Chapter 4 -- Experiencing the balancing body
Jerald Schweibert states, "For every breath you take and every move you make, your body is shifting and balancing."
This statement is particularly true in the context of dance, and especially in conducting. This chapter seeks to exercise the parts of your pelvis in a articulate and specific manner. As usual, the goal is to release all possible tension from the body. Through the exercises that Haithcock presents, the reader and later mover should have more awareness and flexibility in their spine and pelvis, the essential fundamental moving blocks that stems all movement in the body.
11. Do the Twist is literally a twist that one does to observe the motions between the pelvis and the spine. In engaging this exercise one may observe how much of their torso and back is involved.
11. Pendulum is an exercise that allows you to move your hips isometrically up and down that allows the observer to release tension in their hips and be balanced.
--This brings about a particularly important part of the chapter, which is that one should be balanced in their body in order to maintain fluidity in their movement.
12. Rocka-Rocka is an exercise that is similar to jutting your pelvis forward and backward, that allows one to be aware of the tension in their lower back and abdominal region.
Chapter 5 -- Defining the Kinesphere and Conducting Stance
"The Kinesphere should be a product of the entire balancing body's availability and capacity to express intention through a specified quality of motion". Weight transfer and balance are continually important as Haitcock introduces the next fundamental exercises to the reader
13. The feet as tripods -- Contrary to most dance theory and most yoga, which generally cites the 4 corners of your feet, Exercise 13 says that there are three points. Logically it would follow because the triangle is the strongest shape. Again, this exercise explores balance by shifting weight through the balls of the feet and little toe to the back of the heel.
14. Using the previous exercises "The knees as transformers" explores locking and unlocking knees to illustrate the varying levels of tension in this action.
15. Pelvis as a mix-master -- here the previous exercises are incorporated and mixed in with other mixing motions to be aware of tension in the abdomen and control of the pelvic shift motion.
--Following these exercises Haithcock introduces "The Conducting Stance" paragraph to talk about vein in tension versus allowing all parts of the upper body to be released and not limiting motion.
16. Finding the conducting stance -- there the balancing stance and awareness of the arms and body is introduced as it relates to the conducting stance.
--Then Haithcock introduces Vertical, Horizontal, and Sagittal motion (moving forward and backwards) in order to show different shape qualities.
Delivery system is the way in which the conductor expresses themselves in their fingers and movement through the planes previously mentioned.
17. Paint the Wall -- here one moves their fingers up and down as if painting a wall with different tempos.
--Refining the Delivery system -- Haithcock introduces "Even flow of time" (EFT) to move through the kinesphere allowing maximum "expressive capability" allowing for greater fluidity.
18. Refining the use of delivery system -- shows the fingertips as hinges and moves them along with the wrist and exploring tempos to employ the beating motions.
19. Exploring the vertical plane -- now the palms face down and the movements go up and down sinking and rising in the planes with different tempos, and leading with the fingers.
20. Exploring the horizontal plane -- uses the imagery of a beach ball and moves the hands up and down horizontallyy along the plane with different tempos and motions.
Saggital plane is the most elusive of the three introduced but equally important to note are the way in which the body compensates with relationship to the other movements.
21. Exploring sagittal compensation -- here the reader is aware of the way in which the saggital plane moves in relationship to the other parts beginning with the fingertips.
John,
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you likened the freedom of movements in these exercises to dance. I've never thought of it that way and it's such a great point! Just as it's important to stay fluid and connected in dance, you have to leave the tension at the door in conducting as well. It's nice to get another person's perspective on how to do the exercises and what they mean to you. Thanks for helping me take another look at how I interpret these exercises!
Hi John!
ReplyDeleteAs Lauren stated above I also took interest in your quote and how it connects to dance and conducting. Though I am no dancer, i do feel the important of being able to freely move yourself with the shift and balance of your body. And if tension comes into the scene, it can also create subtle stops which can lead to misunderstandings as we conduct in front of an audience. Thanks for the interesting connection!
Grace