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(A fuller conceming be mating of >thing about wo respects an establiced sth jisno ot oceus) — ple, the way teoanection te” by which teasively on aiclear ways, of the ways Hence these poby lacking of postexity derstand it a anybody's sks meaning of Califor, proved tht [Nordisk Estate Tevet 27-8 (2008) Dance Techne: Kinetic Bodily Logos and Thinking in Movement Jaana Parviainen Introduction Though no one is likely to deny that dancing is a creative process, nevertheless, the production of “dance technique” is often understood as a laborious and mechanical process. ‘The special strategy of the present article is to nasrow the gap between “technique” and “inking” in contemporary dance, In criticising technical attitudes and techaisation in the production of dance technique, the article sims to develop a new concept, “dance techac”, Drawing oa Maxine Shects-Johnstone’s description of a Kinetic bodily logos and Martin, Heidegper’s aotion of thiaking and the ancient Greek term fect, the purposes to interpret the Finnish dance teacher and professor Exvi Sirén's method of teaching contemporary dance First, [will how how the production of the dancer’s technique is regarded in modern and contemporary dance as a primarily technical operation. Next, I shall describe Maxine Sheets Jobastone’s notion ofthiaking in movement improvisation nd a body kinetic logos. ‘Thereafter Heidegger's tne is introduced in order to re-think creativity and skis in human production. Finally, illuminating Ervi Sireo’s teaching method, my aim is to show how we righttake aleap from dence technique to dance techne, The deepest question addressed here conceras the ontological nature of movement, a question persistently present in movement aad dance research even if seldom stated and analysed. Using technique as a rational discipline designed to ensure our mastery over our bodily movements, we fal to understand the origin of movement in human skills and needs. The only way to gein access to movement is to let movement be and to let it address us, cballng as. In a paradoxical way, the aim is to outline the attitude of Gelasrenbuit in contemporary dance. Fisst, I will reflect on how techaique is employed by dancers to accomplish a variety of movement tasks. Dance technique as a technical operation and tehnication ‘The term “technique” may refer to a number of different things in Western theatrical dance. Modern chozeographers have developed techaiques as movemeat vocabulatics to support their choreographic goals. Triditional modern dance techniques such as those of Graham, Humphrey-Limén or Cunningham constituted personified movement vocabulary styles. * Marsha Graham has asserted, “Ihave sizoply rediscovered what the body can do”, in denyiag that she has founded a “Graham techaique” (Mariza Horosko, Martha Graton: Thx Enlision of Her Dane They and Training 1926-1991, Chicago: A Capela Books, 1991, 2) 159JAANA PARVIAINEN Modera choreographers have established schools or worked actively as teachers to produce shiled dancers in thes technique classes. Thus, the usage “dance technique” ia the modetn seasecame to embrace simultaneously fourdifferent aspects: movement vocabulary, sil, eleand method By reiterating a choteographer-teacher’s movernents in a technique class, a student became sklfal in terms of movement vocabulary and its aesthetics. This general style comprised set of movements or permissible movement sequences held together bya system of kinaesthetic motivation. Ia addition to skill and styic, dance technique was regarded as a teaching method, since the pedagogy of the dance technique class was based on either ‘ndeatifiction with or imitation of movement phrases demonstrated inthe cass. This implies that students acquited movement through visual mimesis. As a legacy of this teaching method, exercises in dance technique classes are to this day highly repetitive and sepimeated. Phrases or sections of dances may be taught, but performing skills, interpretation, improvisation and choreographing are usually excluded in traditional dance techique classes? ‘The achievement of the practical competences in a particular dance technique provides a framework which both enables aad limits the body's kinaesthetic potentials. In Heideggee’s terms, this type of dance vocabulary as 2 system of movements is a mode of enfruming (Gestel). Gertell is sometimes translated 25 “frame” or “framework”,* but “eafeeming” emphasises the verbal sense of ceaseless functioning which also ceaselessly modifies the dancer’ grip by bringing new movements and maanets of taking hold of the body into the framework and excluding some as slightly dated. As noted, the traditional modern daace techniques are understood as a rational discipline designed to ensure our mastery ovet our bodies. Dance students should work on a daily basis to teach this goal. Dance technique exercises have a transformative effect on the body, for the dancer, the sepetition of daily practice will overtime yield measurable improvement in * Adina Armclagos and Macy Snide, “Personal Style and Pesformaace Prerogative, in Maxine Sheet- obastone ed, mise Dana: Phisop bial Explorations (London & Toroat: Acsocated Uaiversiy Presses, 1984), 86. “Sple”is understood a twofold concept Sie, Of gecer spl, consist of spatial ocabulay, asetof movements cralowable movement sequence bel opsthery a estes of Knasthetie motivation Spatial vocabulary is besicly sma in meaning tothe term movenient vocabulary. Movement vocabulacy 4s often used em ster soll othe discrete positions chanctedrdc ofa particular sle suchas the Gran techaigue or bale Sle or persoadl style isthe dancer's puticcarcoatebution within ste, > This charactesaation of the traditional dance technique clase” is celated tothe Amexcan modema dance Andis leguey to the European dence after the Second Wodd Wa: Improvisation formed ths core of Mary Wigss’s "Tune Techail’, Although Tein classes emphasised the sequision of techaiea il, twa _Bught through improvistion. At the Wigman School dung the Weimar period, students acquiced nota “techoique” inthe Ameticansecse, a cocfied movement vocabulary, but Tinh ia the Geman sense (Gasaa A. Meaning, Esty and th Demen: Feminin and Nationa tt Dana of Mary Wigman Bekele, Los ‘Angees, London: Universi of California Press, 1993, 91). * Maria Heigegges, Tr mation Corning Tbe ard Orbe Bop, transl, Wiis Lovite (New Voce Huper & Row, 1977. 160 the body* ‘warming: internalisio all mover phrases of by turns, « ways. The! markedly 1 of body pa and steppic Contem movement train in sev efface pest executing ¢ or “Cunnie ‘The conter the body ‘The coz technique + simply faci creates nev vith minis: sensitive a schedule, 2 dancers to Feldeakerai program ir contempor£ DANCE TECHNE: KINET! 1¢ BODILY LOGOS AND THINKING IN MOVEMENT the body! In dance technique classes the initial phrases of movement are designated as warmiag-up, to preparing the body for the activity. Movement activity focuses on internalising certain coordinationsia the body. One typical feature i traditional cassesis that all movements can be divided into smaller units as movements of different body parts or a8 races of movement exercise * Dancers concentrate on head, arm, leg or torso movements bby turns, working out one phrase a che time or combining these units together in vasious ways. The finer the unitacts ate grained and the more firmly they caa be combined, the more markedly they become techaicised. For instance, focusing exclusively on the co-ordination ‘of body parts lifting left arm a the elbow, beading the body left side as the azms pull down and stepping lefewe may leave aide the meanings ofthat movement or movement as gestuce Contemporary choreographers do not usually aim to develop a new technique as a movement vocabulary to support their choreographic goals, but rather encourage dancers to train in several existing movement techaiques’ Contemporary training systems attempt to efface personified style aspects from dance technique; dancess should create means of executing any movements and dance vocabularies. There are no longer “Graham dancers” ‘ot “Cunningham dancers”, just cancers who should be able to work with any chozeographec. "The contemporary usage “dance technique” seems to refer to efficient means to transform the body and take hold of the body as capable of executing aay movement. ‘The contemporary dancer's technique should be invisible. Dancers simply uilise certain exercises in order to secure the body ideals and aesthetics they need or aspire to. In dance techaique discousse it is common to tay that technique is in the service of dancing o: it simply facilitates dance.’ Technique itself has no spmbols or styles; i zeflects nothing, but creates new actualties and potentials. It seeks to attain in movement the maximum results with roinimum expenditure of power and energy. In order to reader the body stronger, moze sensitive and flexible with less energy, dancers pay attention to trsining techeiques, daily schedule, nutztion, weight control and the prevention and cure of injusies. It is common for dancers to take 2 diversity of classes in ballet, contact, release, aikido, Pilates, Alexander, Feldeckisis, Body-Mind Centering, stretching and yoga, while their individual exercise program includes jogging, swimming, weight-lifting, etc. The pervasive traits of the ideal contemporary dancer ate fuctionalisation in using the body in anatomically comect ways, the * ancy Masta, Cal Mens: Dae Seis in Tear and Pots (Dusham & Lodo: Duke Universxy Press, 1998), 16. © ienestine Stodelle, Dent Tecnie of Doe Hampbry (London: Dance Books, 1979), 31-219. » Sosa Foster, “(Dancing Botis in Joaathaa Crazy & Sanford Kovinter, eds, Inuperatons, Zane 6, (New Yorle Unoze, 1992), 493, Joan Seblaich & Bety DuPont The Ae of Tsbing Dane Technine (Ving: Amesican Alisnce for Healis, Phyrieel Education, Recretion and Dance, 1993), 5, 161