Taking the time to meet my surroundings; soaking in the air, sun, dirt, and sounds that encase the area; embodying, loving, accepting, being. Feeling the wind whip around me, carrying the insects, leaves and butterflies to another unknown destination. They know how to let go. Perhaps we can learn more from them. More than we think.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Video Blog #2: Rock Play at Tawasentha Park
Another video of me playing with the rocks this time down by the creek in Tawasentha Park. I believe the creek is called Norman's Kill, which I find interesting. I wonder where that name came from? This dance was done on the same day as "Meeting Nature" from my previous post.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Video Blog #1: Moving in new surroundings
It's been quite a trip since I relocated to Albany, NY from San Francisco. Although, I will miss the beauty of San Francisco and the Bay Area, I'm beginning to settle into my new surroundings.
There are wonderful parks nearby to hike, picnic, and swim where there are lakes. The other day I went to Tawasentha Park in the town of Guilderland (15 minutes west of downtown Albany). Lots of trails to explore, picnic areas, a community pool, a baseball field, and a beautiful creek that wraps around half of it (or most of it). It's a smaller park, but definitely brings you into nature. I danced by the creek and with the trees. I also brought along my new Mini Flip HD camera ;-) I had been wanting one of those for ages! I'm so glad I shut up about it and invested in it.
I'm finding my city/urban persona is hanging back, so my nature persona can grow. One of the reasons to move was to get re-aquainted with nature and I'm realizing I had to move out of the city to do that. Funny how living in San Francisco distracted me away from nature when it's surrounded by so much. The intention was always there and I did make little trips to nature, saying to myself "I should do this every other weekend or twice a month." But I would get caught up in whatever else was going on in my life.
I'm so glad my husband and I made this move. It's a transition. It's a change. But I'm grateful for my family nearby, and to slow down the pace a bit. So enjoy my first video blog of my ongoing Movement Investigation!
There are wonderful parks nearby to hike, picnic, and swim where there are lakes. The other day I went to Tawasentha Park in the town of Guilderland (15 minutes west of downtown Albany). Lots of trails to explore, picnic areas, a community pool, a baseball field, and a beautiful creek that wraps around half of it (or most of it). It's a smaller park, but definitely brings you into nature. I danced by the creek and with the trees. I also brought along my new Mini Flip HD camera ;-) I had been wanting one of those for ages! I'm so glad I shut up about it and invested in it.
I'm finding my city/urban persona is hanging back, so my nature persona can grow. One of the reasons to move was to get re-aquainted with nature and I'm realizing I had to move out of the city to do that. Funny how living in San Francisco distracted me away from nature when it's surrounded by so much. The intention was always there and I did make little trips to nature, saying to myself "I should do this every other weekend or twice a month." But I would get caught up in whatever else was going on in my life.
I'm so glad my husband and I made this move. It's a transition. It's a change. But I'm grateful for my family nearby, and to slow down the pace a bit. So enjoy my first video blog of my ongoing Movement Investigation!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Feedback from performance
It's very helpful to get feedback from the audience about what you're presenting, offering, showing, etc. In the past, I used to be terrified and would take a lot of it personally (I still do sometimes), but I feel, now, it's such an important part of growing in whatever you do. Artistic or not.
After my March 11 performance (video coming soon), I got amazing, detailed feedback. Detailed is the key word here. My intention for the evening was to have fun. I wanted to have fun and I totally had it. But hearing a couple of people's reactions to my piece was so appreciated because, let's face it, doing solos can be a lonely process!
One audience member acknowledged and appreciated my presence on stage, even through the intensity of it overall. How a performer/dancer can hold the space and be there, show up for the audience.
Another audience member (a long time practitioner of Butoh), gave such detailed observations right down to my fingertips! I was fascinated by the fingertips because I never really noticed it or considered it within the choreography. She explained the flow of movement through the fingertips, like when you touch something hot or are shocked; to continue that flow or extension as if it's literally coming through and out the fingertips into space. It's hard to describe in words, but I hope you get the jist. I know that my hands and fingers throughout the piece were in a claw-like position at certain points, so I really appreciated it and want to investigate that further.
My piece was called "Awake" and it was about peeling the layers of ourselves, bodies, souls. I was wrapped in white tule in the beginning, like a crysalus before a catepillar becomes a butterfly. From there, I worked my way out of it. The first audience member told me she could've watched me play with that much longer, and I instantly agreed because I remembered being in the moment and wanting the same.
Not for show purposes.
For me.
If you're in the SF Bay Area, butoh masters, Hiroko and Koichi Tamano will be teaching a workshop for a limited time while they're back in the US. Click here for more info.
After my March 11 performance (video coming soon), I got amazing, detailed feedback. Detailed is the key word here. My intention for the evening was to have fun. I wanted to have fun and I totally had it. But hearing a couple of people's reactions to my piece was so appreciated because, let's face it, doing solos can be a lonely process!
One audience member acknowledged and appreciated my presence on stage, even through the intensity of it overall. How a performer/dancer can hold the space and be there, show up for the audience.
Another audience member (a long time practitioner of Butoh), gave such detailed observations right down to my fingertips! I was fascinated by the fingertips because I never really noticed it or considered it within the choreography. She explained the flow of movement through the fingertips, like when you touch something hot or are shocked; to continue that flow or extension as if it's literally coming through and out the fingertips into space. It's hard to describe in words, but I hope you get the jist. I know that my hands and fingers throughout the piece were in a claw-like position at certain points, so I really appreciated it and want to investigate that further.
My piece was called "Awake" and it was about peeling the layers of ourselves, bodies, souls. I was wrapped in white tule in the beginning, like a crysalus before a catepillar becomes a butterfly. From there, I worked my way out of it. The first audience member told me she could've watched me play with that much longer, and I instantly agreed because I remembered being in the moment and wanting the same.
Not for show purposes.
For me.
If you're in the SF Bay Area, butoh masters, Hiroko and Koichi Tamano will be teaching a workshop for a limited time while they're back in the US. Click here for more info.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
3-9-12 practice: The Sutro Baths
prickly surface under my feet, embracing
wind and atomsphere
elements surround my body, earth
sun warming and soothing
water within my reach but above hovering over
as the waves crash against the bath house
ruins I roam and glide along the edge
the rusty, rotted teeth peer up at me
inviting, raw and beautifully revolting
it was once alive and a piece of it stays
alive, for the sea water, gulls, ducks, salt
nourish and worship its spirit that still
lingers everywhere and all around
I turn away from the vast Pacific and
acknowledge the space, sacred ground, and once
lively meeting place of past guests visitors, socializing
and soaking in the beauty and tranquility
around.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Allowing the flow to dance
I realize when I'm not being present, or controlling my movements because I think they should be a certain way, I need to stop, center, ground, breathe and be. I love dance, butoh, and performance. It's a way for me to be in my body; to be creative; and even have a catharsis. With choreography, us movers and performers can become attached to how it all is suppose to look and be. Instead of trying and feeling things out, we can get stuck on one idea or concept. Well, at least, this has been my experience in the past and present.
Once I began to hear the music and be in the space, I was more in my body and the experience. I wasn't thinking about when and where the next movement was going to come. Instead, I allowed it to come within and through me. I can't remember what butoh teacher I studied with said that, but I'm sure all them said something like it, but in a different way.
Perhaps it was because I was thinking about what the late Kazuo Ohno (one of the founders of butoh) said, "Not thinking, only soul."
Yeah. I think I was totally taking his advice today ;-) Thank you, Ohno San!
Monday, February 6, 2012
My butoh practice: Experience with the Axis
It's been nice having my Fridays free to practice movement and butoh. I've been setting aside a couple hours each Friday, especially this month leading up to a performance, which will be on March 11. But as I work on my performance piece, I also have time to practice exercises I've learned from others: teachers and classmates. It's also a great way to keep it fresh.
I practiced an exercise where you focus on your axis. In other words, that line between the tailbone and the crown of your head. I learned this from butoh teacher, Diego Pinon. You start standing with eyes closed or half open. You visualize your axis in your body, as if your body surrounds your axis. As you breathe, a subtle spinning begins at the crown of your head or tailbone; or if not spinning, a pull from one side of your body. This "spinning" or "pull" engages the body to begin turning along your axis. Once you go a few rounds, you may stop to feel your axis from time to time, but the idea is to keep turning along your axis. Then, at some point, you can open your eyes with a soft gaze. This adds the environment around into your vision and space as you move along your axis.
During this exercise, I initially felt the pull to go left. But about 5 min later, it switched. That never happened to me before. I always turned one way the whole time and I did this exercise for about 10 min. What I found interesting and funny was that I could feel myself resisting to go the other way! It was as if my mind was interjecting and saying, "Um, I don't think so!" But I allowed it. I wanted to see what happens.
Afterwards, I felt open, relaxed, and a little spacey. I always ground after doing an exercise like that because you don't know what you release or draw in. In a way, I felt almost TOO open, which is why grounding is so helpful and sometimes, necessary.
We don't know what could be lingering in/on our axis. I would love to investigate this practice deeper and perhaps on a regular basis, just to see what can come up. In fact, I find it very cleansing overall. It's another way to really BE in the body.
We shall see what happens this Friday ;-)
I practiced an exercise where you focus on your axis. In other words, that line between the tailbone and the crown of your head. I learned this from butoh teacher, Diego Pinon. You start standing with eyes closed or half open. You visualize your axis in your body, as if your body surrounds your axis. As you breathe, a subtle spinning begins at the crown of your head or tailbone; or if not spinning, a pull from one side of your body. This "spinning" or "pull" engages the body to begin turning along your axis. Once you go a few rounds, you may stop to feel your axis from time to time, but the idea is to keep turning along your axis. Then, at some point, you can open your eyes with a soft gaze. This adds the environment around into your vision and space as you move along your axis.
During this exercise, I initially felt the pull to go left. But about 5 min later, it switched. That never happened to me before. I always turned one way the whole time and I did this exercise for about 10 min. What I found interesting and funny was that I could feel myself resisting to go the other way! It was as if my mind was interjecting and saying, "Um, I don't think so!" But I allowed it. I wanted to see what happens.
Afterwards, I felt open, relaxed, and a little spacey. I always ground after doing an exercise like that because you don't know what you release or draw in. In a way, I felt almost TOO open, which is why grounding is so helpful and sometimes, necessary.
We don't know what could be lingering in/on our axis. I would love to investigate this practice deeper and perhaps on a regular basis, just to see what can come up. In fact, I find it very cleansing overall. It's another way to really BE in the body.
We shall see what happens this Friday ;-)
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