Map Dance

Watching the performance by 'Map Dance' on Friday really broadened my mind about what dance is, and how it can vary with a stimulus or dance idea.
Each performance was different and I never knew what to expect. It showed a range of movement ideas and even styles, and included a wide variation of performance aspects including voice, use of props and moving in silence as well as use of accompaniment.
I always find that whenever I watch a live performance there's always something inparticular that remains in my mind. The 2nd piece 'The Three Acts of Change' by Hagit Bar had an imapnt on me that I thought about for days after the performance. At on point the whole of the company shouted and repeated the word 'change' for ages, until that very word 'change' began to change into the word 'train'; this then kept changing when they had chanted the word simultaneously for a period of time. This for me meant a variety of things but really reminded me of the game 'chinese whispers' when the word is passed around from person to person and changes are made along the way, and a lot of the time the ending word isnt the same as the beginning word. It then reminded me of the placing practise in context lecture we had with Natalie where we discussed 'multiple realities', so for one person their reality could be one thing (or in this case word) and for another it could be something completely different.
I also noticed the similarities between the piece that we watched choreographed and performed by Liz Aggiss previously, and the one she choreographed for Map Dance 'Cut with the Kitchen Knife'. The similarities included the variation between a dark sinister atmosphere aimed possibly to shock or scare, and a playful colourful one created for humour. The use of singing and the sedductive mannerisms of the dancers were also similar, and showed me that Liz Aggiss must have a certain style of choreographing, which I would like to learn more about.
Overall I really enjoyed watching Map Dance, and will take with me now certain performance aspects into my own practise after seeing how effective their performance was.

Pilates 10/03/14

Today I began Pilates with good balance and focus, but not feeling particularly strong and therefore dreading some of the positions. However, I have been feeling more determined lately to overcome the points each of my movement studies teachers have been repeating to me e.g. in Katye's contact improvisation lessons I need to work on relaxing my jaw, and in Pilates I need to work on "quiet ribs" similar to what Natalie says to the whole class in Release-based contemporary. So in order to maintain these "quiet ribs" I need to engage my core more but drop my centre/pelvis, which was the feedback I got from Jane in Pilates. I found positions such as the 'plank' much easier than usual by working on these focus points.

Other points Jane mentioned to me was that I need to pretend that I am on the roller when performing some exercises such as the bicycle so that I maintain stability in my core, pelvis, and that my moving leg doesn't move my opposing hip. This visualisation of imagining myself on the roller helped my stability and allowed me to maintain the correct position. 

Improvisation/ instant composition 10/03/14

Today we continued with the idea of saying 'yes and no' through movement. We did this via a range of exercises such as travelling individually and imagining someone making resistance to restrict your movement, and then being free. We then repeated the exercise but did it in partners with someone restricting your movement and saying 'no' to you via movement.

We later did a task that required two people to have a conversation through movement whilst travelling. From this, me and Deborah had a similar idea of transforming this task into an 'impossible task' for our performers Gabby and Lewis to interpret. We had a discussion after today's improv lesson and decided to name the task 'speak without speaking' and to give this to Gabby and Lewis in our next rehearsal.

My favourite exercise of today's lesson with Becca was the last task we did called 'flocking'where we got into a tight group, then the front person would perform an action or actions that the rest would follow, then if the facings changed a new leader would therefore be present and take over. Later interventions from Becca included 'you can be a follower, or break out and be a leader, or repeat'. With these new options, beautiful choreography was produced from improvising. Listening to people's thoughts after the task was interesting as some had similar experiences to me and others didn't. For example, I felt an urge to be a leader and break out, where others wanted to repeat previous movements. Regardless of this, the dance idea was brilliant and I really enjoyed the task and moving with the group as a whole. 

Skinner Releasing Technique 06/03/14

Before today's class began, I felt particularly tense and serious. However, as the lesson proceeded, I began to loosen and became really embodied in the tasks. 

We began with the idea of 'loose bones' which really allowed me to loosen my body, as well as my mind, and I was able to fully leave my problems at the door and concentrate on the 'now'. The 'loose leg dance' that developed from this allowed me to feel free, soft, and ready to explore. I felt like I was walking on water at one point during that 'dance' and therefore felt supple, delicate, but purposeful. 

The graphics bought my attention to places I often forget about: including their structure, weight, and assistance they apply to your body. I focused upon my skull and legs and realized through the graphics that we sometimes forget the movement these features can allow, but also how much care they deserve. 

Work In Progress 04/03/14

Today we presented to Katye and Andrea, as well as the class, what we had all choreographed so far for our duets, and what we have learnt so far in our performance duets. 

As mine and Deborah's choreography isn't pieced together yet and is simply in separate sections, we decided to show it in the separate sections. We told the audience that the dance idea was based around your interpretation of a given impossible task, of which there are several throughout the performance. The dancers then performed and we awaited feedback. 

Feedback included: 

- Watch some of Jerome Bel's work as he may be useful ... I researched Jerome Bel for the previous lesson which was 'placing practice in context' and found the work I had watched very interesting. Therefore I am going to continue with my research and see if I can get any inspiration or ideas for my choreography. 

-Giving people the definition of 'impossible' before the performance would be a good idea. We gave the quote we had after the performance and we were told it'd be good to put in the programme so the audience knows this before they see the piece. So that's what me and Deborah have now decided to do. 

"Impossible isn't something that cant be done, its just something that hasn't been done before."

-Some of the audience wanted to know what the impossible tasks were that Gabby and Lewis were interpreting. However, I said I didn't want to reveal the tasks to the audience as it defeats the object of personal interpretation. We found that as we gave the dancers the tasks to make movement from, that we ourselves would have carried them out in completely different ways and different approaches, which we found very interesting and intriguing; why then would we stop this imagination that the audience can latch onto if we reveal the true nature of the tasks? 

Katye said: "I don'/t know what it is and I don't want to know." This I really agree with, as for example: Gabby made an interpretation of the task: 'raining pillows', but her movement could suggest 'an explosion of teddy bears' to a member of the audience, and therefore the creativity continues. 

-Find a relationship between the two people. Both I and Deborah established our fortune at the very start of the duet assignment, as we were the only choreographers to be given a male/female partnership. Watching Katye and Charlie in their performance triggered an idea that was re-enforced by ‘The Suchness of Heni and Eddie’ by Rosemary Lee: Could we create a piece for a male and female without an audience assuming a stereotypical love-based relationship between them? When watching Katye’s and Charlie’s performance I remember my focus being upon the puzzle I thought they were solving. My focus was also upon the trust and partnership they had, and therefore their relationship, but no stereotypical assumptions were made. This was a similar outcome for me when watching Rosemary Lee’s work; therefore I and Deborah shared this interest and too wanted to experiment with movement ideas that could disperse of stereotypical assumptions. However, our feedback from today’s session suggests that we took this too far so that no relationship was established, which isn't what we wanted. Therefore we are going to work on this development of a relationship being present between Gabby and Lewis, but without an automatic assumption that it must be, for example, love-based.

Improvisation/ Instant Composition 03/03/14

Today I wasn't feeling to great as I had pain in my right side similar to the one I experienced a few weeks ago, so I decided to just observe. However, via observing I was still able to make myself a part of the lesson by visualizing the tasks and interpreting the poetic language within my own mind and see what that developed for me. 

I still made a journal entry from the lesson including various quotes from Becca, and some of the imagery used. The lesson also triggered movement ideas for my duet that I am choreographing for Gabby and Lewis with Deborah, as they can be edited into 'impossible tasks' which is my dance idea. I asked Becca for reference points if I was to use and modify these tasks in my choreography, and she said they came from 'Wendy Houstan' from DV8, and others came from Motion House, and Yale Flexor; therefore I am going to research these artists and companies and see if any inspiration for my choreography arises. 

Ballet 28/02/14

Today in ballet, I had my one-to-one with Denise. I was delighted to hear her tell me a number of things about my progress in the lesson, including my correct placement of feet and legs, co-ordination, and presentation. She told me the only thing I need to work on is my core stability, as that can sometimes alter which can effect the placement of my pelvis. So I am going to pay attention to this in future classes so that nothing alters in my torso, which enhances stability throughout my whole body.