It’s important to adhere both mental and physical preparation especially when returning back to dance and performing. There are quite a few ways to mentally and physically prepare for a journey back to dance. Whether you’ve taken a year or a week off, your body and mind will need the upmost care (and respect). Some key elements involve cross-training, ‘letting go’, and …
“Could you repeat that?” is a bit jazzy, a bit ‘gooey’ with some gentle repetition. However, it does not include the greats such as Steve Reich or Phillip Glass as the playlist is kept short and sweet. Originally created for teaching and movement devising purposes, its eclectic sound is quite seamless. This playlist ranges from deep electronic bass lines to swirling guitar riffs alongside tambourines.
Some say we are actually processing each repetitive moment differently allowing us to enjoying it almost as new. David Huron states that, “90% of the time spent listening to music, people are actually hearing passages they’ve listened to before.” There is also something called the exposure effect where the act of repeated exposure can actually enhance our feelings towards that something over and over again.
Ricky O’cannon reports, in a study found in pop music, that repetition can correlate with popularity. A song that repeats its chorus may mean that we want to hear over and over again. In another experiment, Elizabeth Margulis mentions that repetition is often registered as being ‘very human’. For example, a phrase that was once found as random may become clearer and more meaningful the second time around.
Think Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch and Pina Bausch. In the response to the saying “you cannot bathe in the same river twice”, Anna Kisselgoff puts it nicely: “In translation, this means that the dancer who seems to repeat the same step is different from the dancer he was a second ago […]”. In addition, repetition could make choreography more effective as the audience would need to see certain or movements again to connect with the work.
Dance also uses a repetition technique called retrograde where a phrase or a piece of choreography is performed in reserve order. A fun example would be the ending of Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother (Director’s Cut), where the dancers repeat the entire performance from the end to the beginning. Retrograde can provide a new visual experience with it being somewhat recognizable which can enhance the viewers experience.
Gyrotonic [Exercise] has been the perfect addition in my training and performance as a dancer after battling with injuries for years and trying different kinds of crosstraining. Gyrotonic[Exercise] helped me understand where my movement starts and what parts of my body should be working less (with less tension) and which ones I was ignoring. Every …
As it’s holiday season, here’s a compiled list of some essential ‘travel-sized’ fitness and well–being items. After hours of getting to the airport, standing around, and flying you’re bound to be exhausted, dehydrated, and pretty sore. Travelling requires being (somewhat) prepared before, during, and after. This could also mean remembering to adhere to your fitness and well-being needs. Here are a …
I wanted a mixture of tunes to serve as an alarm clock (especially in the pitch black), a motivator (within the 3 hours of sunlight), and a relaxation tool (once I’ve finally wound my self up). So I’ve put together a combination of both gentle and driving beats. The following facts and suggestions have also been an inspiration to organisation this month’s current rotation during these short days and long nights. Shuffle, repeat, keep, and delete as you may.
xo
Doing one activity is enough, right? As I’ve been a dancer for most of my life, I usually avoided other strenuous activities such as running. This may be because Ballet and Contemporary dancers, for instance, are often given time in between exercises and/or combinations to go through movements, stretch and prepare mentally and physically. However, after taking up …
themovementblog.co.uk will be back up and running shortly. Feel free to browse through my older posts and music playlists. Best, Kindall xo
What a favorite pastime– listening to music. Maybe I was a musician in my past life or maybe I will be a DJ in the next one (ha). Either way, I love making and sharing playlists. Along with sharing music, I’ll also dish out a few facts about music and movement such as the possible links between the two and what research has found.
Stay tuned for more playlists and quick facts every month.
Enjoy!
xo
Going back to class, sticking with it, and loving it is mentally and physically hard work. What’s really different now (as I return) is how I think during each class. There are very good options for dancers based here in London. However, it’s usually useful to know which class to attend. Thanks to recommendations of other dancers and dancing at schools like London Contemporary Dance …
Are you a practitioner of the GYROTONIC® Method and/or the GYROKINESIS® Method or curious about how to incorporate these methods into your daily routine? There are a number of ways to practice both of these methods on and off the equipment (which have seriously changed my life). From being a GYROTONIC® trainer and dancer for many years, intertwining the GYROTONIC® Method and the GYROKINESIS® Method, mixed dance styles, and other fun and inspiring …
