Contact improvisation. moving – dancing – interaction (thomas kaltenbrunner)

Thomas Kaltenbrunner
CONTACT IMPROVISATION. Moving – Dancing – Interaction
CONTENTS
I THEORY

A WHAT IS CONTACT IMPROVISATION? 9
1 Historical Background 13
1.1 “Ausdruckstanz” and Modern Dance 13
1.2 Post-modern Dance 14
1.2.1 Merce Cunningham: the Body as Physical Reality 14
1.2.2 Anna Halprin: Improvisation and Physical Theatre 15
1.2.3 Experimental Dance-Theatre: Judson Church 18
1.3 New Dance 18
2 The Development of Contact Improvisation 21
2.1 Steve Paxton 21
2.2 The Expansion of the “Contact Community” 25
2.3 Development, Trends, Open Questions 26
2.4 Influences 28
2.4.1 Aikido and Zen-Buddhism 28
2.4.2 Acrobatics ana Dance as Art-Sport 29
2.4.3 Relaxed Tension through Release 30
2.4.4 Body-Mind-Centering (BMC) 31
2.5 Contact Improvisation: Embodiment of Cultural Values 33
B CONTACT IMPROVISATION STRUCTURES 39
1 Improvisation – The Dynamic of the Provisional 39
1.1 Dancing Duets 42
1.2 Contact and Contact Points 43
1.3 Giving and Taking of Weight 44
1.4 Movement Flow 45
C THE BASICS OF MOVEMENT 46
1 The Physical Body in Space and Time: Weight, Gravity and Momentum 46
1.1 Bio-mechanical Fundamental 46
1.1.1 What is Weight? 46
1.1.2 Centre of Gravity 47
1.2 Using Gravity to Move 49
1.3 Bio-mechanics of Lifting, Jumping and Spiralling 50
2 The Biological Body. Flexible, Lively and Intelligent 55
2.1 The Intelligent Body 55
2.2 Movement Possibilities in Space and lime 56
3 The Mindful Body: Self-awareness, Touch and Communication 58
3.1 Seif awareness Is Body-awareness 58
3.2 Touch 59
3.3 Trust 59
3.4 Sensual ty and Sexuality 61
3.5 Communication.. 62

II PRACTICE

A LEARNING CONTACT IMPROVISATION: INQUISITIVENESS AND SELF-DISCOVERY 65
1 Contact and

Improvisation: Sensitivity and Awareness Skills, Perceptual States and Physical Skills: 65
1.1 Sensitivity & Awareness Skills 65
1.1.1 Body Surfaces and Sensitising the Skin 66
1.1.2 Mental and Physical Relaxation 66
1.2 Perceptual States 67
1.2.1 Mindfulness and Peripheral Awareness 68
1.3 Physical Skills 71
2 Warming up 72
2.1 Warming up Ideas 72
2.1.1 General Warming up 72
2.1.2 Specific Warming up 80
3 Physical and Emotional Safety 86
4 Guidelines – How Can I enjoy Contact Improvisation? Exercises and Methods 87
B EXERCISES AND METHODS 89
1 Contact 89
1.1 Contact: Mental Awareness States for Solo Dance 89
1.1.1 Relaxing 89
1.1.2 Awareness of Surfaces of the Body 90
1.1.3 Strengthening the Emotional Sense 91
1.1.4 To Be both Active and Passive 93
1.1.5 Risk Taking 94
1.2 Contact: Awareness States in Duets 95
1.2.1 Allowing Encounters 95
1.2.2 Having Goals and Letting them Go 97
1.2.3 Leading and Following 98
1.2.4 The Value of Disorientation 99
1.3 Physical Skills for Solo Dance 100
1.3.1 Sensing your own Mass 100
1.3.2 Moving your Mass 103
1.3.3 Rolling 105
1.3.4 Spiralling 110
1.3.5 Falling and Moving off-centre 111
1.3.6 Jumping 113
2 Contact: Duet Skills 116
2.1 Maintaining a Point of Contact with a Partner 116
2.2 Giving of Weight 118
2.2.1 Touch Means: Give a little Weight 119
2.2.2 Finding your Physical Limits 120
2.2.3 Giving your whole Weight 121
2.2.4 “Clamping” and Carrying 122
2.2.5 Climbing 123
2.3 Support. Taking Weight 124
2.3.1 Posting 125
2.3.2 Sloughing 131
2.3.3 Body-Surfing 132
2.4 Balance and Counterbalance 134
2.4.1 Balance 135
2.4.2 Counterbalance: Weight Falls in or out 135
2.5 Upside down: where Is up? 136
2.6 Leaping and Catching 141
2.6.1 Leaps onto the Back 142
2.6.2 Forward Leaps 143
2.6.3 Shoulder Leaps 146
2.7 Lift 147
2.