October 9, 2007

Breathing Together

Last weekend (Fri & Sun) we began rehearsing with the new members of the company. It is always interesting to have new people and their energy in rehearsal. These first couple of rehearsals are more about getting to know each other than about creating work. I try and take time to just move together, to establish a language and a sense of one another. Rushing to quickly into trying to be productive always seems to be counter productive. So, for these first rehearsals we really just worked on different improvisational skills, structures and concepts. We started each rehearsal doing some Contact Improvisation and moved into solo and group scores. On Sunday we went through some scores that focused on the breath. Here is a brief description of the solo and groups scores:

Breath Phrasing: First just breath. Follow the inhale and the exhale. After a time, begin to move - doing only one movement with each breath cycle. One movement that spans the inhale and the exhale. Continue like this for a while. Then begin to do one movement with the inhale and one movement with the exhale. Two movements for each breath cycle. Continue to do this for a while. Begin to change the number of movements per inhale, per exhale. Maybe do 3 movements during the inhale and 2 during the exhale. Or, 4 during the inhale and 1 as you exhale. Keep playing with the number of movements during your breath cycle. Let movements overlap from one to the next. Continue. Breath Coordination: Standing in a circle, one person begins to coordinate their breath with a simple plier - inhale and straighten the legs, exhale and bend the legs. As the rest of the circle coordinates their breath with the first person they add in to the plier. All breathe and plier together for a time. Gradually dancers can begin to explore their breath phrasing while staying in breathing coordination with one other. As the phrasing develops, let the circle dissipate, move through the space, all the time keeping the intention of being in breath coordination with one other. Continue to let it develop.

These scores, which are such a nice way to connect inner to outer and individual to group, were inspired by my music for dance teacher at Sarah Lawrence College, Norma Dalby.
Posted by Daniel Burkholder on October 9, 2007 10:39 AM

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