Welcome to Beginning Contemporary Dance. These responses will not only be a vehicle for expressing your ideas, it will be my chance to share with you some of my favorite choreographers from around the world and some of my favorite topics of discussion. I have provided links to Youtube clips (generally under 5 minutes) and corollary questions. Your weekly tasks follow like so: watch the Youtube clip, read all of your classmates ideas and responses, and then provide a clear and concise reply to both the corollary questions and points brought up by your classmates. I hope that this will: 1) familiarize you with some important names in the dance world, and 2) encourage you to develop the observation and language skills to see and talk about dance. Since we only have 80 minutes in class each meeting, we will use all of that time to move! This, then, is where we will talk things out. Shall we?
First clip for viewing: Batsheva, a modern dance company from Israel. Over the summer I took a week long intensive with this company, and began learning their movement technique, called "Gaga". No, not like Lady Gaga. Batsheva has been around since before Lady Gaga was even born. My movement style is greatly influenced by Gaga technique. Check it out!
Corollary Question(s):
What stands out to you about their dancing? Do the dancers demonstrate an ability to embody movement that impresses you? What does it mean to "embody" movement? How do these dancers inspire you to approach this class?
If you need another example of a dancer fully embodying movement, enjoy the second clip from a DV8 Physical Theater (performance art group from the UK) dance-for-camera film entitled "The Cost of Living." Amazing.
This short video very much resonates with me as it relates to the embodiment of movement. The movements of the dancers were so fluid and organic, not segmented and separate. That is, a lot of what was stressed during the first two classes, such as bending the knees in a more cohesive and uniform way as opposed to a "bend and snap" or stage-based way, was clearly present. Additionally, the bodies of the dancers moved as one, the separate parts not being distinct from one another. Moving arms, for example, did not stand out as a body simply flailing arms haphazardly, but rather operated in concert with the rest of the movements. I suppose this could be very much because of the alignment of the dancers, their whole bodies being postured and positioned in such a way as to create a wholeness as opposed to aforementioned separation of movement. I will try to consider these factors in the coming class sessions, because at this point in my limited experience with dance, I feel I'm a bit stiff and separated as compared to the fluidity and naturalness of the dancers in the video.
ReplyDelete---Charlie
Upon watching this video, I deduced that the key ingredient to the uniqueness of movement is a variety and ingenuity in the body part with which one leads. Just as in class when we were asked to lead with our heels and the rest of our bodies were forced to conform to the low bending long strides, these dancers, by leading with their pelvis or right knee for example, inform their bodily shape and quality of movement. I believe they truly embody movement because they are bringing energy through each finger and toe; not only their bodies but their faces as well are fully committed to the movements and emotions. The most impressive aspect for me was the group's ability to dance to the experimental music in the beginning; each body part was crisply attacking the beat of a fax machine and later, even jiving to the rhythm of silence. I hope to improve upon my ability to recognize irregular rhythmic patterns and get my body in sync with the beat or lack there of.
ReplyDelete-Rebecca
Their dancing was very fluid and they were continuously doing different movements. Also, they fully took advantage of all the open space on the stage. At any one moment if you were to take a picture, their poise would have been unique. I also found it very interesting that the dancers were able to embody movements that were precise yet not stiff. Like what Charlie mentioned, the dancers utilized bending their knees with each landing which made it seem as though they were weightless. The dancers were very aware of their movements, they had control over ever single move they made which I believe is the embodiment of movement. They are able to perform unnatural body forms in a natural way with control, precision, and fluidity. Coming into contemporary dance, I did not know what to expect and what type of dance it consisted of, however, after watching these dancers and the first few classes, I am inspired to approach the class with control of each movement with the appearance of effortlessness.
ReplyDelete- Candace
I thought the dancing in the video was great, and I especially liked the use of angles in the dancers bodies. Its refreshing to see such a use of body angles (a sharp elbow or a flexed foot) as most of my exposure to dance has been watching and doing ballet which is more about rounded arms and pointed toes.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the women especially were interesting to watch because in a few instances they were purposely arching their backs, which made simple movements look so much different.
This video inspires me to embrace new and different movement and gave me a new perspective on how simple changes to body position can change a whole movement.
The dancing is very sharp and in concrete form. It certainly complimented the music very well. I noticed that the dancers appeared to be doing their own thing and then it moved over to duets that looked amazing. I also think I saw different dancers move differently for different sounds in the music that were occurring at the same time. The dancers do demonstrate the ability to embody movement that is extremely impressive. Although their movements are very sharp and concrete, they convey them very smoothly. As most other students mentioned, the dancers do not put a lot of constriction in the knees and they are very graceful. To "embody" movement, from what I can see, means to know and have control over your body and to use it to express almost anything, especially emotion. The dancers inspire me to explore the different ways in which my body can move. There should be no reason to fear your own body and just go for it. As for the second video, what I am seeing is how the body can change in the way it moves. The man remains in one single space and the proceeds to using all of the available space around him. He also seems to enjoy himself more when he uses all of the area.
ReplyDelete-Alexis Leon
Essentially, embodying movement is the fearless manifestation of internal expression released through the external body. This is the point where the dancer lets go of outside distraction and directly engages with the existing energies. They inspire me to take advantage of open spaces, allow my body to fill those spaces. Having a background in ballet, my goal is to take control of my body, without appearing stiff and rigid.
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ReplyDeleteAfter watching the two video clips, what stood out to me the most was their fluidity of their movements and how real it felt. Especially in the second video, I could feel his happiness through just watching his body move and from his eyes. They were not just dancing with their torsos and limbs, but with their souls and emotions. Additionally, in both videos, it was every part of their bodies that were moving together and coordinating together- this is what it means to me to “embody” movement, to make it your own and to make it believable.
ReplyDeleteThese dancers inspire me to dance with every single part of me. For example, when performing a single simple movement such as a lunge forward or a collapse to the floor, to perform it with emotion, to make it believable to myself and others. Furthermore, I really liked how rhythmic their movements were to the music and I would like to improve on my ability to count to the music and to be able to move with the music.
- Nicole Wong
I love the DV8 video! I especially loved how it started as the small movements and gradually as he began to let the music take over, the movements got more fluid, abstract, and joyful yet you could always see where the original routine came from. I remember doing that in auditions for both The Dybbuk and Winterworks. The joyful abandon is something I hope to remember and not get caught up in the specific choreography.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Batsheva Dancing. One of the things that stood out (and that stands out to me in every troupe of well trained dancers) is how everything seems effortless. You don't see any physical strain unless it's part of the movement. But I know from attempting some of these moves either in class or in other places that muscles /usually/ don't like moving in those ways and they complain loudly. So it always amazes me to see dancers just doing it. I also felt that the movements really came from somewhere. They weren't just moving a hand or a foot, it originated somewhere in the core and every movement, no matter how small, involved the whole body. That to me is one of the definitions of embodying movement, the other is to get emotionally lost in the story the dance takes you in, which was present in both videos.
What I want to take from it is the willingness to go all out with my energy and work on both my fluidity as well as focusing my energy specifically as I dance.
Also now I'm just going to watch the rest of "The Cost of Living Now."
DeleteThe dancing stands out because they all seem to be doing their own thing in the beginning of the Batsheva video.There is no set choreography so all the dancers are spread out doing their own unique movements. Then they come together and do a uniform dance in the middle. The way they move seems very unique and strange which makes it impressing. I also like when they “mirror” each other. Embody movement means to express oneself through movement. The dancers do this very well because they are feeling the music, and from that comes their dancing. These dancers inspire me to learn more about contemporary dance because I am used to a more uniform style of dance and want to learn how to express myself through my movements.
ReplyDeleteWhat draws me in most about Batsheva's Gaga style is the fluidity of their movements and how, despite having individual choreography in many parts of the piece, their movements all seem to respond to each other. There is fluidity in the way they are able to move their own bodies as well as in how the dancers move as an ensemble. In class, we talked about how we can use one part of our body to influence how the rest of our body responds, for example by lifting or grounding us. The dancers in this make it seem like they're not even controlling parts of their body; rather, their intricate movements are a result of another movement led by their hands, torsos, legs, etc., almost like a ripple effect.
ReplyDeleteEvery step or shift of their weight, no matter how seemingly insignificant, was very careful and deliberate. The dancers really cared about how they were choosing to move their bodies, aiming for a lot of efficiency and the right amount of power in each movement. Nothing seemed forced and everything was a response to either another dancer, a note in the music, or their own personal choices in order to convey the right emotion and thought.
The DV8 video was so entertaining to watch. I found that as it went on I couldn't keep the smile off my face because of how utterly joyful it was. It's really interesting to me how he could take the same little pieces of choreography, repeat it throughout the song, and exude a different meaning to it even though he was basically repeating the same thing over and over again. It was all dependent on how big his movements were and how expressive he allowed himself to be until the end where he was basically letting his body take him where it wanted to go. Dancing isn't about just going through the motions. If we have true intent behind our movements, it shows and can make the most simplistic choreography into a piece the audience can't tear themselves away from.
I thought the Batsheva performance was interesting because the dancers don't move together and they are expressing themselves seemingly without regard to others around them. Each person is doing different movements, almost to the point that the beginning of the dance was a little disorienting. Yet, if you were to look at each dancer individually, you'd notice that all their movements fit cohesively with the music. I was also impressed that although their movements seemed a little unorthodox, all of the dancers seemed to embody the music so well. They follow through completely with whatever natural response the music elicits.
ReplyDeleteEach dancer interprets the music in their own way and lets it evoke movements distinct to their interpretation, which is how I'd like to approach our dance class.
The Batsheva performance clearly and beautifully illustrates unique and fluid movement. Each performer embodies movement in their own distinct way, even when they seem to be performing the same movement. This is what embodying movement truly means to me. It is an expression of one's own style and body's language. It is a dance from the heart and soul. It is your own.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, the fluid, yet strong, sharp and concrete movements stood out a lot. It seemed almost effortless, but one could see the commitment to the movements as every movement seemed complete from head to toe with emotion in the face. The performers danced and responded so naturally to the music that it looked beautiful and strong.
The dancers inspire to me to approach the class in a similar manner because I want to dance in my own, unique way. I would like to dance naturally and express myself by becoming one with the music. I want to be able to show emotion through my dance. I believe the "Cost of Living" performance did just this. He let loose and danced to the rhythm of the music- expressed himself without a care in the world. That is how I want to dance.
-Sabrien Pabla
What stands out to me the most is the control the dancers have over their bodies. In class, we are constantly reminded that we need to focus on our bodies, and allow our minds to comprehend, and thank, the wonders its capable of. These dancers are fully aware of every minute detail they are capable of performing and throw so much of their emotions into their actions, giving us such a performance that doesn't simply yell "rehearsed to death" but instead, breathes calmly and rhythmically "comfort, control, and passion".
ReplyDeleteI think the embodiment of movement is obviously, movement, but movement with an intended purpose layered and intertwined with intended emotions. As was noted by Kyle, we are not simply performing jazzercise routines (which lack any sort of emotional connotation). We're moving in sync with our emotions. We really want those Pink shoes across the hall. We are prowling for the fellow classmate in front of us (and avoiding being caught by the classmate behind us). The dancers in the video layer their movements with the music and internal emotions, that are visible from their eyes, facial expression, and ultimately, the skill and beauty of their movement.
My inspiration for this class stems from this basic principle: exuding emotional expression through movement. Putting myself into the right atmosphere, with other people who share the same goal (expression through movement) will hopefully give myself the proper push from being inexpressive through movement, and promote the opposite: harnessing internal emotions coupled with action in movement, to be expressive.
-- Trevor Polcyn --
The Batsheva Dance was very beautiful and artistic in every way. I was confused at first because there were too many dancers doing different movements. When the dancers became synchronized, I saw their amazing skill in dance. The way the dancers moved so lightly conveyed exactly what was taught in class. Seeing this will definitely help me to stay light on my toes when instructed to.
ReplyDeleteThe second video was so funny! I loved how his dance got progressively more energetic and happy. This was really cute and beautiful. The part where the girl walked in had me laughing so hard. It was so random but overall very amusing.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed both of these videos but for different reasons. They both made me feel inspired to perform and push myself in every movement throughout my daily life.
ReplyDeleteThe Batsheva Dance was so fluid and beautiful to watch. The thing that stood out to me the most was their flexibility. Their bodies twist and bend in ways that look effortless but are actually extremely hard to do smoothly. After trying similar basic movements in class, it really made me appreciate the talent of these dancers. I felt that they all embodied movement in the sense of passion. Every dancer had their own path and desires and just seemed to float around experiencing their individual body exploration. It reminded me of how Kyle pointed out how amazing it is to simply watch another person focused and passionate about the action they are performing. I really felt intrigued by these dancers and it inspires me to go deeper into every movement I do. I like what Trevor said about moving in sync with our emotions. I think it's easy for us to zone out and perform movements without really thinking but it's important to connect our minds with our bodies and feel in the moment.
The DV8 dance was also amazing in a different way. His silly movements at the beginning to his jumping around in random circles reminded me that dance is different for everybody and all that really matters is the way you feel when you're dancing. I agree with Lena, he definitely put a smile on my face. His raw excitement and energy was impressive and infectious. He embodied movement by just being himself and letting loose. Movement can be anything and mean anything to anybody, and his cheerful and humorous personality definitely came through in his dance. He inspires me to simply have fun while you're dancing and let your body and emotions express themselves through the music. People can take themselves so seriously and it was refreshing to see someone just having a blast and not caring what anyone else thought.
I really enjoyed these videos!! --Camille Asaro
While watching the Batsheva video I was struck by the positions and movements carried out by the dancers because they seemed, at times, to be more cartoon-like than human. Not to say the dancers seemed non-human in any way, but just that the movements they performed pushed the boundaries of what I expect is possible by the human body.One example of this is towards the end of the video when the woman in red/pink moves in a sort of a crab walk (extremely low to the ground, bent knees) while doing a slowed contraction. In that moment her ability to embody movement definitely impressed me. She (as a being with a connected mind, body, and spirit) was overtaken entirely by the movement itself, it was not forced upon her muscles.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "embodying" movement is one I am still processing because it's so abstract and complex. To me, it seems that it means that one becomes or is the movement- that there is no disconnect between what the mind expects the body to do and what the body does but rather a unification that allows for the movement to speak for itself through the body. From watching these videos, I am inspired to approach this class believing that there are infinite possibilities for movement and embodying movement, and that my work is to explore them.
-Katrina Hoffman
What stands out to me in the Batsheva performance is how unexpected, yet natural the dancers’ movements are. The dancers’ abilities to create such fluid and expressive movements with their bodies really do impress me. It is obvious that each and every one of the dancers put their whole body, heart, and soul into the performance. In a way, I feel as if their movements tell a story to the audience. It really is amazing that these dancers are able to say something to us with their bodies. When I think of somebody “embodying” movement, I see a dancer expressing who they are through their movements. This performance was really different and enlightening. The performance inspires me to continue to seek more ways to express myself through dance.
ReplyDelete- Priscilla Yip
Upon watching the first video, what stand out to me the most were the softness and fluidity of the dancers' movement. The dancers seemed to bend their knees, arch their backs, move their limbs and lift their bodies without much effort. Their bodies seemed so soft that not only demonstrate that they control over each step of movement very well, but also deduce the aesthetics of dance. Moreover, the second video clip shows the importance of open space, just as our class mentioned a lot. Actually the dancer repeated the same posture, however it shows a complete difference while dancing. As he took the advantage of open space, he showed his emotions to the viewers much more comprehensively.
ReplyDeleteThe dancers do demonstrate an ability to embody movement that impresses me a lot. From where I stand, I believe embodying movement is using each part of body to attack the rhythm of the music, to evoke their ingenuity inside with ease.
These dancers inspire me to find ease and mobility in the joints, allow my body to fill open space as much as I can, coordinate each part of my body to increase movement efficiency. Although I'm a little bit stiff due to no experience in this field, I am pretty sure that I will approach fluidity during lots of exercise in this class to enjoy the happiness of movement. Also remember "JUST GO FOR IT"!
-YIFAN WANG
Batsheva's execution in expressing their art-form through the movement technique of "Gaga" was absolutely beautiful. The connection to every beat and execution of every movement stands out most to me, individually they've became one with the music as their body freely expresses the emotions. The dancers highly impress me with their embody movement. I can feel each dancer's emotion, passion, and connection to their movement and music being played. To my understanding; to 'embody movement' is the ability to let go of everything during that moment to freely express your heart, mind, body, and soul with the dancefloor/music. It is the ability to be connected with yourself and understanding your connection of embodiment and becoming one in artistically expressing yourself. The dancers inspire me to fully be aware of my surroundings and become free in expressing myself through the beautiful art-form of dancing. Most importantly, to express passionately in every execution of embodied movements. :)
ReplyDelete-Cindy Vo
What stands out to me most in the Batsheva dance is mostly summed up in previous comments with the dancers flexibility and seemingly flawless moves, however from this I feel like it shows how dance and movement can push the typical boundaries of what we "believe" is dancing. Their movements are so fluid and interesting, no where near the same feeling you get from a choreographed dance during half time. I think to embody movement you have to have a deep connection within yourself and with your body. If you take the time to pay attention to how each movement, stretch, and position affect your body you can really become in tune with it and bring that into your dancing, as they have done.
ReplyDeleteAs for the second video, it was a polar opposite with this guy totally dancing around unstructured, but just absolutely loving what he is doing. I think that is what stood out to me, when he started smiling and you could tell he was getting into it. From that video I take the lesson of simply not forgetting to bring joy to your dance. Even though that dance was not what I would call a "good" dance I enjoyed it because the dancer enjoyed it. Remembering to have fun with what I'm doing and not be afraid to look "awkward" or "weird" will make me a better dancer and allow me to bring more to my performance.
-Crystal Murdock
The first thing that stands out to me is the interplay of fast and slow movements--to combine rapid, circular swings of the arm with slow, dragging forward steps of the foot. Such movement is similar to the choreography that we are currently working on in class. Another thing I find rather interesting is how different dancers can do different movements on different areas of the stage, and yet the production can still appear as "one." The dancers definitely impress me with their ability to embody movement. Similar to Alexis' interpretation, I believe that "embodying movement" is to be in complete control of oneself both externally and internally--both physically and emotionally. The dancers in this video are not only fully aware of their bodily movements, but they are also conscious of their facial expressions in order to convey their emotions. As a result, this makes the production seem more real and easier for me to relate to from an outside perspective. I particularly enjoy the woman in pink at 1:20. She does not simply move across the floor in a squatted position because she is instructed to do so, but instead her movement and expression is manifested in a way that gives me goosebumps because it becomes her OWN. These dancers have inspired me to approach class differently, to be comfortable in my own skin, and to disregard any self-consciousness that I may have about my own body's movements. I cannot wait to apply such a freedom to my own dance experience.
ReplyDelete-Kat Huynh
What struck me the most was how still the dancers were as they stood at the beginning of the first video. Their only movements were subtle breaths. Watching the act of breath be the only movement present made me feel like the movements belonged to the body rather than the body belonging to the movement. None of the movements looked forced and I noticed this theme throughout the entire performance, the movements appeared natural and seemed to easily make sense of the space that they occupied. I think in a sense this is embodying movement: taking on the persona of the movement. The second video demonstrated this in the dancer’s embodiment of “happy.” At one point every jump, move, facial expression, embodied the idea of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI would describe the Batsheva dancers’ movements as fluid yet robotic at the same time, which is quite interesting and oxymoronic. It is robotic in the sense that there are many rigid and sharp angles in the movements. The dancers also “embody” or demonstrate a tremendous amount of flexibility of their limbs. In the second video, the dancer puts on a seemingly “awkward” yet entertaining performance. What stood out to me about his movements is that they look very unrehearsed and spontaneous. Watching these videos has inspired me to approach this dance class with a new mentality. I will try my best to not think too much about making the wrong moves and just let my body take over.
ReplyDelete-Kelly Nguyen
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ReplyDeleteAfter watching the first video, what stands out to me is the way they twisting their bodies while performing. Dancers are telling a story to the audience, using all parts of their joints. Their dance is attractive in a refreshing way. I love the dancers express their emotions by twisting and jumping. The movement seems random and causal, however I can feel their power inside the body, and they use their strength to control the movements. The begining of this dance is my favorite part. Preformers stand on the stage for a short time, and suddenly the music begings, all of them start to dance like athletes which reminds me the time of ancient Greece. The contract from static to dynamic makes the dance more energetic.
ReplyDeleteBefore taking this class, I had no idea what contemprary dance looks like, and I thought all kinds of dancing are elegant and well organized. But Batsheva dancers changed my idea, and I saw the 'ungly' beauty side of art.
-Yuanyuan Liu
Sorry for being late. =(
What stood out to me was the second video. the way the video started out with the man just moving his hands and standing so emotionless. but as the video progresses he starts to change and starts to let go and actually begins enjoying it more than how he started. his movements were so cut and short and he transformed the same exact movements to long elegant moves and basically just let go of whatever was stopping him before and completely embraced the music. i feel this video was the more inspiring video because Mr. kyle is always telling us that you have to loosen up that were to tight or we have jazz hands and were not using our full body to express and dance. and that video really expressed what he meant and was the perfect visual of how all of should just let go and allow the music to take u and with every movement really put heart into it.
ReplyDeleteChristian Huerta murillo-
ps sorry for the late post the blog wouldnt let me sign in to an account or make a new one?
The first clip has a lot of dynamics going on throughout the piece. Contrasting aspects are reoccurring: a) Extreme level variations b) Very athletic movement and then contained more subtle movements c) Elegant /delicate movement vs. harsh/quirky movement d) Classical (ballet) technique vs. modern technique and e) Abrupt vs. slow fluid movement were some of main some of the more obvious dynamics being explored within the piece. I appreciated that each phrase was kind of punctuated with a pedestrian or familiar movement, which the audience could perhaps relate to.
ReplyDeleteThe second clip was fantastic. I was overcome by this genuine sense of joy after watching it. I enjoyed what seems like spontaneity that occurs in this clip. It was really interesting to experience the graduation of the specific movements creating this transformative affect. The movements almost become unrecognizable toward the latter half of the video, and I caught myself trying to isolate each of the patterned movements occur throughout the dance. I liked the unique interaction with the hoops, and the element of theater that was incorporated.
Maddy
P.S. Malashock will be doing a performance tomorrow evening @ 7pm.
ReplyDeleteInfo:
MALASHOCK/RAW2: STRIPPED
January 21-22, 2011
Malashock Dance Studio #200
Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm
Dance Place San Diego
2650 Truxtun Road
San Diego, CA 92106