EPILOGUE - the backside of the moon

After the initial research phase and a performance of a “short piece” version for Tanz*werke 2021 Festival, we changed the name to something more poetic whilst sticking with the themes and ploughing deeper and wider.

Please see also the research blog “Terra incognita” which contains alot of work process used for the development of this physical dance performance.

First rehearsal days: 03 - 11. December

I begin with introducing the 5 eye practice to the dancers and using them to warm up in different ways. I vary the exercise each day a little and I also change the description of the ways of looking to give fresh perspectives.

• closed eyes

• infant eyes

• peripheral looking

• direct looking

• looking in-between

I am speaking all the time and providing inner dialogue for the dancers to follow. I lead them deeply into each way of looking whilst moving, staying in each one for quite some time before changing to the next. After a while I give more random instructions which demand quicker changes and refocusing whilst continuing moving. I ask the dancers questions as part of my dialogue for them to answer in their minds as they move, to keep them engaged in the research. For the last 5-7 Minutes I leave them completely alone to go in and out of any one of the five ways of looking they want to. This kind of warm up takes about 40 minutes and the dancers are intently warm, from floor to running and they are connected to each other and the space through the growing awareness of how they look and sense.

The hybrid set of ways of looking was developed more for warming up with a partner. We do this set on a second rehearsal day.

• closed eyes

• looking in detail over one’s own body

• looking in detail over one’s partners body

• looking at someone else across the space outside of one’s own duet

• looking a the space boundaries and its details

• “looking” beyond and outside of the space (imagining looking through the walls)

Whilst moving through this set you stay in contact and dance with a partner. The awarenesses for the partner changes depending on which way of looking you are using. The dancers were excited to talk about their experiences after this warm up.

Methods and Chraracter

• The dynamic of standing still (Tai Chi/ Kung Fu) has proved a useful tool in coaching a full body awareness in the performing dancer. Uniting down and up, left and right and most importantly the front and back. Bring the YES and the NO closer together in the intension of the mind-body connection. Applying this practice, the 360° awareness and the bodily sensations won to moving through space will be a fundamental tool.

• The 5-eye practice of closed eyes, child eyes, peripheral seeing, focused seeing and the “seeing the space in between” will be a basis for experimenting with awareness in space through changing the focus of our seeing. How does the way we look effect the dynamic of the movement and also how the audience perceive our use of space and the presence of our bodies in space? Which, ways of looking take the focus more into the back space and make this space more visible and tangible (perceptible) for the audience.

• The practice of movements that awake adrenalin, fear and caution to be overcome like falling backwards or running fast backwards, off-balance manoeuvers, requiring moving into the back space without the feeling of being absolutely secure. Breaking habits and any “playing safe” way of moving. The goal will be to be moving into the unknown with courage and skill and therefore making the backspace approachable for the observer.

• Differentiating and combining the communication between the dancer and their own backspace, between the dancers and each other’s backspace and finally the communication with the audience through revealing their backspace individually and collectively.

• Keeping in mind that we don’t go backwards into the back space to delete or undo but to create and increase awareness for this space, enlarge its role in our 360° presence.

The character of the project is a contemporary dance piece and firstly follows a movement research phase initiated by the choreographer and carried out by the dancers in the presence of the choreographer. Choosing material will be mainly a group process with final decisions from the choreographer. Within the whole, solo, duet and group material will be developed and set. The use of space, awareness of the space and the focus in the space will be played with to take the audience on an unusual backwards journey. The choice of material and technical work of the dancers should produce a rhythm with a rollercoaster character, building up tensions and excitement interchanging with unexpected release. The ability of the dancer’s to work against the brains safety mechanisms and “normal” reactions to the unknown back space, cause anything from unease to astonishment in the observer.

28.10.20 - Motivation 

As a so-called professional dancer traditionally on a stage with a front and back, an audience and a backstage, I have become intrigued with my backspace. As a teacher of ballet, Contemporary dance and martial arts I have become fanatical about including throughout the exercising and movement research, thoughts and focus, increasing concentration to the backspace. The space behind our body as we are moving. How does our brain perceive the backspace, how can we cultivate a stronger perception of the back surface of our body and the energy and presence that is to be awakened? Three questions have arisen which provoke the search for methods to serve the choreographic endeavors, for this, (as yet imagined) highly eloquent movement spectacle. My motivation is to turn our frontal, screen staring, stressed forehead, scarcely 180° world around, for the duration of this performance. 

• What makes the difference to a performance when we cultivate a stronger awareness for the 180 degrees behind our frontal vision and rely on this field of energy behind us to become stronger in a sense of communicating our 360 degrees to the audience?

•  How far can we go, to strive to change the focus completely, of changing back and front around? Performing from the back side of our body as if it were the expressive front we usually rely on? Is it possible to be extremely expressive through the backspace? 

• What risks and fears arise in the process that can be used to generate exciting and surprising performativity? Moving backwards, falling or running backwards are all things that the human brain reacts to with caution, fear or even terror. At best with encouragement and openness at least some excitement and adrenalin.