What was your entry point to the world of ‘conscious dance’? Did you come to it from a more refined professional background? Or were you more like me, an enthusiast in the discotheques and clubs drawn to a more conscious atmosphere? Perhaps your first encounter was one of the pioneering modalities in the field such as 5Rhythms or Soul Motion?
The funny thing about ‘conscious dance’ as we’ve come to know it is that it more or less sits in the gray area between many of the more established forms and styles of dance.
Is it social like tango, salsa, or contra dancing? Well, in many ways yes, but there’s typically less to learn, and many of these forms are now hotbeds for conscious evolution, for instance Dance Firstmember Ilona Glinarsky with Living Tango in Los Angeles.
Is it performance? Well, only if you want it to be, there are many opportunities to move and be witnessed, just ask any Authentic Movement practitioner such as Dance First member Susan Bauer.
What about choreography or fitness? Both are part of many conscious dance practices such as The Nia Technique, and yet many of the modalities under the Dance First umbrella place no emphasis on these at all.
People often ask me if I have a background as a professional or trained dancer. No, in fact, the last time I checked that wasn’t a prerequisite for someone like me, eager to anchor a movement in the culture by coining a term and publishing media about it.
So it was with a unique perspective that I accepted an invitation to attend the Smuin Ballet’s season premiere this past weekend in Walnut Creek, with my daughter and one of her best friends in tow. And actually, I must confess this was the first in my life that I have ever attended a traditional ballet performance, so my viewpoint is that of a novice, at best.
First of all, the Smuin Ballet provides a visually stunning experience. The physical prowess and sheer athleticism of the dancers is astonishing. The way that the movements correspond precisely with the music is incredible. And I really enjoy how a point is gotten across to the audience without the use of narrative, the classical music, choreography, and costuming all combining to create an overarching metaphor.
The art form itself is a living link between an earlier era, our present moment, and the future to which we are headed. As the cultural boundaries between people began to dissolve in the middle of the last century, the seeds of what we now call conscious dance would begin to sprout. To me, it feels like ballet represents the most refined roots of many of the practices and forms that are evolving today.
One thing that struck me was the audience. I’m in my early 50’s, and I felt young in the presence of so much cultural wisdom and experience. Many of these folks have lived through a time when conscious dance as we know it today wasn’t available. They deserve kudos for supporting the arts and paving the way for a living lineage like ballet to keep dancing into the future.
I’d like to think that we are entering a time when we can have the best of all worlds when it comes to dance and fitness. A time when somatic leaders like you create connection in everyday life, and when people choose the arduous path to the pinnacle of performance are celebrated and respected. A time when embodiment is felt in everyone’s everyday life, performer or not.
Together we are making it happen. You can think of the Dance First Association as a marketing club for movement leaders, dance teachers, modality founders, and somatic professionals. I’ve started including a certain amount of one-on-one consulting time for ourmembers at every level.
When you’re a member of Dance First, you get more than just our promotional platform and online resources, you get my personal insight and specific advice on how to grow your practice. And thriving practices are what it takes to create “movement for a better world!”
Much love till next week!
M+
Conscious Dancer Media Partner Spotlight : An Intimate Dance – Contact Improv Documentary
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Contact Improvisation has long been considered the undercurrent of Conscious Dance. Attend any freestyle, barefoot, or ecstatic dance, and you will notice that some of the folks are moving together in pairs or small groups and that some of them seem to really know what they are doing.
Mike Bee, one of our DJs at Dance Jam in Berkeley was asked to describe it online by someone unfamiliar with the form. He said “It’s like when you’re doing your thing, and they’re doing their thing, and then you’re doing it together. Or on top of each other. On the floor.” Simplistic description aside, it’s actually a refined mode of communication and path to mutual embodiment unlike any other. Puzzling to outsiders who’ve never experienced it, and totally compelling to folks who resonate with the aesthetic of connection, C.I. as it is known makes use of the principals of physics and the human body by means of sharing weight, exploring momentum, and encountering inertia. It has long outgrown its roots in the world of traditional dance performance and evolved into a vast community beyond the stage. Sanford Lewis is a long-time enthusiast and community leader in the field. He has recently devoted years of his life to the creation of a landmark documentary on the topic. “An Intimate Dance – Journeys through Movement and Touch” is a feature-length film making its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles next month, October 8th, at theAwareness Film Festival. You can learn lots more and get personally acquainted with Sanford by listening to my interview with him on Episode #24 of my Conscious Dancer Podcast. Visit iTunes and subscribe so that you never miss a show, and listen in on my previous interviews with many of the most respected leaders in the field. Check out “An Intimate Dance” next month if you happen to be in L.A., and keep your eyes open for the general release later in the year! Thank you Sanford for putting together such a wide-ranging and comprehensive view on this sometimes-hard-to-describe practice! You’re doing a great service to the conscious dance culture by exposing enthusiasts to the history and educating the general public in this way. |
