Here we are again, in the midst of summer. These are the songs I’ve saved over the last couple of months that guided me through the moments in between from travelling to work to dancing in the kitchen. Think of this playlist as something to rest, move, dance and even dream to.
Check out these relaxing and moving tunes for some vibrational ambiance for your studio. Orginally made for StretchLab (pictured above), where clients want to relax during their deep stretches. As trainers, we spend most of our time in the studio, so why not let the atmosphere have feel-good vibes? I’ll keep adding on to this …
Summertime is a time of transition, travel and rest. Slow Dance is a collection of tunes in which I became familiar while travelling and exploring over the last few months to continue tapping into my wellbeing, such as rejuvenation and clarity. [spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:user:rockyndy:playlist:4ImVcUSnXrYMXLJgsjNGkl”/]
This dance playlist is inspired by my GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® colleague, friend, and beautiful mover, Anouk Froidevaux. She’s also the creator of Dancing the Moment, a movement based workshop, currently touring in Brussels and Berlin. Be sure to check out her workshops. Not to be missed. More information below. Dance your heart out, movers. [spotifyplaybutton …
Some tunes to keep you warm, from the inside-out, during these cold winter months. Keep dancing, moving, grooving and that blood circulating. [spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:user:rockyndy:playlist:5HLgN2xd08MoZbfRLR2ZVn”/]
It’s said that it was started and presented by American Dancer/Choreographer, Steve Paxton in 1970’s in the United States, however it is now practiced all over the world. There’s even an online directory where you can find out where to take contact improvisation classes or attend a jam session. Check out Contact Quarterly, started by a dancer and founding participant, Nancy Stark Smith, for more information.
The facilitator often sets the environment (usually after a warmup or improvisation class) where dancers alternate partners in and out of the main space with or without music. ‘Partners’ begin in a duet which can form into a group. Dancers outside the main space can relax, stretch, or keep improvising. The object is to stay in the present, listen to your body, listen to other dancers’ bodies, and be open to playful movement exploration, or authentic movement.
There are certain techniques and movements that dancers can use within a Contact Improvisation jam. The general ‘technique’ is to maintain a soft, yet supportive body to help distribute weight, which is the key. Movements are kept soft and supple to allow elements of ‘surprise’ within the body, within the space, and with your partner(s). ‘The floor is your friend’, they say! Therefore maintaining a sense of being grounded helps the dancer find balance and necessary feedback to create the next movement.
Enjoy!
Have you ever listened to your favorite track in another room only to realize that there seems to be parts you haven’t noticed before? This could be referred to as ‘the other room effect’ or diffraction. This ‘other room effect’ is also a sound effect electronic musicians have been using for years. This playlist is made of longer, more bass-like tunes that are meant to be played from another room. Perfect for spring cleaning, perhaps?
A sound wave is longitudinal and is the physical sensation and vibrating object that stimulates the ear.
The reflection of sound can be classified as an echo or reverberation. An echo is considered to occur within long distances (e.g. the Grand Canyon) and reverberation to occur within short distances (e.g. Grizzly Bear… performing in a bathroom).
The refraction of sound happens when waves change over different mediums and/or properties, and therefore changes the speed of the wave. For example, the speed of sound is faster in warm air and slower in cold air.
Lastly, the diffraction of sound help sound waves bend around obstacles. Low-pitched (long wavelength) sounds carry further than high-pitched (short wavelength) sounds (e.g. an owl’s hoots carry farther than a birds’ tweets through a forest).
Distorting or changing the acoustics of a room can further manipulate our perception of sound. Custom Audio Designs states, that there are three psychoacoustic perceptions: frequency response, size and position of the stereo, and spatial impression.Trevor Cox, an Acoustic and Audio Engineering Professor also states that “one thing our brain senses from reverberation [for example] is the geometry of the room where music is being played”. What we then perceive is timbre, ‘the colour’ or tone of the sound.
Try placing your music box in a bigger room, a smaller room, a different room from where you are, or just in a different position.
Have fun xo
“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.
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
