Friday 25 November 2011

Flow and interruption 5: complexities

Developing upon the previous post/task, here the complexities become greater as the instructions are linked to random external sources (sounds, light changes etc).

Requiring multiple levels of attention - internal and external, aural and visual, the task is to maintain the sense of flow, the internal connectedness to image, whilst being open to layered external sources surrounding you and, here being purposefully brought into the improvisation.

Video: two version of the the improvisation are here linked together, in which both the dancer and camera respond to the complex layers of 'instruction'.


Flow and interruption 4: internal image and external triggers

Working with a partner/witness the purpose of this task is to develop and maintain an internal image whilst paying attention to multiple layers of information and responding to 'instructions' that are intended to expand the improvisation and the territory of movements emerging.

Both the partners give and respond to the agreed 'instructions', here they are:
enlarge
minimize
stay with that
shift

Video: Two versions of the improvisation are edited together, cross fading between moments. Here the cameras position, depth of field and relationship to the dancer are also altered in relation to the same instructions.

Friday 11 November 2011

Flow and interruption 3: external triggers

External Triggers (vocal):

Working with a witness/partner.

As you dance you respond to external instructions to....
         Change, 
         Pause,
         Elaborate....


Pay attention to the nature of your 'responses' and vary them, play with the different possibilities.

As a development you might give instructions to your partner at the same time such that an exchange as a form of duet evolves.

Video: Lightly edited, camera on dolly.
In this version I also trigger alterations in the camera operation/framing via the instruction to 'change'.


External triggers (sounds):

Developing the use of simple instructions to trigger a response
... to a change, pause or elaborate...
map these instructions to external and random sounds.


In the video below for example the triggers are mapped as follows:
Change to passing Cars
Pause to external Voices
Elaborate to corridor and door sounds

These random 'interruptions' become part of your dance,
listen for them, whilst staying within your practice...  
note the way your awareness needs to be in several places.
Note the way the sounds layer over each other, generating complexities....

How do you elaborate a pause?
How do you response to two triggers that come at once?

Video: lightly edited, camera on a dolly.
Here the camera work is also triggered to 'change' through external sounds (in this case passing cars).

Monday 7 November 2011

Flow and interruption 2: one long phrase

A short dance that consists of one long phrase

As you start to dance pay attention to the way each movement, idea, happening gives rise to the next. Note this in yourself (and perhaps through writing on the page). 

Take pleasure, without wallowing, in this transitional mode of operating.

Start to reduce the gaps in-between, such that the body is in constant 'flow' - movement without pauses, highlights, hesitations, glitch's.  
Perhaps, as Rainer would have said, we could work towards an improvisation that is a short dance that consists of one long phrase.
This phrase might be said to have flow.... 
What is the nature of this flow?

Photographs: 'Pleasure and flow in one long phrase'




Flow and interruption 1: internal flow

Finding Flow 
Find a warm comfortable place to lay quietly.

In this space spend time just being with there, being in the moment, such that you allow yourself to come to rest. 
This may take time. That is ok. Note the time is takes to be present in this moment (rather than rushing ahead with your time, thoughts, actions...)


Note the sounds, textures, movement, temperature in and around you.

Are these part of the flow of being in this moment, or perhaps you find them interruptions... (interruptions to what you might ask yourself?).

Allow the sounds, textures, movements etc to drifting in and out of your awareness, such that you remain open to them (you needn't pretend these 'interruptions' aren't happening, but don't fix upon them,....) they are all part of the flow of this time.   



How does this reconfigure notions of flow and interruption, what would a flow of interruptions be like? How might flow itself be an interruption?