Anyway, thanks to the 6 people who came, and when we managed to stick with the topic of in hand, we did do some very interesting experimentations.
Movement Dynamics
We played with the idea of making very small movements, in twos and in larger numbers. I had the idea that this could be very powerful, a still image, and one small, slow movement. However this completely didn't work, maybe because there was so much stuff and people in such a small space that detail is lost, but also maybe because when using very small movements, if it is too slow it just isn't noticable to our perceptive systems. In which case, when we are improvising with movements again, it would be useful to experiment with speed and size of movement. Also I am thinking about once we have large bodies - due to extensions using masks and costumes, this might serve to magnify the movement, so in this case, a small movement, carried out very slowly, might be much more observable, and also may imply a different motivation than the same movement carried out without the extra costume/mask.
Group Attunement
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| Group sensitivity and 'togetherness', in this movement the group place their hands in a preplanned place on each others bodies, with their eyes closed, to a set rythm and within a set time. Each member of the group tries to maintain an awareness of the movement made by other members and to synchronise with this. There is a video of the movement described above, but I'm just having a bit of trouble uploading it. Another group synchronised movement that we did was, standing in a circle, initially facing the centre, to raise our hands into the middle and simultaneously turn so we faced each others backs, then slowly walk around, like a wheel, and as a group, stop walking, turn to face the centre of the circle again, and lower our hands. This was very difficult, at times seemingly impossible. In each case there was quite a lot of laughter and some jubilation when a task was completed fairly well. Several questions are raised in my mind following these tasks: 1) Is it actually possible to have a 'sixth sense' awareness' of the physical, spacial and kinetic elements of the group. 2) If it is, is it actually possible to co-ordinate ones movements, in anything more than an accidental, or choreographed way, with the other members of the group. 3) If the above two things are possible, then would this practically add to the ambience of a performance, in that the performers are connected not just on a purely physical level, but are also aware of a more 'extraphysical' level of connectedness. (these two questions relate to some martial arts, such as tai chi, in which contact made is not always physical. If this is plausible, how is it, and how could a group hone this skill) If the above notions are all hocus pocus, and rather a lot of nonsense, why do we like to try to do these things? What do we stand to gain? As individuals and as a group? I have one or two theories that people might like to think about: 4) In the 'game' of extraphysical contact, the group experiences a common aim that is quite exciting and suggests a greater connectivity is possible than the one we experience in day to day life. 5) By co-ordinating our efforts, and in our attempts to reach an extraphysical level of contact, we do in fact allow ourselves to become aware of each others presence and movements on a very physically minute level. 6) This attunes the members of the group towards each other, and thus the group towards itself. 7) In performance, this may well end up with a more precise, connected performance, in which the actors are highly in tune with each other and focussed on their physical/cognitive tasks. One more question 8) What does the phrase 'in tune' mean in terms of group dramatic endeavour? |
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