Dance 343 Take Home Midterm (100 Points)

The mid-term is to be typed. Preface your answer with the question and the point value. This is an opportunity for you to personalize the concepts that we have learned from the book, from classroom experiences and discussions. It is to be your own work and although you may discuss possible solutions to the questions with others, the answers should reflect what you know and understand about the material. It is worth 100 points. You are required to answer questions 1 through 6. From the remaining questions choose ones that you feel you can answer in an articulate, intelligent, and where appropriate, feelingful (personal) ways. Be sure and check that the point value of all the questions you choose adds up to 100. Note that the weight and the meat of the question is indicated by the point value. Make sure that you clearly indicate when you are quoting and paraphrasing. Both should be used sparingly as confirmation of the point you are making. Please cite the page. 1) Chapter 3 explains three reasons for returning to early movement patterns. Identify which is most vital for you. In your own words express the major theme and why it is vital to you. (5 points) For me, the most vital reason for returning to early movement patterns is to facilitate skill development for technical virtuosity. The main idea of this reason for returning is to understand the body and how all of the pieces relate as a whole. When a dancer understands the connections throughout their body they have the power to communicate concepts and ideas more articulately with their body. Returning to fundamentals allows a dancer to have a more full control or their body. They understand how each movement relates to each other, and how the body needs to work together. This allows for more ease in movement and technical refinement which leads to a greater expressivity. As we have returned to these fundamental movement patterns in class I have begun to realize the importance it holds for me. My understanding of these movement patterns has begun to allow my technique to support my desired expressivity. As I learn to access all of the connections throughout my body I feel wholeness in my movement. I am able to have a power in my movement as the pieces of my body come together to form a functioning whole. My over all control increases as my technical skills develop through my connectivity. 2) There are two articles that are in the LRC that directly address Irmgards Basic Six. Use them and the other readings from the LRC that you have already read to identify, address and illuminate a Basic Six that is related to concerns that show up in your own moving. Then go on to prescribe which of the six will be effective in a retraining process for yourself. Include why you have chosen the

specific ones you have as effective exercises to address your concern and then go on to say how you would use them. (15) One of the Basic Six that is related to concerns that show up in my movement is arm circles. When I dance, and on a day-to-day basis, I tend to carry tension in my shoulders. This is where my stress goes during the day; therefore, this is where it stays when I dance. I think that my body is used to having tense a tense neck and shoulders; these areas are used to being tense and over used. Therefore, when I go to dance it is natural for me to over use my shoulders because I am used to that feeling. I usually initiate movement of my arm from my superior shoulder. This is detrimental to my dancing because it causes my arms to be disconnected from my body. They try to move on their own, supported by the shoulder rather than the core. When movement initiates from the upper shoulder I am not using my core-distal connectivity. The movement looks and feels labored because I am trying to manufacture power from a place that is not supported. I have also noticed that when I hold tension in my shoulders energy cannot travel out the top of my head. It gets trapped by the gripping muscles and cannot continue up and out. The tension also keeps my spine from reaching its full length. The overuse of the shoulder muscles causes the tension that keeps the spine from elongating. This causes all of my movement to seem stunted and compact. I know that if I can overcome this challenge my dancing would change dramatically. I could command my space better and be a much more powerful dancer. I think that arm circles and diagonal knee reaches would help me to overcome this concern. Arm circle exercises would help me because I know that I need to feel grounded into my scapula. My scapula anchor into the core and would help me to use a core-distal connection to move my arms. I would use the arm circle exercises suggested by Bartinieff to get used to initiating movement from my scapula. I would lie on my back and trace my arm in circles around my body, consciously thinking about the grounding of my scapula in order to rotate my arm. I would make sure that my shoulder did not rise unnecessarily, and that it was the movement of the scapula that moved the arm. I would also spend time on my hands and knees, yielding into and pushing out of the floor with my arms so that I could get used to the feeling of the arms connecting into my scapula and my core. Eventually I would leave the floor and work on initiating the rising of my arm with the dropping of the scapula. I would really work on feeling the opposition and grounding of the scapula that allows the arm to rise with ease. I would go through these different exercises regularly. I would also work on diagonal knee reaches in order to feel the cross lateral connection through my body. I would do exercises such as lying on my back and allowing my knees drop to one side, and then hollowing out my center in order to pull them back up. When my knees fall to one side I will be able to feel the cross lateral connection from my knees all the way up to my opposite shoulder. This will help me when I come out of the floor because I will be able to apply that feeling to the rest of dancing. The cross lateral connection will connect my scapula into my core and will ensure that they stay grounded and anchored. This will keep me from over using my superficial shoulder muscles, and will also help me to activate my core-distal connection.

3) Define gradated rotation. Rotation is utilized in which types of movements. List several. Chose one to elaborate on by setting up a situation where rotation was key to the action but not being used fully. Then coach me through the process of increasing my rotation to fully realize the action. (10 points) Gradated rotation is a revolving that occurs in imperceptible degrees, one tiny step at a time. Rotation is used in many movements, especially in modern dance. It is used when going into the floor, twisting the torso, rotating the legs while the rest of the body is still, circling the arms, twisting the hands and letting it continue up the rest of the arm, reaching the knees diagonally, and turning the head. These are just a few movements in which gradated rotation can be seen. One of these movements that has especially interested me recently is the gradated rotation that is used when twisting and articulating the hands. The hands have so much power for expression due to their articulateness. When twisting the hands, the movement starts at the distal end (the fingers and hand) but then travels up the rest of the arm and into the scapula. Gradated rotation is what allows the arm to be grounded in the scapula and reach its full rotation potential. In order to fully realize the rotation of this action, start by rotating the hand. Think of the pinky coming down and around in a circle as the hand twists; think of having a marker on that pinky and as you rotate it around make sure you draw a full and complete circle with no divots or breaks. Do it again, but this time as your hand rotates allow that rotating motion to travel into your wrist and allow your wrist to rotate in small degrees. Repeat this motion again, but this time, allow the movement to continue into your elbow. As you do this make sure that your shoulder stays still. Repeat the rotating motion, starting at the distal end, rotating through the wrist, then the elbow, and this time allow the rotation to continue into the shoulder. Rotate the arm again, and this time allow the rotation to go through your shoulder and continue into your scapula. Think of the energy of the rotation starting at the lateral side and rolling across the scapula all the way to the medial side. Now you should be able to start the rotation in the pinky, allow the rotation to continue through the wrist, then the elbow, then the shoulder, then the scapula all in one gradual motion. The rotation should be so gradated that you can barely see the rotation moving up the arm. It should look like one movement. It should feel different than just rotating the arm because you should feel a greater range of motion in that arm. The arm should also be able to extend farther because the gradated rotation grounds it into the scapula, causing it to be supported closer to the core. 4) The lesser trochanter and the greater trochanter are two key bony landmarks. They play a significant role in several actions of the body. Identify two actions where it would be important to have an understanding of these landmarks and then identify why these landmarks are important to know about with regards to the action. (10 points) One action in which it would be important to have an understanding of the lesser trochanter is in a cross lateral action. It is important to feel the connection all the way to and through the core. Thinking of the connection going from the shoulder all the way to the opposite lesser trochanter causes the connection to go all the way through the torso

and makes sure that it does not stop in the ribs or the waist. This is important in any diagonal reaching motion where the cross lateral pull is engaged and the focus of the movement. If the connection stops at the ribs the body becomes disjointed and a full pull of energy all the way through the body cannot be found. The greater trochanter, on the other hand, is very important to finding full femoral flexion. For example, when a dancer is doing a grand battement to the front they want to have full femoral flexion in order to reach their full height in the kick. Thinking of the greater trochanter dropping as the leg brushes forward helps the dance to reach that full crease in the leg. The dropping of the trochanter helps to release the superficial muscles and let the femoral flexion come from the movement of the bone rather than the gripping of the muscles. 5) You have a student who doesnt seem to claim their own personal power when they dance. Identify two concepts that you would share with the student to help them gain access to their own personal power. Explain in two or three sentences the essence of each concept that you identify and how it relates to personal power. Then, specifically guide me through an experience that would increase the students awareness of one of the concepts. (15 points) One of the concepts that I would share with this student is core support. When a dancers support comes from their core their movement becomes much more powerful. This is what allows dancers to connect all of the pieces of the body into one whole. When support comes from the core other superficial muscles that are usually overused are able to relax. When the outer muscles relax the body has more ease in movement and a greater potential for expression; this allows for a greater range of motion over all because the energy doesnt get trapped in the gripped muscles, but instead travels out through the distal ends through the core distal connection. In my opinion, this is what it means to access ones own personal power. Another concept I would share is the idea of moving with the pelvis. There is great power in a dancer who is able to move with their pelvis. They are able to really utilize their space to their advantage and command their surroundings. When locomotion is initiated by the advancing of the pelvis the dancer is able to really propel themselves through the space. Movement is then commanding and driven rather than hesitant and held back. A dancer who is able to control their space and their progression through it has real personal power. One of the ways to really access this connection through the pelvis is through one of the Bartenieff fundamentals: sagital and lateral pelvic shifts. This fundamental teaches students to initiate weight transfers through the pelvic floor. When they learn to drive motion from their pelvic floor they learn to initiate movement from the midline, and therefore remain connected. Moving from the midline allows the body to move as a whole unit, rather than becoming disjointed as the individual parts attempt to move themselves through space. In order to teach this student to this fundamental of pelvic shift I would have them start on the floor with an exercise like the exercise number 3 in the Appendix B reading, Pelvic Lateral Shift. In this form he/she would lie on their back on the floor with their knees up. He/she would push hollow through their abdomen to initiate the raising of the pelvis toward the ceiling. He/she would then shift the pelvis to the right in a completely straight line. In order to do this he/she needs to think of shifting the pelvis from the very base of it, not from his/her right hip. I might tell this student to think of someone holding their coccyx

like a handle (from the bottom) and shifting it straight to the right. I would then have the student try it to the other side. After getting comfortable with this form I would have he/she stand and work on shifting the pelvis laterally while going across the floor. I would have he/she gallop or slide, just focusing on initiating from the pelvic floor and not lifting the hips. I would have the student take note of how movement feels different when they are more aware of their pelvis, and how their ability to move through the general space changes. 6) In your own words, define core support. Identify which of the PTBC are most essential to core support. Explain why you feel these are essential. Provide an example of your own that demonstrates how each pattern of your choice supports core support. (10 points) I consider core support to be an internal foundation for movement of the body that results from the inner networking of the muscles around the center of the body. Through the working of kinnectic chains, the entire body connects back to the core (that center place in the body). When stability comes from the muscles around the abdominal region the rest of the body is supported and able to move freely. One of the Patterns of Total Body Connectivity that is most essential to core support is the core to distal connection. When a dancer uses core-distal connectivity they are able to find a source of energy in their core and radiate it out to all six of the distal ends. The muscles in the center work together in a give and take relationship that produces the energy that radiates to support the distal edges. This connection also provides the image of the whole body connecting back through the central core of the body; this is an image that is essential to finding support in the core. When a dancer utilizes the core-distal connection they initiate movement from the core. This ensures that the core is activated and supporting the rest of the body. They are able to reach the edges of their kinesphere and find a greater range of motion when their six limbs are supported by the core. I think that this is why core support is so important; it allows us to utilize the full power of our movement because every part of our body connects to and through the core. An example that demonstrates this would be a dancer leaping through the space. As she takes off the energy initiates from the core and radiates through all the distal edges. She is able to expand in the space and reach the edges of her kinesphere as energy radiates through all six of her limbs. She is about to command her space as she sores through the air, and her body is completely connected through and supported by the core. It is one unit that moves through the air. The other Pattern of Total Body Connectivity that I think is vital to core support is breath. Peggy Hackney describes breath in this way: Life-giving fluid enters the system, rich in nourishment, swirling, laden with life energy (Hackney, pg 51). This energy is what connects the muscles of the core and radiates out to support the rest of the body. Breath is the fluidity and connector of the whole body. It is the regulator, giving movement a rhythm and flow. I know that, personally, when I think of core support I sometimes think of gripping my abdominal muscles. This binds my center and keeps the connections from flowing through the body; the energy from the core is then unable to support the rest of my movement. Breath is what helps me to keep my center from binding. It allows me to think of my center as a live and fluid energy that is constantly expanding and shrinking back in. I need this image in order to see the connections of my

body initiating from the core. Otherwise I tend to overuse my surface muscles and the passageways through my body get blocked. Breath helps me to keep my connections as successive movements through kinetic chains. An example of how breath aids core support is a general one. By breathing through all movement a dancer can keep the energy from the core flowing. If she is trying to hold and extension and rely on the stability of her core, instead of holding her breath, she can breathe through the extension. This reminds her body that even though it appears still on the outside there are constant changes occurring on the inside, and that the energy coming from her core is alive, flowing, and constantly radiating. This would keep the dancer from binding and would make sure that she was constantly growing as she held the extension. 7) What is your understanding of the phrase a lively interplay between inner connectivity and outer expressivity?" (5 points) Over the course of the semester I have really come to love this phrase. As I have begun to understand and feel inner connections I have realized the validity of this statement. I understand this phrase to be an explanation of the artistic possibilities that reveal themselves when an understanding, and successful utilization, of the inner connections of the body is reached. In simpler terms, a dancer needs technique and overall control of the body in order to express the things they wish to. I have experienced this for myself in this class. As I begin to see these inner connections as energy lines rather than solid pathways, I have found an increased ability to move with an ease that portrays my desired expressivity. In the past, I would see all of my body parts as individual mobile parts. My movement was often disjointed and the energy would get stuck in parts that were trying to work isolated from the rest of the body. As I have felt connections throughout my body I have come to see them as energy passageways, lines for the energy to travel through throughout my entire body. Everything is connected and constantly adjusting in a give and take sort of way that allows the highlighted movement to occur. When I think of it this way, my whole is much more alive and mobile. I have found that I have much more expressivity in my movement because it is continuous and connected. I am able to utilize the energy the way I need it instead of it getting lost in the disconnected parts of my body. The energy never stops but travels through my inner connections as I direct it in the way I need it. I have realized that I have much more movement possibilities (and, therefore, more possibilities for expression) as my body moves as a fully connected being. 8) Chapter 5 -- Peggy lists twelve principles of Fundamentals. Choose two that you have personally connected with so far. Name each, and articulate briefly what the essence of the concept is (2-3 sentences) and in another couple of sentences let me know what it is about this that is vital to you. (10 points) One of the principles of fundamentals that I have connected with so far is grounding and inner/outer. Grounding refers to a dancers relationship to the earth and its gravity, a grounded dancer is able to use these things to his/her advantage. Being grounded is about sensing yourself and your weight and how it relates to the ground beneath; knowing how to shift the weight and how to pour it into the ground and

receiving support from it in return. The only way to truly be grounded is to yield into the ground and then push back away from it, and out of it. Being grounded means to be stable through the stability of the ground, to move through the floor rather than floating above it. I have learned a lot about this principle in my own body as I have learned to push through the floor. As I stay grounded and yield into the floor I am about to thrust through it. This thrust is able to propel through my body and give the movement out of the floor more ease. For example; if I am doing something like a battement, I can thrust through the floor with my supporting leg and the power that comes from the stability of the ground travels through my body and out the working leg. This allows the working leg to be more released, and the lack of gripping in the muscle gives the movement a sense of ease and a greater range of motion. Applying this principle has greatly influenced my dancing, providing me with a more effective use of my muscles. I have seen a great difference in my femoral flexion especially. Being grounded on my supporting side and then thrusting through the floor allow my hip flexor to relax on my working leg, giving me a greater range of motion in the hip. The second principle, inner/outer, is about movement being meaningful. An outer expression reflects an inner intent, or an influence from the outside world creates an inner emotion or reaction. I think of this in terms of initiation; movement is either initiated from the inner feelings and connections and carried out, or is initiated from an outside force and carried into the body. I have really been thinking about this as I have been improvising and choreographing this semester. As I improvise I have been trying to react to my surroundings. I try to notice the things around me and respond to what I am seeing and experience. I try to transfer outer influences inward. When I choreograph I must find a way to convey my inner impulses through the dancers outer expression. This is what gives my movement meaning and allows the audience to connect to things they are seeing. I am constantly working on this and think that it is one of the most vital aspects to being an artistic dancer and choreography. It is what turns movement into art.

14) Femoral Flexion is a key concept that is discussed in the book and in class. Why is it addressed? What is femoral flexion about? Include in part of your discussion the muscle groups involved and why they are most efficient. (10 points) Femoral flexion is addressed in this book because it is a fundamental movement that is done thousands of times everyday but is rarely done efficiently. For dancers, it is a very important upper-lower connection needed to access full range of motion. Peggy mentions the issue that most dancers and people in general do not use the torso-limb connection through the femoral joint correctly as they perform these daily actions. Femoral flexion is a movement that should initiate from the core, through the iliopsoas, and to the femur. The iliopsoas is a long internal muscle that connects at the vertebrae and the lesser trochanter. Because of this long connection it is quite effortless when it flexes and pulls on the lesser trochanter, causing the femur to flex. In order for the iliopsoas to work effectively the pelvis must be aligned. If the pelvis is tucked the psoas is disturbed and cannot flex fully. Therefore, the Transverse Abdominus and Internal and External Obliques must also be activated to keep the pelvis in place. There needs to be a balance

between these muscles and the back extensors so that the pelvis does not tip too far one way or the other. I have found that it is very important to not think of tightening and gripping these muscles (this results in binding), but rather extending these muscles and allowing them to interact with each other. Only when these muscles are alive and activated can the iliopsoas fully do its job in flexion. This internal muscle is much more effective than the surface muscles that are usually over used in femoral flexion. If the pelvis is out of place the Rectus Femoris usually over compensates and tries to do all the work. This is ineffective because when the surface muscles grip they decrease the range of motion for the bone. A gripped Rectus Femoris can block the leg from reaching its full height in an extension. When this muscle is gripped it often causes the femur to be fused with the hip instead of freely moving in the joint. Therefore, hip-hiking is often a result of improper use of this deep connection. When a dancer has full femoral flexion they are able to be more grounded and receive more power from the floor. Their yield into the floor is fuller, and they are then able to push out of the floor harder as they rebound away from it. Therefore, I think that femoral flexion is vital in grasping your full power as a dancer. 18) Attention to diagonals and spirals are major aspects in chapter 11. How and where do they become apparent in your specific dance form and what does attention to cross-laterality provide for you? (10 points) Cross laterality is so important for dancers because it provides a sense of threedimensionality. We do not have a full range of motion if we are not able to access diagonals and spirals and our movement becomes flat. Contemporary dance is a dance form that is full of diagonals and spirals. In this genre we are constantly reaching and pulling and stretching; diagonals are vital for these movements. I think that we like to think of energy spiraling and stretching through the body. This keeps movement constantly flowing rather, rather than becoming stuck or choppy. In order for this to become a visual aesthetic in our movement we must create pathways in our bodies for that spiraling and diagonal energy to travel through. These pathways are connected through the cross lateral connection. When doing the previously discussed stretching and spiraling movements, it is important to remember the diagonal connection across the front and back of the body so that we do not become disconnected. If we do not allow the pull to follow a diagonal pathway across the body then our ribs will become splayed, our back will sway, and our pelvis will misalign. This disjointedness breaks the flow of energy and keeps it from continuing out the top of the reach. This is something that I always think in the Hanya Holm movement. I think of this diagonal connection through the front and back of my body so that my reach is not interrupted and I can extend further. Furthermore, as modern dancers we are taught that our spine has great mobility. We are constantly reminded to allow a spiral to continue through the spine so that the torso can reach its full three-dimensional capacity. We often use this spiral through the spine when we are going into and coming out of the floor. The twisting allows us to ease into the floor and spiral out of it smoothly in a continual action. I have found that thinking of spiraling and diagonals through my body allows me to fully explore and reach the edges of my kinesphere. I have a greater range of motion; through my cross lateral

connection I am able to reach further while still being supported from my core. This semester I have realized that this is the most comfortable connection in my body. It feels like home. I love the feeling of that pull across my body; it makes me feel truly connected from one end to the other. I also love the three-dimensional possibilities it lends me. I think that spiraling through the body is a beautiful and full aesthetic, and it feels very natural in my body. It helps me to feel that all my movement is continuous, constantly moving and passing through the core.