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October 16, 2007

(c.)ontact and Weight

Today in my improvisation class I'm currently teaching I introduced (c.)ontact (i.)mprovisation and the idea of giving and receiving weight. It is always such a challenge to get people to use their weight in relation to another person - there is hesintancy to really use weight - "I feel like I'm going to crush them." Though, I find that most people either have a fear of giving their weight or a fear of receiving weight - some, a few, are either fearless or fearful of both. Most people fall into one camp. So, I start slow - with lying, gently giving alittle weight and then alittle more. Slowly lying on top of their partner - not doing anything, just lying there. And then gradually adding in small rolling and shifts. Usually, and it was true today, there are looks of disbelief and then giggles and finally "Wow! I feel so relaxed." My main point this first day was for them to start to experience the difference between partnering work in c.i. and other forms of dance - mainly, in c.i. we support our partners and in other forms of dance you lift your partner. Lifting is done with muscles and supporting is done with bones and structure. We can support alot more weight than we can lift. But, we start slowly.


Posted by Daniel Burkholder on October 16, 2007 10:59 PM


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1Comments

Jane Tear said:

I am a dance teacher from england. I have taught contact impro lessons for my school students as part of their GCSE exam course. They find it really difficult to give up the control and give in to the weight. I think part of the problem is the way they feel about their own weight, i am sure that most of them see themselves as much heavier than they actually are and also, and i find this very interesting, so many of my students have issues with being touched by others, especially if their feet should touch! It sends them into orbit!! It is such a feeling of achievement when a student actually 'gets it', and gives into it. I normally start with the students standing one behind the other and leaning forward, the back student giving their weight to the front, if they can bend their knees and take their partners feet off the ground then great. We then start to experiment further. Anyway i am new to this blog thing so i hope this works. contact impro is a new thing for me too but i love the movement and dance ideas that come out of it, and the feeling of weight and fluid movement is fantastic.

Added: October 22, 2007 4:33 AM | Permalink

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