December 2, 2007

Yield Push Reach Pull

This video is of a solo exercise we did in rehearsal that explored the
developmental sequence of Yielding and Pushing and Reaching and
Pulling. This sequence is explored by infants when they are learning to
lift off the ground (as in coming to their hands and knees) as well as
when they begin to explore locomotion. We took this sequence and
explored it through more complex movements of dance. I found it helps
me feel grounded while allowing a clear exploration of space. For the
video I overlayed the solos and faded them in and out, somewhat
randomly.

Posted by Daniel Burkholder at 9:42 PM - Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

November 7, 2007

"Authentic / Contact" Video Excerpts

This video below is some excerpts from an exercise that we do in rehearsal that I call authentic/contact. It combines Authentic Movement and Contact Improvisation. We begin doing Authentic Movement with our partner - one person moving, one person witnessing and then switching roles. Then instead of discussion or writing we move with one another, in contact. Contact Improvisation skills come into the dance we're having, but it is not, strictly, a Contact dance - it is something closer to Authentic Movement duets, with contact. At the same time, it is an effective way to open up our Contact Improvisation dancing with one another because it allows for a wide range of possible movements - many non-typical when doing straight Contact Improvisation. I like starting rehearsals with some Authentic Movement because it gets us away from trying to be interesting or correct or accomplishing anything. It allows our subconscious, creative selfs to be alittle more present when we go into other structures and scores. I also like to do some Contact Improvisation as part of our warm-up because it gets the whole body moving in 360 degree space and gets us moving in strong yet supple ways. Combing these two forms lets us get some of both of these worlds without taking too much time away from the limited creative time we have together.

Posted by Daniel Burkholder at 8:27 AM - Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)