Progress first, then: Resist. Halt!
Windows open and twinkle lights on, working in the studio last night was lovely. I enjoyed the company of another dancer whom I taught my longest phrase and one phrase-let. I learn by teaching so each time I show the material I learn more about it and actually have more prospective on it. We danced the phrase and as I was showing it, I found that the areas we stumbled over when breaking it down were also the areas that needed attention choreographically. She gave me her instincts as to where her body moved and where the momentum took her, where I found the phrase–as it was–resisted the natural pathway. Valuable time.
Yesterday and the day before I worked on creating a gesture phrase. My goal was to create movement that resisted my body’s natural sense of rhythm and momentum. But with this, of course, comes struggle. I tweeted (@FrameDance) that I was resisting the movement, and someone replied to ask what it was that I was resisting. I was thankful for that question, because until then I hadn’t though much about what exactly it was that I was resisting. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that I was resisting my body’s “discomfort.” It is inorganic and purposefully so. But the combination of not knowing fully what has been established, not knowing what would come after it, and it generally feeling foreign was what I was resisting. Now I know what the problem is, I can tackle it a little more objectively today.
Today. I haven’t made it to the studio yet. I woke up and wanted some space. I will go in later today and work these things out before I teach the Master Class tonight.
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