CORPOREALNESS AND THE DRAMATIC
QUALITY OF MOVEMENT
ANA
CONTINENTE DANZA
I started
teaching dance classes ten years ago, when I considered that I had something to
pass on, after having performed in front of
audiences for years as a dancer and actor.
TEACHING
DANCE IS MORE FAR-REACHING THAN DANCE ITSELF.
Since I
love very much what I'm doing, I try to be honest and do justice to this form
of art that has helped me encounter the essence of what and who we are.
When I'm
teaching I am just a intermediary who opens doors for the students in order for
them to find their own tools and come as close as possible to the most
authentic expression of themselves. By applying the technique and skills
acquired during the class students gradually gain control over their movements
and recognize the most effective expression. When improvising, a very important
part of the workshop, students are given
guidelines that use the natural movement of the human body.
BEFORE TEACHING TECHNIQUE I WANT TO AWAKEN IN MY
STUDENTS THE URGE TO DANCE, I FIRST PASS ON THE IDEA OF MOVEMENT, EVERYTHING
ELSE COMES AFTER.
Passion,
enthusiasm, infatuation with dance, an attitude.
THE DANCERS
INDIVIDUAL REPLY TO DANCE IS THE MAIN TOPIC OF MY DISCOURSE.
What tools and strategies are we going to use?
We will
explore the connection between gravity and weight in terms of fall, recovery
and suspension.
Breathing
as a dramatic state.
The economy
of movement, each action has to be dramatically justified.
Spirals,
rebounds and undulating movements as starting point of all physical effort of
the human body.
Awareness
of where the movement initiates and the connection with the emotions that any
movement arises in ourselves and in the audience.
Dynamics of
movement: rhythms, influence of the space we dance in, opposing forces,
projection and energy pathways.
Improvisation
as the first stroke of any choreographic composition.
We will
learn to differentiate routine movements from justified movements.
Thoughts
and emotions converge, while life separate meaning and emotions art reunites
them.
Dance the
way you are and express what you believe in.
Resign
yourself to not doing anything: the importance of pauses.
Dance
technique as a way to create your own choreography.
My dance
influences:
Graham
dance technique
Limón
technique
Fly Low
Contact
Improvisation
Research of
theatrical resources and performance technique
Class
Structure
I always
start class by bringing the attention
back to your body and your breath, centering your mind to be in the here and
now with awareness. We visualize our anatomy, bring awareness to our breath and
to our focus (where we are looking) and give importance to our presence in
order to prepare for a stage performance.
Next I
guide a short dance improvisation in order to stimulate the imagination and
help students learn new ways of moving their bodies. So far body and mind have
not yet been influenced by choreographed exercises or technical training and
the body moves intelligently and organically following its needs.
We are
ready: Sun Salutation, yoga exercises.
Directed
technique exercises: Contemporary Barre warmup
Center
work, short sequences to work on you pliés, grand pliés,
alignment, por-de-bras, tendus, developpés,
cloches,
weight transfer
Floor work:
combinations across the floor, a personal mix of fly low and “release”
technique, hip hop influenced balance exercises
Diagonals:
Jumps and leaps across the floor
Choreography:
Performing a short choreographed sequence
How are we
going to apply all this to our IMPROVISATION on stage?
After all
this workout in some classes we are going to do contact improvisation exercises
which will always be guided.
We will
explore the creation of movement through improvisation always following my
instructions. These can include pushing, sniffing, falling, colliding always
linked to a particular topic, a stage
play, a passage from a opera.
The class
ends with improvised duet or group presentations, since viewing performances
and being viewed is an important aspect of this course.
Am I going
to cope with the improvised performance on stage?
Do I apply
the technique I've learnt to create expressive movement?
Do I
connect with my audience or does it put a limit on my body and mind?
Am I aware
and in control of the performing space?
Do I act or
do I simply display my virtuosity or my errors?
