Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices Volume 1 Number 2 © 2009 Intellect Ltd

Article. English language. doi: 10.1386/jdsp.1.2.237_1

Integrating semi-structured somatic

practices and contemporary dance
technique training
Rebecca Weber University of Central Lancashire

Abstract Keywords
Previous research has examined the effects of more structured somatic practices, somatic movement
sometimes referred to as ‘codified’ or ‘structural integrity techniques’, on contem- dance education
porary dance education, yet few researchers have addressed the effects of open- or semi-structured
semi-structured somatic frameworks. This article is presented in two parts: the framework
first part examines previous research as a ground from which to develop a method contemporary dance
to deliver and study the effects of less codified somatic frameworks within a contem- somatics
porary dance technique; the second part presents a short piece of practical research teaching practices
which developed from this basis. The research, conducted within a first-year col- technique
lege dance programme, consisted of a series of somatically informed contempo-
rary dance technique classes. Results of the study included students’ displaying
enhanced bodily connection, creativity, confidence and critical understanding of
tenets underlying somatic work, as well as some implications for dance technique.
It also addresses some of the issues arising from introducing semi-structured
frameworks within a contemporary technique class.

Previous research
The field of somatics, while still a relatively new and not-yet-mainstream
field, has experienced a growing momentum and more widespread recogni-
tion since its inception over 40 years ago. Many scholars have documented
the burgeoning interest in somatics within academic curricula and specifi-
cally with regards to its application within dance education programmes
(Myers 1980; Berardi 2007; Eddy 2009). Academic literature has focused
on why somatic modalities should be included in education programmes
(Kleinman 1990; Linden 1994; Fortin 1995; Eddy 2007) and dance pro-
grammes (Batson 1990; Green, 1999; Arnold 2005; Batson 2007; Batson
& Schwartz 2007; Debenham and Debenham 2008; Batson 2009; Fortin,
Viera and Tremblay 2009) and how to introduce somatic concepts to dance
technique classes (Fortin and Siedentop 1995; Bauer 1999; Brodie and
Lobel 2004; Long 2002; Fortin, Long and Lord 2002; Eddy 2006;
Enghauser 2007). Both mainstream culture (Orbach 2009) and dance cul-
ture call for an end to the Cartesian split through return to embodiment
and valuation of subjective experience, and somatics is a field that seeks to
repair the body/mind dualism through bodily awareness.
The term ‘somatic’ was first coined to describe the living body as expe-
rienced within from the first-person perspective. It is derived from the

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 1. See Eddy (2009) for
a brief but compre-
hensive overview of
the history and
development of the
field of somatics as
a whole to date.
2. ISMETA grew out
of the previously
founded International
Movement Therapy
Association to
include more focus
on educators and
a broader base of
somatic pedagogies.
JDSP_1.2_art_Weber_237-254.indd 238
Greek somatikos which means ‘of the body’ and was first introduced by
Thomas Hanna (1970) to describe the mind/body integration that values this
subjective experience and enhances embodied consciousness through the
integration of perception and action: this pedagogy is at the core of all
the somatic modalities practised under the umbrella term ‘somatics’ today.
Hanna (1970) contended that movement originating from the unique, sub-
jective standpoint was empowering to the individual, as opposed to the scien-
tifically valued, objective, third-person perspective, which was dichotomous
and potentially disempowering.
Somatics as a field continues to rely on and value subjective experience
as primary and focuses on how the body adapts to the continual flow of
information gathered through interoceptive, proprioceptive and kinaes-
thetic sensing. As the field of somatics grew,1 somatic movement education
developed in the 1960s. A need for professional regulation and integrity
among practitioners and educators was recognized and the International
Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA) was
formed2 to ‘promote a high level of standards and professionalism in the
field of somatic movement education and therapy through advocacy and
maintaining a registry of professional practitioners’ (ISMETA 2009).
As the field has grown and become more systematized through organi-
zations such as ISMETA, it has also gained popularity within academia,
becoming accepted study within somatic psychology, physical education
and dance education programmes internationally (Eddy 2009; Long 2002;
ISMETA 2009). Though all the many different somatic practices have dif-
ferent approaches, techniques and foci, many researchers highlight the
aspects which are common to all and which unite somatics as a field; for
instance, Rebecca Enghauser identifies the ‘most basic common denomi-
nator of these practices [as] the importance of the first-person, experiential
approach which emphasizes awareness of sensation’ (Enghauser 2007).
Other researchers propose the following as potential commonalities shared
across varying strands of practice:
• Sensitivity (both of our own inner landscapes and to the external environ-
ment), My Experienced Body/The Public Body (and inherent implications
of body image and personality development), and Political Implications
(Johnson 1986)
• Breath, sensing, connectivity and initiation (Brodie and Lobel 2004)
• Deep awareness, imagery and use of rest phases (Berardi 2007)
• Spatial-perceptual, kinaesthetic, breath, eco-somatic and creative body-
listening techniques (Enghauser 2007)
• Novel learning context, sensory attunement and augmented rest
(Batson 2009: 16)
Reviewing this list of attributes within different somatic practices, it seems
that these principles would readily apply to dance education as well, as
another physical, movement-based pedagogy. Indeed, as Martha Eddy
(2006) notes, many somatic practices have been developed by practition-
ers with dance backgrounds and contain a ‘dancer’s logic’ and languag-
ing, so the transition is easily facilitated. As Warwick Long notes, ‘One
way somatic education links with dance education is through learning to
238 Rebecca Weber
5/11/10 6:11:12 PM
 direct attention to movement on an incrementally fine level. In the field of 3. With the notable
exception of Susan
somatic education this process of learning movement is termed sensory Bauer (1999), who
motor awareness’ (Fortin, Long and Lord 2002: 166). However, the focus touched briefly on
on how to teach dancers to direct their attention varies in somatics from Authentic Movement
after covering
traditional dance education, both in practical approach as well as in philo- the more codified
sophical and political underpinnings. The focus in somatics on valuing strands of Body-Mind
subjective experience re-positions authority on individual dancers through Centering, Ideokinesis
and Bartenieff
the variation in teaching techniques: Fundamentals.
4. For further clarifica-
Dance culture has modeled various external authorities (teachers’ cues, mir-
tion, semi-structured
rors, movement initiation) as validating and defining the principles of suc- frameworks can be
cess. While many dance practices, particularly those of the classic western thought of as a way
of working within
forms of ballet and modern dance techniques, embrace visual modeling to
the open framework
elucidate and communicate shape and ideal body patterning, somatics tends of self-discovery, but
more readily to embrace the use of verbal, haptic, kinesthetic, and proprio- with a specific ana-
tomical focus in mind
ceptive experience in defining form.
(Williamson 2010b).
(Batson and Schwartz 2007: 48)

Much of the focus on incorporating somatic principles into dance tech-

nique classes has been done by researchers who have been extensively
trained in various techniques and bring those techniques into the class-
room and their teaching ethos. Although many dance teachers actually
bring some aspects of somatics into the classroom, albeit without acknowl-
edging or perhaps even realizing they are doing so (Enghauser 2007), it
seems to be the consensus among researchers in the field of dance and
somatics that, although the practice is not yet ubiquitous, technique
classes can readily incorporate some of the more structured somatic
modalities (Bauer 1999; Brodie and Lobel 2004; Batson and Schwartz
2007), such as Ideokinesis (Batson 2007) and Body-Mind Centering
(Bauer 1999; Eddy 2006). However, few researchers3 have focused on the
incorporation of somatic practices that are categorized as ‘open framework
of self-discovery’ or ‘semi-structured framework’ modalities (Williamson
2009d, 2010a, 2010b). To clarify, the practices that are identified as
‘open framework of self-discovery’ and ‘semi-structured framework’ mod-
els are those that rely on more autonomy in movement response lying
with the client or student. As Williamson differentiates:

Open frameworks of self-discovery are not underpinned by explorations into spe-

cific anatomical ideas, but rather utilize an extremely open structure facilitated
through somatically-orientated language and are largely based on trusting the
sensual experience of the body – sensing into personal and unique movement
requirements and following pleasing movement desires (indulging in movement
sensual pathways, qualities and rhythms which feel enlivening or wholly satis-
fying). […] Semi-structured frameworks are more directed, aiming to offer expe-
riential insight into a particular anatomical or physiological idea.
(Williamson 2010a: 6–7)4

Working within either of these frameworks, practitioners rely on the

autonomy of clients/students to realign and re-pattern through somatic
awareness of what feels pleasurable or ‘good’. As strands of practice, they

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 5. In codified tech-
niques, less autonomy
in movement
response lies with
the student than
in semi-structured
techniques, but more
so than in structural
integrity techniques;
these typically come
from some pattern
of work, but stu-
dents still have some
autonomy in shaping
those exercises – an
example might be
Continuum. Strands
of practice referred
to as ‘structural
integrity techniques’
are highly codified,
and usually based
on an external idea
of anatomy (but still
maintaining a focus
on the felt sensation
of that anatomy) and
have set exercises to
develop correct ana-
tomical alignment; an
example of this type of
work might be Body-
Mind Centering or
Alexander Technique.
JDSP_1.2_art_Weber_237-254.indd 240
are differentiated from the more ‘codified’ somatic modalities (to borrow
phrasing from Enghauser 2007: 34), sometimes referred to as ‘structural
integrity techniques’ (Williamson 2010b),5 which have been presented in
previous research.
Previous work in the field has illustrated that these more codified tech-
niques ‘create dancers who can move easily in many different styles’ and
‘strengthen technical capacity, expand expressiveness, and reduce inci-
dents of injury’; however, it remains to be seen whether some of the same
results may be expected when working within more open somatic frame-
works (Berardi 2007: 23; Eddy 2009: 21). As a dancer, educator and
practitioner working within the semi-structured or open framework
strands of practice, I am interested in the integration of these particular
somatic movement dance techniques within the greater dance education
field. How can dance educators incorporate the addition of less codified
somatic techniques? How does the incorporation of semi-structured
somatic work within their contemporary technique classes affect dancers
of varying levels of experience? Using the previous research with other
somatic techniques as a well-established ground for forming my research,
I sought to undertake a short piece of action research that could begin to
address these questions. The research, conducted within a first-year college
dance programme, introduced semi-structured somatic explorations within
the context of a contemporary dance technique class and examined the
results through students’ responses to a series of open discussions, journal
entries and questionnaires.
Because of the growing popularity of incorporating somatics into dance
education programmes, it is important to research thoroughly the links
between these two disciplines and confirm as many connections between
somatics and dance education as possible – and to establish varying meth-
ods of incorporating somatics into traditional dance training so that they
may be adapted to instructor experience, student body, course content or loca-
tion and/or practitioner and educator availability accordingly. Continuing
research which links somatic pedagogies to dance education is paramount
because, as Enghauser (2007: 33) deftly points out, ‘The structure of a
traditional dance class does not currently offer sufficient opportunities for
students to develop a sensitized relationship with their body.’ Additionally,
characteristics shared by all somatic pedagogies – such as the balance
between rest and activity, which has shown ‘to be more beneficial to
acquisition and retention of motor skills, and to decreased rates of injury,
than continuous (“massed”) practice’ found in typical dance training –
can be incorporated into dance technique classes regardless of whether
the practice in which educators are experienced is codified or open (Batson
and Schwartz 2007: 47).
Conducting research such as this, in a similar vein as prior published
studies provides validation of those findings by replication of data and
findings. Furthermore, research regarding the intersection between dance
education and somatic movement dance education is needed to reinforce
the importance to the dance community of the embodied consciousness
somatics engenders so that these resources may become more readily
available within higher education dance programmes. Too often, dancers
are stuck within learned (mimicked) movement patterns which are
240 Rebecca Weber
5/13/10 11:15:55 AM
 unnatural, detrimental to their bodies or inefficient and have no way of
altering these set patterns. Body therapies, whether codified or open, offer
methods for dancers to become more aware, more embodied and provide
avenues for positive change towards well-being in movement. As Glenna
Batson highlights, the repetition in traditional dance classes without the
addition of somatic inquiry does not allow for positive, integrated change:

An integrated change must evolve from sensing the body in a new, more
efficient way. The body therapies help us distinguish the old, dysfunctional
movement habit from the new, through a new sensory experience. Repeated
new experiences also inhibit the old pattern, clarify and reinforce the new
pattern, and create an integrated change.
(Batson 1990: 30)

The importance of continued research on how dance intersects with vari-

ous fields, including somatics (Minton 2000), is evident. With regards to
the relation between dance and somatics, it is particularly important to
relate to the greater dance community how to disseminate various somatic
practices within the context of the dance technique class if dance as a field
is to advance and welcome somatics as an integral aspect of dance educa-
tion. As Fortin, Long and Lord (2002: 176) contend, ‘if any type of
research is to impact upon the lived experience of dance teachers, it will
most likely be personal accounts of other teachers’. Another goal within
my research was to investigate not only the effect of incorporating another
strand of somatic practice, but also how to incorporate it into a contempo-
rary technique class – with the goal of being able to convey that informa-
tion for other teachers interested in incorporating these ideas into their
classes; as such, this piece of research was done with a twofold aim: both
to enhance my personal teaching practice and to relay that information to
interested educators, offering what has been referred to in dance educa-
tion academia as ‘both local and public knowledge’ (Cochran-Smith and
Lyttle 1993, as cited in Fortin, Long and Lord 2002: 176).

Action research
Methodology
Part 1: Paradigm, sample and methods
Sharing a post-positivist frame of study with Jill Green (1999), this quali-
tative research was conducted as a post-positivist, naturalistic study within
a paradigm of hermeneutics and phenomenology as a framework for offer-
ing the subjective observations of the researcher. My work is an example
of action research – conducted by practitioners in the field and seeking to
bring about change, a form of reflective practice-as-research – as I was
working both as an educator (guest lecturer) and researcher in a simulta-
neous ‘double hermeneutic’ spiral whereby the work being done was both
shaped by myself (as educator/researcher) and by the students I was
teaching (Trimingham 2002).
The research was conducted as part of the Performing Arts (Dance)
National Diploma programme at Warrington Collegiate, on which I served
as a guest lecturer during the first half-term for the Year 1 students, who
comprised my research sampling. Eight students were enrolled in the class,

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 6. The 37-year-old
female was an outlier
in the sample; other
participants ranged
from 16 to 19 years
of age.
7. Again, here the
37-year-old female
was an outlier, as she
had some exposure
to Five Rhythms and
Eurythmy/Steiner
work.
8. As such, students
also signed consent
and disclaimer forms
regarding the use
of touch, release of
information, con-
fidentiality within
and outside of the
group, and video/
image release forms
that conformed to
ISMETA and UCLan
standards. Students
were required to
participate in the
module as a part of
their course, but were
given the option to
decline participation
in the research; how-
ever, each student
volunteered and con-
sented to the use of
their work within the
research context.
9. The assessment of
these journal, discus-
sion and response
questions was based
on participation and
effort rather than
the ‘correctness’ of
responses – another
aspect that strength-
ens the validity of
the data received.
Students were aware
that they could
withdraw from the
research but still
participate in class
activities, without
worrying about the
affect on their grades
in the course.
10. The importance of
the fluid nature of a
mover’s body is also
emphasized in Emilie
Conrad’s Life on Land;
JDSP_1.2_art_Weber_237-254.indd 242
seven of whom regularly attended the sessions and who comprise the
research sampling – a ‘small sample characteristic of qualitative research
studies […] from which to begin to generate theory regarding dance in
higher education’ (Green 1999: 83). The sample group consisted of five
females and two males, ranging in age from 16 to 376 whose backgrounds
in formal dance training ranged from no prior training to thirteen years of
classes. Styles studied previously (and concurrently) by students included
ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, African, salsa, street/urban dance, and
belly dancing. Students varied in body type, racial background and techni-
cal ability. All but one of the participants had no prior experience with
any of the somatic disciplines.7 Both myself as guest lecturer and their
regular technique lecturer were present in all six sessions, which were
given during their regularly scheduled contemporary technique classes.
The sessions were presented to students as a module on somatics and stu-
dents were aware that they were participating in a research study.8
I implemented methodical triangulation through multiple data sources
and collection methods, which included video and audio recording of ses-
sions, transcription of group discussion (open interview) feedback and par-
ticipant observation by both myself and the usual course tutor. Reliability
of findings were cross-checked between multiple data sources. Validity
was supported by these methods, as well as thick description, reflexivity,
the search for disconfirming evidence and peer debriefing – methods that
are well established within the qualitative research paradigm (Gilchrist
and Williams 1999; Cooper, Brandon and Lindberg 1997).
Potential drawbacks complicating the data collected include the fol-
lowing: my own experience and research in application of somatics to
dance education coloured my understanding of information received;
additionally, I was serving both as a researcher and as a teacher, so par-
ticipant observation was limited during teaching demonstration periods;
furthermore, students were instructed that the journals, some observation
and written interview responses were to be part of their course assessment,9
and this may have coloured their response. However, it is my opinion as
researcher, which is validated by peer debriefing and small-scale informal
member checks (whereby I fed back information to get confirmation that I
had understood responses correctly during group discussions with stu-
dents), that the responses received were reliable.
Part 2: Class structure
The structure of the classes I taught ranged from strictly somatics to a
shifting balance between somatics and technique exercises, through a
melding of the two, to a session devoted completely to technique. The
focus on the somatic sessions was on accessing various fluid systems of the
body, and the inherent movement qualities within those systems, as rec-
ognized and outlined within the somatics community (Hartley 1995;
Williamson 2009; Tufnell 2008; Abrams 2008).10 Classes began with a
period of sensing within the body, to exercise kinaesthetic awareness and
because, as Batson (1990: 28) notes, ‘sensing (and paying attention to
our sensing) is not merely one component that precedes motor output but
is, in fact, essential to organizing our nervous system, our thinking, and
thus our movement outcome’. Thus, classes always began with a restful,
242 Rebecca Weber
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 meditative sensing period of self-care – to balance the levels of rest and however, the fluid
nature is presented
activity, to awaken kinaesthetic, proprioceptive and interoceptive aware- on a more holistic
ness, and to tune into sensing as a method of restructuring movement level and less broken
outcomes. Semi-structured Connections to the Living Body movement down into catego-
ries of types of fluid
explorations drew on Continuum, Body-Mind Centering and Authentic and their associated
Movement for inspiration.11 Classes took the following format: movement styles/
patterning (Conrad
2007).
• Class 1: Intro to somatics – Students were introduced via a brief lecture
and handout on somatics as a field and the primary tenets within the 11. It is important
to note here the
Connections to the Living Body framework in which I am trained. difference between
Students then entered into a period of semi-structured somatic explora- inspiration and
tion set up as a community session to introduce them to somatic prac- appropriation; the
exercises were
tices. The focus was on balancing rest and activity; establishing a sense of developed with
non-judgement; kinaesthetic, interoceptive and proprioceptive sensations; general ideas in
and methods of learning (improvisation) and harvesting bodily knowl- mind as a basis
for informing
edge (writing/drawing, conversing in dyads and group discussion). practice – never
• Class 2: Fluid systems: cerebrospinal (CSF) – This class was mainly were specific tech-
comprised of periods of somatic awareness and sensing explorations, niques, exercises or
structures used, nor
wherein students were introduced to the concept of fluid systems, and, were the exercises
focusing on CSF, were invited to explore the associated movement presented
qualities, namely the heaven/earth connection, gentle movement from to students as
belonging to another
the centre outwards (initiation from spinal flow), timeless flow, suspen- body of work. For
sion in time and space, meditative stillness and rest – in other words, further clarification
the ‘lightness, balanced suspension in space, sensitivity, and timeless on this as a
framework in
flow that are characteristic of the “mind” or awareness of the CSF’ which to practise,
(Hartley 1995: 283). Students were also introduced to the aspect of consider the
touch work to bring and guide awareness with partners in the somatic following: ‘As
noted by Elin Lobel
explorations. and Julie Brodie,
• Class 3: Fluid systems: synovial – This class grew from somatic move- there is a distinction
ment explorations to include improvisations and a few more short tech- between somatic
techniques and key
nique exercises with a focus on moving from the synovial fluid system. principles which
Qualities associated with synovial fluid included a loose, arrhythmic, orientate practice
jiggling; releasing the rigidity of bones and muscular tension; light, (2006: 70). These
authors use Don
carefree flow and laughter; and the softening or gliding (support and Hanlon-Johnson’s
cushioning) quality found in the lubrication of the joints and shock distinction between
absorption (Williamson 2009d; Hartley 1995). actual techniques
and general guid-
• Class 4: Fluid systems: lymph – This class began with somatic move- ing principles which
ment explorations and improvisations with a focus on moving from philosophically shape
the lymph fluid system to include several more technique exercises. somatic techniques.
For example,
Qualities associated with lymph fluid emphasized moving at a slower, “principles are
sustained rate with clarity of direction and clear bodily and personal fundamental sources
presence (Williamson 2009d). Qualities of precision, directness, inci- of discovery that
enable the inspired
siveness, and personal empowerment were emphasized (Hartley 1995). person continually
• Class 5: Fluid systems: blood – This class focused on movement explora- to invent creative
tions and combinations after a brief active awareness exercise. Somatic strategies for
working with others,
movement, improvisations and combinations focused on the contrac- where as techniques
tion and release, movement and stillness, rest and activity, and puls- are specific methods
ing action associated with blood (Williamson 2009d; Hartley 1995). arising from such
principles.” (Johnson)’
Students were encouraged to explore the variation in quality from (Williamson
arterial (outward from heart, energized, weighted, pushing action; (2010a: 7).

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 12. For a more thorough
description of each
phase, including
details important to
the structuring of
my sessions (such as
subjective experience
in warm-up, etc.), see
Eddy (2006).
• Class 6: Contemporary technique – Students were given a contemporary
spontaneous interaction with environment/each other) to veinous
(returning to centre, slower, long rhythms, rising and falling momen-
tum, self-nurturing) flows (Williamson 2009d; Hartley 1995) as well
as the differentiation between heart beat (active, pulsing, pumping)
and blood beat (stillness, suspension, moments of rest – drawing from
a brief pause within a cell between arterial and veinous flows) (Tufnell
2008; Hartley 1995).
technique class directed at allowing them to autonomously integrate
principles from the previous sessions on fluid systems, and to find rest-
ful periods in class, consider initiation points and fluid qualities within
given exercises. Many of the exercises given during previous sessions
were utilized to provide a point of reference for students and allow them
to concentrate less on the combination and more on the movement
quality – according to Lord, ‘the dance sequence […] once memorized
became a context for offering students opportunities to take ownership
of learning and to acquire movement execution procedures’ (Fortin,
Long and Lord 2002: 163). Students were then given one longer fin-
ishing combination and asked explicitly to dance the movement with
a focus on each fluid system in turn to discover through their inner
sensing how the movement felt and changed.

Classes were structured so that the focus shifted gradually throughout

the module from somatics to technique – i.e. the first and last classes
were dedicated to a singular focus (somatics and technique, respectively),
and the classes in-between had a sliding scale of both foci to gradually
transition from one to the other. For the classes incorporating both
somatics and contemporary technique, I used the model put forth by
Martha Eddy (2006, Figure 1), and structured the time dedicated to each
phase accordingly with where the class fell on the progression through
the sessions.12

Martha Eddy’s body-mind dancing’s six phases

Phase I Information about anatomy, kinesiology and physiology

Phase II Warm-up

Phase III Floor exercises (includes partner work for kinaesthetic and tactile learning aides)

Phase IV Centre floor and across the floor full-out moving

Further synthesis of anatomical information into dance (long dance sequence, solo or
Phase V
group improvisation structure)

Cool-down and stretch-out inclusive of non-verbal and verbal sharing about the experi-
Phase VI
ence that day with time for questions and comments

Figure 1.

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 The reasons for structuring the module thus are manifold. First, because the 13. Drawing heavily on
phenomenology and
group included inexperienced dancers (both in somatics and in dance train- phenomenological
ing in general), it was important to introduce the concept of inner sensing existentialism –
and somatic pedagogical concepts gradually – the students needed one entire placing value on
subjective experience
class dedicated to understanding the important philosophical13 and political14 and internal knowl-
underpinnings to serve as a basis from which to work.15 Additionally, the edge. For a good
focus on fluid systems was purposefully selected, as I felt it was an area of overview of this basis
in dance education,
somatics that is easy to access, understand, and connect with on a physical please see Fraleigh
and psychological level for inexperienced students just beginning to cultivate (1979).
internal awareness – as Mary Abrams writes, ‘Fluidity heightens movements 14. Themes such as
in our organism that increase communication with our internal and external non-judgement
environments’ (Abrams 2007). Research findings also extensively highlight (of self and others)
and reclaiming the
the benefits of a fluid focus for dancers and movers in creating change; meth- body, reconnect-
ods of change such as this are clearly necessary if one intends to grow ones’ ing the body and
(or ones’ students’) dance practice: Linda Hartley (1995: 268–70) notes, mind, etc. are cen-
tral to Connections
to the Living Body
The body fluids are the systems through which communication with, and (Williamson 2009a,
transformation of, both inner and outer environments takes place. […] The 2009b) work in
which I am versed,
fluids concern the balance of rest and activity, self-nurturing, nurturing of oth-
and to the field of
ers, play, laughter, the setting of boundaries and limits in self-defense, active somatics as a whole.
and receptive communication, rhythm, movement, and meditative stillness.
15. Although the themes
[…] Our aim in working directly with the fluids is to bring each one in turn up were presented to
into conscious expression so that all of their qualities are available; and most students as important
importantly, to work with the easy transitioning from one to another, for it is central concepts, they
were neither empha-
in the ability to make transitions that many of us become blocked … sized as philosophical
nor political due to
In addition to the deliberate choice of investigating fluid systems, students many of the students’
ages, education
were also encouraged to explore movement and sensing with eyes closed, level and maturity
as it ‘facilitates deep sensing experience’ particularly during Phases I, II, level; also the terms
VI and sometimes III; this is a primary tenet within my Connections to ‘philosophical’ and
‘political’ were not
the Living Body training, developed from Authentic Movement and also used because of the
encouraged in many somatic practices – and these lessons – as it engen- risk of polarization
ders embodiment with an internal focus (Stromsted and Haze 2006: 58). with such a brief tast-
ing in the overview of
Students ‘work[ed] with eyes closed in order to expand [their] experience the work.
of listening to the deeper levels of kinesthetic reality’ (Lowell 2006: 52).
16. Some of these meth-
Students also ‘turned on’ their kinaesthetic awareness during Phases I, odologies included
II and III through various techniques designed to connect them to the directing students’
qualities of the intended fluid. Methods used included those outlined by attention to their
sensation of move-
Hartley to access fluid systems, including ‘first studying the anatomy and ment and shaping
physiology of the system, understanding the directions and rhythms of the procedural knowl-
flow, its functions, and the qualities of movement which these suggest’, edge through tactile
feedback, repetition,
and ‘visualizing and sensing, […] a combination of active imagination, exploring changes in
touch, movement, and focused breathing’ and also through a ‘more active, feel of moving from
feeling approach by moving with the qualities, rhythms, and dynamics different initiations,
highlighting different
associated with the specific fluids or dancing to music that will stimulate ways to achieve a
such qualities’ (Hartley 1995: 271–72). task, describing move-
ment somatically and
using ‘verbal, visual
Teaching goals and sensory cues
The goals I hoped to reach as I developed my teaching practice drew to assist learners to
from my somatic practice, educational background and previous research construct meaning

Integrating semi-structured somatic … 245

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 from their past and findings. By offering tools for students to become more attuned to their
present kinaesthetic
experience’ (Fortin,
inner sensations and reconnect with an embodiment which bridges the
Long and Lord 2002: mind/body dualism, I hoped to reach several other goals. My teaching
169–70); thinking of goals were to balance the mind and body, rest and activity, and thinking
whole movement and
imagining a move-
and doing (Halprin 2003; Batson 2009; Batson and Schwartz 2007;
ment goal (Batson Berardi 2007). Through exploring movement through various fluid sys-
1990); kinaesthetic tems, I offered tools for ‘accessing multi-system support to balance the
listening (Enghauser
2007) and learn-
muscular system and [for] relieving it from overdrive’ and by using imagery
ing (Eddy 2006); (ideokinetic facilitation) in describing movement improvisations or combi-
and communication nations, I wanted to ‘facilitate efficiency in pedestrian and in dance move-
strategies (use of met-
aphor, visualization
ment’ (Batson and Schwartz 2007). I encouraged students to ‘[shift] the
and active participa- focus from product (skill acquisition) to process (what is actually happen-
tion) (Fortin 1995). ing in the body)’ to facilitate an embodied consciousness and the integra-
17. Qualitative data tion of perception and action in class (Brodie and Lobel 2004: 80). During
analysis procedures the process, I found myself naturally including some of the same teaching
followed those set
out by Miles and
methods as instructors versed in ‘codified’ somatic modalities had demon-
Huberman (1994: strated in earlier research16 (particularly Batson 1990; Fortin, Long and
9) – a series of Lord 2002; Long 2002; Eddy 2006; and Enghauser 2007; but also Brodie
‘analytic practices’
which included the
and Lobel 2004; Batson 2007; and Batson and Schwartz 2007).
following: coding
data; reflecting on Results
data; sorting data;
identifying patterns in
Several themes emerged through the process of data analysis.17 Recurrent
data; moving towards themes that occurred in verbal and written feedback as well as in observa-
generalizations; and tion included connection within/to the body, confidence, enjoyment and
developing theories/
conceptualizing.
relaxation, creativity, implications for the development of dance technique
skills and the development of critical understanding. These themes were
documented within most of the sample population. For this section, I
would like to address some of these findings through excerpts provided
from student feedback. Feedback presented within this article as comments
were gathered from a mix of questionnaires, journal responses and verbal
responses given in open discussion sections of the classes. All quotations
presented here were from a range of responses from each of the seven stu-
dents and are presented anonymously, as was agreed upon in release
forms the students signed prior to participation in the research; this ena-
bled them to respond freely and without worrying about the repercussions
of identification.

Bodily connection – Students were observed demonstrating clear develop-

ment of embodied practice and declared in verbal and written responses
that they felt connected to their own bodies. Their understanding of the
movement qualities associated with each fluid system was fully demon-
strated within their movement explorations and was confirmed through
the students’ corresponding journal writing and response to open-ended
interview questions asking them to name the movement qualities they
associated with each fluid system – i.e. each student’s identified quality
was displayed physically as well as verbally and/or in writing; further-
more, these qualities reflected a general understanding of the qualities of
fluid identified by somatics scholars such as Linda Hartley (1995).
Examples included ‘a combination [of] jiggly-wiggly & smooth movement’
for synovial fluid and ‘precise and clear’ for lymph (questionnaire),

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 ‘rhythmic contraction of vessel walls…rhythmical and continuous’ with
lymph fluid (questionnaire), ‘earthy dancing with strong heart pulsation’
with blood (journal).
Additionally, students developed an awareness of connections within
and throughout the body beyond the fluid movement qualities, as evi-
denced in writing responses: students expressed feeling ‘connected within’
(questionnaire) and ‘inside myself’ (questionnaire). One student noted, ‘…
every move I make are [sic] all connected to every body part such as [how]
a ripple starts from the head and goes through the whole body’ (journal),
and in group discussion, ‘it’s helped me quite a bit to understand how the
body moves and how it works’; another student echoed this reflection in a
group discussion, ‘I could feel and see the difference, as well as doing it …
not only was I putting more into it, but I could feel the different parts of
the body moving.’

Creativity – Students expressed feeling a greater sense of creativity within

their movement vocabulary, both in verbal and written communication;
furthermore, the changing of old movement patterns and creation of new
ones were observed during movement explorations – one student stated
explicitly ‘i [sic] can feel myself doing more things’ (questionnaire) and
one referred to ‘how you can recreate a technique’ (questionnaire). The
sense that embodied consciousness led to greater freedom and range of
movement, movement styles and movement qualities was explicit in
nearly all student feedback; often the creative flow was attributed to a
deeper connection with lived body experiences and emotions and was con-
nected with a sense of personalized movement or personal connection.
Responses included:

• ‘I can move cathartically, dancing out my feelings, dancing through

my feelings, using my dance to explore my feelings & reach new lev-
els of insight. […] My body can curve & roll, bend & sway, leap &
lunge, revealing the different aspects, moods, & phases of my life. […]
I will take away a sense of “me” & who I am in my body’ (journal
responses).
• One student reported discovering ways of ‘being inside myself and my
own movement’ (emphasis mine), and stated, ‘I feel like I learnt [sic]
about myself and my style when I dance’ (questionnaire).

Additionally, the increase in creative responses was noted by the students’

instructor in other classes, as she emphasized, ‘it affects their creative
work as well; I know for a fact they’re thinking more about it rather than
just “doing”. They’re connecting to the movement, and there’s a purpose
to it’ (Nelson 2009).

Confidence – An unexpected result was how incorporating somaticization

in the technique class affected students’ levels of confidence. That the stu-
dents’ confidence levels were boosted was reiterated many times in open
discussion groups, and was reflected in their written responses to ques-
tionnaires and their journal entries. Additionally, the skyrocketing of con-
fidence levels was a major part of observational feedback from the students’

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 primary instructor, who insisted that the benefit spilled over into other
coursework and classes (Nelson 2009). Both she and the students attrib-
uted the rise in confidence level (where attribution was attempted) to the
sense of non-judgement that underlies somatic work:

• ‘Hitting this sense of non-judgement where they first come in, I’ve noticed
that their sense of confidence has really grown. Simple things, like [two
students previously] found it hard to move because they felt like they
were being judged, but […] I think it’s great when it comes in that early,
when the students are getting to know each other’ (Nelson 2009).
• One student noted, ‘… it’s helped… me confidence-wise, that sense of
release and not being judged and all. it’s quite intimidating in the room,
when it’s all dark and we’re doing choreography – but when we’re
in the somatics lessons and you’ve got a witness and you’re moving
unconsciously and not worrying about how it looks, you can make new
movement […] and play with it without feeling like you look like an
idiot’ (discussion).

Critical understanding of underlying tenets – The fact that students read-

ily attributed the boost in confidence to the non-judgemental nature of
somatic work illustrates how the underlying principles have begun to take
root in the dancers’ consciousness. ‘It’s clarified their interpretive skills; it’s
made them more aware,’ reflected Nelson. Though the philosophical and
political tenets underlying the somatic work were not emphasized or made
explicit, several students displayed a subtle understanding of these princi-
ples. Some excerpts which highlight these implicit understandings follow:

• ‘[the somatic explorations] made me actually think more about what I

was doing and how it affected the group’ (questionnaire).
• In discussions and in journaling, a student reiterated a new-found
importance of non-judgement to her dancing and her dance training
both within and outside of the college setting.
• After touching on her original discomfort at being watched, a student
echoed the importance of non-judgement in transforming her practice
as she responded, ‘I think [through the somatics] I started to be more
positive and have more appreciation in the sessions’ (questionnaire).

The students’ subtle understanding of the political underpinnings of valuing

personal experience and non-judgement (of self and others) allowed the
group as a whole to find more connection, greater support and a sense of
community within one another. This was reflected in my own and their
instructor’s observation, as well as within the students’ writing. One stu-
dent responded in their journal to the initial session, saying, ‘I liked it
because we bonded with each other.’ Instructor reflections confirmed this
sense: ‘The somatics exercises are great for getting to build a sense of
community. The touch aspect really builds a lot of confidence and intimacy
within the group – it breaks down boundaries’ (Nelson 2009).

Technical implications – In addition to the above, some data suggested

that the students’ somatic experiences had implications for their technique

248 Rebecca Weber

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 training and performance skills. Because the dancers were not highly 18. Here, the students’
negative responses
experienced to begin with, it was difficult to discern a great level of to research question-
technical advancement within the short period of time of module delivery; naires would seem to
however, student responses point towards technical development. It is further support the
validity of the results;
possible that the advancement was apparent to students perceptually or meaning students
conceptually before it could be demonstrated physically. Further research responded honestly –
will be needed to confirm the advances – they are merely one additional even when their
answers would seem
hypothesis that arose from the data set available. Students reported sens- to be in contradiction
ing advancements within their own dance practice: to the researcher’s
goals – rather than
attempting to provide
• ‘It affected my movements and they’ve become clearer’ (questionnaire, a ‘correct’ or ‘desired’
in response to whether somatic explorations affected movement in dance answer.
technique exercises or classes).
• ‘[Somatics] made me see how actions can have different qualities
and […] different ways of interpreting a movement and how you can
execute them [sic]’ (questionnaire).
• ‘I’ve learned how to breath [sic] while dancing’ (discussion).
• ‘[In a typical technique class, students] don’t get time to focus on
the dynamics and the quality, and it’s all about rushing around and
getting to the next level, but that’s what defines and communicates
movement, those small details. I think [somatic training] is important
because it helps them to focus, and at that moment of getting more
connected, you get more out of them. And you’ve got to slow down [to
body temporality] to get connected’ (Nelson 2009).

Outliers
It is important to address outliers in any qualitative research, and some
responses were inconsistent with other findings. There were only a couple
of outlying responses indicating that students did not find benefit from the
inclusion of somatic practices in their contemporary technique classes.18
These two responses (given to the same question) were contradicted by
the same students’ other responses (in discussions, journal entries and on
the questionnaire) as well as through the observations of myself as
researcher and their dance technique teacher, and thus it can be assumed
that the problem lay in a misunderstanding (validity) of the wording of
that particular question, and not in the findings of the study as a whole –
i.e. students misinterpreted the meaning of the question asked, rather than
that they did not find the somatic explorations beneficial to their personal
dance practice.

Other implications within teaching practice

Concerns arose in many of the students’ responses, particularly during
and after the first few sessions, that a feeling of discomfort or dis-ease with
the work was evident. Students reported that in response to the initial
introduction to the work, they ‘felt stupid’, ‘felt uneasy’, and that their
‘body felt strange’ (journal); that ‘at first I didn’t understand’ (question-
naire); and ‘at first I thought the workshops were strange and didn’t really
know what to expect’ (questionnaire). However, these concerns were
reported to be relieved throughout the process, as students became more
familiar with their own bodies and with the semi-structured somatic

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 19. Here, I feel it would
be helpful to outline
the tools that I found
especially useful in
supporting students
who were navigating
this foreign territory.
These were as follows:
providing a good
framework or context
of understanding the
somatic work prior
to practical work;
entering into the
somatic work very
gradually within the
context of a lesson or
curriculum; offering
extensive examples –
i.e. physically
demonstrating my
experience with the
exercises presented
to students, verbally
encouraging students
to follow and respect
their own movement
impulses, both during
the work and after-
wards in discussion,
and acknowledging
that there is a
transition period –
i.e. helping students
to not feel ‘alone’ in
the difficult or
dis-comfortable
transition period.
JDSP_1.2_art_Weber_237-254.indd 250
practices. One student aptly summarizes the group’s transition as she
reflected in a questionnaire and the following journal writings about the
shift from discomfort to comfort:
‘Initially the sessions felt artificial because I wasn’t relaxed, partly due to
feeling self-conscious about being watched during the sessions. I also felt as
though I had to make certain movements because it was expected of me. […]
The exercises also were disorienting and made me feel a bit dizzy, I think this
was due to having my eyes closed for such a long time.
However, as I started to understand the different aspects of somatics and
we looked at the different fluid systems, it started to make more sense and I
could see and feel the links between the dance, the music and my body.’
This excerpt reflects how practices of embodiment and kinaesthetic
awareness can be very foreign and ‘disorienting’ to those who are not
used to them, particularly less technically experienced dancers. As movers
gain more experience and kinaesthetic awareness through the somatic
practices, they take more responsibility and enjoyment in the re-pattern-
ing of their own movement. As Nelson (2009) notes,
‘For us [as more experienced movers], it’s quite a simple sort of process,
but for them those simple processes can be terrifying. I really picked up on
how they really thought about what they were doing. What I found was
how it made them focus more internally rather than externally – less on
what it looks like, if it’s pretty, it should be like this […] it really made them
look at movement in a different way than just glamorous or show-based
dancing.’
In this, she echoes Don Hanlon-Johnson’s perspective on bodily authority,
in which he maintains that people have been systematically alienated from
their own personal autonomy and have become dependent on experts,
stating that ‘the fundamental shift from alienation to authenticity is
deceptively simple: it requires diverting our awareness from the opinions of
those outside us toward our own perceptions and feelings’ (Johnson 1983:
154). It is important to note that this recovery is deceptively simple, and to
allow for a gradual enough process – both within the construct of each
individual lesson (gently entering into body temporality) and within the
curriculum development (creating modules long enough to engage in this
recovery gradually over several classes in a long period). This is particu-
larly important when working with the less codified strands of somatic
work, as in the open or semi-structured frameworks, where more auton-
omy lies with the students; these teachers need to be especially aware of
the support that students – particularly those inexperienced with somatics
or dance in general – require in structuring workshops and introducing the
somatic work.19 Ideally, teachers implementing any sort of somatics into
their dance technique education will plan ways of navigating this difficult
transitional period, and explicitly address these insecurities and unfamiliar-
ity to students more clearly at the onset of the module. Additionally, enough
time is necessary to allow the seeds of political and philosophical underpin-
nings, as well as the small development of technique-based implications, to
250 Rebecca Weber
5/11/10 6:11:14 PM
 root and take place to fully inform students’ dancing. This will allow them 20. For evidence and
discussion of this, see
the autonomy to apply these principles beyond the confines of the particu- examples, such as
lar class or module that explicitly incorporates somatic awareness. the ‘myth of the ideal
body’ (Green 1999)
and inherent power
Conclusion structures/lack of
It is apparent from prior research in this field that including somatic prac- autonomy, in Green
tices within the context of a dance technique class allows students more (1999) and Johnson
(1986).
tools from which to build a healthy, embodied practice. Within the context
of this study, semi-structured somatic pedagogy appears to mirror structur-
al-integrity technique modalities in application within the technique class
setting and to address many similar areas in dance training and education.
Dancers who were exposed to the semi-structured framework replicated
many of the traits exhibited by previous research into the intersection
between somatics and dance training: students became more aware and
embodied; felt empowered and enjoyed a greater sense of well-being
throughout their dancing; appreciated tools for movement initiation; exhib-
ited new variety in movement quality and patterns; and discovered greater
creativity and autonomy within their dance practice. Inclusion of somatics
engenders a greater sense of critical understanding, allowing dancers to
call into question and subvert traditional, harmful patterns of movement as
well as behaviour.20 These qualities are all manifested, not only in the stu-
dents’ responses during this research, but should be present in any work
which combines somatic work and dance technique in the ethos and
underpinnings guiding the teaching of dance technique classes – it is truly
a co-creative act between teacher and pupils that fosters the embodied con-
sciousness which allows these benefits to emerge. As Sylvie Fortin notes,

the rejection of external control of the body and a set movement aesthetic are
tenets that have contributed to the coming of modern dance. These tenets
continue to shape the development of new dance. A similar stance has never
really found its counterpart in the realm of dance teaching
(Fortin 1995: 12–13)

– perhaps somatics, whether as ‘codified’ or ‘open’ frameworks, can

provide one answer to move the field of dance education forward.

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Suggested citation
Weber, R. (2009), ‘Integrating semi-structured somatic practices and contemporary
dance technique training’, Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices 1: 2, pp. 237–254,
doi: 10.1386/jdsp.1.2.237_1

Contributor details
Rebecca Weber holds a Master’s degree in Dance and Somatic Well-Being:
Connections to the Living Body (UK) from the University of Central Lancashire. She
is an academic and artist who seeks to find the places where dance and somatics
intersect, incorporating them into both her teaching and personal dance practices.
She is currently dancing and developing a somatic movement dance education
practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA).
E-mail: beccaweber@gmail.com

254 Rebecca Weber

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