Formative movement assessment.

ASSESSMENT DAY!!

Today we had our formative movement assessment. When I arrived at the performance space I felt nervous but ready for what was to come as we have been practicing for the assessment for a while. The assessment involved a number a group sections of improvisation and a section of partner work. The partner work has been particularly challenge for me and my partner as she suffers from weak ankles meaning that in any of the lifts performed I would have to be the one lifting. This being said I am not keen on being lifted anyway so it worked out well. This is something that I hope will change over the period of the module as my confidence and knowledge of lifting techniques develops.
My partner and I have been meeting over the weeks to practice the sort section of choreographed movement given to us by our teacher Liz and then add on our own choreography. I have always enjoyed choreographing dance routines and I was able to use this to aid the creation of our movement piece. We chose movements that we fluid so that we could move smoothly from one to one. This improved each time we practiced the piece and by the end of rehearsals I thought we had moved on significantly.
The assessment began with a warmup that we had learnt and experience within the sessions and involved the exploration of a number of the fundamentals described in Peggy Hackneys book Making Connections. We had to take ourselves through this warmup correctly in order to prepare for the rest of the assessment. The warmup begins with us being laid on the floor, noticing our breath and transporting it around our bodies. It then went on to a series of movements involving head-tail connectivity. We experimenting with the use of our heads to turn our bodies allowing the tail to follow and visa versa. We also explored a range of core-distal movements through tumbles and contractions. Throughout the warmup each fundamental was explored through a range of movement types. By the end of the warmup we should being aiming to be stood up. The warmup was accompanied by a piece music we were familiar with and I found I got used to the length of the piece. As the warmup finished I found myself energised and ready for the rest of the assessment.   

One of the other sections involved us being in groups of four or five and being situated in the four corners of the room. One group performed at a time and they were given a piece of music to improvise alongside. The other groups watched and gained inspiration and enjoyment from their performance. It was important that within these sections we built an appropriate relationship with the other performers and the space itself, using walls and the floor for example, to create interesting shapes and movements. Despite having practiced this in lessons the section was entirely improvised meaning we had to draw on what had worked in our past experiences, to ensure the improvisation was the best it could be. This meant thinking back to the discussions we had had after rehearsals to remember what had been considered strong and what had been considered weak. I enjoyed this section as it allowed you to work with your classmates but also have moments of self exploration, in which the use of the space and levels were important.  
The final sections involved groups of three entering the circle and performing a silent improvisation in the space for a minute and then a improvisation that involved the whole group entering the circle when they pleased, alongside several pieces of music. Within the sections in groups of three it was important that you really worked within the fellow performers in the space and didn't allow yourself to become distracted in your own movement. This is something I often do and I have really tried to work on improving through rehearsals. The improvisation should include movements between the partners that compliment one another or even contrast for example. The use of levels and changed in pace is also appropriate and helps to generate material that innovative, interesting and meaningful.
I really enjoyed that final sections with the whole class improvisation, in particular because of the incorporation of music. I find that when music is involved you can really listen to the different rhythms and sounds within it and use it to inspire and influence your movements and style within a performance. I often find myself building up a story within my mind and picturing where my 'character' is and how they feeling. However as I have said before such group sections aim to generate a sense of ensemble within performance, something that I believe my group are capable of doing. I think that even after only this short time we have bonded well as a group and this has shown through group performance. I look forward to seeing what we can produce at the end of the year in the final assessment.
Overall I found the assessment an enjoyable experience, that differs from performances in the other modules where you have to perform learnt lines from a script.... Movement allows you express yourself in a different way and even if you have moments when you are unsure you can harness that insecurity to create a moment of stillness and silence for example which is often just as powerful as constant movement. I used to dance a lot when I was a bit younger and this performance reminded me of the real buzz I get my I'm dancing/moving. I can put my all into it in a way that different from spoken performance and use the nerves to energise my body and express myself through movement.

Image- http://www.brookfieldparkcpschool.co.uk/userimages/Assessment%20Header.jpg

Assessment practice- group section to music.

BUILDING COURAGE WITHIN GROUP PERFORMANCE

Today we have been practicing the final section of the formative assessment. This section involves the class being sat in a circle. The music will then begin and we can enter and exit the circle as we please. We must use the music to inspire our movements, particularly in relation to pace. I enjoy listening to the music closely to find little moments of change and emphasis in order to discover innovative ways of moving within the space, that don't involve conforming to one rhythm. This is also important in relation to my other classmates as I am able to use this to create relationships with them within the space, through the use of a contrasting movement style for example. By doing so it ensures that our performance is constantly engaging and interesting with new dynamics developing often. If I find myself becoming repetitive within my movements I either take a moment to step out of the circle and let others perform until I have discover a way in which I can bring something new to the performance, or stand and create a moment of stillness. The incorporation of moments of complete stillness works to add another change of dynamic within the piece.
I enjoy group work as you are able to explore pair work or small group work within the entire group performance. I believe that my group has a good bond when they are working within the space and can connect to create beautiful moments. For example when rehearsing this section, I noticed my classmate Olivia knelt down doing a sweeping movement above her head with her arm. I decided to go and stand behind her, mirroring this arm movement, in order to create levels within the piece. She noticed that I was doing this and we were able to connect within that moment and move in unison. This is why I like improvisation so much as the performance is different every time and there is always new moments that arise that can inspire you and influence you.
I think that this is my favourite part of the assessment as we are working as one in the space and for me this seems to be where everybody emits the most energy and determination within performance. When we had finished we gained feedback from Liz on what she liked and she gave us ideas that we could try when performing it next time. One thing in particular that we need to work on is when one or two people are left in the space. When this happened the person became noticeably worried and often ran off to the edge of the circle, leaving no one in the space. We need to build the confidence to push through these moments, even if you are left alone in space, as it creates a beautiful dynamic within the piece, but at the same time if we see our classmate in that position we need to help them and not leave them alone for long.
I often find myself sat at the edge of the circle thinking just go in there Krystina and I aim to just go for it next time as it is often the case that once another person enters it gives someone else the courage to do so also. It is important that if we do have a moment of nervousness that we do not show it and maybe just take a moment of stillness to compose ourselves.
     I look forward to rehearsing this section further and learning to take risks even if you are alone in it. Furthermore I hope that by the time we perform we will have become more confident as a group to try things that are more imaginative and out of our comfort zone. I believe that we have the ability to accomplish a successful group performance if when try our best and concentrate.

Core-distal connectivity.

CORE- DISTAL CONNECTIVITY

'Before I can confidently move on my own world, I need to have a sense of my own center.'

                                                   (2002, p. 67.)

 I decided to read the chapter on core-distal connectivity from Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections to develop the knowledge I have gained from the movement sessions further. She talks about how we must discover our core and know that our whole body is connected through this. We must develop a relationship between each body part and our core, in order to acknowledge and 'claim our own movement sphere'. People often try to move their body parts in a disjointed and unorganised way, forgetting that all of their limbs are joined. We need to reach this point of connectedness within our own bodies in order to move as one through life and within performance. She states that if this is lost that we must return to simple movements to rediscover this connectivity, going on to say that 'the whole body can be organized by a pattern of connectivity that begins in the center'. The core-distal connectivity relates to us expanding and contracting our bodies, stretching out to what is around us. After reading this chapter, when I experiment with such movements, I feel as though I can really feel this connection. It is something that we often don't notice and there are targeted exercises to strengthen the core alone. However some people do not realise that through other exercise, such as running and dance for example, the core is in action, supporting the rest of the body.

This is a picture from this chapter that I particularly like as it outlines the connection from each body part to the core.
 After reading the chapter Core-Distal connectivity from Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections I decided to do further research around this fundamental and came across this YouTube video:- 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDyvO70mlw8
Despite being rather short I found that this video broke down this fundamental in a way that was clear and simple, highlighting the key elements.  The woman involved also gives visual representation of core-distal connectivity, something that is good for me when learning due to being a visual learner. I was able to use her examples to outline the connections on my own body. 
Reading this chapter has inspired me to work on improving my core strength in order to improve my movement abilities as a whole, as I now know how important the connection between the core and my limbs is. 

Group Assesment work.

PRACTICING GROUP WORK FOR THE ASSESSMENT

After our warmup today we began working on our group sections for the formative assessment. The first section will involve us being in groups of four or five in the four corners of the space. We were various of pieces of music that will be played alongside our improvised movement. The basic guidelines we have is that we can stand up, sit down, lie down, walk or run. The movement will involve using objects such as the walls, chairs and floor to create dynamic shapes and angles with our bodies and inspire movements. It will also be important that we establish a sense of ensemble within the performance by using different levels and eye contact for example to generate atmosphere and meaning within our relationships in performance. We also had to incorporate changes in pace and direction to change the dynamic of the piece. I enjoyed using the space to create unusual angles with my body, in particular if they were appropriate in relation to the music. The music can be used as inspiration for movement styles and speed. I enjoy group sections as it allows you to experiment with movements not possible within an individual piece, such as mirroring or improvised unison movement. I found that in order to generate interesting material within this section you need to feed off the energy of your ensemble and work alongside each other to create movements that are innovative and imaginative.
The other section that we practiced involved the group sitting in a circle and one by one groups of three entering the circle and performing a one minute improvised piece. We will perform with whoever we are sat by so that each time we practice and then perform we are exploring new relationships through the movement. Similarly to the other group sections the aim of the piece is to explore the relationships in the ensemble within the space. For example this may involve performing movements that compliment or contrast one another. It is important that you remember that this is a group section and don't get carried away in your own movements/dance. This is something that I need to be careful of within my performance as I often drift off into my own world when giving the movements my all. Both sections could also incorporate moments off complete stillness stood up or sat down or moving through the space. 
I think that our group works well together within sections such as this and are able to feed off one another. We perform the best when everyone is fully concentrated and giving their all, something which I hope we can achieve within the formative assessment. I enjoy partaking and watching the group sections as you are able to work together to create interesting material and gain inspiration from watching others perform. This sessions has left me excited for what we can achieve in the assessment. 

Fundamentals.

I have been reading chapters from Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections and throughout my blog I will document what I have learnt from such reading. Today I am going to talk about the chapter entitled What Is Fundamentals?.

WHAT IS FUNDAMENTALS?

          'In the miracle of new life we recognize what is truly fundamental in movement.'

                                                     -Peggy Hackney (2002. p. 11.)

This chapter begins by outlining the fundamentals of movement by looking at the development of a new born child. When the child is in its mothers womb its breathing and movement is a one with its mothers, establishing an immediate connection between mother and child. However when the child is born the connection remains yet the baby must breathe by itself and starts to discover their ability to move. As they breathe they 'are filling and emptying its tiny rounded body', bringing life to themselves and beginning to become their own, establishing an 'undifferentiated unity'. This is the fundamental of Breath a pattern that is developed as soon as life begins and happens instinctively throughout life.
The second fundamental is Core-distal connectivity and Hackneys states that 'The baby manifests itself by moving, always moving.' As they stretch and move they are using their core to contract and expand, learning to control their bodies and develop a sense of centre. Relationships are being set up with the outside world and within itself as it becomes more experimental with expansion and body shapes: 'Primary Spinal Reflexes are at work'. This pattern will continue to develop and lead to the exploration of other fundamentals.
The third fundamental is  Head-Tail connectivity and this involves the baby beginning to experiment with movement such as rolling. As it begins to pick its head up, looking around and supporting its own head, another pattern is developing. They begin to experiment with using their head-tail connection to role over, leading with both their head and tail, before sitting becomes possible.
They then go on to discover the body-half connectivity, using this when attempting to reach out for objects and push to reach their goal. This leads the baby to develop to the crawling stage and establish coordination between both body halves. They are now on their way 'to achieving wondrous and fun goals, such as ''researching'' sister's dolls'. This new pattern allows them to achieve upright positions and explore the space around them. By doing so they begin further self exploration. The fundamental Upper-Lower is linked with Body-half and both help with the infants development of movement. Upper-lower allows the baby to position itself securely and develop a connection between the upper and lower body. Furthermore this section of development also links to the fundamental Cross-lateral connectivity as this must be in place in order for the infant to move appropriately. For example when crawling they discover the most efficient and natural way to move is with opposite arms and legs, using the other fundamentals to stabilise this.
These six fundamentals are explored and established in the first nine months after a person is born and are kept in place throughout the rest of their life. As we become older these fundamentals happen automatically and lead to us being able to express ourselves in other ways, even within simple hand gestures. We do not think about them in everyday life but they remind us of 'what is fundamental in movement.' 

6 fundamentals-

1- BREATH                   3- HEAD-TAIL CONNECTIVITY          5- BODY-HALF CONNECTIVITY
2- CORE-DISTAL CONNECTIVITY   4- UPPER LOWER CONNECTIVITY  6-CROSS
                                                                                                                  LATERAL CONNECTIVITY

This works as the foundation for the fundamentals in movement. This is what Peggy Hackney says they are-
'1- Change is fundamental- The essence of movement is change. As we move, we are constantly changing.
2-  Relationship/Connection is fundamental- It is in our process of moving/changing that we create our embodied existence. But this change is not random. In the process of development, change is relational. As we move, we are always making connections, creating relationships, both within ourselves and between ourselves and the world.
3- Patterning body connections is fundamental.  (which I applied to the description of the infants development above.) Relationships which are created within our body become patterned as we grow.'

Reference-
Hackney, P. (2002) Making Connections- Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals. Routledge: New York.

This chapter opened my eyes to the fundamentals involved in the development of our movement and our identity within the world. We use the basic patterns established through everyday life to realise who we are and our capabilities as we grow. We have been exploring these fundamentals within lesson and by doing this reading I have been able to gather greater knowledge of each individually and apply them myself to the exercises we have been doing in class. I find now that when partaking in each exercise I am able to take time within myself to consider what fundamentals are particularly important in relation to the movement I am performing.

Research on Tai Chi

I contacted my auntie who is a Tai Chi instructor to gain more insight into the aims and methods of the art of Tai Chi.

Image from:- http://chionline.com/

This is what she said:
 Tai Chi including the importance of breathing in our style

Hilary Moss 3^rd level Instructor with Lee Family Arts

Tai Chi originated in China and our style, the Lee Family Style, reputedly was started by Ho-Hsieh Lee in 1000 BC. This style stresses the benefits of Tai Chi in improving good health and general wellbeing.

It is a Yin and Yang style and everything within it is in complete balance and harmony. We study Tai Chi Chuan (a short form of 50 moves or a long form of 104 moves); dance, sword, fan, stick and silk sets. Trying to remember all these form sets certainly helps keep your mind active! We also have our own Yoga exercises and specialised breathing exercises.

Gentle exercise helps the joints keep mobile so is particularly beneficial to those suffering from arthritis who may be unable to take part in more vigorous exercise. In fact, Tai Chi can be practised by everyone including those that are in a wheelchair.

In Tai Chi, we believe that correct breathing will energise the body’s natural energy, (or Chi). It will boost the immune system, help build up resistance to infection and thereby promote good health. Asthmatics and those suffering with COPD find that improving their lung capacity is really beneficial to their health.

In classes we learn to breathe in through the nose and out of the mouth. As we breathe in through the nose, we let the breath sink as low as possible and we try to fill up, expand, the lower abdomen. Conversely, as we breathe out, the lower abdomen empties or contracts pushing toxins, along with the stale air, out through the mouth.

This pattern of breathing is used in all our forms and in our specialised breathing exercises. All our hand and feet movements are also harmonised with the breathing.

Ultimately, Tai Chi, with the correct breathing aims to improve not only our physical health but also helps to develop our minds and spiritual understanding.

My views:-

I found this information very interesting and it has made me aware of the ways in which breath is used within this practice. Tai Chi aims to energise both the body and the mind, harnessing the body's natural energy and ensuring that everyone can gain an individual and satisfying experience from the sessions. This is something that I would like to experience and that I believe could benefit my work within the movement classes.  This research has furthered my knowledge of breath within movement and links back to the reading I did from Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections.

Peggy Hackney- Making connections- Chapter six- Breath

'A great whoosh connects what is outside, air of the world, with the inside of me...connects the inside of me with myself.'

After reading Chapter 6 BREATH from Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections I found myself educated further on the importance of breath through everyday life, for example within relationships, and performance. She advises us to ask ourselves the question ''How can I be in this wondrous place of perfect unity?'' before answering with 'Simply by participating in the primal pattern of BREATH.' Breath is a natural thing that we all do from birth, not something that is learnt: 'It happens automatically' (2002. p. 51.). However by reading this chapter it enables you to see the true power of breath in relation to feeling whole and experiencing an entire bodily connection.

 

Image from:- http://thehealthylivinglounge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/breathe.jpg

 

This chapter has also taught me how breath can used as a calming mechanism. After experimenting with the various exercises Peggy describes I was able to harness the power of such techniques within my own performance. For example one exercise that I enjoyed was entitled 'When you breathe are you aware of any areas in your body moving subtly?'. When doing this exercise I laid on the floor in my room and tried putting my hand on areas of my body that I could feel moving when I breathe, as instructed, in order to feel the nature of the movement and the quality of the breath. I found this to be a very serene and calming experience and it allowed me to discover things I hadn't noticed before in relation to my breath and movement.
I have found since coming to university the level of anxiety I feel before a performance has increased and by using breath techniques it allows me to calm myself and regain my self confidence before partaking in a performance. This is something that is vital for me as I cannot perform to my best ability if I do not hold confidence in myself and what I am about to do. When rehearsing for other modules such as Approaches to performance I was able to apply the breathing techniques I had read within this chapter. As Peggy says such exercises ensure that 'I feel more sense of presence and ease'. (202. p.52.) 
Furthermore I have discovered that breath is the foundation for 'patterns' that follow and 'Wherever the breathing is blocked in the body, future patterns will be blocked; wherever the breathing is free, the future patterns will develop efficiently.' This is something that I must remember when preparing for future performances, to ensure that my breath is free and functioning in a way that benefits my overall performance.
I have found that I can often get stressed easily and have been inspired by this book to get involved in classes such as Tai Chi or Yoga. My Aunty actually teaches Tai Chi and I intend to gain advice and information from her on this subject.
I enjoyed finding out about the different ways peoples breath can be affected through life, as the majority of my family have asthma apart from me. My sister in particular is someone who has struggled with anxiety and asthma so it gave me insight into how the two may be connected. Breath can be used a calming mechanism but also could bring anxiety to a person if they were to sense something is wrong in relation to their breathing pattern and Peggy Hackney highlights the fact that 'probably most people are enjoying less than their complete breath support.' Therefore by reading this chapter and partaking in various exercises that she describes I have been able to gain more control over my breath, and consequently my entire body, within performance. It has taught me that even when I am feeling 'exhausted ''dead''' that I can use breath to energise my body and mind within performance. I hope to apply such methods in the future to improve my overall performance.