Wow it has been a month since my last blog! I think I can be forgiven since I moved back to New Zealand in that time. Moving countries is exhausting especially twice in 6 months. I have much to catch up on with my blog but considering I am now unemployed and a kept woman (thanks Gala honey) I'm sure I will have plenty of time!
Below is a description of the second workshop held by Brooke Stamp on the 03/05/2012:
"Group Sense Circle"
The beginning of the session involved the entire group standing in a circle holding hands. Brooke insists our circle is symmetrical and informs us she is particular about circles (cute). Anyway as we are holding hands we are asked to focus on our breath. Brooke then brings our attention to various aspects of space:
- to those in the circle we can see in our peripheral and central vision.
- to the space beyond the circle.
- to space in the centre of the circle, we focus on a spot on the floor.
- keeping our gaze on the spot on the floor we bring our attention to the 'potential energy' outside circle and then inside the circle. In physics potential energy is the stored energy of position possessed by an object (see http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/energy/u5l1b.cfm).
- we bring our attention attention to our hand, the heat/energy created by holding hands with another.
- we focus on our inner body and the movements within our bodies: small muscular adjustments, digestion, breath and so on.
- we move our hands to the lower back of the person on either side of us and focus on the heat between our hands and the back.
- we bring our attention to the movements of the group as a whole: the adjustments, sways, twitches and so on.
For a more detailed description of the following three exercises please refer to my
previous post titled Stamp!
"Moving Blind with Observation"
This exercise is completed in the same way as the first workshop however this time the observer thinks of and remembers three words after observing the mover. We are asked not to put too much thought into the three words just what ever comes to mind. We don't discuss the three words with our partner but are asked to remember the words for later in the workshop.
"This is an Action"
We engage in 15minutes of individual action similar to the first workshop. We then develop upon the exercise with two more additions:
- The group splits in half, with half observing and the rest moving. Brooke asks us to start with an action and calls out 'change', 'change', 'change' to take us out of our immediate/habitual way of moving. After some time she calls out 'This is now your dance', we are asked to repeat the action, explore the action, do the opposite of the action. Then the group swaps roles.
- Again we start with an action and Brooke calls out 'change', 'change', 'change' and after some time 'this is now your dance'. Repeat, explore your action. STOP. Now do the memory of your dance. Then we swap roles. Brooke resists giving too much explanation for her instructions instead encourages us to individually interpret the instructions. My perspective on performing the memory of my dance is that of a ghost dance or the shadow, or an after thought...
"Directing"
This is where we bring back the three words from the Moving Blind with Observation exercise. The director calls out their three words for their group to respond to:
- The director begins by calling out the words in their chosen order. We swap until each person has been the director.
- The director then calls out their words in any order and can develop a pattern or a rhythm. Swap.
- We come together as a large group and label our words 1, 2, 3. With all groups performing in the same space the director from each group calls our their words in any order, developing a pattern/rhythm including stop. Swap. What I like about this part of the exercise is that the control the director had is taken away as their voices are drowned out by the other directors. Because all of the directors are calling out 1, 2, or 3 (which corresponded to the original words), the movers had to decide in the moment if they heard their director calling out or another director. Often the movers mistakenly react to directors from other groups, ignoring their own directors. The confusion and lack of control is a great consequence!
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