Dance imagery for technique and perfomance (erik franklin)

Dance Imagery for Technique and Perfomance

Erik Franklin

To my wife, Gabriela, and our children, Savita and Roshan, with great appreciation for all their support and patience.

Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART I: IMAGERY IN IMPROVISATION EXERCISES
Chapter 1: Basic Movement Images and Exercises
Intention 4
Whole-Body Sensation 4
Space 6
Weight 10
Music and Rhythm 13
Connections Through the Body/Energy 15
Breath and Flow 18
Chapter 2: Imagery and Dance Improvisation
Butoh 20
Improvisation and Dance Technique 21 Improvisation With Children 22 Imagery Improvisation Exercises 22 Contact Improvisation 57
PART II: IMAGERY IN DANCE TECHNIQUE CLASSES
Chapter 3: Discovering Imagery
Nature Imagery 63 Movies 64 Literary Arts 64 Music 66

Visual Art 66
Are There Natural Imagers? 68
Chapter 4: Guidelines for Applying Imagery in a Class Setting
Guidelines for Teachers 70 Guidelines for Students 73
Chapter 5: Flooxwork
Pelvis as a Strong Sitting Base 77 Upper-Body Motion While Sitting 79 Falls to the Floor 80 Rolls on the Ground 83
.Chapter 6: Standing, Walking, Running
Standing Motionless/Very Slow Movement 85 Walking and Running 86
Chapter 7: Basic Exercises of the Ballet Barre Plie 92
Battement Tendu, Battement Jete/Degage, Brushes 98 Rond de Jambe par Terre 103 Battement Fondus, Plie on One Leg 104 Battement Frappes 106 Battement Developpe/Extensions 107 Balance, Arabesque, Attitude 114 Grand Battement 119
Chapter 8: Swings, Arches, and Spirals
Swings and Arches 123 Spirals 128
Chapter 9: The Upper-Body Gesture: Port de Bras, Neck, and Face
Port de Bras, Arm and Hand Gestures 133 The Face 144 The Eyes 146 The Neck 146
Chapter 10: Turns and Pirouettes
From Crawl to Pirouettes, From Baby’s Roll to Spiral Turns 150
Natural Turners

152
What We Can Learn From a Spinning Top 154
Turning With the Whole Body 157
Phases of a Turn/Pirouette 159
Chapter 11: Jumping
Speed and Leverage 175
Traveling Leaps, Turning Leaps 180
Breathing Before Jumping 182
Elastic Leaps and Rhythmic Rebound 183
Arms and Leaping 185
Floors and Soft Landings 187
The Sky Is the Limit 188
Chapter 12: Partnering

PART III: IMAGERY IN CHOREOGRAPHY AND PERFORMANCE
Chapter 13: Psychology, Imagery, and Choreography
Active Imagination 197
Active Imagination in Choreography 198
Guided Affective Imagery 199
When Are Images Symbolic? 200 –
What Are Archetypal Images? 200
Chapter 14: Imagery and the Choreographic Process
Spontaneous Imagery 204
Vision for a Dance 205
Framing 207
Choreography as a Sequence of Images 207
Using Imagery to Tea’ch Choreography 208
Choreography That Conveys Imagery 210
Choreographic Mood 211
Image Journal 212
Chapter 15: Imagery and Performance Quality
Endowment 214
The Magical Outfit 217
The Performance Environment 219
With or Without the Audience 222
Your History 223
Stepping Onstage 224
PART IV: REST AND REGENERATION
Chapter 16: The Art of Touch and Rest Sessions
Using Your Hands 232 Releasing Touch 233 Constructive Rest 234 Guided Imagery 244
Epilogue
References
Index

Foreword
Martha Myers
I nterest in imaging – the notion that images in the mind can alter the physiology and neuromuscular behavior of the body – dates back at least to the nineteenth century.