. I think I can feed this into my practice by continuing at a steady place and not rushing movement transitions.
1. Empowerment
2. Passion
3. Inclusion
4. Celebrating the individual
5. Translate
6. Facilitate
7. Creative
We were also asked two questions that really made me think about the way in which I move.
What stops you, what blocks you and why?
After creating a very short improvisation I found that what stops me from really exploring as much as possible is the lack of space that we have in the smaller studios. I find myself constantly having to be aware that I don’t stand on someone’s hand or foot, and that I’m not taking up too much space either. As a result I can’t travel as freely as I would like to do.. What really surprised me about this improvisation was that when we were asked to move with a partner I really would have preferred to work on my own. This is definitely a new feeling for me, as I normally enjoy having another person to bounce off. I hope this means that I’m becoming more comfortable within my own movements and have a stronger need to explore them.
What do you celebrate about your dance and what do you need to do to feed it in your practice?
I am slowly beginning to appreciate the simplicity of my movements as I think this allows me to be more creative in what I do as I’m not overly concerned about making things look “pretty”. I think I can feed this into my practice by continuing at a steady place and not rushing movement transitions.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Improvisation Class
Score Rules:
Lean into the cirlce that you make
Change direction
Change speed
Pause
Go backwards
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