BODY MECHANICS AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION:

THE CONFLUENCE OF MARTIAL ARTS TECHNIQUE

AND CONDUCTING TECHNIQUE
_________________________________

A Project Report
Presented to
the Graduate Faculty
Central Washington University
_________________________________

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Music
Conducting
_________________________________
by
Mark Denison
July, 2000

CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Graduate Studies

We hereby approve the project report of

Mark Denison

Candidate for the degree of Master of Music

APPROVED FOR THE GRADUATE FACULTY

__________________ __________________________________________
Dr. Jeffrey L. Snedeker, Committee Chair

__________________ __________________________________________
Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs

__________________ __________________________________________
Mr. Thomas D. Gause

i
 ABSTRACT

BODY MECHANICS AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION:

THE CONFLUENCE OF MARTIAL ARTS TECHNIQUE

AND CONDUCTING TECHNIQUE

by

Mark Denison

July, 2000

There is a relationship in the study of all movement disciplines such as conducting, martial arts, dance and sport
athletics. The theories of body motion and movement mechanics are applicable across the various disciplines.
A philosophical postulate is made to explore the mind-body connections as applied to movement. A
comparison of movement concepts and actions is made using the Laban system of movement analysis, Dalcroze
Eurhythmics, neuromuscular body mechanics, conducting and the martial arts. The concepts of body movement
techniques taken from the Yang style of the martial art T’ai Chi Ch’uan have validity in the exploration of the
study for more efficient physical action. Fundamental exercises to develop movement skills from T’ai Chi
Ch’uan are applied to different aspects of conducting and basic coordination in order to enhance the
effectiveness of conducting technique. These exercises are described in the text and recorded on a videotape.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the following individuals for their support during the formation of this project:
Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs, for inspiring this project in the understanding of myself as a conductor;
Sifu Joseph Simonet, for sharing with me his many years of experience and knowledge in the martial arts and
for helping me to find the proper expressions for the ideas and concepts that martial arts brings to this study;
Dr. Jeff Snedeker and Mr. Larry Gookin, my other teachers, for their feedback and thoughts on this new
approach to conducting;
My committee members, Dr. Snedeker, Dr. Cobbs, and Mr. Tom Gause, for their patience and understanding
with changing schedules to adjust to the circumstances;
My family for their support–to my pops, “no mon’, no fun, your son.”–to my mother for attending all those
concerts–to Marli, Chris and Aidan, I love you guys;
Andre’, my brother of different mother, for the concept of “Tick-Tick” and its universal applications;
Dan, my other brother of a different mother, for getting me interested in T’ai Chi Ch’uan in the first place;
Tracy for assisting me in the production of the project video;
And lastly to Peggy Holmes, my typist extraordinaire, “‘Nuff said.”

ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Chapter I...............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................2
ORIGIN OF THIS PROJECT ..................................................................................2
STATEMENT ..........................................................................................................2
PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY ..................................................................................3
Chapter II .............................................................................................................................5
MOVEMENT MECHANICS AND EDUCATION
THE BASICS OF BODY MOVEMENT ................................................................5
The Human Body as Machine: Concepts of Neuromuscular
Body Mechanics ...........................................................................................5
Movement Education
Talent: A Strong Foundation and Fundamental Skills .................................8
General Goals and Objectives for Movement Educators ...........................10
SOME SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON
BODY MOVEMENT ............................................................................................13
Laban: The Four Dimensions of Movement .............................................13
Dalcroze: Eurhythmics ..............................................................................15
T’ai Chi Ch’uan .........................................................................................17
Chapter III ..........................................................................................................................19
CONCEPTS OF MOVEMENT: BIO-DYNAMICS
Movement as Applied to Conducting ........................................................20
Aligning Posture and the Mechanics of Motion in Martial Arts................21
Chapter IV ..........................................................................................................................25
APPLIED BIO-DYNAMICS
STAGE ONE: FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISES -
POSTURE AND BREATH ...................................................................................26
Stretching for Limberness ..........................................................................26
Kinesthetic Awareness of Heaven and Earth .............................................29
Relaxed Posture Exercise ...........................................................................29
Breathing Exercise .....................................................................................29
Sinking Exercise (Rooting Oneself to Earth).............................................30
Rising with the Breath Exercise
(Raising the Spirit to Heaven)....................................................................30
Sinking While Rising Exercise
(Separating Heaven and Earth) ..................................................................30
Fullness and Emptiness Exercise ...............................................................30
STAGE TWO: INTERMEDIATE EXERCISES I – MIRRORED
SYMMETRICAL MOTION ..................................................................................31
Linear Motion Exercises ............................................................................31
Horizontal Expansion ................................................................................31
Diagonal Expansion ...................................................................................31
Vertical Expansion .....................................................................................31
Forward Expansion ....................................................................................31
Circular Motion Exercises .........................................................................32
Horizontal Circular Motions (Flat Inward Expansion and
Flat Outward Expansion) ..........................................................................32

0
 STAGE THREE: INTERMEDIATE EXERCISES II - MIRRORED
ASYMMETRICAL MOTION ...............................................................................33
Combining Linear Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ………... . . . .33
Horizontal and Vertical Expansion ................................................33
Vertical and Forward Expansion....................................................33
Horizontal and Forward Expansion ...............................................33
Combining Circular Motions .....................................................................34
Descending Outward Dispersion/Ascending Outward
Expansion.......................................................................................34
Flat Inward and Flat Outward Expansion . . . . . . . . ………. . . . .34
Ascending Outward and Forward Expansion ................................34
Descending Outward and Forward Dispersion ..............................34
Descending Outward and Forward Expansion or
Ascending Outward and Forward Dispersion ................................34
STAGE FOUR: ADVANCED EXERCISES I - SIMPLE RIGHT HAND
BEAT PATTERNS WITH LEFT HAND INDEPENDENCE ..............................34
Linear Motions ...........................................................................................35
2/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................35
3/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................35
4/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................35
Circular Motions ........................................................................................35
2/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................35
3/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................35
4/4 Beat Pattern ..............................................................................36
Chapter V ...........................................................................................................................37
CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................................39
On Movement ........................................................................................................39
On Eurhythmics .....................................................................................................39
On Martial Arts ......................................................................................................40
On Conducting .......................................................................................................41
On Breathing ..........................................................................................................41

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Page
Table 1 - The Eight Basic Efforts ......................................................................................26

1
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

ORIGIN OF THIS PROJECT

This project is the inspiration of two sources. I credit Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs and Sifu Joseph Simonet for their
influence on me as a conductor and a martial artist. Both are masters at their craft and both are master teachers.
More than that, they both see the interrelationships of all movement disciplines and have been of invaluable
assistance to me in the formulation of this project. My deepest gratitude is to both master teachers for their
inestimable guidance and feedback during the course of this project.

For many years, I had been a practitioner of the martial arts as well as a student of music. I had always felt that
the two disciplines were related somehow. But it was not until I began to learn the deeper aspects of conducting
that I began to see that the relationship is based in motion. My first introduction to the idea of this particular
cross-disciplinary study was in 1998 in my first class with Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs, himself a martial artist and an
extraordinary conductor. Dr. Cobbs has shown me the similarities that he uncovered in his own study of the two
disciplines and inspired me to start my own exploration of the conceptual links between them and how the use
of martial arts principles can bring about greater control, awareness and effectiveness in orchestral conducting.

It was seven months later that I had the great fortune to meet the other half of my inspiration, Sifu Joseph
Simonet, who has been an unofficial advisor to me on this project. Sifu Simonet has devised what he calls his
unified theory of martial arts and developed a curriculum that supports it which he uses in teaching students at
his martial arts gym, KI Fighting Concepts. I was a skilled martial artist before I met Sifu Simonet, but the
concepts based on fundamental movement principles that I learned from him have improved my technique
immeasurably. This concept of fundamentals has become key in the approach of this project to the art of
expression in conducting.

STATEMENT
In all artistic endeavors that utilize motion as part of their mode of expression, there are certain common factors
that unite each together. This is no less the case for orchestral conducting and martial arts. True, the ultimate
intent behind the art may differ vastly, yet the founding concepts behind the mechanics of body movement and
the execution of movement ideas remain linked. With discerning study, one may find that the theories of
motion in martial arts, such as the Yang style of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, are directly applicable to the student of
orchestral conducting.

The concepts suggested by this notion of cross-disciplinary study implies that students in conducting must go
beyond mere physical gesturing. In point of fact, it demands that students become more attuned to the psycho-
physical aspects of body movement. One finds that the study of martial arts will facilitate a higher degree of
control over the actions of the body and thus a greater capacity for expression, by developing a heightened sense
of internal awareness and sensitivity of the body. It refines one’s conscious awareness of motion through the
use of basic postures and action exercises so that motions become a more unified body-mind-spirit experience.

The refinement that happens on this level goes beyond the common conceptions of conscious awareness. It is a
process of development that, taken in certain steps, leads to a greater awareness of the neuromuscular pathways
that are incorporated in physical motion in general and in artistic expressiveness in particular. Thus the student
of orchestral conducting can surpass such generic gesturing as the overuse of mirrored motions and develop the
ability to use each hand and arm independently. In this way, he1 uses a higher capacity for artistic expression to
move into a whole new realm of experience in music, one that can be much more metaphysically sublime.

1
This project will use the pronouns “he”, “him”, and “his” for the convenience of word usage and sentence
2
 3

PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY

Movement of any form or type, whether being used in a utilitarian manner such as peeling an apple, or in an
expressive manner such as dance, is bound by certain physical attributes that for the most part remain constant.
These attributes can be as general as the laws of physics which govern our world and as specific as the
constraints that one’s own particular body has in carrying out the functions of physical actions in daily life. For
example, while one may not change the law of gravity, a person can change or alter the way in which his body
interacts with gravity and the physical world in the course of any physical activity.

In the case of this project, the activity under scrutiny is orchestral conducting. One may say that the act of
conducting is an expressive action, one that allows the conductor “to project an inner vision into the world and
to state in aesthetic creation the deepest psychic and personal experiences of a human being.” (Lee 1975, 9)
Truly, one can see this while in attendance at a concert in which a skilled conductor is leading an orchestra.

However, at the same time one must understand that the conductor’s actions are utilitarian. His instrument,
contrary to what some believe, is not the baton in his hand, or his hands at all. The conductor’s means of
expression is ultimately through the orchestra itself, through the sound that originates from the players, both
individually and as a group. (Green and Malko, 9) So, for all intents and purposes, one must say that the
conductor’s instrument is the orchestra and the people who comprise it. Again, at that same concert, one can
witness how the orchestra follows the conductor as he directs them with his actions on the podium.

An interesting aspect about the art of conducting is that while it is a means of expression through body
movement, and those same movements are as directions to the members of the orchestra, the ideas
communicated between conductor and players are ultimately abstract in character. Rehearsals will, of course,
have verbal directions such as “accelerando here, decrescendo there,” and so on; but what do those words really
mean when one is in the “heat of battle?” How much does the orchestra speed up? How much does the
orchestra soften? The orchestra will know only by watching the non-verbal cues the conductor gives and by
coming to some sort of common consensus of what the gestures mean.

The clarity of expression is that which is under scrutiny here: the clarity of what artistic idea the conductor is
expressing and the clarity by which the orchestra responds in their performance. William Steinberg states:

The player simply expects a method which enables him to play well. The clumsiest conductors,
those who do not know a thing about diagrams, get marvelous results with whatever means are at
their disposal, some of which they are completely unaware of. I am thinking here also of
conducting composers who have had very limited conducting experience. But from the so-called
methodical conductors I have heard the most boring performances imaginable. (Bamberger, 306)

structure. It indicates no gender bias on the part of the author. Indeed, there are many fantastically talented
women in both the field of orchestral conducting and of martial arts.
 4

How many times has the discerning music lover2 witnessed both sides of the idea of clarity and excellence in
performance? It is surely the goal of all conductors and orchestras to give performances that are vibrant and full
of life and energy. However, not all performances are or will be, but they should not be viewed as complete
disasters. They must be used as learning tools to improve the clarity of expression in performance. By the same
token, even those performances that are exciting and energetic can always be improved in small ways. This
way, learning and improvement of physical skill are never static.

So, the conductor’s art is a combination of both the self-expression of motion and the utilitarian use of motion.
If the art is thus two-fold, then the education of a conducting student must encompass a path of learning that is
well-equipped to handle the needs of this discipline.3 The new methodology should include some way for the
student to become aware of how the body moves. It must answer these two questions: 1) How does one go from
clumsy motions to refined? 2) How does one go from a methodical plan of action to expressive freedom?

This is where a cross-disciplinary approach to learning is most effective. Since the art of conducting requires
not only the need for expression through motion but also the need for clear communication of these highly
abstract concepts, it follows that a student of conducting should have a repertoire of gestures to facilitate the
clarity of expression and of communication. This repertoire should be as vast as possible in order to be applied
to the infinite amount of various experiences a conductor may encounter. In order to acquire a greater range of
expression in motion, it is best to use those arts which deal only with movement as the sole means of artistic
execution.

This study compares different movement concepts from several other disciplines: general movement ideas from
medical science, dance and athletics; and specific movement concepts from Rudolph Laban’s system of
movement analysis, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze’s system of Eurhythmics, and the martial art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. It
briefly examines the nature of these different disciplines and shows the contributions each has to the total
education of the conductor. Finally, this project expands upon the use of martial arts and its conceptual
components to bring about not only a greater understanding of how the body moves but also a greater internal
sensitivity to movement.

The sensitivity is developed by basic movement patterns. The fundamental exercises included at the end of this
project will help to develop the ability to move the limbs independently of one another. This will help create a
more refined internal awareness of how the body moves. What is more, it is done in silence with no other
distractions such as conducting a rehearsal or practicing with a recording. The conducting student will be able
to focus only on the movement of the body and the basic movement concepts with no thought to “getting
through a piece of music.” By integrating the concepts of the different disciplines, the conducting student will
be able to achieve better control of physical movement, and thus can become a more effective conductor.

2
One need not be a professional caliber musician to know whether one likes a performance.
3
It is true that one may learn all the required motions in a conducting class, especially the classic uses of those
motions–the beat patterns in the right hand and the cues and artistic expression given by the left hand.
Invariably, though, this approach to the education of the conducting student typically leads to a dry technique
with little expression coming through their gestures.
 5

Chapter II

MOVEMENT MECHANICS AND EDUCATION

THE BASICS OF BODY MOVEMENT

The Human Body as Machine: Concepts of Neuromuscular Body Mechanics

In the most basic physical sense, the human body is normally seen as a complex conjoining of many simple
machines. The joints and their surrounding systems of tissues, which are the greatest evidence of this
machine-like nature of the human body, are often seen as levers that function on certain axes in order to allow
the body to move. (Jensen et al, 27) There are three basic types of joints: uniaxial, biaxial and triaxial. The
uniaxial joints are those that operate on only one plane or axis, such as the elbow or knee. The biaxial joints
operate on two axes, corresponding to the wrist or ankle. The triaxial joints use all three axes to maneuver
through. These are exemplified by the shoulder and hip joints.

In its machine-like method of work, body motion is dependent on several other systems to function. These are
the muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. The joints form the fulcrum and the muscles, tendons and
ligaments apply the force to operate the levers along their given pathways. The cartilage provides a smooth
surface for the ends of the bones to move across. However, this system begins to break down because of the
flaws in the system. These flaws can be injuries, lack of proper fitness levels in the supporting structures, or
even possibly a neuromuscular reason (for instance, where the tension caused by stress increases the tension in
antagonistic muscle groups, increasing the amount of effort used to operate the lever).

The body uses bio-electrical impulses to enable the muscles to function according to need. The brain and spinal
cord give the signals, the nerves carry the signals and the muscles respond to the signals. But all signals sent by
the central nervous system to the muscles are not equal. This is easily seen in the uses of slow-twitch and
fast-twitch muscle fibers. Slow-twitch fibers are those fiber groups in muscles that are central to a muscle’s
endurance level (the capability for long, sustained exertions without tiring). The stronger the slow-twitch
muscle fibers, the better the level of endurance a person will have. Fast-twitch fibers are those used when the
body requires a quick and sudden burst of movement. The stronger the fast-twitch muscles, the stronger and
faster a person can be in single action tasks such as heavy lifting or jumping. (deVries, 38)

However, improperly directed signals, or signals that tell the wrong muscle groups to tense, increase the
resistance a muscle must overcome to move. This is the inherent problem of muscle tension in movement. A
machine can only work efficiently when it produces the most amount of work for the least amount of effort.
Anything less becomes wasted energy. This is precisely what tends to happen to the human body. Just as there
is a set of muscles, tendons and ligaments to produce a motion, there is likewise another set of muscles, tendons
and ligaments to produce its opposite. These are called antagonistic muscle groups. (Jensen et al, 66)

Antagonistic muscle tension does have its benefits. One only needs to look at how the lower back muscles and
the abdominals work to support the lower torso. Because the ribs do not extend down to the hips, something
other than the spinal column (which in itself is fairly weak and unstable) needs to protect the lower organs. In
addition to this, the spine is also protected from injury by strong abdominal and lower back muscles.

Generally speaking, antagonistic muscle tension is an impediment to efficient body movement.4 Therefore, the
most a human being can hope to accomplish in increasing the capacity to move, either for strength or for speed,

4
Inefficient use of energy and effort due to excess antagonistic muscle tension is seen in the arms. The biceps
directly oppose the triceps in the extension of the arm. To witness this, place a hand on the biceps muscle in a
5
 6

is to develop muscular response through basic means such as exercise and physical training. The actual
exercises employed are usually not as important as the thought processes, such as using muscular strength to
overcome the antagonistic tension. (This is readily seen in the current trend of weightlifting.) In this way, one
can often overcome muscular tension but will, in the process, create more tension.5

Conducting texts will usually acknowledge that a conductor should remain physically relaxed in order to
successfully execute conducting gestures. They often have good tips for the student such as keeping the
shoulders relaxed, not raising the shoulders and not holding the baton too tightly. Some conducting texts even
have exercises designed to increase the flexibility of the wrist (Grosbayne, 16-9) or to release tension from the
shoulders (Green, 257). Rarely, though, do the texts discuss stretches to loosen the muscle groups in
preparation for a practice session. They do occasionally mention breathing (Green and Malko, 128) but rarely
address how it aids in the relaxation of muscular tension and they almost never have methods to maintain
relaxation while in motion.

closed, flexed position. Attempt to extend the arm, all the while feeling the tightly tensed biceps beneath the
other hand. More than likely the arm shakes with tension as it extends. This is because the triceps work much
harder to extend the arm when the biceps are tense than if they are relaxed.
5
Energy is lost as thought, intent, and muscular reflex work in conjunction. This is because the nerve impulses
are having to move first one set of muscles, then the next set of muscles, and so on until the action is completed
and the movement finished. In this way, movement is seen as a chain reaction, and an increase in resistance
(muscle tension) inhibits the ease of motion. The nerves relay this feedback to the brain which tells the
muscles there is a need for a greater effort in response.
 7

The lack of a more efficient method of movement increases the effort needed to conduct a piece.6 The
conductor can become easily tired and sore, with tense muscles and stiff joints. Concert time arrives and his
current physical condition can work against him and not allow the full expressiveness of motion. So, while the
concert may be good in the sense of notes and rhythmic placement, there is a strong possibility that it will lack
the flair and heightened drama that a fully relaxed and fluid conductor can draw from the ensemble.

In referring to the need for a more physical approach for mastering musical expression, Emile Jacques-Dalcroze
boldly stated: “How many of us have quick brains but slack bodies, excellent ideas but slow bodily reactions?
Nature has provided us with these simultaneous contradictions.”(qtd. in Dutoit, 10) This statement is generally
true for most people who do not engage in some sort of recreational activity that enhances their physical fitness.
It is also indicative of a prevalent attitude towards the body and, by extension, its physical relations to
conducting as an art. Most conducting instructors would agree with the idea of the “elimination of all physical
movement that impacts negatively on the carefully conceived motions of the baton.” (Farberman, 3) However,
there is also a notion that the body will limit the effectiveness of all but the gifted few, those who are “naturally
talented.” This type of thinking can negatively impact the aspirations and effectiveness of conducting students,
especially those who are perceived as “not measuring up to the standard.” This is the best exemplified in the
following statement:

To begin with, we are all–we conductors (with some notable exceptions: Ozawa now and Reiner,
Monteux in the past, come to mind)–to a lesser or greater degree limited by the physical
disposition of our bodies, our own physical structures. We are in a profound and virtually
inescapable sense prisoners of our own bodies. Almost all of us have some more or less serious
limitations as to what we can do with our hands, our arms, our shoulders, our head, our eyes–in
short our body equipment. Almost all of us are to one extent or another variously inept in one
area or another. A perfect conducting machine, like an Ozawa or, in quite different ways, a
Carlos Kleiber or a Reiner or a Leinsdorf or a Bernstein, is an extraordinary rarity. Most of us
are either too tall, or too short; our arms are too long or too short, or too stiff or too loose, or too
something. (Schuller, 9-10)

It is clear that the old paradigms in body movement in educating student conductors are fast becoming obsolete.
New methods must be developed that will address the totality of the artistic experience while encouraging the
conducting student to develop the total physical abilities of the human body, those that are possible for
everyone, barring only injury or disability. These methods must also address and overcome flaws in the
“traditional” approaches that can discourage the student. These approaches usually neglect to show ways to
counter muscle tension, to show exercises that improve the control of independent motion in the limbs, and to
give a progressive methodology for these concepts. Other than agreeing that certain habits are bad for
conducting technique, they have normally left the resolution of these problems to chance.

6
When there is no opportunity to work ideas out with the orchestra well in advance, as in the case of a guest
conductor or clinician, the long rehearsals just before a concert can really exhaust the conductor.
 8

Movement Education
Talent: A Strong Foundation and Fundamental Skills

The idea of movement education is not a new one. The use of its unifying theories to bridge seemingly
unrelated subject matters is, however, a revolutionary concept. The intigration of ideas through different
disciplines, while historically understood as beneficial, is still as yet incomplete.7 But, as in most disciplines
that require rigorous training to master its skills, students who practice music have tended to cloister themselves
from other possibilities in artistic expression.

This is no fault of the student, who usually learns this chosen field of study in an apprentice-like fashion. There
are some drawbacks to this system of learning if one is not careful and aware of them. The first is that the
teacher may believe (as he was more than likely taught by his teacher) that his methodology is the only way to
mastering the art. This means the teacher lacks the ability to draw parallels with other disciplines. The students
will then usually take the same philosophical stance. Students tend to become too caught up in the “what” and
the “how,” while forgetting or ignoring the concepts of “why.” Added to this is the fact that when one deals
with such a subjective idea as art, whose ultimate goal is to find expression in an aesthetically pleasing medium,
those who practice a particular means of expression tend to confine their study to a small area. This eventually
limits the expressive capacity of the art, which is contrary to the original intent of the artist.8

A new type of movement education is needed to bring a greater depth of understanding of the expression of
artistic ideas in the motion of the human body, one that spans these arbitrary lines of thinking. New modes of
thought will allow those students in arts where movement is the medium of execution to better express
themselves. It will also bring a more unified approach to various current dogmatic systems of movement
education. This, in turn, will encourage students with less “natural ability”9 to succeed in what was formerly for
them a difficult discipline.

It is needful to form a basis of some conceptual terminology for future reference. In 1964, the National
Association for Physical Education of College Women (NAPECW) reported the following distinctions in the
process of movement education:

1. Basic movement: Unstructured movement carried on for its own sake and for increased
understanding and awareness of the movement possibilities available to the human body. (This
involves emphasis on the actions of the body joints and their relation to time, force, and space.)

2. Fundamental Motor Patterns: Those patterns that form the foundation for the specialized
skills required in daily life, work, sports, and dance (standing, walking, running, jumping,
pushing, lifting, throwing, and striking, etc.).

7
As an example, most scholars agree that there is an obvious tie between music and dance. Dance and music are
seen as partners in artistic expression, one is the auditory manifestation of expression while the other is the
physical manifestation of the idea as expressed through body movement.
8
Bruce Lee termed a similar problem in martial arts as the “Classical Mess.” (Lee 1975, 14)
9
“Natural ability” is a phrase that has crept into the common vernacular as an explanation for extraordinary
talent in some area or another. However, it has also developed into something like an excuse for a lack of talent
in an area. This phrase is damaging, not only to those who are not talented (who are usually told they will never
reach the sublime heights of success in that field), but also to those who are talented (whose hard work is
trivialized by saying it was just the fact that they were “naturally gifted,” meaning they did not have to work for
the success).
 9

3. Specialized skills: Motor patterns which are refined, modified, and/or combined to
accomplish specific purposes.

4. Body Mechanics: The application of physical laws to the human body at rest or in
motion. The term does not denote any specific set of activities or course content.

5. Movement Education: Provided experiences through which an individual develops

understandings of, appreciations for, and skill in, human movement. (NAPECW, 145)

The concept behind these distinctions is the hierarchy of training one needs to successfully perform a physical
task. This hierarchy is seen as a progression from gross motor skills to fine motor skills. It is also the
application of fundamental neuromuscular processes to facilitate the mastery of the skills. The main idea is the
use of fundamental “talent drills.” (Millman, 39) It is through the use and development of key, basic
movements that allow the more complex motor skills to eventually become manifest. 10 This type of education
or training essentially puts the student in position to learn the fine motor skills. With the foundation firmly
established, the fundamental motor patterns of the human body can be developed. As skill level becomes more
refined, the use of more highly specialized exercises becomes necessary. It is at this stage that the student is in
position to master the chosen movement discipline.11

Unfortunately, misconceptions that stifle the ultimate ability of students in their chosen art abound in the ranks
of the educators of movement disciplines. The most common is that of so-called “naturally talented”
individuals. This can greatly discourage the realization of a student’s fullest potential. Perhaps it would be
better if educators and their students started viewing physical talent not as inborn, but rather that it has its roots
in a strong foundation of gross motor skills. So, while physical talent is bound by the condition of the body,
time and energy can be applied to change that.12 In other words, the ability of a person is governed only by their
current physical attributes.

Most disciplines involving body movement generally focus their practices at the specialized skill level.
Instructors and coaches in dance, martial arts, conducting and athletics tend to address only the specialized skills
when a student is in the process of being trained or educated. Basic movement training and fundamental motor
patterns are taught, if at all, only in “pre-season” training or in the first few “beginners’ courses.” However, the
need is always there to train fundamentals and essential foundation exercises. The lack of consistent focus on
fundamentals is the error most common to the study of movement disciplines.

So, there is a need for a more efficient way of moving the body (even in the art of conducting), a way for motion
not to be bogged down by the effort required to overcome antagonistic muscle tension. There is a need for a
method where the body will waste the least amount of energy. In normal body functions, as applied to physical

10
Again, the basic movements of fundamental talent drills and exercises are possible for all people, barring only
injury or disability, regardless of their current physical condition.
11
The distinction between these two stages is critical. If in the process of refining specialized skills, a student
puts himself in position to master a movement discipline, then it can be said that he first puts himself in position
for mastery by practicing fundamental movement patterns. In other words, the student must be in position
(fundamentals) to be in position (specialized skills) for mastery.
12
Remember, while one may not alter the effect of gravity on the body, one may alter the way the body interacts
with gravity.
 10

action, energy used in a movement usually results in expending more effort than the action needs. The goal is to
conserve energy and arrive at a dynamic state of unified body-mind awareness where the gesture manifested
outwardly is greater than energy used.

Up until now, in the philosophy and psychology of human movement, almost all cases documented where an
individual manifested this refinement of body-mind consciousness13 have been, to a greater or lesser degree,
chance discoveries, with little thought given to the method of how the person may have achieved the results.
Martial arts, on the other hand, can ultimately be said to be a method of body-mind refinement, in which
pugilism is used only as the most basic means to the process. (Shi, 16) It is full of recorded and verified cases
of individuals who have, by the method of martial arts study, tapped into their latent abilities in body
movement.14 These individuals followed a systematic process that fostered the refinement of the body-mind
consciousness.

So what does this mean for the conducting student? Study in this type of refinement of consciousness can help
conductors with all body types the ability to express a wider range of musical ideas, even if the idea is seemingly
contrary to the person’s build. It helps the conductor to be more sensitive to the nuances of body movement and
how to be the most effective in displaying through gestures the nuances of musical ideas. It will allow a
diminutive person to conduct the most bellicose of tutti fortissimo passages and not seem awkward and ill
adapted . Conversely, it will allow a tall, large person to conduct the most delicate of pianissimo passages with
greater sensitivity and grace.

General Goals and Objectives for Movement Educators

One of the goals of the conductor is to express an inner experience through movement. This means that the
motions express ideas that are abstract in nature (thoughts, feelings and moods). For the conductor, there is also
the utilitarian aspect of movement. A motion’s purpose in conducting is more concrete because it gives
directions to the ensemble (tempo, dynamics, cues, etc.). There is also the combination of these two aspects,
when the utilitarian use of motion must have a certain character or mood. One sees this in the qualitative
differences in the style of the beat pattern for the beginning of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and the style of the
pattern for the beginning of Ravel’s Bolero.

13
The terminology used here and elsewhere in this project will at times be difficult to follow if certain
distinctions are not made clear now.
“Consciousness” referred to in this essay is not the abstract form of consciousness usually discussed in
psychology. It is used here to indicate the connection of body and mind, where the two are functioning as one
and are interdependent upon and indivisible from each other.
“Refinement of consciousness” means the refinement of the body and refinement of the mind. If the mind is
viewed as the administrative control and the body is viewed as the instrument used to carry out the mind’s
directives, then it is seen that the mind and the body have a relationship with each other. The mind produces the
thought that instigates an intent to act. The intention becomes manifest as the nerves begin to cause the body to
move. The whole process of body movement starts with the mind. Therefore, when either mind or body go
through the process of refinement, the other is likewise affected. Thus, refinement of consciousness really
means the refinement of the body-mind connections. (Shi, 32)
14
These abilities are termed as latent because they only manifest themselves after many years of diligent study in
the refinement of consciousness. Contrary to some beliefs, these abilities are not primal in origin. They are
supranormal, going beyond the capacities of ordinary human abilities. But also contrary to some beliefs, these
abilities are accessible to all people, not just those who happen to be in the martial arts for fighting ability only.
Indeed, it can be said that fighting ability ceases to be important as these latent abilities become manifested
outwardly. (Shi, 33)
 11

The conductor must understand that not only does he manifest externally the emotion and spirit of his aesthetic
experience, he must also communicate that emotion and spirit effectively to the orchestra as he leads them in the
performance. Changes in a piece’s character will mean changes in artistic interpretation. This means that the
internal mood alters and should, therefore, affect the gestures he uses.15 This is very important because the
orchestra is in its own process of interpretation and response. If the conductor’s motions are unclear or
ambiguous, the response is likely to be confused and non-uniform throughout the group.

The goal is to become well-versed in body movement in order to give clear, unambiguous gestures by which the
orchestra can respond together in the appropriate manner. The repertoire of motions needed can be compared to
a person’s vocabulary. The larger the vocabulary, the easier it is for a person to find the exact words to express
himself in dialogues with others. The larger the repertoire (vocabulary) of movement, the easier it is for a
conductor to find the exact motion to express himself in the dialogue with the orchestra

15
Bruce Lee said “Be formless, shapeless–like water. Now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You
put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.” (Little, 14) This
philosophy is in keeping with that of conducting style. A conductor should use the style that is appropriate to
the piece and not impose his own personal preconceived style on it.
 12

Educators of movement must help the student unlock these key concepts by fostering a sense of kinesthetic
awareness.16 This means that a person can actually feel the relation of movement in their body to the current
emotional and spiritual states of their mind. The student will be able to ask himself questions relating to his
motions: “How does my arm do this?”; “What are the muscles doing?”; “How does my mind affect the
motion?”; and so on. Not only that, but he will begin to acquire the ability to answer those same questions
himself. By doing so, the student’s sense of kinesthetic continuity through motion will develop.
Seymour Kleinman, in an article on existential philosophy in physical education, submitted for the 1964
NAPECW Report, listed the following six objectives for educators in movement disciplines:

1. To develop an awareness of bodily being in the world.

2. To gain an understanding of self and consciousness.

3. To grasp the significations of movements.

4. To become sensitive of one’s encounters and acts.

5. To discover the heretofore hidden perspectives of acts and to uncover the deeper meaning
of one’s being as it explores movement experiences.
6. To enable one, ultimately, to create on his own an experience through movement which
culminates in a meaningful, purposeful realization of the self. (NAPECW Report, 126)

These objectives are true for the education of any movement specialist, whether in dance, sport athletics, martial
arts or conducting. The objectives form a guideline that transcends the arbitrary divisions of body movement
subject areas. While the external purposes differ, the internal processing remains the same. It is this idea that
begins to stand out as body movement, movement mechanics and motion are converted to artistic expression.
As a result, certain thought processes that should guide the learning of students. Dr. Leon Weber-Bauler, a
long-time friend of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, gave the following guidelines for educators in 1924:

1. Repetition: In listing repetition we immediately think of rhythm. The assimilation of

rhythms, their repetition and the resulting automatisms (involuntary actions) is a definite aid in
learning to listen, to grasp and to express.

2. Linking Cause and Effect: The use of rhythm introduces the valuable, economical
element which provokes precise action, direct relationship between cause (music), immediate
effect (movement) leading to a final effect (harmonious gesture).

3. Economy of Effort and its corresponding results, abolition of inhibitions and their
resistance reflexes: Once freed from all constraint these methods of economy lead to a liberation
of energy, leaving the mind free to devote itself to one of its most noble activities--that of
creation. (qtd. in Dutoit, 19-20)

The foundations of movement education were well laid before now in arts such as dance, martial arts and certain
sport athletics. What remains is to devise a unified approach using the concepts common to all that will allow
the greatest contributions of these disciplines to manifest themselves in another art, conducting. Utilizing these
concepts of how and why to teach movement, the conducting teacher will be able to give a more complete

16
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze thought that the sense of kinesthetic awareness, or as he put it, “muscular sense”
(Jaques-Dalcroze, 270), is a person’s sixth sense. In addition to the five traditional senses, being aware of how
the body moved and what it felt like at rest and in motion is an often overlooked means of sensory input.
 13

learning experience to the student. The student will also better grasp the concepts of form and meaning as they
are introduced into the curriculum. What follows now is a brief introduction to some alternative approaches and
the insight on body movement they provide the conducting student.

SOME SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON BODY MOVEMENT

Throughout the history of art as expressed through body movement, there has always been a certain amount of
scientific analysis to the means and methods by which the movements are taught. For example, in dance, initial
study typically starts when the person is a young child and continues to mastery of the movements as an adult.
The world abounds with dance schools, troupes and instructors that follow, as they were taught, in teaching the
concepts in a progressive manner. The skills learned are then tested in recitals, performances and other “real
world” experiences.

This is no less true for students of the martial arts. There are schools that have taught styles of armed and
unarmed combat for generations. There are also what are called “family styles” of fighting that, though
secretive in nature, are passed down to the younger members of a certain family lineage. Here also are
movements and concepts taught in a manner of progressive difficulty. Here also are skills put to test in the “real
world” experiences of true combat.

The history of movement education is a long one with many traditions of success and excellence in its annals.
However, it has not been until the recent modern era, with its access to the ideas of scientific analysis and
logical thought patterns, that the greatest contributions have been made to the restructuring of movement
education. There is no longer a need to depend only on tradition in hopes that the movements are valid in the
“real world.” Practitioners can now discover for themselves whether any improvements could be made on the
existing curricula of body movement. In the next section, three examples of movement curricula (the Laban
system of movement analysis, Dalcroze Eurhythmics and T’ai Chi) are examined in terms of their applicability
to conducting education.

Laban: The Four Dimensions of Movement

In the West, this scientific analysis of movement was exemplified by the contributions of one man in the field of
dance: Rudolph Laban. Born in 1879 in Bratislava (at that time part of the powerful Austro-Hungarian
Empire), he pursued his interests in the arts, specifically in theater and dance. Initially studying in Paris, he
went on to found schools of dance and movement all over Europe by 1935. He was a choreographer, performer
and most of all a great innovator in the education of dancers. Though he was not very consistent in reformatting
his methodology based on the new concepts he developed, he left a great enough legacy in his students that they
were able to organize the most fundamental ideas of his teachings.

In the Laban system of movement analysis, body motion is predicated on four main concepts:

Weight: This is the amount of force exerted in a movement. It may be light or strong.
Remember also that it means there are gradations as one controls the force;
Space: This refers to the path a movement takes through space. It can be linear, circular or a
combination of the two. Laban called these flexible and direct motions;
Time: This is the speed at which the movement occurs. Not only does it mean slow or fast, but
it also takes the characteristics of how long the movement lasts. To Laban, this was termed as
quick and sustained movements;
Flow: This describes how much the movement is controlled. The motion may be very fluid, as
in skipping, or it may be very controlled, as in holding a heavy object at shoulder level. It is also
how easy a movement starts, changes direction, or stops.
 14

The four dimensions were put into a diagrammatical format to show the relationship of various movements. The
diagram is only a representation of physical motion. The goal is to be able to show with symbols the
correlations of basic actions of the body and the logic behind the four dimensions of movement.

According to Laban, there are eight basic combinations (or “basic efforts”) in human action. These
combinations are made up of only three of the four dimensions of movement: weight, space and time. Flow is
considered to be the controlling aspect by which more complex actions are derived and is therefore excluded
from the basic efforts. The eight actions listed in Table 1 are the basis for all motion. Included in Table 1 are
the dimensional aspects and the variations derived from different flow levels:

Table 1
The Eight Basic Efforts

Action Dimensional Aspects Variations

1. Slash quick, strong, curved beat, throw or whip

2. Glide light, sustained, direct smooth, smear or smudge

3. Press strong, sustained, direct crush, cut, squeeze

4. Flick quick, light, curved flip, flap, jerk

5. Wring strong, sustained, curved pull, pluck, stretch

6. Dab quick, light, direct pat, tap, shake

7. Punch strong, quick, direct thrust, poke, shove

8. Float light, sustained, curved strew, stir, stroke

These actions are the foundation of Laban’s theories of human movement. One can see that most of these
motions are partnered in some way with the others. The actions can be direct opposites of each other, as in
slashing and gliding, or they can be similar but with small differences. The press and the punch are both strong,
direct actions. However, the press is more sustained than the quick punch. With the flick and the dab, both are
quick, light movements, but the path through space for the flick is flexible and the path for the dab is direct.

As applied to the type of cross-disciplinary study proposed in this project, the applications of the Laban system
are immediately recognizable. For instance, in conducting, the basic efforts can be looked upon as representing
various musical ideas,17 from dynamic and articulation interpretation to tempo markings. However, in the world
of martial arts, they can be interpreted as offensive and defensive movements that can be applied to various
situations.18 More than anything else, the Laban theory of body movement creates a way for the discerning
person to find the parallels in other movement disciplines by categorizing some basic body movements. With
further research, these basic categories can then be broken down to a higher level of refined subcategories.

17
Example 1: the flicking action can represent a light but exuberant passage played by the flute.
Example 2: the slashing action can represent a heavy tutti fortissimo passage in the percussion and brass.
18
Example 1: the flicking action can represent a slap to block a strike from the opponent
Example 2: the slashing action can represent a chopping strike to a target on the opponent.
 15

There are some problems, however, in applying the Laban system of movement analysis to general movement
education. As important as his concepts are, and though the Laban system provides an excellent foundation for
conceptualized motion, it is incomplete in its application for the purposes of this study. It does not address the
totality of the movement experience, lacking, for example, a program of basic talent drills that can enhance a
person’s ability to do the basic efforts more efficiently. For this, one will need to examine the conceptual
practices of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and the system of music education through movement he developed called
Eurhythmics. The Laban system also does not address other characteristic traits of the body such as breathing
and posture, for which one will need to look, as will be seen later in this project, to the soft styles of martial arts
like T’ai Chi Ch’uan.

Dalcroze: Eurhythmics
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (born in Vienna in 1865, died in Geneva in 1950) understood that movement was a
highly successful method in teaching rhythm.19 He saw that music education in the past suffered a separation
from the rest of the arts, a separation that was not in keeping with the true nature of music performance. Music
educators had ignored the role of movement in the education of young musicians. He called his revolutionary
approach to rhythmic education “Eurhythmics.” Using the idea of movement as a guide to rhythm, he
established a new approach to teaching music. He developed eight conclusions about movement and rhythm:

1. Rhythm is movement.

2. Rhythm is essentially physical.

3. Every movement involves time and space.

4. Musical consciousness is the result of physical experience.

5. Perfecting physical resources results in clarity of perception.

6. Perfecting movements in time assures consciousness of musical rhythm.

7. Perfecting movements in space assures consciousness of plastic rhythm.

8. Perfecting movements in time and space can only be accomplished by exercises in

rhythmic movement. (Jaques-Dalcroze, 139-40)

Categorizing and developing exercises to enhance the rhythm of the student was his greatest contribution to
movement disciplines. His exercises were designed to teach the concepts of rhythmic feel, no matter if the
students were young or old. The exercises were defined in the following manner:

1. Exercises for the development of muscular elasticity: one’s ability to make the body
return to the point from which a movement began by means of a supple and automatic reaction or
to impart a voluntary change of direction to it.

2. Exercises in muscular contraction and relaxation: in various positions, each one being
secured either progressively or suddenly, and in one or more limbs or the entire body.

19
One especially sees this in folk dances, where the men and women will perform complex maneuvers and
gyrations in the upper body with highly sophisticated rhythm patterns in their footwork.
 16

3. Breathing exercises: techniques of breathing and the study of the effects they have on the
body, or which the body may have on them.

4. Study of points of departure and completion of the gesture: enabling the acquisition of
the sense of origin of muscular movements and of their moments of completion.

5. Study of impulses and reactions: Voluntary or involuntary, chiefly in order to determine

the influences of these releases of energy on the incitation of secondary movements.

6. Study of gestures alone and in sequence: by bringing different articulations into play,
with differing spatial orientations, by submitting limbs to stretching and bending, by practicing,
alone or with others, movements which are continuous or interrupted, towards or away from the
center, and in straight, curved or broken lines.

7. Study of different positions of the body: by learning how to occupy personal space,
keeping one’s balance, experiencing the sense of a line, shape or direction suggested by a
position or series of positions, giving diverse directions to different parts of the body.

8. Study of walking and of its “embellishments”: of its points of departure, length of step,
changes in center of gravity, different ways of stopping, of reorienting oneself, of negotiating
obstacles, of going up or down ramps. Study of leaping with or without preparation, of skipping,
running, and jumping.

9. Study of points of contact and support and their associated resistances (real or
imagined): contact of hands or feet against objects which are stable and unmoving, or moving
and unstable; resistance to pulling or pushing; throwing of a ball in the air or against a wall;
study of positions of the body in these varying situations.

10. Exercises in the use of space: of individual and group design, the making of geometric
shapes with the use of elevations as well as on flat surfaces.

11. Exercises in the expression of actions or feelings (whether real or imagined): by

analyzing their reciprocal influences on one another and the modifications thereby engendered in
the use of body space or of the general surroundings. (Bachmann, 139-40)

The above categories of movement exercises are precisely what the conducting student needs to develop a
program of basic talent drills to gain the physical sensitivity necessary to create the most accurate physical
manifestation of his aesthetic experience. These fundamental movement patterns can be arranged by an
educator in a progressive order based on difficulty for the student, an order that can be adjusted to the needs of a
particular student at any stage of his development. However, there is still one issue that has not been addressed
by either the Laban system or the Dalcroze system–the role of the body in efficient body movement including
posture, breath, and the coordination of internal awareness with external motor processes. It will be shown that
martial arts brings a special gift to the fields of artistic movement disciplines. This gift is a logical system of
movement education that has been field-tested for well over two thousand years.
 17

T’ai Chi Ch’uan

There are three separate styles of Chinese martial arts that comprise what are known as the “soft arts.” These
styles include Hsing-i, Ba Gua Zhang and T’ai Chi Ch’uan.20 Although it has been historically verified that
these different styles have been in existence for more than two thousand years, the actual concepts of each were
not written down until the mid-1700's. (Reid and Croucher, 110) Even as each style uses many of the same core
principles such as posture and breathing, each style also focuses on a different aspect of using internal power as
it relates to combat, health and thought.21

The martial arts in China are truly inseparable from philosophy. All three of the soft arts have their conceptual
origins in the Taoist and Buddhist precepts that were part of the training of monks in the Shaolin temples of
China. In some way or another, they specifically relate all aspects of their skill and techniques to the “Tao.” In
Chinese philosophical thought, the “Tao” literally means “the way” and implies conforming to the laws of
nature and living a harmonious lifestyle. The nature of the philosophy of Chinese martial arts is a combination
of both Taoism and Buddhism, what is known as Ch’an Buddhism or Zen, was established by a wandering
Buddhist monk from India called Bodhidharma or Da-mo by the Chinese.22 (Reid and Croucher, 20)

T’ai Chi Ch’uan is a philosophical approach to the body and to movement. Its name literally means “Supreme
Pole Fist.” (Reid and Croucher, 104) It unites internal awareness, external motion, health and medical
knowledge, and martial application with a progressive system of learning that emphasizes mental and physical
refinement. In essence, the refinement sought by the practitioners of T’ai Chi Ch’uan is to “efficiently eliminate
the tension of physical and mental instincts, the tension of initiative, the tension produced by contradictions
between the manifest consciousness and the subconscious, and the tension brought on by all external stimulus
(including attacks by adversaries).” (Siao et al, xxv)

20
Though each of these arts has much to contribute to the cross-disciplinary study of conducting students
proposed in this project, and though each is used to a greater or lesser degree in this project, T’ai Chi Ch’uan is
given greater emphasis due in part to its training principles, the readily-seen similarities of its movements to
conducting, and to the training of the author of this project.
21
This power is not necessarily based on muscular strength. The Chinese call it “chi.” Essentially, it is a form of
bio-electric energy, which is the ultimate sublimation of training in the soft styles of martial arts. Though the
aspects of chi, philosophical thought, medical science and Chinese martial arts are vastly interconnected and
interwoven in the fabric of the society as a whole, it is unfortunately beyond the scope of this project to address
these issues.
22
Briefly stated, in Chinese philosophical thought the t’ai chi symbol (also known as the “Yin and Yang”) (see
Figure 3) indicates the harmony of all things. It shows that opposite forces (the black and the white–often
summed up as positive and negative) are always in a state of flux, moving away from, towards or around one
another. The small circle of black within the white and the circle of white within the black symbolize how even
within each of the forces is contained an element of the other. One t’ai chi symbol, dated on an urn, has been
found to be more than three thousand years old. (Reid and Croucher, 102).
 18

The education of a T’ai Chi student contains four important attitudes: non-resistance, accommodation, balance
and natural order. The T’ai Chi student learns through non-resistance to blend with nature in all endeavors,
from movement (blending with forces such as gravity and weather) to the internal functions of the body (eating
foods that foster the best health in a person). It is seen that the best results in the efforts of training are the
consequence of gently accommodating new needs. The student comes to understand that balance includes not
only the physical sense of balance, but also what is neither too much nor too little in training. In addition to this,
balance means what is proper, ethical and even moral in the state of all human affairs. Natural order for the T’ai
Chi student is summed up in the use of a progressive structure to training and can also be the proper sequence in
which life moves.

The key concept to movement in T’ai Chi Ch’uan is in the use of the breath.23 Posture, movement and
application of movement are all secondary to breathing. If one cannot control the breath, one cannot become
properly aware of the body. T’ai Chi Ch’uan uses the breath to find relaxation in motion and it provides a
system of exercises for the express purpose of coordinating the movement of the limbs to the action of the
breath. This increases the fluidity of an action so that one may move quickly and effectively on command
because the body is no longer bound by physical tension. A correct breathing tempo regulates and coordinates
movements so that all motions, linear or circular, are continuous with no break in the chain of motion.

Movement in martial arts like T’ai Chi Ch’uan then has a characteristic rarely found in any other curriculum of
body motion and mechanics: the idea that all actions originate in the center. This increases the capacity of a
person to use more weight in a movement, which in turn enables a physical action or gesture to have a more
effective outward manifestation. In martial arts, this translates to having more power and quickness in each
motion (whether pushing, pulling, etc.) and having a greater effectiveness in martial technique application. For
the conducting student, this allows gestures to be more controlled with exactly the correct amount of weight,
speed and direction given each action. This ensures that each motion has a purpose and that the purpose is
recognizable by the orchestra as the conductor executes the motion.

23
In T’ai Chi, breathing and body alignment are really inseparable. It is not possible to have one without first
achieving the other. The goal is to eventually obtain quicker response capabilities by being relaxed. Thus, a
martial artist must master proper breathing techniques so that proper posture is permitted, muscular tension is
eliminated, and internal power is harnessed.
 Chapter III
CONCEPTS OF MOVEMENT: BIO-DYNAMICS

As was discussed earlier in Chapter II, the human body can be viewed as being similar to a machine in its
method of movement. However, this philosophical approach to body mechanics neglects the interrelationship
of the human body with such things as gravity and external kinetic forces that act upon a person (such as an
incoming strike from a sparring partner). Most important, it neglects the internally generated energies that a
person outwardly manifests through movement to handle the problems that arise when these forces come into
conflict.

Dynamics is the study of motion mechanics and the equilibrium of systems while under the influence of external
kinetic forces. Bio-dynamics is the study of dynamics as it relates to a living organism, in this case, a human
being, and includes the equilibrium of internal energies and kinetic forces with external kinetic forces. In other
words, bio-dynamics is, in this case, the study of the human body in motion and its use of proper movement
mechanics in relation to the surrounding environment in order to create the most efficient use of energy while
executing a physical action. In this study, bio-dynamics is used to explore concepts that will enable a
conducting student to find an approach to movement education that balances acquisition of body movements
and their application and the assimilation of the concepts in conducting technique. Applied bio-dynamics, then,
results in exercises and drills for conductors in this case using T’ai Chi as a foundation for the movements
themselves. These exercises will appear in Chapter IV.

Most movement disciplines have fundamental exercises and drills to facilitate the learning of specific
techniques. Unfortunately, this is seldom true of most conducting education venues. In dance, sport athletics
and martial arts, there is usually a progressive and logical order to the movement education of the student. If the
instructor or coach has given much thought to curriculum continuity, each new set of exercises further develops
the fundamental movement patterns. Each new set of drills will help the student to refine the specialized skills
that are particular to the chosen field. The instructor or coach will help the student understand what each action
means, how to apply it most efficiently, and in what circumstances each movement is best used.

In movement education, a good teacher or coach understands that when troubles arise in a student’s performance
of higher level skills, it is not normally due to the lack of knowledge or ability level. Rather, it is most likely
due to the lack of proper fundamental training. Thus, a good teacher will always return to foundation drills and
exercises in order to re-establish the groundwork that will allow progress at the higher levels to continue
unabated.

More than this, the master teacher understands that it is only by the refinement of fundamental movement
patterns that a student can truly master the highest order of skills in a particular discipline. The master teacher
will always focus on basics at the beginning of a training session. Work can proceed later to the more detailed
movements. Over time, the student will understand how to apply the core principles of basic movement to the
development of the highly specialized and refined skills of the art.

Conductors, except when teaching beginning students of their own, tend to ignore the need for basic
fundamental motor skills exercises as part of their own daily regimen of score study and interpretation of
musical phrasing ideas into gestures. Movement training and application is often left to chance. This is not to
say that one must plan in minute detail the motions to be used in a performance, as this can stifle the creative
spontaneity of a person responding to the moment.24 A conductor should “train” conceptually; as he expands

24
Similarly, though in another context, Sifu Simonet has often said that he could never plan out what techniques
he might use in a fight. It would be next to useless to try to do so. Instead, he plans out responses to certain
situations that are adaptable to the various minute differences likely to occur. The main idea is to train
19
 20

his own vocabulary of motion, it is not necessary to plan singular responses to events that might or might not
occur; rather, the focus should be on understanding the meaning of the gestures and in deciding which general
situations they would fit. Much the same way a person will respond in a conversations of words, it is best to
understand the meaning of a word or gesture and how and when it may be used.

It is essential for conducting educators to develop a series of talent drills and exercises that provide the
fundamental movement patterns needed for the mastery of fine motor skills. The concepts of movement in the
martial arts bring a unified whole-body approach to this new methodology that addresses the linking of different
internal and external movement processes and develops a more refined conscience awareness of movement
mechanics. The inner sensitivity created by this level of refinement of consciousness can heighten the physical
aesthetic experience of conducting in music performance.

Movement as Applied to Conducting

There are two ways for a conductor to categorize physical action. One is active gesturing. The other is passive
gesturing. Both categories include motions that are expressive in nature, utilitarian in nature, or a combination
of both. The conductor should also be concerned about linking cause (his gesture) to the possible effects
(orchestral response). He must remember that neither performance nor rehearsal is his experience alone. It is an
experience shared between him and the orchestra that is inspired by the music being performed at a given time
and place. Therefore, the conductor may not just respond to the music in any way that pleases him. He must be
aware of the orchestra’s response (as an ensemble and as individuals) and constantly evaluate and refine his
gestures.

The conductor must explore the different motions that are capable by the human body and break down the
meanings of the individual gestures as they apply to different circumstances in a musical performance. The
conductor must see his vocabulary of gestures not only as active or passive, expressive or utilitarian, but also as
a dynamic response to the spontaneous arrival of a given set of variables in a partially controllable situation.
The conductor must then train the body and the mind to work as one, so the perception of the situation is
instantaneous and responded to without conscious thought. This is nature of the refinement of consciousness.
Inherent in this refinement are both the fundamental training and the development of fine motor skills that
communicate his ideas to the ensemble.

What, then, are the steps to acquire these physical skills? What facet of movement should be first addressed in a
curriculum of movement methodology? How does the conductor use fundamental movement patterns to master
the highly complex gesturing required by the art of orchestral conducting? The proposed cross-disciplinary
study in martial arts addresses all of these items with a progressive and systematic curriculum of body
movement skills. Attention is paid to the role of different facets of the human body: breath, posture,
movement mechanics, flexibility, and body control. Of these, one often neglected in movement disciplines is
that of learning the true structure of natural posture. Muscular tension, often the consequence of an incorrect
body alignment, is easily reduced by a simple restructuring of the spine and hips.

Proper alignment means that the body’s balance points are equally distributed while at rest to lessen the
workload of any one group of muscles as it counteracts the force of gravity so that the body can remain upright.
There are certain key attributes to the positioning of the skeleto-muscular system that will encourage (or
discourage) efficiency in motion. Since the body is essentially a symmetrical unit (barring injury or disability),
the more balanced one is physically, the easier it is to begin various motions from rest. From Laban’s system of
analysis, this means the body becomes more fluid in its flow, as opposed to having to overcome a system bound
by tension.

conceptually by focusing on fundamental movement patterns.

 21

Lea Bartal, a dance, theater and movement specialist from Tel Aviv, offers the following ideas regarding
posture, alignment and the means to correct them. First, one must understand that the unnecessary body tension
in a student will become known by listening to the body’s internal signals. Second, there is a need to understand
the “primary-control” aspect of the head and neck. The head must be lifted or released so that the spinal column
will elongate, allowing the body to align itself in a “forward and up” position. This will break old habits of
incorrect muscular contraction and sensory perception which in turn allows the body to become relaxed, even
while in motion, and eliminates tension of the torso. (Bartal, 9-10)

Aligning Posture and the Mechanics of Motion in Martial Arts

The core concept to motion in Chinese martial arts is breathing. Posture, movement and application of
movement are all secondary to breathing. The idea is that if one cannot control the breath, one cannot control
the rest of the body’s movement. A deep, slow breathing tempo regulates and coordinates movements so that all
motions, linear and circular, are continuous with no break in the chain of motion. This is true even at rest
because one continues to breathe even when an action stops. Therefore, the body is able to begin and end
movement on command with very little effort due to the coordinating aspect of the breath.

The union of relaxed breathing and proper body alignment are inseparable. Because of the nature of the bond,
one must work to improve both at the same time. To the Chinese martial artist, a student cannot learn one
without learning the other also. This is the driving force behind the concept of studying movement disciplines
using martial arts. This study has already shown the reasons for relaxing the body to free the movements and
diminish the effects of muscular tension. However, these ideas are nearly impossible to manifest without
understanding the role of breathing in physical motion. This is the golden pearl that martial arts has to offer all
movement disciplines--the mastery of proper breathing techniques that foster proper posture and eliminate
muscular tension as applied to movement.

There is a relationship between body action and breath. Studies on the human body have shown that it functions
more efficiently when the breathing process is relaxed and free of tension. These functions of the body can
range from internal processes to external movement. Ultimately, it matters little what exact process or function
is under scrutiny, the result is the same–by freeing the breath, the body becomes free to perform at higher
efficiency levels. Yet the illusive questions remain: “How does one go about freeing the breath?”; “What are
the physical attributes of a breathing process that has become free from tension?”; “What neuromuscular
pathways must be opened up to greater enhance these attributes?”; “What are the steps that one must take to
achieve these goals?”

The first step is to breathe using the abdominal muscles (the obliques and intercostals) to relax and pull the
lower abdomen forward and outward. This is to allow the fullest expansion of the lungs as opposed to raising
the chest and shoulders, which only allows partial expansion in the top portion of the lungs.25 The next goal is
to slow the speed of the breath so the body can enter a state of relaxation without being interrupted by the
process of inhaling or exhaling. As the body relaxes, the skeleto-muscular system will seek its own natural
alignments along the natural balance points. In other words, relaxing the breath will allow posture and body
alignment to occur with minimal effort. The reverse is also true: if breathing remains tense, manipulating the
body to its natural balance and alignment points will guide the breath back to its natural rhythms.

The concept central to posture is the idea of heaven and earth.26 The legs provide the solid foundation by
rooting to the earth while the torso and limbs are free to move due to the attitude of raising the head, neck and
25
Most musicians who play wind instruments (especially vocalists) have already learned how to do this. Even
most string players understand that this type of breathing can increase the effectiveness of their bowing.
26
Body Movements can be divided into two areas that are most appropriately described by Sifu Joseph
 22

spine to heaven. The body’s movements, originating from the center of the body (the waist) where strength and
power reside, are then quick and agile with no antagonistic muscle tension. Again, all motion is regulated and
coordinated by the breath.

Rooting is only a step to relaxing into the natural alignments of the body. First, one must sink into a stance.
The most common stance to use for practice is a neutral stance where the feet are slightly wider than shoulder
width and the knees are slightly bent. The hips are slightly canted inward and forward so that the waist feels
hollow, ready to be filled with breath. The arms and shoulders hang down while the neck and tongue are
relaxed. The head should feel as if it is merely set upon the neck column.

The next step to aligning the body correctly along its balance points is to raise the upper body. One should feel
the head lifting so that the spine stretches. At the same time, the arms will lift slightly in response to the
expansion of the spinal column. The head now feels suspended with the rest of the torso feeling as if it is
hanging from the neck to the waist. At the same time, the waist and legs will still be rooted to the earth.

Zhao Da Yuan, an instructor in the Chinese martial art of Ba Gua Zhang, has stated these tenets in this manner:

The head presses up. The neck must be stable. When the head presses up, you will be as a hero
soaring toward the heaven.

To relax the waist first relax the hips. When the hips are relaxed the waist will be alive.

Relax the shoulders, drop the elbows, free the wrists and firm the fingers.

If the root is not stable, there will be no power. The hands are 30%, the feet are 70%. (Zhao,
31-4)

Simonet’s terms of “upper art” and “lower art.” Lower art (earth) is the body from the waist down--the hips and
pelvic girdle, legs, ankles and feet. Upper art (heaven) is the body from the waist up, the areas where body
expression have their ultimate manifestation--the torso (especially the spine), the neck and shoulders, arms,
wrists and hands, and the head. In orchestral conducting technique, the upper art is the outward focus of the
artistic expression. However, its potential is only maximized when proper attention is given to the lower art.
 23

Once posture problems have been addressed, the practitioner of martial arts can proceed to hone the skills of
physical action and its corresponding sensory perception. Fundamental to all movement concepts in martial arts
is that all motions, including arms and even foot positioning, originate from center.27 Center means the waist.
The goal for the martial artist is to find the root and seek the path of movement through it as he continues to the
next sequence of motions.28

One must understand that the two arts (upper and lower) must first be separated, isolated from one another in
order to discover the keys to maximizing motions in each. The dividing line is the waist, including the lower
spine and the pelvic girdle. The dual role of the waist in movement makes its function difficult to categorize. It
can be said to belong to both lower and upper arts. However, the waist also belongs to neither art because of its
position as a bridge between the two.

In whatever way one views the waist, it is a fact that the key to the harnessing the true potential of movement
lies in the waist. The reasons are quite simple and yet at the same time, quite profound. The root of the spine,
which supports all actions in the human body, is located there. The diaphragm, which controls breath, is also
located there. Most importantly, the waist plays a crucial role in the transference of energy to the extremities of
the limbs.

27
This is what is meant in martial arts when one speaks of “using the whole body to hit the opponent” or to “put
the hip into the punch.” The power the waist can generate through torsion is unequaled anywhere else in the
human body. This power can be used to stride at the opponent or to dissolve the energy of the opponent’s
strike.
28
When it comes to motion of the body, especially in the upper body (upper art), one rarely pays close attention
to the base of the human structure (lower art). With proper attention to these areas, actions manifested in the
upper body become more smooth, defined, and flow with much more security. This smoothness of action and
sureness of motion allows the artist to achieve a much greater control in expressing artistic ideas.
 24

If the body is to be released so that it moves through dynamic motion instead of from one static position to
another, a relaxed center is how to keep those actions alive and fluid. In T’ai Chi Ch’uan, the arms move up and
down because of the contraction and expansion of the breath. The arms move side to side due to the same
reason. The applications of those actions (martial technique) come because the body re-orients itself along a
different directional path. This directional movement of T’ai Chi is also a function of moving from center.29
Therefore, movement is expressed only as a consequence of the breath as it expands and contracts, utilizing the
limber waist to give it direction and purpose.

Scientifically analyzed, movement in martial arts is not merely mechanical. It does not operate as an interaction
of simple machines. Rather, it is a coordinated effort of “joint movements in three dimensional space which
causes a coherent movement of the whole body.” (Zhao, 2) Central to this theory of motion is the idea that the
body operates through chains of motion, where the joints must be moved in specific sequences for optimum
efficiency. There are five chains of motion: 1) the torso; 2) right arm; 3) left arm; 4) right leg; 5) left leg.

The movements of the body and their corresponding chains of motion are described as being open or closed. An
open chain is where the joints can move independently of each other without causing other joints to move as a
consequence. This concept is exemplified by the hands, feet and head. A closed chain is where the rest of the
body moves in direct response to a motion. As one comes in from the outer extremities, the chain begins to
close until the torso is reached, where all movement is in a closed chain of motion.30

Chinese martial arts provides a system of thought that not only breaks down the components of movement
mechanics, but also breathing and posture–which are at the root of all physical motions according to these
concepts. The initial stages (to form a suitable body structure in which the breath is relaxed) give way to the
middle stages (where basic movements and breathing become linked while still always grounded with correct
posture) and ultimately lead to the highest stages (where complex chains of motion are controlled using very
little effort, either mental or physical, and are applied to difficult situational problems for the martial artist). In
this way, the martial arts provides a clear delineation for categories of movement principles to be used in the
progressive education of the student. These principles are consistent with other movement disciplines including
the Laban system of movement analysis, Dalcroze Eurhythmics, dance and sport athletics. They are also
consistent with the proposed need for a new movement education methodology in conducting. One such
methodology follows in the next chapter.

29
This is easily seen in the following exercise: one stands in a neutral position with proper posture and breath
control. In a relaxed, fluid state of body-mind consciousness, one should slowly rotate from left to right and
back again, aiming the hips in the direction of the turn. One should feel a slight weight shift to the opposite leg
of the turn.
30
There is a facet of martial arts called grappling that focuses on the art of locking joints in order to force the
submission of the opponent. This is commonly equated with wrestling but is actually a much more advanced
science. In grappling, the goal is to lock the open chains of motion, from the starting point of the lock (say, for
instance, the hand) completely through the entire chain to the torso (center). This will effectively bind the
opponent into a position where any movement is much too painful, thereby forcing him to surrender. While a
movement specialist such as a conductor will not have a need for this type of movement application (unless the
trombone section is acting up again), the concept shows just how important the center is to physical action. Just
as it can be used to lock up movement, the center is most useful in releasing the body to free up motion.
 25

Chapter IV
APPLIED BIO-DYNAMICS

When one pairs music education with movement education, it becomes obvious that aesthetic experiences in
both conducting and martial arts are closely related. The nature of each supports the other and provides an
alternate means for the methodical education of the student. Using Dr. Weber-Bauler’s three techniques of
learning any new skills (repetition, linking cause and effect, and economy of effort), the instructor can now
research and develop the most fundamental exercises that address basic physical skill. These exercises should
adhere to all the concepts discussed thus far: the gradual learning process as it moves from gross to fine motor
skills; the objectives of education in movement; the physical aspects of motion including body mechanics,
movement analysis and the origin of motion; and the development of exercises that provide essential bio-kinetic
feedback to the student.

What follows then is the application of these ideas and concepts to conducting, using T’ai Chi Ch’uan as a
foundation. The goal is to focus on developing a more refined sense of conscious perception in motion. The
refinement of consciousness will enable the student to become more sensitive in musical interpretation, more
intuitive in responding physically to the demands of a piece, and allow the physical manifestation of the internal
aesthetic experience to flow in the most relaxed manner possible.

The philosophical approach to these exercises is to use them for the purposes of building a strong foundation in
movement sensitivity. One should bear in mind that sensory conscious perception will develop and manifest
itself by using the basic movements over a period of time. The conducting student should remember always that
form will precede meaning when it comes to the learning process as it goes from the basic movements to
fundamental motor patterns and then on to the refinement of high level, specialized skills.

The philosophical approach to martial arts is very appropriate to this notion of movement education. Master
Hung I-hsiang, a consultant on Chinese martial arts from Taiwan, related the following:31

A person with no fighting training possesses neither hsing (form or shape) nor i (meaning or
application). At the beginner stages, students will gain hsing but will still have no i behind it
(that is, form without meaning). If they continue to practice to a mature stage, they may equip
themselves with both hsing and i.

A highly sophisticated fighter usually tends not to reveal his or her true abilities. Such a fighter
may be considered to have i without hsing in other words, to possess the meaning and the ability
without showing any outward signs of it. Yet even this is not the most superior stage of
development. The highest stage is called “no form, no meaning,” and such fighters display
neither form nor intent to fight. But what does this mean? If a fighter has i, then he or she
remains preoccupied with the idea, or meaning, of a move. This requires constant mental
readjustments to an ever-changing situation, such as sudden strikes from an opponent, and
reactions are therefore slow.

Thus, to reach the highest stage of development, the fighter must be free of both hsing and i; in
other words, he or she has come the complete circle and returned to the point of origin, which
was also no hsing; no i. Except that now both hsing and i have been absorbed and become a
natural part of the fighter’s being. Thus he or she is able to move and react exactly as the

31
Though this philosophical approach is taken specifically from a Hsing-i instructor, the meaning is transferable
to all martial arts, including T’ai Chi Ch’uan.
25
 26

circumstances demand from moment to moment, rather than being motivated by an endless series
of fixed ideas.

A person who is free from hsing and i will look just like a person completely untutored. At that
point he or she will be completely in harmony with nature: they are nature and nature is them.”
(Reid and Croucher, 97)

STAGE ONE: FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISES - POSTURE AND BREATH

Stretching for Limberness

In most movement disciplines, there a practice of using a slow, gradual warm-up procedure in order to achieve
better body control and a more relaxed technique in physical motion. For instance, dancers will start with a
gentle stretching routine and then work up to a point where they can practice fundamental movement patterns of
their chosen art. Martial artists will, likewise, stretch in order to allow the body to flow with their efforts to
move. They will also warm-up the body by practicing simple movement patterns, gradually working to more
complex motions that require a higher degree of concentration and effort.

There are two reasons that a person in a movement discipline should follow a gradual warm-up procedure
before the execution of the total art in actual practice or performance. The first reason is that limber muscles are
able to move more quickly and efficiently because of reduced antagonistic muscle tension. The second is that
the neuromuscular connections in the body, which are linked and affected by one another, are able to relax.
Because the muscles are relaxed, the nerves are relaxed. Because the nerves are relaxed, the central nervous
system is relaxed. Because the central nervous system is relaxed, thought flows more freely and inhibits the
body functions less. Also, because the body is relaxed, the body will align itself with correct posture and allow
the breath to descend from the upper portion of the lungs to include the entire lungs.

Conductors often overlook stretching as a means to ease neuromuscular tension in the body. It is not often the
case where a conductor, as part of his preparation for a performance, takes ten or fifteen minutes to relax and
stretch out tense or partly tense muscles. However, it might be a wise practice for the conductor to acquire. He
should engage in a simple stretching routine so that his body can respond to the needs of the moment without
undue tension and resistance. What follows is a set of simple stretches that, designed with the conductor in
mind, will maximize the limberness and suppleness of the muscles in the quickest way possible.

Stretching is, in itself, a physical skill that must be learned using the same approach that any other physical skill
would require. Here are some helpful hints on how to stretch without putting undue stress on the body:

1) Be gentle. Stretch only as far as the body will allow. If one wishes to stretch further than the
body currently allows, it is best to repeat a whole sequence rather than trying to force the body to
stretch or even holding the stretch for a much longer time span. Remember that stretching works
to lengthen a particular muscle group. If the stretch is forced, the antagonistic muscles will
become stressed and fight the stretch. Always try to remain as relaxed as possible.

2) Hold each stretch for a slow count of at least ten but preferably twenty. In the time it takes
one to count slowly to twenty, about three or four complete breaths will be taken. The body
stretches most on the exhale. One should think of the inhale as preparing for the exhale, which is
how all the excess tension leaves the muscles and thus the body.

3) Each time a stretch is completed and the body returns to an upright posture, try to feel the
correct body alignment taking place. As the tension diminishes, one should experience more
 27

suppleness to the body. As this process continues during the sequence of stretches, one should
feel for the balance points of the body and align it with the force of gravity.

1. Stretch Sequence Number 1 - Relaxing the Waist

a. Hip Rotations--With the hands on the hips and the feet about shoulder width apart, do ten slow
rotations clockwise and ten slow rotations counter-clockwise. It is the same motion as one has in using a
hula hoop. Go slow and feel the spine loosen and the waist relax. As a variation on the days when there
is more tension than normal, massage the lower back muscles as the exercise is performed.

b. Twists--This is best done with a pole but can also be done without one. With a pole, preferably
of the same length as one’s arm span, spread the feet shoulder width apart and aim the hips forward.
The hips remain in one position as the shoulders rotate, causing the waist to loosen. Keep the head
facing the same point as the hips and try to cross the center with each hand as it comes around with the
pole. A variation is to put the feet together and bend slightly at the knees and waist so as to do this
exercise at an angle. One should try to do about twenty twists to each side.

c. Side Stretches--These stretches require a little bit of balance so it might be somewhat difficult the
first few times. If this is the case, go slow. Remember, the goal is to align the body using the exercise
sequences, not just to hurry through them. That means that one must feel the body’s balance points and
adjust them to the proper alignment.

i. Right Foot Crossed Over Left--With the feet crossed, raise the right arm above the head
and bend to the left. One may use the left arm as a counter-balance at waist level. Feel the whole
right side of the torso stretching.

ii. Left Foot Crossed Over Right--With the feet crossed, raise the left arm above the head
and bend to the right. One may use the right arm as a counter-balance at waist level. Feel the
whole left side of the torso stretching.

2. Stretch Sequence Number 2 - Loosening the Spine and Legs by Touching the Toes. All of these
stretches are variations of one another. No matter how the feet are placed, the stretching process is the same.
Bend at the hips and try to keep the back from curving. The goal is to stretch the hamstring muscles in the back
of the leg and to relax the spine by stretching the spinal erector muscles in the lower back. Once bent over, let
the arms hang loose. The head should feel as if it is dangling from the shoulders. Try to feel the neck stretch as
gravity pulls the head down. Do these following variations:

a. Feet Together;

b. Right Foot Crossed Over Left;

c. Left Foot Crossed Over Right;

d. Feet Shoulder Width

e. Feet Twice Shoulder Width--One may also stretch toward one foot or another in order to get a
better stretch for that particular leg.
 28

3. Stretch Sequence Number 3 - Loosening the Quadriceps and Calf Muscles

a. Calf Stretch A--Find a wall or other similar surface to lean against and put one foot back, flat
along the ground, while using the other to support the body closer towards the wall. One should lean at
the greatest possible angle in order for the stretch to be most effective. Switch feet. (Note: Realize that
people use the calf muscles every day by walking and that these muscles tend to lack the suppleness of
other muscle groups due to the constant tension.)

b. Calf Stretch B--At the same wall, angle one foot so that the toes are up along the wall and the
heel is on the floor. Try to stand as close to the wall as possible. One may use the hands for balance
against the wall. Switch feet.

c. Quadriceps Stretch--Using the wall for support, raise the lower portion of one leg up as close to
the buttocks as possible and grab the foot with the same side hand. One should feel the muscles in the
front of the thigh and by the knee stretching.

4. Stretch Sequence Number 4 - Loosening the Upper Body

a. Lat Stretch--With feet shoulder width, raise the arms above the head. Similar to the side
stretches, lean first to one side and then to the other. It helps to use the hands by pulling the
stretching-side hand with the non-stretching one. In other words, if one is stretching the right side, pull
the right arm/hand with the left and do the opposite for stretching the left side.

b. Upper Pectoral Stretch--Using a wall, raise one arm out at a level about six inches above the
head. Place the arm along the wall, being careful not to allow the shoulder to turn downward by keeping
the elbows pointed toward the floor. Turn the body slowly away from the wall and feel the upper
pectoral muscles stretching in response. Switch arms.

c. Rear Shoulder Stretch--For this stretch, one may use a wall or one may not. Using a wall, face it
and bring one arm up across the body as close to shoulder level as possible. Using the entire body to
press the arm into the wall, feel the back of the shoulder stretching out. Switch arms. If a wall is not
being used, then one must pull the arm being stretched into the body with the opposite arm.

d. Mid-Pectoral Stretch-- Similar to the upper pectoral stretch, place the arm now at shoulder level.
Follow the same sequence, remembering to keep the elbow pointing down to keep the shoulder from
turning downward and changing the stretch.

e. Single Arm Circles--Place one hand on the front of the opposite shoulder and with that arm (the
opposite one) describe wide circles forward and backward. This should be done an equal amount in
each direction (ten is a good number) and is best done slowly in order to feel the shoulder joint loosen
up. Do the same for the other shoulder.

f. Neck Rotations--This exercise is to be done as slow as possible! There are two reasons for this:
1) the neck is a delicate area and easily prone to injury; 2) the neck is often the most tense muscle group
in the entire body and therefore should be given more attention. With the feet shoulder width to
maintain balance, shoulders square and the hands loosely clasped behind the back, look first to the left,
then to the right and (after first coming back to center) then down. Rotate the head and neck slowly to
the right two or three times and then slowly to the left two or three times. Repeat the whole neck
sequence but this time in the opposite direction (look right, left, down; rotate left, rotate right).
 29

g. Forearm/Wrist Stretches--In order for the wrist and hand to have the most dexterity, one must
loosen the forearms, just as the calf muscles were. The following stretches are best done in the kneeling
position with the hands between or slightly in front of the knees. Straighten the elbows as much as
possible in order to stretch the forearm muscles more effectively. Do these variations:

i. Palms Flat, Fingers toward the Body--the pinky fingers will be side by side, thumbs on
the outside and the elbows toward the body.

ii. Palms Flat, Fingers away from the Body--the thumbs will be side by side, the pinkies on
the outside and the elbows kind of pointing to the side.

iii. Back of the Hand Flat, Fingers toward the Body--the index fingers will be side by side,
the pinkies on the outside, and the elbows again pointing somewhat to the side.

Kinesthetic Awareness of Heaven and Earth

The concept of Heaven and Earth from the martial arts is explored in the following sequence of exercises. It is
said in martial arts that the relaxed mind encourages the body’s relaxation. The opposite is also true, whereby in
relaxing the body one may relax the mind. One should become a detached and unbiased observer of how one’s
body functions. When this happens, a person will be able to develop the sensitivity needed to feel the internal
processes of postural mechanics.

In the following exercises, be very diligent in letting the body maintain a relaxed state of being. One should
practice these exercises with little or no thought to “doing it correctly.” Rather, one should go through the
exercises and just observe what happens. The more one practices the concepts behind the exercises, the more
the body will begin to undergo the physical changes necessary to master these skills. One should prepare the
mind for the physical reality of manifesting greater control over the body. In essence, lead the body with the
mind.

1. Relaxed Posture Exercise--In a neutral stance, focus on aligning the body in the following way:

a. Place feet shoulder width with toes straight or pointing slightly inward and knees slightly
bent;

b. The hips and tail bone are tucked inward and forward so it feels as if there is an empty
space in the lower torso;

c. Let the shoulders hang a little to the rear and pull the neck back ever so slightly. Relax
into the stance by feeling gravity pulling on the body directly through the center. A good
practice is to move into this stance from the classic “attention” position (feet together, knees
locked, stomach in and chest out). It will soon be obvious which stance really requires less
effort; and that which uses less effort is most efficient. This is the natural alignment of the human
body with the forces of gravity and is the natural stance of the conductor and of the T’ai Chi
Ch’uan practitioner. This stance will be referred to as the “neutral stance.”

2. Breathing Exercise--In the neutral stance, begin the process of slowing the breath. Drop the jaw
as if one were saying “Ah” and breathe in and out through the nose. On both the inhale and exhale, the
air should cycle around the empty space in the back of the mouth (one should feel as if one was about to
start snoring). Allow the inhalation to fill the lungs from the bottom up. The air will feel as if it is
filling the empty space created in the lower middle torso. The breath itself should be slow enough and
 30

light enough that it would not disturb a feather held two inches from the nose. The goal is to let the air
flow in and out without effort from the body--as if one was being breathed rather than in the act of
breathing.

3. Sinking Exercise (Rooting Oneself to Earth)--This is a simple exercise whose goal is to become
totally relaxed, yet to retain just barely enough suppleness to remain upright. In the neutral stance, with
the proper breath control, concentrate on relaxing into the earth. Relax the tongue. Feel the ground
under the soles of the feet. The whole body should feel as if it has suddenly grown much heavier. Even
if a person is petite, the body should feel as if it would be nearly impossible for someone to pick it up off
the ground.

4. Rising with the Breath Exercise (Raising the Spirit to Heaven)--In the neutral stance focus on the
breath. Each breath should feel as if it were filling up the entire body with helium, making it buoyant
and light. The body should feel as if it was suspended on a string coming out of the head from the spine.
On each inhalation, try to let the string be pulled up a little further. If it is being done correctly, the
arms will lift slightly in response to the feeling of suspension.

5. Sinking While Rising Exercise (Separating Heaven and Earth)--This exercise combines both
exercises 3 and 4. After rooting oneself, a person should try to lift the upper half of the body as in
exercise 4. Again the arms will lift slightly if this is done correctly. The legs will still feel as if they are
rooted and connected to the Earth. At this point, the body will have a very secure foundation, yet the
upper body will feel light and be free to move around with very little effort.

6. Fullness and Emptiness Exercise--These exercises are to coordinate the breath with the different
body movement responses. The starting position is with the arms lifted to waist level. They should be a
comfortable distance apart from each other. As the breath moves in and out, the arms will experience a
tendency to move in or out accordingly. This is very similar to some forms of standing meditation in
T’ai Chi Ch’uan. Try not to be concerned overly much with the arm motions. Instead, use the breath as
a means of linking the inhalation and exhalation to the outwardly manifested movement. It is
worthwhile to note that the wrists will tend to feel as if they are being pulled in one direction or another.
One can even assist the expansion or dissipation by gently bending or flexing the wrists in the direction
of the movement.

a. Outward Expansion of Energy-Think of the breath filling the space between the arms like
a balloon. The arms will move out slightly as the chest opens up with the breath. As the air
leaves the body, the arms will return.

b. Outward Dissipation or Dispersion of Energy--This exercise is the direct opposite of the

previous exercise. Now the breath should be thought of as loading the arms and body with
potential energy, much the same way a bow and bowstring are loaded with potential energy when
an arrow is nocked and drawn. As the air comes in, the arms will move slightly inward as they
are loaded. As the air leaves, the arms will move out somewhat in response to the exhale and the
dispersal of the potential energy.
 31

STAGE TWO: INTERMEDIATE EXERCISES I – MIRRORED SYMMETRICAL MOTION

Now that the requirements of limberness, suppleness, Heaven and Earth, and the breath have been addressed, it
is time to put these ideas into a practice that will form the foundation of movement principles. These principles
can then be applied across the disciplines. The following sets of exercises are designed to coordinate the breath
with motion, while at the same time maintaining the correct body alignment and posture. As the exercises are
performed, one must keep in mind the following concepts:

1) Breathing must remained relaxed and free at all times;

2) The body must maintain the correct neutral stance, with the secure foundation in the legs and the
light, buoyant responsiveness of the upper body;

3) The breath guides the motion of the arms. As one inhales and the chest expands, the arms are moved
because of the consequence of the breathing action. Apply the sensitivity gained from the last two
exercises in Stage One, Outward Expansion and Outward Dissipation of Energy;

4) The arms should always feel as if they are almost fully extended. They should never bend less than
90 degrees and never reach to their fullest extent. The wrists should be loose and feel as if they lead the
arm. The elbows should hang down in a very relaxed manner;

5) If the connection of energy ceases to be felt as the hands move away from each other, then they are
too far apart. It should always feel as if one were hugging something like a large balloon.

1. Linear Motion Exercises--These exercises are described as an energy expansion but could easily be done
in the same manner as an energy dispersion. One should experiment with both methods of application. They
should be practiced at three different levels relative to the person’s own body: 1) belt level; 2) mid-chest level;
3) shoulder level.

a. Horizontal Expansion--This exercise is a continuation of exercise number six in Stage One, B.

Let the breath open the chest and move the arms out with the inhale and draw the arms back together on
the exhale. This exercise is related to “Exercise 1 for Correcting the Circular Motion of the Arm.”
(Green 1987, 10)

b. Diagonal Expansion--This exercise is essentially the same as number one, except that the plane
of motion is tilted 45 degrees. One should do this exercise expanding first along one 45 degree angle and
then along the other. This exercise is related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill #8" in T’ai Chi Ch’uan.
(Yang 1982, 32)

c. Vertical Expansion--Similar to number one, the plane of motion is now vertical. The hands still
originate from center. One hand moves up above the head while the other travels down below the waist.
Do this exercise so that the hands alternate going up and down. It is very important not to raise the
shoulders when an arm is going up. The shoulders should remain hanging, regardless of the action of the
arm. This exercise is related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill #7" (Yang 1982, 32), “Exercise 2 for
Correcting the Circular Motion of the Arm” (Green 1987, 10) and “Exercise 6" in Appendix F (Green
1987, 257).

d. Forward Expansion--This exercise starts from the neutral stance with arms lifted to one of the
three levels. The arms are bent at about a 90 degree angle and are close to the body. From there, as the
 32

inhale takes place, the arms expand forward. On the exhale they reverse. This exercise, like number
one, is really a continuation of exercise six in Stage One B. This exercise is also related to
“Fundamental Breathing Drill #6.” (Yang 1982, 31)

2. Circular Motion Exercises--These exercises, due to their nature, do not have to be practiced at the three
different levels as should the linear motions. They may be practiced in larger or smaller circles and/or ellipses.

a. Ascending Outward Expansion--In this exercise, one should expand outward on a horizontal
plane as in exercise number one above. On the return, however, circle back around in an upward motion
that will take the arms back to center. This exercise is related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill #4.”
(Yang 1982, 32)

b. Descending Outward Dispersion--This is the direct opposite of the previous drill. The arms stay
in the center as they rise and then move outward, describing a descending circle as the energy from the
breath disperses. This exercise is related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill #3.” (Yang 1982, 30)

c. Horizontal Circular Motions (Flat Inward Expansion and Flat Outward Expansion)--These
exercises are a further application of the Fullness and Emptiness Exercises of Stage One. The circular
motions described are on a horizontal plane. They can move inward or outward. The inward motions
travel forward from center before circling back around to center. The outward motions travel
horizontally outward from center before circling back into center. These particular exercises can also be
performed at the same three levels as the linear exercises. Again, they can also be a dispersal of energy.

d. Forward Ascending Expansion--Similar to the forward expansion of exercise 4 in Linear

Motions, the arms will, as they near full extension, begin to rise up and on the return describe a circular
motion back to center. This exercise is related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill #1,” also known as the
“T’ai Chi Shih” sequence to the opening of the Yang style T’ai Chi form. (Yang 1982, 30)

e. Forward Descending Dispersion--This exercise moves in the opposite direction as the previous
one. The arms lift up near the body on the inhale. On the exhale, the energy is dispersed forward and
downward in a circular motion. This exercise is also closely related to “Fundamental Breathing Drill
#6.” (Yang 1982, 31)

Two final notes to the previous exercises:

1) These exercises are fundamental motor patterns that should be practiced daily. It is best to use them as a way
to warm-up for practicing the art of conducting. It is not necessary that one perform many repetitions of each
exercise. For the linear motions, one or two at each level is more than enough. For the circular motions, it is
best to do two or three repetitions total of each exercise.

2) Alone, these exercises and the conceptual basis from which they come are enough to change and improve the
way a conductor uses physical actions in his craft. They can also be applied to most any other movement
discipline. The exercises are for developing the sixth sense of the human body: the muscular sense, the
kinesthetic awareness. This sensitivity will come over time. It is best not to be in a great hurry to “master” the
skills. Do the exercises, letting the mind lead the body, the body showing the way.
 33

STAGE THREE: INTERMEDIATE EXERCISES II - MIRRORED ASYMMETRICAL MOTION

As with all exercises in any movement discipline, be it sports, dance or otherwise, conducting exercises can be
expanded upon and made to be progressively more difficult. The following exercises are combinations of the
fundamental motor skills and will challenge the coordination of the conductor. Remember that the concepts
behind the movements are exactly the same and that these are only some of the possibilities. One may even
combine circular motions with linear for a greater degree of difficulty. However, this is hardly necessary
because the intent of these exercises is only to develop a greater sensitivity and control of body motion. In order
to do this, keep the following ideas in mind:

1) Breathing must coordinate all motion. Maintain the correct stance, with a secure foundation
in the legs and keep a light, buoyant responsiveness in the upper body.

2) Because some of these combinations are also evidence of the directional reorientation aspect
of T’ai Chi, one should notice how the body will tend to shift as it finds the middle road between
forward and horizontal or vertical. Allow the waist to become more active in the shifting of the
body to the new directions. Remember that all movement comes from center.

3) These exercises can and should be done both with congruent and contrary motions, meaning
that the form of motion will have one of two characteristics to it: separating or sweeping. In
separating, the arms are moving in opposite directions or in a contrary manner. In sweeping, the
arms are moving in accordance to the motion from center. (This is very noticeable when the
arms move in the exact same direction and have the sensation of “painting” the area in front of
the body.)

4) One may experiment with these exercises and perform them at the various levels. However,
this complicates them and increases their difficulty, which is contrary to the intent of the drills.

5) Remember to try these exercises as both expansions and dispersions. One may even try to do
expansion on one side and dispersion on the other, though this is difficult and does not allow
these exercises to retain their pristine simplicity.

1. Combining Linear Motions

a. Horizontal and Vertical Expansion. When using contrary motions, the arm that moves vertically
upward will tend to be dominant. If the arm moving vertically is descending below the waist, the
horizontal one will tend to be dominant. In congruent motions, let a slight motion in the waist lead the
horizontal arm. The vertical arm should be felt as lifting or descending according to this movement of
the center.

b. Vertical and Forward Expansion. When using contrary motions, the body will turn slightly
towards the vertical side, moving back slightly when ascending and forward slightly when descending.
Using these expansion motions congruently will be difficult. It is probably more productive to omit this
and use vertical and horizontal expansion this way instead.

c. Horizontal and Forward Expansion. Is this merely a horizontal expansion in the process of
turning when using contrary motions? Most likely so. It is best to approach the use of these expansions
in this manner. The body naturally shifts to find the middle road as the arms expand. Thus the motion
speaks for itself. With congruent motions, it will feel as if the horizontal aspect of sweeping is not given
a full 180-degree arc and instead covers only 90-degree arc.
 34

2. Combining Circular Motions

a. Descending Outward Dispersion/Ascending Outward Expansion. When using contrary motions,

the arm that rises and then descends outward will become the dominant arm. The one that lowers first
and then ascends outward will be subordinate. Because of this, the body will shift slightly in favor of the
dominant hand. With congruent motions, the arms will describe simultaneous circles in the same
direction. Again the center will dictate the action of the arms.

b. Flat Inward and Flat Outward Expansion. This combination of circular motions is exactly the
same as the previous one, except that the circles are now on a horizontal plane as opposed to the vertical
plane. One can almost imagine that two large pots are being stirred, either in contrary motions or in
congruent motions.

c. Ascending Outward and Forward Expansion. Is it merely an ascending outward expansion in

the process of turning? Most likely so. In comparison between the basic motion of ascending outward
expansion and the combination of these two in congruent motion, they are so alike one another that the
only difference is the direction the center takes as it shifts to find the middle. The case can also be made
that contrary motion for this exercise does not exist, as there is very little feeling of separation when the
two motions are moving “against” each other. It has more of the sweeping characteristics about it.

d. Descending Outward and Forward Dispersion. Is it merely a descending outward expansion in

the process of turning? Again, yes. This combination is exactly like the previous one save that the
motions are in the opposite direction and have dispersion as their characteristic trait. But the sweeping
feeling of “contrary” motion is still there as before.

e. Descending Outward and Forward Expansion or Ascending Outward and Forward Dispersion.
These combinations are based on number three and four above. In actuality, however, it is really the
exact same as number one (Descending Outward Dispersion and Ascending Outward Expansion) with
the one difference being the directional change of the center. So, as in the cases of number three and
four, it is really number one in the process of turning and the congruent or contrary motions are going to
have about them the same characteristics as number one.

STAGE FOUR: ADVANCED EXERCISES I - SIMPLE RIGHT HAND BEAT PATTERNS WITH LEFT
HAND INDEPENDENCE

The last step in the process of learning the basic fundamental motor skills that develop independence of arm and
hand motion is to start using simple beat patterns with the baton in one hand and the large motions from the
exercises in the other. It should be realized that all of the previous exercises are directly applicable to musical
phrasing. The gestures will correspond to the particular musical ideas expressed in a given piece. The key to
this application of the movement patterns is to insure that the phrasing gestures are given as much or more
importance than the time beating with the baton. This is very important for the conductor because it allows the
body to conduct the phrases as opposed to the rhythmic pulses.

The following exercises are to demonstrate how the previous sets of movement patterns are to be applied in
conducting. It is best to use the non-espressivo beat style (Rudolf, 1) so that one may focus most on the action
of the phrasing hand. Each exercise should be practiced at first as a phrasing drill for 12 or 16 beats long. For
the 2/4 and the 4/4 patterns, it is recommended that the exercise expands for eight beats and retracts for eight
beats. For the 3/4 patterns, it is recommended that the exercise expands for six beats and retracts for six. It is
absolutely imperative that the breathing concepts are still in use with these exercises. The breathing action of
 35

the conductor must conform to the action of the phrasing arm: if the arm is in expansion, then one is inhaling
along with it and exhaling on the retraction; if the arm is in dispersion, then one is exhaling with it and inhaling
on the retraction.

One may practice these exercises with different style considerations such as dynamics, tempo, and articulation.
One may also consider to which section of the orchestra the gestures are being given. Eventually, a person may
decide to use more complex beat patterns such as 5/4, 7/8 and more. Again, however, the point of the exercises
is to retain the simplicity of the original fundamental movement patterns. The goal is to become fluent in the
concepts with the understanding that one may apply them to a multitude of situations. It is not necessary to
practice all the permutations unless one really has the need to do so.

1. Linear Motions:
a. 2/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Horizontal expansion
ii. Diagonal expansion
iii. Vertical expansion
iv. Forward expansion

b. 3/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Horizontal expansion
ii. Diagonal expansion
iii. Vertical expansion
iv. Forward expansion

c. 4/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Horizontal expansion
ii. Diagonal expansion
iii. Vertical expansion
iv. Forward expansion

2. Circular Motions:
a. 2/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Ascending outward expansion

ii. Descending outward dispersion
iii. Flat inward expansion
iv. Flat outward expansion
v. Forward expansion or dispersion

b. 3/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Ascending outward expansion

ii. Descending outward dispersion
iii. Flat inward expansion
iv. Flat outward expansion
v. Forward expansion or dispersion
 36

c. 4/4 beat pattern in the right hand

i. Ascending outward expansion

ii. Descending outward dispersion
iii. Flat inward expansion
iv. Flat outward expansion
v. Forward expansion or dispersion

There is one more format with which a conducting student may practice these previous exercises. Indeed, this is
true for all of the motion exercises and patterns presented in this project. This is to approach the patterns in an
improvisatory manner, keeping the beat pattern with the baton in the right hand as steady as possible and
allowing the left hand, the phrasing hand, to flow freely with any of the motions previously shown in this
project.32 Let the motions move naturally from one to another, expanding and dispersing. The motions should
come unbidden, as if one was merely the conduit of the musical expression and not the determiner of the
musical expression.

At some point, the conducting student should try to picture in the mind’s eye and the mind’s ear an ensemble
before him. The inner visualization and auralization that the student maintains is very important. Each motion
should then have a set purpose that results in a specific response in the ensemble of the student’s mind. The
gestures should vary according to the current “responses” the ensemble makes. During this type of practice, the
conducting student must still remember to breath with the phrases in the appropriate manner, maintain the
correct posture, and to always let the gestures originate from center

32
This improvisatory free-flow is very similar to the idea of shadow boxing in martial arts. In shadow boxing,
one begins going through martial techniques in a relaxed manner, letting the flow of the motions dictate which
motion follows next. As a martial artist becomes better at the inner visualization process, he can begin to
imagine his worst opponent in the ring with him. This opponent is using all sorts of techniques of various
styles that the martial artist must counter. So in shadow boxing, it is the inner visualization and realization of
each technique application that is most important.
 Chapter V
CONCLUSION

Conducting and martial arts are movement disciplines just as much as the classic examples of dance and sport
athletics. Therefore, in order to be consistent with the principles of movement education, conducting and
martial arts should then have a progressive training or education process in which the student begins with
learning exercises that enhance the fundamental, gross motor skills. As he becomes more proficient in his
chosen discipline, he gradually learns exercises that refine the higher level, fine motor skills. While this is most
always true for students in martial arts, it is not always true for students in conducting.

It is rare to find a conducting teacher who understands the process of teaching movement skills and how it
relates to learning conducting technique. The fact is that a methodical process of movement education in
conducting has rarely been given much consideration by conducting texts. Thus, an investigation is required
into other alternative means that will supplement the movement education of a conducting student. This project
proposes a cross-disciplinary study using the martial arts as a foundation for creating a new methodology that
will facilitate the teaching of movement concepts.

The internal styles of Chinese martial arts (also known as the “soft styles”) provide a philosophical approach to
body movement and control that differ from most other movement disciplines. They espouse the inseparable
union of the breath and posture and seek to coordinate all physical movements with proper breathing techniques.
While the actual motions taught in these martial arts are not exactly the same as those used by the conducting
student, they do, however, provide a template for motions which the conducting student can then adapt to suit
his purposes. More important, the use of a cross-disciplinary study in both martial arts and conducting creates a
foundation of movement concepts that can be used in the application of conducting technique in virtually any
“real world” situation.

Though this project has only stressed the fundamental “talent exercises” created from using martial arts
movement concepts in conducting technique, there are additional steps in the process of refining the physical
and mental skills a conductor requires. These steps involve expanding the conductor’s vocabulary of body
movements so as to enable better communication with the orchestra. The conductor must also discern the
meaning (as applied to musical phrasing) of the gestures he may use in his conducting technique and understand
the nature of each motion: whether it is an artistic expression, a utilitarian motion or a combination of both.
Most of all, the conductor must understand that the conceptual basis of the movements never changes.

Thus, from the standpoint of this project, the real world application of artistic expression using the concepts of
bio-dynamics is the next step towards the refinement of skill in the study of body mechanics. These concepts
even apply to things such as the process of score study. The conductor must figure out how the pieces of
information from the score should manifest themselves in his conducting technique and then make some general
decisions regarding the nature of his actions. He must determine the carrier of the rhythm and the tempo,
determine the carrier of the primary melody and determine the carriers of any secondary ideas that are still
important enough for him to conduct.

In the art of cueing, the conductor must decide the nature of each physical action. He should examine the
differences between a utilitarian motion and an aesthetic gesture. Those motions should display proper
character and musicality. The conductor should realize and endeavor to remember that every motion should
have a purpose, and it is his duty to find the best motion for each musical idea. In page turning, the conductor
should consider making the page turn part of the flow, using motions like the figure “8.” He can even decide
whether the page turn can also convey the musical phrasing ideas of a piece, by using a smooth action or an
abrupt and abrasive action.

37
 38

Though the above list of ideas regarding the actual application of movement concepts in conducting is far from
complete, it does point the direction for further study. It gives cause for investigating the integration of body
mechanics and bio-dynamics in conducting education. Again, the goal is not so much as the acquisition of
specific techniques but the understanding of how to conceptually apply those techniques. Though specific
techniques are useful in learning the concepts and their application to situational problems, the conducting
student must have a strong foundation in fundamental movement concepts. These concepts are applicable to
basic motor skills as well as specialized motor skills and must be taught to the student from the outset of his
education.
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