This week we started the session by discussing the readings that had been assigned for this week. Going though the readings in my reading group helps me to understand them in more depth and also by listening to other peoples views and explanations makes the content of the reading make more sense. Not only this, but by explaining it to my other peers within the class then makes sure I understand the content even more as I am re wording the information to explain it to my peers.
We then watched two different videos of examples of contact improvisation. These two videos were very different types of contact improvisation and made me realise the style is very broad and can be performed in different ways. The first video was Blake Nellis and Brando at Earthdance (2010) This video showed very slow and sustained movements and the dancers made it look so effortless. By watching this, it made me more aware of my aims to perform the quality of movements they did and the effortless look the dancers shown. Another video we watched was Magnesium by Steve Paxton (1972). This dance showed a different side to contact improvisation as this piece showed more weighted movements and more levels. It also included more rolls and more risky movements that looked more exciting. ‘Unexplored possibilities of movement’ (Turner, 2010, 126) I feel like this quote really does sum up what Steve Paxton intention is, which is to fully explore the body and the possible ways it can move. This really showed through watching this contact improvisation piece as the movements were imaginative raw and risky. This also inspired me to make my movements more out of my comfort zone and to really challenge myself.
One of the exercises we did involved a great sense of trust with our partner. This involved lying down and my partner lifting up my head. This sounds easier as it actually is. This was because giving all my head weight to my partner and completely letting go of any tension was difficult. This was mainly due to the fact in my mind my head was too heavy for my partner. But eventually my mind shifted and I realised that Ellie could easily handle the weight of my head. The sensation when she was holding my head whilst improvisation was very unique. Even though Ellie had full responsibility of my head I felt very safe and secure and made movements which were raw and less habitual than I have ever done in previous sessions. I believe this was because I wasn’t thinking as much on how I was moving but instead thinking about the way the movements were feeling when Ellie took complete weight of my head. This made me feel very dazed after the exercise however it was very relaxing. After that the roles switched and I took control of the weight of Ellie’s head. I felt a big responsibility with this because the head is such a vulnerable and precious body part. However I did feel very connected to Ellie’s movements and it made me feel like I was dancing with her. I believe this sensation linked in with the idea ‘to discover through spontaneous movement in contact’ (Turner, 2010, 123). This quote from the reading really did link into what just happened during that partner work. The effect of giving someone such a precious part of my body made in stem lots more spontaneous movements that I think I would have only performed because of the opportunity of completing this exercise. I feel it had such an effect on my movements.
We then ended the session on improvising with partners. We didn’t just dance with one specific partner but instead changed around and danced with a few of my classmates. I found this was more interesting dancing with different classmates instead of sticking to dancing with just one. This was because every partner I had we came up with completely different movements to the other partners. It was all different and was interesting to discover how my classmates moved as well. This also showed me who I worked better with and by this I mean which partner I felt the movements flowed out more with less effort. Not only that but which partner felt more comfortable and relaxed with dancing with me. Sometimes I still feel nervous to completely give my weight to my classmates but I am beginning to trust that they can take my weight and guide me into new movements and I hope that situation is the same from their perspective and how they feel with me.
Nelson, L. (dir.) (2006) Contact Improvisation Archive DVD #2: Magnesium, Peripheral Vision, Soft Pallet. [DVD] East Charleston: VIDEODA
Turner, R. (2010) Steve Paxton’s ‘Interior Techniques’: Contact Improvisation and Political Power. TDR: The Drama Review, 54(3), 123-135.
Aaron Brando (2010) Contact Improvisation: Blake Nellis & Brando @ Earthdance. [online v0ideo] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQRF2sLK1vY [Accessed 7 October 2015]