Dancing from Energy Centers

This week we worked on moving from energy centers. We did an abbreviated version of this piece. This solo is a structured improvisation based on energy centers or chakra system. There are seven chakras in the body. In this dance, I knew what order I would explore the chakras and I had one gesture that corresponded to each chakra. I also had a small bit of choreography for each chakra, but I would say that 50% of this piece was improvised.


Can you tell when it is improvised and when it isn't? Does it change your experience of the dance knowing that it is partly improvised? What was your experience of going from improvisation to set choreography and back again?

We did a lot of spinal articulation. It can make you sore. Please take it easy this weekend if you're feeling discomfort. Let me know if any pain or soreness persists.
For our contact improvisation work on Monday, here is a video I sent out in an email awhile ago. This is 100% improvisation. Does it appear choreographed in any way? Does it change because it improvised?

Dancing from images

This week we danced from images. What was your experience of dancing from concrete ideas? Did it change the way your body did the movement? Did it change your dancing experience in any way?

List 10 Things

Hi Dancers,

I hope you've had a great weekend. Sorry for the late posting. You can have until Thursday to do this one. I'm in need of some inspiration and this should be fun. :-)

For each of these subjects, answer the following question: If you were a _________, what kind of _________would you be and briefly, why?

1) A toy
2) a natural phenomenon, like a tornado or a rainbow.
3) An emotion
4) a movement
5) A sensation
6) An article of clothing
7) A color
8) a food
9) a plant or tree
10) an animal

Have fun!

Louis

Lar Lubovitch

The week in review: This week we explored the work of Lar Lubovitch. On Monday, we started learning the opening circle to Concerto 622. On Wednesday, we had company member Brian McGinnis teach a master class. With Brian, we learned a piece from Mirimba, Lar's work to the music of Philip Glass. On Friday, we ran through Mirimba again and fleshed out the opening circle to Concerto 622 with the 400 level class joining us. The Lubovitch Company performs Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Before each performance, there is the pre-show lecture that you are required to attend. All these exposures provide alot of entry in the work of this choreographer.

With all of these entry points into this work, please write a coherent analysis with a beginning, middle and summary of your learning experience with the Lubovitch work. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. How would you describe Lar's choreography. How did Lar's work feel in your body? What did you learn from seeing the company perform? What did you learn from seeing professional dancers perform choreography that you yourself have learned? What did you learn in the pre-show lecture or from lectures in class that expanded your experience of the performance? What will you remember most about this learning experience?

*Reminder: this writing assignment is worth 10% of your grade.

Week of January 25-30

Hey Dancers,

Great work this week.

I posted this photo of Martha Graham because it highlights some ideas that came up this week. We spoke about form versus essence. This came up when Jennifer said that she was working toward getting things "right" first and then working on performance quality. Catherine Cabeen says that for Martha emotion comes first and then she moves, then the forms appear. In this work called Letter to the World it is clear that her emotional state is one with her body in this moment.

As we worked on creature dances, we worked all week to allow feeling to inform the body. How did this work for you? What was most challenging about this? What worked?

Wednesday began with my eruption of the idea of dance being equally important as other areas of study. If you have thoughts to share on that subject, please blog about them. Please feel free to disagree!

On Friday, we danced and danced and danced. We pushed to the edges of our ability and felt the altered state of awareness that exists there. It's like willingly entering a state of physical emergency. When we get there, we find a visceral experience of movement, energy, physics and gravity that is exciting. What did you experience here on Friday?

UW Dance Student Association announces Dance Alumni Concert

Performance features collaborations
between current University of
Washington students and recent graduates.

concert dates

Thursday, January 29th at 6:00pm
Friday, January 30th at 6:00pm
Saturday, January 31st at 1:00pm and 6:00pm
location

Meany Studio 267
on the University of Washington campus

(Enter from Red Square above the Meany Studio Theatre)

choreographers

Laara Garcia
Alice Gosti
Heather McKee
Rachel Randall
and
Twyla Tharp

Produced by the Dance Student Association
Suggested donation at the door

Contact:
Rachel Randall
amazoniar@yahoo.com

206.543.9843

To request disability accommodation, contact the Disability ServicesOffice at 206.543.6450 (voice),206.543.6452 (TTY), 206.685.7264 (FAX), or dso@u.washington.edu

Week of January 21 and 23

Hi Dancers!

This week you have snatched the pebble from my hand and begun your own Pilates warm up. We continued with new Pilates mat exercises, i.e. leg circles, roll ups, spine rolls (which hurt Amy) and arm and leg extensions while lying on our fronts. As for Alexander, on Friday we touched the crowns of our heads together and rocked back and forth in order to feel the lengthening spine energy. We had cone heads at one point and talked a bit about using the abdominals to roll up.

We connected with our partners and took one another for a walk side to side with eyes closed. The combination this week had us connecting our heads together and rolling around. We did a little hand dance and some partnering with leans, throws and catches. It was fun! I saw lots of smiling.

What did you learn this week? What was most difficult? What was most fun? What do you want to do again? Please email me with questions or concerns.

Louis