movement playlist #3: repetition
Dance Music

Movement Playlist #3: Repetition

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Check out this month’s tunes and quick facts on repetition.

About the Playlist

“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.

movement playlist #3: repetition

Why is musical repetition often appealing?

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.

movement playlist #3: repetition

Why is movement repetition often appealing?

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.

More on Music, Movement and Repetition

Your Brain on Music

Making Video Dance

Mesmerising or Maddening?

Ted Ed Talk

Robert Henke’s Take on Music

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Dance Music

Movement Playlist #2: Short Days, Long Nights

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 Presenting you the 2nd dose of my current musical rotation.

movement playlist 2

About the playlist

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.

Morning exercise is often the best exercise

  • Using upbeat music can help motivate your movement and/or morning boogie routine.
  • Early morning exercise can also help lower blood pressure and provide a good night’s sleep later on in the day.
  • Not a morning person? Fortunately, it can take as little as 5 minutes for movement to improve your mood.
  • Make and keep a morning routine, even on the weekends if possible (having a good playlist helps too).

Keep moving

  • Music can help distract the mind from sensations of fatigue (especially during high intensity movements) by narrowing one’s attention.
  • While music may not make the movements easier, the mover is more likely to have more of a pleasurable experience.
  • Using music for exercise is not only good for cardio but for the brain as it enhances our vestibular abilities.
  • Music and rhythm can be used as a therapeutic tool as it works on our autonomic nervous system, which allows the body to subconsciously enhance our well–being.

Calm it down

  • Before bed, choose music with less key changes and slower tempos to help you relax says Dr. Williamson. Getting adequate sleep plays a key role in waking up more refreshed in the morning (obviously, but often difficult to achieve).
  • Modified and slow yoga poses/stretches can help induce the parasympathetic nervous system, which means letting your fast paced, stressful day all behind you.
  • Classical music was previously found to reduce sleeping problems in participants with sleep disorders (oh why hello, Bach).
  • Just like a morning routine, try to maintain an evening routine by creating a ‘wind down’ period because sleep matters… a lot.

xo

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Dance Music

Movement Playlist #1: A Musical Debut

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Now introducing Movement Playlists–

for teachers, choreographers, movers, anyone.

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.

Music + Movement 

  • When music enters the central nervous system, some information goes to the brain and some goes to our motor nerves and spinal cord. This means we tend to move to the rhythm without even trying.
  • Both music and dance deal with movements of the body measured in time. However, the body is often more time consuming than musical gestures (e.g. a violin trill).
  • Rhythm is classified in three groups: motor rhythm, breathing rhythm, and emotional rhythm.
  • Dance and movement may have rhythm in common, but it may not have melody in common.
  • An infamous research study has shown that music and movement do share a common structure that helps the brain process emotional expression due to their shared neural circuits, which became evident across cultures.

Stay tuned for more playlists and quick facts every month.

Enjoy!

xo

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