For our second Movement Lab of the semester we started with leaning and resting exercises. With our backs against a partner we leaned/rested against each other until one decided to lie down allowing the other person to gently lie down across the person who faced the floor. The next exercise was similar but this time the partner was in table position allowing the other person to stretch from a different angle. As we gathered to discuss, the concept of trust quickly came up.
“you can trust me,” one of the participants had said to their partner which made their partner feel more relax and be able to give more weight.
Trust and giving weight continue to be themes that come up throughout the semester. Why is it easier to give support than it is to completely rest upon another. How can we allow ourselves to both be receivers of weight and be those of weight and burden?
We also explored moving over and on to the person by for example rolling. One of the participants said how much more aware of their inner body they became through this exercise. By feeling the pressure of the other person, following their breath and tense muscles they could sense theirs more too.
The main element of the lab though was to move through the space without sights. This was an exercise that most of us had done before but the outcomes are still wonderful and intriguing. From not seeing anything opens up spaces for new senses. Some of us preferred to take it slow and use the darkness to guide themselves within their body as if removed from space. Whilst others were curious to explore what it means to navigate without sight. What does it mean to feel the space? Before opening our eyes we asked each person to draw their own map of where they thought they were and how they travelled. This was a form of cognitive mapping and became valuable in showing the differences in what people noticed and took from the same space that we all occupied. After the exercise we ended up discussing and live blogging, “logging” as we listened to each other. We discussed that logging – so writing down key words that we draw from each other’s narratives whilst they speak – could be a way for us to document our experiences and practices.
P.S The post was written weeks later after the movement lab since we had debates within the group of what it means to document somatic practices and wether or not we should attempt to do so. Whilst numerous have mentioned the power of ephemerality which historically has rendered dance and movement practices as less valuable forms of art we also find that the poetics of the art practice lies in precisely in its undefinability. These are debates that we will continue to address through out the semester although we recognise the power of being able to share our thoughts with friends, interested, and colleagues.
CO-LAB: URBAN TACTICS & PERFORMANCE 