De Spain, Kent. (2014) Landscape of the Now. New York: Oxford University Press.
Millard. O (2015) What’s the score? Using scores in dance improvisation. Brolga: An Australian Journal About Dance, 40, pp. 45-56. International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance with Full Text, EBSCOhost.
– I did my share of experimenting and examining with structures, some I got more involved in. I enjoyed the functions score because you had to figure out ways to move when you had an obstacle in the way. When I was the material I had to move differently to how I wanted, and it made new material come out of my body because I had restrictions. Making relationships within was more open than what I thought, I never thought of using the audience or space as a partner. Experimenting with how to include the audience was difficult at first, however I liked the idea of inviting and refusing them to see what I was doing. Therefore, it made me think how to do the movement, if I wanted something hard to see I did the movement small. The space becoming my partner was interesting, I could use all my body on the floor and give weight to it. Another aspect would be using objects in the space as a partner, for instance the scaffolding could be a tree to climb.
– Throughout, my starting points changed. At the beginning, I thought you went straight into the space and danced. However, I now know that pedestrian like movements can count as dancing, a wave could develop into a handshake or a roll on to the floor. The idea of sticking to one movement and letting it develop seemed wrong, although this assisted my habitual moves out of my body and allowed new material in. Having the intention to do something influenced my starting points. If I had the intention to join a group but they disappeared when I arrived, I would change my intention. This forced me into the space not knowing what to do, but gave the opportunity to explore movements.
– Being aware of the people around me was simple but there were many things I could take note of. In the last few weeks I pushed myself to be different and juxtaposition what was going on. When everyone was flowing through the movements, I ran across the stage to give the collective an alluring aspect. To create a relationship, I replicated or complimented a movement of someone else’s. In addition to relationships, I bounced off people and let them influence my movements as if it is a conversation.
– Learning different scores helped me relax into improvisation. Making relationships was easier, I could manipulate them and change what they were doing, or have the same dynamic but using a different body part. I move with the music when improvising, and going against it was challenging, however it gave me a new element to work with. When restrictions were brought in, it pushed me to think outside of the box and not do the obvious.
– In the future, I will utilise my improvisation with choreographic skills. If I improvised before choreographing I will have movement material already. If I tracked what I did I could use part of that for my choreography. I could utilise improvisation in warming my body or relieve stress. Doing this I would be listening to what my body wants, not to my mind. I could find new movements due to adapting to how my body wants to move.
I never considered the audience as being part of the improvisation, however the reading and the practice made me think differently. When reading Landscape of the Now it made me question why do we need to have a relationship with the audience? And how does it influence us? Taking these questions into the practice, helped create a relationship with the audience. Whether that was with:
– Eye contact
– The audience influencing my movements
– Doing movements that I think they will like
– Inviting or refusing the audience to see what I am doing
Another thing that stood out for me was what Steve Paxton said ‘You have to reserve the babbling for later (Paxton laughs), when everybody’s ready, or at least tired of your slowness and need something else’. I feel this aided me to start of slow and not to burst into fast motions when entering the space. I felt calm and I often allowed brief stillness’, therefore I could see what was happening around me and I could maybe bring something to the piece.
Music motivates me, however I think it can motivate me too much when improvising. All moves seem to flow to the music, and I find it difficult to work against it. When the music was slow and flowing, I would try and fit the rhythm. However, I had to do the complete opposite such as: jumps or sharp fast movements. After a while I got the hang of it, and I feel this will benefit me for future improvisation sessions.
Bibliography
De Spain, Kent. (2014) Landscape of the Now. New York: Oxford University Press.
The reading RSVP put things into perspective on how improvisation works. I feel valuaction needs to be included in my improvisation more, I think it will help in developing current ideas and bring new ideas to my body.
I was pleased with my feedback from the assessment because I have improved and I can see myself pushing myself more. Especially today, when warming our bodies I tried to push my boundaries. I simply did the opposite to what everyone else was doing. They did soft, flowing movements where as I jumped through the space. Another time I ran from one side to the other, this then changed the atmosphere and everyone began to copy to fit ‘the score’.
I loved the idea how our lesson was put in to a score. Even though we didn’t choose what we was doing we set what the score was. In a way I feel this motivated me because I knew what was in store for the session. Another thing that motivated me was the music, it influenced me to have more energy in what I was doing. The break down of the scores really showed that there is many different ways to write a score.
– Original: Everything is set
– Walking Zones: Walk however you want but we set the pathways
– Stillness: Do what you want and emphasise stillness
Reading the score was easy but interpreting it into my own movement could be completely different to what the choreographer intended. Next week should be easier with the development because we will have had time to refine what we need to do.
What are scores? Scores have many definitions, as in Olivia Millard’s piece it states that ‘each user of scores in the dance improvisation finds her own use and meaning for them’. Scores can generate movement material, or it could support us as ‘a prop, a ruse, a pretense’. Even if we do not want a score, that is the score.
Thomas Lehmen’s Funktionen rules didn’t make sense to me at first, I needed someone to simplify and clarify the rules. When the rules was put into practise I began to understand his work. ‘It’s better to’ intrigued me because whatever was stated was then changed into movement. I know this doesn’t sound to interesting, but I feel that the task will encourage me for the next time I improvise. I could imagine doing something like: It’s better to go for a swim. My first instinct is to move my arms, but then I could develop this movement quality into my legs or another part of my body. Even if it seems impossible, I would find a way round it to make it possible and somehow make a move that represented swimming.
The final activity of the practice:
– Material Maker
– Interpreter
– Manipulator
– Observer
– Mediator
I took on the role of the material maker and interpreter, both easy until the manipulator came in, however I found this helped. It challenged me on what I could do to get away and pursue what I want, I didn’t have time to think, it just happened.
Bibliography
Millard. O (2015) What’s the score? Using scores in dance improvisation. Brolga: An Australian Journal About Dance, 40, pp. 45-56. International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance with Full Text, EBSCOhost.