The third week of Contact Improv session was one of the most interesting so far. Watching Steve Paxton’s performance Magnesium (Paxton, 1972) and comparing it with Blake Nellis Brando’s Earth dance (Nellis, B and Brando, 2010) gave me new thoughts about contact improvisation in general. I think it is important to be aware how things are developing and progressing all the time. Seeing how people improved their movement gave me a little bit more confidence that I can progress as well. Moreover, I have started to think that the contact improvisation is not only the practice of bodily movement. Firs of all, I have noticed that Steve Paxton talks a lot about the society where people are suffering from limitations and hierarchy (Turner, 2010, 124-125). That leaded me to the question, how much the contact improvisation could be considered as a philosophy, or even movement therapy where not only dancers could ‘find a freer type of movement an contact (Turner, 2010, 125.). To be more specific, by saying contact, I would like to emphasizes humans’ emotional connection between each others. From my personal interpretation, I really think that Steve Paxton was very curious to find a practice which could help people to open their minds about the humanity and to avoid social alienation. Also, while reading the article ‘Interior Techniques’ by Robert Turner and discussing it in the classroom, I found myself missing a term art. We looked at the contact improvisation as a dance or movement practice which is absolutely true, but can we consider it as an art practice? Can we equate that with a different art form if we keep in mind that Steve Paxton was against the existing rules not only in dance, but in real life (especially when it comes to taboos) as well? I believe this could more rhetorical question, but I hope that within the practice I will get closer to the ‘right’ answer. I am happy that this week’s lecture inspired for those questions, as it may be important to know ‘what am I dancing in my life’.When we started to move, I found that we are more relaxed and confident with each others. I really enjoyed working with different people as that gave me new experience each time. Of course, some people were more flexible within the movement decisions they made and that really helped to build something. Also, I found it easily when a partner is not rushing to response or to initiate the move. Furthermore, talking about the moves. In the beginning of a class someone said that we do not plan what we do in contact improve. I would agree with that, but how we are not planning, when we always have to think how to overcome our habitual movements? At the moment, I cannot find the link between these two ideas. Hopefully, I will figure that out in the next sessions…
Aaron Brando (2010) Contact Improvisation: Blake Nellis & Brando @ Earthdance. [online v0ideo] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQRF2sLK1vY [Accessed 5 October 2015]
Nelson, L. (dir.) (2006) Contact Improvisation Archive DVD #2: Magnesium, Peripheral Vision, Soft Pallet. [DVD] East Charleston: VIDEODA.
Turner, R. (2010) Steve Paxton’s “Interior Techniques”: Contact Improvisation and the Political Power. TDR: The Drama Review, 54 (3) 123-135.