Movement Themes for These Times
Today is August 22, 2020. I have been at home for 23 weeks now — working, dancing, exercising, and parenting/schooling from home. Hours and hours of Zoom meetings, email communication, and sitting. Plus dancing in the living room and bedroom whenever I can. Grateful for this tiny house and making due. Getting by. Keeping time. Passing time. Noticing time.
As a dancer and arts administrator, I think every day about the body, embodiment, movement, and expression. Early on during Shelter in Place, I started writing and sharing Movement Poems as daily prompts for dancers everywhere, in small spaces, for improvising and choreographing. It was really fun. The goal was 52 poems, and the goal was easily made. Again, lots of time and lots of days at home to write poems and move with the words.
Today, I want to share 12 themes I am considering and grappling with — in my own body and in the field in general. (I would love to suggest reading Ann Cooper Albright’s book How to Land as well; it is a brilliant book exploring the themes of falling, disorientation, suspension, gravity, resilience, and connection.) I hope these themes can inspire your dance classes and personal practice over the coming weeks. I share each idea here, and also one or two of the 52 Movement Poems that touches upon that theme. If you click on each Movement Poem, you will find a short improvisation activity and music suggestion. The themes are not in any particular order or hierarchy.
- Back space/back body
- Level changes
- Eyes
- Twisting
- Folding
- Expansiveness
- Whole body
- Connect
- Planes of movement
- Feet
- Grounding
- Symmetry
Back Space/Back Body
Remembering, feeling, noticing. Our frontal, screen-based lives makes this tricky. How does your back body feel, and move? Stretching arms and legs into the back space. Walking backwards, slowly. Receding a little. Softening. (Check out Movement Poem #48: an entrance, moving backwards.)
Level Changes
High, middle, and low. Highs + lows. Rise and relevé; crouch and coil. Touching the floor and going upside, since we are upright so much of the day at home, feels so wonderful. (Movement Poem #26: palette and Movement Poem #19: simplicity)
Eyes
Softening the focus. Scanning the space. Closing the eyes and moving for a bit. Rest. Ease. (Movement Poem #20: Eyes)
Twisting
Ah! Twisting. With our screen-focused, seated bodies — twisting is a much needed change of action. Crossing the midline, cross lateral movement; wringing, coiling. (Movement Poem #37: spinal twist)
Folding
Yielding and softening. Integrating and moving the whole body. Releasing the head, neck, and front of throat. (Movement Poem #11: Activate)
Expansiveness
I love all of the synonyms here: reaching, radiating, extending, and elongating. Outward. Many directions. (Movement Poem #50: New Directions)
Whole Body
Full body integration and experiencing. Fullness and full potential. (Movement Poem #5: Whole Body, Going)
Connect
Connecting with your space and with others. Where are you living, working, and moving? Seeing the space and relating in proximity.
Also, how do you connect and see others in Zoom meetings and classes? Adding comments to the Chat; asking questions of the group. Engagement. Listening, seeing, and dialogue. (Check out Movement Poem #39: reciprocity.)
Planes of Movements
Like a wheel, wall, table…the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. Three-dimensionality. (Movement Poem #19: simplicity)
Feet
Pointing, flexing. Getting out of our shoes. Feeling surfaces; rolling arches on balls. Remembering how our dancing feet can move in so many ways. (Movement Poem #42: lean in)
Grounding
Connecting. Touching. Tactile actions. (Movement Poem #2: Grounding and Movement Poem #4: Body Game)
Symmetry
Last, this is a theme I come back to again and again in my life. Symmetry to me is about balance, evenness, and wholeness. (Movement Poem #27: Symmetry)
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I dedicate this piece — and want to thank — so many of my teachers, colleagues, and influences. Your words live in my body and heart each day. I hope you find some of your words highlighted here. Thank you to Abby Fiat, Nina Haft, Randee Paufve, Mo Miner, Valerie Gutwirth, Elizebeth Randall, Martha Eddy, Audrey Johnson, Molly Heller, Juliana Monin, and Nadia Oka. Also thank you to two authors and amazing dance writers — Andrea Olsen and Ann Cooper Albright.
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Related writing:
Shelter-in-Place Dance Dictionary: Leah Cox
Shelter-in-Place Dance Dictionary: Jae Neal
Shelter-in-Place Dance Dictionary: Raja Feather Kelly
