On the first day, Alisya introduced us to the Gaga technique, which I’d always wanted to learn. Developed by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, Gaga is a movement language to help practitioners raise physical awareness by focusing on (in Gaga terms, “listening” to) the rhythm of their bodies, letting them direct their movement and feeling the pleasure that the movement brings. New to improvisation, I was nervous and eager. Alisya directed us to focus on the sensation of floating, and I let myself escape the confines of my own movement vocabulary. It felt alien and new because until that moment, I didn’t know my body could feel as light as it did. Each sway felt so delicate and free. I tried recreating the sensation when I got home afterwards but I couldn’t quite get it on my own. It’s extremely bizarre how an environment affects your headspace.
Summer’s take on our exercises was a little different. With much of her background being Broadway, she made us explore a more theatrical side to dance and performance. We did a few exercises that had us doing either wild gestures or singing in gibberish while maintaining a character. Admittedly, it was hard not to feel silly and crack up but the exercises played a crucial part in breaking the ice and teaching us the value of playing a character. After all, dance is a performance and it requires putting on roles and performing them with conviction. Immediately after Summer’s first task for us, the shyness and tension in the room eased up.
We danced both in the gallery itself and outdoors, each environment presenting us with a new way to explore our surroundings. When we danced on the lawn, it was hard to be completely present as we had to be wary of cat droppings on the grass, all while being watched by an audience of passers-by. When we danced on the balcony, which was an open, wide space of concrete, it felt exhilarating. The setting of grey industrial tones was beautiful and when we looked up, all that was looking back at us was a beautiful blue sky. Dancing in the gallery, on the other hand, felt very intimate. I found myself trying not to make too much noise because a gallery is usually a place of contemplation and quiet. It was interesting to note the differences in how I felt, dancing in all these different environments. On the balcony, I felt very small and found myself using only a tiny corner to run over my steps whereas in the gallery, I lumbered and rolled around at every opportunity.
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