1/30 Improv class

Class on the 30th of January was an eye opening experiment for me and I think for all of us on working with one another without trying too terribly hard to be with one another.

We started class first by throwing objects and guessing when they would land.  We then threw objects over a partners head as they guessed when it would land.  We finally had to close our eyes to truly imagine when the object would land.  

At first, this seems like a silly game.  However, its point is such a gift of freedom.  The use of imagination in improvisation hadn't occurred to me.  Not that I don't think that I must be imaginative as a dance artist, but I never think that I have the freedom to imagine what my co-creators are doing and respond to this imagined idea.  When given permission to respond to something I only think is happening, frees up so much for me.  And I saw it in the others as well.

Before we went too far into this, we moved on to a different idea.

Two soloists dance at the same time while the others created a (da-da) pulse.  We first moved rigidly on the pulse, then in between the pulse, then the choice to move between both idea.

Then, we were set into duets.  One dancer chose the movement, while the other dancer responded to an imagined idea of what the first might do.  

The problem that seemed to come up sometimes, was that partners would feel that they had to really WATCH the other.  Instead of simply sensing and allowing for the risk in committing to an idea that we may have simply made up...