Reflections from Body Shift's First-ever Choreography Lab

 Body Shift has been primarily a space for improvisation. From the Elements classes to the Performance Workshops, people have come together to explore dance and the body, using the welcoming environment to investigate their own unique movement. This summer we were able to take this process a step further by taking our investigations and creating dances with our findings.  The process of choreographing was exciting and challenging for all involved.  To create the movement for our dances, we used a few specific choreographic tools.  One of those tools was called " Stretching the Point" Try this: Close your eyes-Imagine holding someone's hand. what does it feel like? Can you feel the connection?  Is the connection hot or cold? Is it heavy or light?  What color is it? You’re doing great!  Please continue to imagine.  What if that connection was an invisible string?  If you let go of your hand and move away, how far could you stretch the string and still feel connected?      

 







"Sometimes our strings were vicious and strong.  Other times they were like cotton candy"
 

 Another tool we used was investigating our environment.  Try this: close your eyes- take a minute to focus on your breathing.  Imagine you're in your favorite room of the house. How do you know where you are without your vision?  Which one of your other 4 senses kicks in first?  Now imagine someone is guiding you through this room.  How does your perception of this room change?  Do these perception changes affect how you move through the space? 

 



"It's funny how your mind is constantly trying map where you are when you can't see.  You think you know where you are, then you realize you don't."



"I noticed the difference between feeling something with your finger nails verses your finger tips." 

 Recreating movement that was done in warm up exercises was one choreographic tool that was used to build a dance.  Try this:  tomorrow morning find time to play your favorite song.  Go head, have a 10 minute dance party in your living room.  What dance moves do you keep going back to?  Did you discover any new moves?





"I learned so much and feel less intimidated by the term choreography lab."


Creating, remembering, refining, and working in collaboration with others were some of the challenges we worked with over our five sessions together:

 

"I really loved the exercises we did that informed the dance."

  



"This lab made me experience my growth edges, face my fears, and have a lot of fun."
 

 

"This lab helped me understand performance from the inside.  For the first time I can say I'm a performer."
  

 



"This lab allowed me to actually dance seriously, something I had felt that I lost when my health went bad on me.  So for me, it's a little like coming home."
 

"What is it they say?  If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.  I can not think of a more true statement to describe Body Shift's, first ever, choreography lab," said Tanya Winters.  "It was a lesson in pure joy to teach this small but mighty group!  Things just came together so beautifully. I learned A LOT.  I’m looking forward to teaching again soon. I can’t thank my participants enough!   And, to Yvonne Keyrouz:  I enjoyed working with you! Thank you for your support. We make a good team."

 

"I was honored and inspired to be a part of Body Shift’s first ever choreography lab. For five short weeks we danced, reflected, imagined, and created and at the end found ourselves with new perspectives and abilities," said Yvonne Keyrouz.



 

 

Life is a dance.  People moving together is truly amazing to be a part of and watch!  It's exciting to see patterns happen naturally. Connections and relationships are happening all around us, day in and day out.  All we need to do is tune in and let our inner choreographer shine through . We look forward to seeing you at our next choreography lab! Go to http://bodyshift.org/  to join our mailing list, find out more information about classes, and get the details on upcoming performances.  Last but not least, Thank you to Forklift Dance Works/ VSA Texas for providing these fantastic movement opportunities and to Adriana Gonzalez for taking these great photos! 

      

My Morning Coffee

I woke up this morning really struck by the sensation of my feet hitting the ground as I stood up to make a cup of coffee. The fake wood of my kitchen floor was cool and smooth. My toes detected an ultra fine layer of dust. The balls of my feet braced themselves under the weight of my body as I directed it toward the sink to fill my pitcher with water. Every boney segment of each of my toes shouted present as I added fresh coffee grounds to the filter and flicked the switch.

Hit with a memory as I watched the coffee brew. It was yesterday and late in the evening. I was walking down my office hallway. My mind was way a head of my body as usual, preparing to turn my car on and drive home.  My body hit the pause button: "Now mind, you get your little butt back here and help me right now." Reluctantly, my mind obeyed reminding my body to put one foot in front of the other: "Pay no attention to those tight muscles. Mission home must be completed."

As the last drop of hot coffee entered my cup, reality set in and I thought, "The relationship between my mind and body is the perfect example of co-dependancy. Both parties grapple with an intense desire for independence but one can not move forward without the other's permission or acknowledgement at the very least." I believe a similar conversation occurs when I think about choreography and movement. On one hand, my body strives for freedom and creativity while my mind says: "Choreography!! Time to break out the protective what if's and the social norms guide for dummies." And so, as I am preparing to teach class today, my inner counselor is ready to listen and observe. I will challenge myself. Gracefully validating every thought and movement without judgement. I will laugh and enjoy each sensation while connecting with every person in the room. I am fearless and fearful all at the same time! I am a human being with desire to learn, be a part of, and express myself in this great big world. Join me in class today, won't you?

Journey with an Image (Day 4)

Hey There Out There!

Class tomorrow :) Open to seeing what happens. Interested to see how the dance party warm up sets the tone for the class.  I am sure it will be SENSATIONal. Something tells me this group is a pandora box begging to be opened. I hope you all thought about/made a connection with each other. If not, there's still time even if you get up tomorrow morning and meditate on a classmate's face. Did you journey with an image or do something entirely different? Can't wait to hear about it.

To you who can't or won't be joining us tomorrow, anything strike your fancy this week? Did you write about a memory or get down with your bad selves in your living rooms? Talk to me, people. I am all ears.  Everyone, make some song suggestions. My play list is next to empty.

Back to my image:

Sun: Hot, yellow sunburn of hope. Rise and fall. Reset the day and make all things new again. Way up high in the sky. Firery pale. Translucent retinas. Nature. Always there for me. Planatary mass verses shining star. Making circles. Orange and red. Clear and white

Water: ripples in the deep. Calm, cool, clean. Sunscreen reapplied. Drip. Drop drip: both fat and tiny. Full. Sustainable- life renew. Consistent and true. Floating support. Thin, mighty. Wet. Cold. Warm. Freedom. Falling into. Plunging. Skimming. Collected. Flooding. Swimming. Kids laughing. Grandma's pool. Blue. Green. Black. Clear. Muddy puddles. Umbrellas. Beaches.

Clouds: Puffy marshmallows. Frothy. Thin. Moving. Cover me. Shade. Animal shapes. Black clouds and silver linings. Specs in the sky. Where angels sit. Pink silky smooth. Airy. Airplanes. Traveling destinations. Atmosphere. Rain. Heavy. Light.

See you tomorrow, folks!

Journey with an Image (Day 3 continued)

Hey Folks,

Surprise! This song started to play off my playlist at work and I saw my image in my mind. Check it out. Is there a song that sparks a memory for you? Share the song and tell me about it :)

http://open.spotify.com/track/1MKBPEUW9UuJzN2DR23HAs

Journey with an Image (Day 3)

Hey There My Budding Choreographers and Friends!

How's your journey with your image going? Are you seeing any patterns in your writing? Let me know if anything is surprising you? Make sure you are documenting these surprises and patterns. My image seems to be reflecting my desire to be stranded on a tropical island. Rest assured your journal entries do not have to tell a story. Just write down anything that comes to mind. It can be single words or even phrases that make no sense. Remember try not to judge your thoughts. Every word has a value. Saturday will be here before we know it :)

Don't forget we will be enjoying a dance party warm up Saturday/your request. I'd like to make up a playlist of your favorite songs. Please leave your requests (artist name and song title) in the comment section or email me before class on Saturday. Anyone is welcome to leave a song request even if you can't come to class.

And now back to my image journaling:

Walk swiftly across this island. Booming crashes of feet with sticks in hand I go. My eyes can see forever. The water here is so glass like it's as if I could walk straight across it and shake hands with the sun. Pale blue skies and peaceful thoughts interrupted with anxiety and hopes of rescue come. My feet enjoy the cool damp soil of this place. No trees in sight just big grandmother rocks and waves of water.

Diving deep into the water. It's colder than I expected. As the water consumes my body, I feel like a paint brush being rinsed in a paper cup. I am tiny now. Salt water taste and tiny bubbles of oxygen float up. I have to return to the surface breaking through the glass ceiling like a dolphin. Searching. Sun, high up in the sky. Pulling my belly up on banks of mudd. Tiny pebbles make their home between my toes. Reflections, random thoughts and wet hair are my companions as I stand up, turn around and face the water. Yes, I need to take a drink. My mouth leads the charge as I dip my face into the sea for a taste...

Journey with an Image (Day 2)

Dipping my toes in calm, clean water. Stillness looming over me like a 50 ton weight. Baring witness to the sun in all it's big, bright glory. I am but a painter. My body the brush. Making gigantic steady movements I create the islands in the distance. Brown, deep and earthy are their peaks. Tiny little pinprick motions with my finger tips create the clouds. Piano keys begin to tickle out a tune. I humm and spin in circles. Glory to this place! I hold my head high. I am an almighty lion and this is my domain. Swimming in blues, grays, kissed by pale yellow rays of sunshine. Smooth waves if any at all. I go beyond. Dementions carry me softly. Change is good. Consistency shattered. I am. I can. I know all. Peace be with me as my toes begin to spasm They slowly rise above the water. Where to go next? I am in search of people. 

Journey with an Image (Day 1)

Hello Out there!

As I stated in Sunday's  (7/26/15) post, here is my image study or "assignment" you might say. Please see my image below and stay tuned over the next 5 days as I will write a little bit about this image each day:

Day 1:

For what seems like days I've been floating on this raft. The sun is so hot all I can smell is sunscreen mixed with polyurethane and a hint of perspiration. What a wouldn't give for pinacolada right now. The wind is slowing carrying me across the water. I am a feather blowing across a sidewalk on a crisp fall day. Relaxed and full of possibility. The water is so blue or is it black? Wait...it might be green. I am laying on my back staring at frothy cappuccino like clouds. I raise my arms up over my head and breath in the salty sea air. There is nothing but stillness. All consuming nothingness as far as my eyes can see. My mind is quietly reeling in the background sifting through memories. I see old friends and family. New friends with their awkward smiles and blank stares. My desk at work mixed with images of traffic and other random acts of chaos. I am wearing a white linen short set and classic Raybans. I can feel my chapstick in my pocket as it rubs against my hip. I am just floating and hoping asking every kind wave for a little knudge forward...

Stay tuned for day two folks. I hope you'll join me on your own journey with an image. Tell me how your journey is going by posting a comment or two.

Take care until next time :)