2nd puppet making session and thinking about the puppet theatre

The 2nd of Mervs puppetry workshops.

We looked at different ways of attaching the sticks.  We need something that will be quite strong yet allow a the puppet to be manipulated from a range of angles.

Large paper clips and masking tape were used to fit the sticks to the puppets.  These seemed to do the trick.

The paper clip could be bent so that it was coat hanger shaped, or oval shaped.  The coat hanger gave a firmer hold on the puppet, but the oval gave a wider range of manipulation angles.

Bonnie put lots of joints onto her robot, to see what would happen.  She tie a piece of string to both hands, and pulling the string at different angles moved all of the joints.

I used very simple one joint movements - a ladys arm, lifting a glass - tho it looked more like she was throwing it over her shoulders.

The other one was another way to have a puppet with opening mouth.  Rather than the flip top lid that I did the last time, this one opened by pulling a flap with a second stick.

these diagrams show the range of puppet movememts.

Finally I did a scene of ladies drinking tea.  This is a scene, rather than an actual puppet, though there could be elements that move, or moving objects could be placed on it.  My idea is that this could be done by painting onto tracing paper or a very opaque material.  I have joined all of the edges to make it look like a self contained scene, so that if we use the idea where we have different scenes on one cloth, each one will have its own frame.  Also this adds to the strangeness as I had to alter the shapes to make them join up with each other.

Using role and scene to discover moments of high dramatic tension

The second workshop exploring the Brothers Grimm Tale "The Fir Tree".

Present: Me, Merv, Bonnie, Chris

The Konnektiv plan is to create a shadow puppet theatre in which to show an artistic representation of the story, in a performance that will include the story read off a 45rpm record, that had been read by Boris Karloff.  The performance will also include dark soundscape by The Flesh Eating Foundation.

We are using drama to explore the story, because through our inprovisations, using scenes and characters mentioned within the text, we discover elements of personality and moments of dramatic tension, that we would not necessariy appreciate if we merely made up a storyboard based upon the text alone.


The process is everything in Konnektiv.  That includes long and thorough warm ups, that may take up a good half hour or more of the session.  Warm ups are very important.  You can do more in a shorter time following a good warm up than in a longer time following a rushed warm up.  Warm ups are for many reasons:
1. To warm the body, energise the muscles, and soften the joints
2.  To raise body awareness, heightening the sensations experienced when moving about the room, or contacting with self and other.
3.  To introduce different dynamics of movement - some light, some heavy, some fast, some slowly.
4.  to introduce different characteristics of movement - emotionally charged movement.
5.  To introduce the idea of different characters in context or relationship with each other.
5.  To release the creativity and expressivity of the actors.

Today's warm up was quite typical.  Highly energetic, experimental.  I aim to bring about a session that is as uninhibited as possible.  I join in the warm up, especially in the intial stages of a new group or project, for two reasons.  Firstly to reduce the self consciousness the new group feels if there is someone watching.  Secondly to model an approach to experimental physical drama that includes being able to take dramatic risks and produce a variety of interesting dynamics.

Ultimately the group will do these things quite well without me joining in, and I will get to observe the warm ups, and the group will get to practice dramatic movement with an audience.

The warm up itself has several levels of tension:
1.       An energetic "Follow the Leader", which goes on for some time, and with a gradually increasing energy - exhausting and enlivening in one.

2.        Each person makes their body into a big star shape, reaching for the corners of the room.  The stretch out and feel the heat of their flesh and their heart beat, which has been raised by the lively excersise previously engaged in.  The star shape in big and bold, it imbues on a feeling of confidence through being held.  The actor becomes more at one with their vital organs through acknowledgement of the activity of the heart.

3.       Gradually relax arms, feeling release as they drop and hands hang.  Tension is released.
4.     Finally, to aid balance and flexibility, we do some slowly moving stretches.

by now the group is well warmed up physically, and it is time to unleash the collective creative juices.  A game based on cauldron is used, but starting with sculpts.  Two people in statue pose, one is touched by a third.  The touched person leaves and the third assumes a sculpt that is in some way complementary to the one remaining.  After a while, The words "Action" and "Freeze" are used to bring the sculpt to life and return it to its statue pose.  Different positions, and different relationships assumed within the sculpt result in very different dynamics of movement, often vocal sound is used to emphasise the dynamic.  This occured naturally in this highly expressive group, but in a less confident group it would take a while for sound to be incorporated to the same level.  The photographs in this weeks blog are all of the sculpts produced in this part of the warm up.

Finally we get to working with the story, the theme of the moment.  It might seem a long winded way to get started, but by now the group is ready, warm, excited and primed for action.

We share memories of the last session, the different elements of the stories that were explores:

a.       Characteristics of tree (dissatisfied, searching, vain)

b.      Children (spoiled, competitive)

c.       Story (sad, moral tale)

d.      Situations (Christmas – different responses of tree, incredulous disbelief, some fear and vulnerability

e.      One painful situation to another

f.        The lack of appreciation of the tree for it’s original surroundings

We then listen, again, to part 1 of the story.  I want the group to listen actively, so I ask them to take on the role of saplings, being read to by a rather scary old granddad.

At the end there was silence for a while.  The saplings subdued and unnerved by the first half of the tale.  It is indeed a disturbing one.  The performance, we agree, will not be promoted to a child audience.

We only had time to create one scene, but this was an extremely powerful one, and incredibly painful to watch.

The scene was when the tree was felled by the woodcutter.  Introduction of characters through enrolment methods; the robin; the woodcutter and the father of the household who buys the tree. (the last character was not introduced by Hans Christian Anderson, but rather inferred in the story, and this is the sort of thing that gives us licence to explore beneath the ripples of the text.

 A imaginary scene is created, with chairs positioned to suggest a thick forest, and two placed together to suggest the woodcutters truck.  We gave the woodcutter human depth, forming impressions of his character and motivation by first improvising him talking about the tree to the housefather.   Woodcutter is a genial but wily businessman, making a decent living especially at Christmas.  Playing the vanity of the housefather by use of flattery and persuasion.  This appeals to the housefathers vanity, and the woodcutter is commissioned to cut this lovely tree down for the largest house in the area     The point of this is to give a back story to the cutting down of the tree.

The robin's character is further explored; inquisitive, chatty, fickle.  Loves to talk of the goings on in the big houses, decorated trees etc, the gossipy voice that feeds and nurtures the fir trees dissatisfaction with it’s life.  Then another aspect to the robin is revealed, as during the improvisation it realises a sadness when it's friend the tree is cut down.  This is typical of the kind of dramatic twist that makes good theatre.  From fluttering gossip to faltering bereaved in but a moment, tragedy at it's finest

.At the start of the scene painfully related events concur, which build tension;  the chattering of the robin, wittering on about the bright bauballs of Christmas, The full and lofy pride of the Fir Tree, and in the background, the sharpening of the axe by the woodcutter.

Build up of the tree as the finest young tree in the forest.  A tragic twist, as we observed in improvisation, the Fir Tree, who had been enrolled as very beautiful, healthy, proud and vain, is felled by the woodcutters newly sharpened axe.  In one blow the tree is transported to a place of incredible pain and greif.  It was difficult for me to watch, even though I now know the story so well, and expected what was going to happen.

After all of this dramatic tension, a thorough derolling is necessary.  As in this style of improvisational theatre, the actors give of themselves, and maybe give voice to elements of themselves that are usually silent.  This can be very beneficial, hence the use of improvisation in dramatherapy, however it does need to be managed, and this is done by the leader facilitating techniques used by the actors to dispel the drama and reintroduce the 'real world' to the room.

The final part of the session, and running out of time as we were, we looked at some images that Merv had collected from the internet to demonstrate his vision for the set and puppets, and to inspire our creativity.  There were images of Victorian children, trees, christmas decorations and fireplaces, which will inspire the setting, and of German black and white expressionist cinema, which will inspire the style of presentation,

finally, we decided that we can't take enough time out of the drama sessions to spend on the buildng of set and puppets, so we will have 2 workshops each week, one for drama (Wed eve) and the other for set/puppet design and building (Fri 4pm)

Beginning Shadow Puppets

4^th March 2015

Konnektiv Shadow Puppet Workshop (1)

Present: Nicky Barron, Mervyn Price, Chris Frid, Julianne

Starting a new project is very exciting.  Albeit it is the second attempt at starting this particular new project.  And this is it.  A shadow puppet and dark noise production of The Little Fir Tree.

Story written by Hans Christian Andersson

Read by Boris Karloff and recorded onto 45 vinyl

Shadow puppets by Konnektiv Drama

Dark noise by The Flesh Eating Foundation.

That’s quite a collaboration that I for one am very proud to be part of.  Obviously Hans and Boris didn’t get much choice, but I like to think if they were here they wouldn’t mind too much.

The point of this blog is to describe the dramatic processes that we embark on when devising the puppetry element of the production.

You may ask why we have to use physical drama to devise a puppet show. 

Well the answer is this: Physical Drama has the power to reveal elements within a story that might otherwise slip by unnoticed.  These elements, when fed into the creation of the puppets and the puppet theatre, will ensure that the final outcome of the piece will be a true work of art with depth, authenticity and truth.

So how do we do this?

The session has drama elements and art elements, the two feed into each other. 

Physical warm ups are essential to start, in terms of people being centred and present in their bodies.  The warm ups have to have elements of

1.      Focus and center

2.      Experience of moving and changing the movements (still – body awareness and range of movement)

3.      Experience of travelling around the room in different ways (raising the cardiovascular system, exploring dynamics of movement)

4.      Experimenting with shape (creativity)

5.      Physically connecting the group (cohesion)

In parts 4 and 5 I entered a task in which I told the group to make shapes on different levels, 1 being lying on the floor, 2 being crouched in some way or kneeling and 3 being standing up straight and maybe reaching.  I would say each number in turn and each group member had to think of a shape at that level.  In part 5 I said that the 3 shapes had to connect, and at this point especially, the group started to grow in cohesion, and the stories told by the shapes became shared and the shapes, visually, very interesting.

At the end of this everyone was lying on the floor and I instructed the each person in the group to find a comfortable position, as I was to play the first part of the story.  I said that each person should listen actively by creating a two tone image in their mind, visualising the story.  I also asked them to be very aware to how their (by now very warmed up) body was responding to the story.

At the end, whilst getting out the art table, I asked each group member to silently reflect on their experience of listening to the story, and decide which scene had the most valence for them.  After this, each person drew an image of the most valent scene, in a single colour, on a plain sheet of paper.  I told them to choose the colour and the paper.

Each scene was discussed in turn, with each artist.  Different elements of the image were discussed, and the main point of the scene was highlighted.

Finally, each person got the opportunity to create and lead in their own scene.  By now, each scene had become really well developed, and some of the characteristics and motivations of each character had been teased out.  I used different techniques to help each person enrol into their character.  There are in fact a myriad number of enrolment techniques, and the one I use will depend on the requirements of that particular moment in the scene.  I will often say “Give three feelings” or “Tell me three characteristics” of the character.  We may spend a little while playing with the idea of who the character is and what they want, fear, or think.  This will often raise the energy of the scene, heightening the moment and the experience of the actor.  Other actors in the scene need to interact in some way with the lead person, to give a sense of shared purpose.  The will also have names, characteristics, motivations.  It all takes quite a while. 

By the end, we have uncovered, discovered, or created much more detail into the scenes that we started with.  It is always a surprise and a joy to see what there is to find hidden in elements of a story through these explorations, using the creativity and expressive skills of the actors.

And of course the actors may well find hidden elements in themselves while they are at it.

I had planned following this part of the session, to make our first trial puppets.  However we ran out of time and the session needed to end at this point.  Merv did give us a little talk about how we will go about creating the final puppets and of course very importantly, the Shadow Puppet Theatre itself.

Mask Making

During October 2014, as part of the Doxey Arts Experience, Merv ran some mask workshops.  We made masks out of some very simple and cheap materials, that ultimately looked rather good (we thought).

Previously we have made masks using our faces as moulds.  This is great because the masks fit perfectly, and it makes the creator of the mask feel very connected to it.  The problems with this are that some people feel rather uncomfortable sitting still and having wet paper applied in layers to their face.  Also, once you have taken the mask off, it is less easy to work on as it doesn't have a base to sit on and keep it in shape.

Therefore this time we used polystyrene heads as the base.  The masks were kept on the heads throughout the making process.  We decided that they would be decorative rather than functional, which meant we didn't have to worry about fitting into the masks.

Before you start with the instructions I've written, here are a couple of tips, as I've made masks a few times now, and have learned some valuable lessons.

1. Little and often:  Leave a gap of a day between each layer of work you put onto the mask.  The materials you use are quite wet, and often piled up to create exaggerated features.  This is important for the look of the mask, as the dramatic effect is increased through this exaggeration.  If you try to do too much in one go, you will not get as good a finish as you could, or worst case scenario, ruin it altogether.

2.  Patient, careful application.  Set yourself up in a comfortable area, with enough space to do whatever you want to.  Have all your materials on hand.  Switch mobile phones off.  Put some nice music on.  Go into the zone.  The more patient and careful your application, the better your result will be.

3.  Build up gradually.  Think about how you will support the mask whilst wet so that it doesn't lose it's shape or come apart whilst drying.  You can be quite ambitious with the shape but planning is essential.

Ok, so.  Materials you will need to start:

Polystyrene heads (about £16 per pack of 4, you can get them from the internet easily)

Brown paper sticking tape - get from post office or stationary shops.

Kitchen Paper towels

PVA glue

Newspaper

Water (lots, in pots)

Paint (poster or acrylic paints)

Other items to decorate

Tools:

scissors

paint/glue brushes

1.  1st layer: Brown paper sticky side up

The head needs to have bands of sticky tape fixed round it, stuck together so it is sticky side up.  Use the water - you will have lots and lots of sticking to do!

The bands are connected together with shorter strips of sticky paper, also sticky side up.  Keep going until you have covered the whole area that you want to make the mask of.  This will result in a brown sticky shell encasing the front of the head.  This is the most fiddly bit. but stick with it, the process gets more fun once this bit is over and done with.

This mask was made with eye holes. Others were made without.  If a mask is going to be worn, breathing holes are very important.  Also the eye holes can literally be pin sized, as the wearer will still be able to see out of them, but it means that you can decorate the eyes however you like.  Alternatively an opaque or gauze material could be used.

Onto the sticky side up shell, add about 4 ore 5 more layers of paper tape, sticky side down.  This one here will become tulip, the vampire flower.  One of the challenges of working with the paper tape is that it tends to leave very sharp raised bits all overthe mask.  This can be combatted by cutting the tape down the middle, lengthwise, before sticking, thus meaning that the strips are thinner and raised up less.  Also, as you build up the layers, you can make it very tight, smoothing it down as you go.  Layers of newspaper and tissue paper will also act to make the finish smoother.  Finally, once it is completely dry, your mask can be sanded.  But first, you need to build it up more.

Swampy the bog monster and Lizzy the alien lizard cat, were built up using kitchen paper soaked in a mix of pva glue and water (about 50/50).  Once the features are built up, they need to completely dry before continuing.  Lizzie was made in two sittings, with a day to dry between each layer of features.  this ensured that the tissue paper will retain it's shape.  Once it is dry, it can be built on, with more sticky paper or with layers of newspaper, or magazine sheets.

Tulip is having petals added, and these needed to be done in several stages, so that they would stay intact.  Again, leaving them to dry thoroughly between each stage.

Mr Punch has a very large chin and nose - these were held in place with brown paper to keep them attached.

 Lizzy was covered in newspaper over the features, as her features are very contoured, and the edges on the brown paper would make them lose their shape.  

  Here is Mr Punch.The shape of his face is now completed and you can see that there were a few layers added.  He is very front heavy and needs to be supported.  Hence being held in place with someone's hand.   This was a problematic feature of the construction and decorating processes for all of the masks.  Eventually we stuck them to boards with tape to prevent them falling over.

Getting the large petals right on Tulip was very tricky, and needed several layers of sticking.  If too many layers had been added in one go, the petals would have got too wet and fallen off.  during the final layer of drying, circular pieces of foam rubber were inserted between the smaller and larger petals to keep the rear petals from falling onto the front ones.  Once it was all done and dried properly, the petals were very firmly fixed in place.

Once the mask is firm, smooth and dry, the base paint layer can be added.  Use poster or acrylic paint, with added pva glue.  This makes the paint harder wearing and the colour more reflective, hence brighter.  Have a think about what you want your final piece to be like.  It may need two layers of base paint to cover the brown paper, newspaper or whatever your construction is made out of.

Already, we can see the different characters coming out in the masks.  The character is defined by the shape of the features, and the colour added.  These are all very distinctive from each other in the examples shown.

When the base layer is dry, further layers of paint, or other decorative media can be applied.  

 Be adventurous, paint on its own, even with the advantage of having PVA glue added, can look very flat.  Using other materials, some 3d, some reflective, adds interest, character and dynamic effect to your final piece.

 Once it's done, you can put it on the side still attached to the head base, as we have with these, or take it off and hang it on the wall.

The Unseeing I & the Machine

Merv here.

I've never blogged on a workshop before so bear with me here.

A two part workshop today - first we looked at the soon to be refurbished machine. Then we continued our exploration of communication & relationship through touch with the Unseeing I.

The New Machine -

Drama circle. Four. Me, Nicky & Damon - the grizzled Konnektiv hardcore- & Bonnie. We're rebuilding the machine from the elements - air, earth, fire & water. Spirit isn't here today.

We talk about the relationship between the elements.

We do "elemental" warm up moves. Earth (coal?) fuels the fire. Fire blazes then burns low then blazes up again. Damon has lots of fiery energy today! Fire heats water. It bubbles, boils & steams. Air regulates the action - stops overheating & exploding.

We move around the circle in sequence. Next we move it round the room - an elemental chain of machine parts. Water leaks away a little but an interesting experiment.

We're excited about the potential for the new eco steampunk faerie machine & talk costume & backstory. Imaginations explode with fireworks of ideas.

This is going to be fun.

The Unseeing I -

Today I was the Unseeing I for the whole workshop. Before we have swapped roles with our partners or there has been a break to make notes between each condition. I felt that the experience of being the Unseeing I would be different if I could go through each condition in sequence with no break & no "seeing". I thought the experience would be deeper & more powerful. Today was my chance to find out.

Me & Damon were to be the Unseeing Is & Nicky would be my touch, Bonnie Damon's. We would all perform at the same time. Damon was concerned that there might be collisions during condition 3 but we persuaded him that all would be well.

Condition 1 -

Relax into neutral. Eyes closed. Nicky set the timer.

Waiting calm & aware. I've been here before. Gentle touch & respond: move. Slow. The gentleness of the touch evoked a slow controlled movement. Very slow. Feeling every fraction of an inch of travel.

Feeling quiet. Sensitised. Trying to understand the touch.

Complicated touches now. Multiple joint. More complex messages. Nicky's experimenting. Just respond. Try to think with my brain just leads to confusion. Think with the body. Nerves & muscles. Joints & ligaments. I forget the rules sometimes but without thought the movements feel "right".

The timer sounds. 5 minutes is over in a flash. Back to neutral. Relaxed. Eyes stay closed.

Timer set again.

Condition 2 -

Off we go. Where are you taking me? Who cares? When we first experimented with the darkness I used to try to sense where I was in the space - changes of light near the window - or remember the twists & turns of the journey. Now, a veteran of the dark, I trust the touch & give myself to the experience. Trust increased? Or is the dark more homely? I can hear Damon's trousers rustling as we pass. A couple of missed (or were they?) communications as thought intrudes into my instinctive reactions. Again 5 minutes is gone. Neutral. Relaxed. Eyes wide shut. Waiting.

Condition 3 -

Music begins. I feel flowing & turning & the touch is there. We turn together. I reach out & there's the touch.

We dance. We've talked about dance in connection with condition 3 throughout but the more work we do the more authentically dance-like it feels.

Emotion. Lots. The music is beautiful, fitting my mood of the day. The movement feels authentic: no contrived performance here just a genuine engagement with the sound & the touch & the space.

I felt a sense of communion with the touch. Effortless & intuitive. Moving. Very moving.

Too soon the music was over. We sat down in our pairs to reflect on our experiences. Nicky & I cried. We both felt something meaningful & potent. I don't have the words ( awkward as I'm writing a blog) but I will remember & cherish this experience for a long time.

The Blind-I and the Touch

Once again I have changed the name of this technique I am developing with the help of collaborators Merv and Damon.

Choosing names for things is difficult, and also represents changes in the way that I am percieving what we are doing.

In yesterdays session, something strange happened.  For the first time we had a workshop attendee who did not find the processes that we are looking at relaxing or therapeutic in any way.  On the contrary, she found that she felt sick and dizzy, in either of the two roles.

This is useful as we are doing each of the three conditions for 10 minutes each, however when workshopping with others, perhaps I need to stick to 2 or 3 minutes per condition initially.  I considered starting with the Blind-I having their eyes open, however I don't think this would work.  Maybe initially, I may try this as an experiment.

In two weeks we will be workshopping this for the first time with a naive group (by naive I mean they won't have any previous experience or knowledge of the method), so this will be a good learning experience.


Back to this weeks session.

Having lost the person who felt sick and dizzy (she went off to stick booklets together instead), I quickly thought of a way that the group could incorporate all three of us.  As I had already brought some paper for people to write responses to the processes and experiences on, this gave a new opportunity for an 'observer' role.  As the two actors engaged in the processes of the task, the observer watched and wrote their responses onto a piece of paper.  After, the two actors also wrote their own responses.  Each condition was replayed 3 times, so that each person got a go at each role.

The written responses are all copied below.  As you will see, in the first condition, there is no observer.  This is because there were four people in this condition, so we didn't have an oserver, just two Blind-I's and two Touches.

Condition 1 - rooted

Blind-I

Interesting arm movememtn; complex arm positions/sequences.  Bendy, lop sided, bouncing back, light, dynamic equilibruim, interesting, light, strange, felt dizzy; what on earth am I doing now?  noisy breathing, waves, interpretaions, off-balance, movemet in stillness, unsure, pleasant, fabric rustling, relaxing, "Thing on a spring"; Holding the space

Touch

Locus of control; centre puppet; automaton; trust, responsiblity, caution, directing strings; Economy, swaying, mirror, sensitive, fun, frustration, gentlem movement, balance

Condition 2 - travelling

Observer
travel, finger move, traction, hard-prodding, off balance, moourous, playful/fun; flexion, statics v dynamics; flow --> point of attraction/retraction; joined, spirals; parting/complex; preparedness to touch, experimenter/focus balance; dance; thinking; noisy clothes; cautious mover; legs? measuring; footwork early on meandering and later on; stepping :) turning; damon looking confused at times? perturbed? pondering; finer/gradual changes; extra movements (too many steps)

Blind-I

Unnerving; off balance; unexpected; confused; interesting; mime-touch; confused; static or movement?  3 hands?  unsure of what to do!  how to interpret static or movemement; bit confused

Touch

Complex movements; mirroring; touching with various bodyparts (ooer); experimenting; balance; trying; frustration; responsible; inventive; experimental; playful

Condition 3 - dancing

Observer

Playful, dynamic, open, uplift, light floppy, jaunty (Pictures of You Pictures of Me song) play, footwork, faces, abandon in a good way ("Bewitched Carousel - dark music for creepy carnival"  Lloyd Mitchell)

Blind-I

Fun funny confusing, am I doing it right?  energy, playful bounce, toy

Touch

Fast, jerky, asynchronous, feeling your way , fun, fun, arhythmic, discovery


My dramatherapy supervisor has recommended I look up Laban and Gretowski.  I also have a book on Authentic Movement which I feel an urge to look at when time allows.  This is more dance/movement than drama strictly speaking, but given my own theory that drama is a catch all that incorporates all art form, especially the body based arts, then it can still come under dramatherapy.

However it may also be of interest to dance/movement therapists.

The I that does not see (The Blind I and the Other)

Just the two of us today - tho a different two as Merv doing his day job.  This is Damon's first time after a long absence.  He's just finishing the accounts.

It's been a hectic afternoon, meetings, notes, phonecalls, endless to do lists and an eternity playing catch-up.

And this is why I do it all.  This funky little expressive movement/physical drama group.

I had expected about 6 people at this workshop.

There are 2 (including me).  Or will be when Damon gets in.

Drag heart out of shoes.  Place back in chest.  Survey the empty room.

I'm holding the space.  I'm holding the space for England. Cue national anthem.  Tears of gratitude and pride.  Or are those tears of rejection and disappointment?

Damon comes in.  He is dismayed at this lack of people.  How could they not come?  How could they not appreciate all of this great stuff we are doing?

I don't know either.

Anyway, we'd better get on.

As soon as I start to explain what I am working on, I am transported from the place of rejection and disappointment to a place of excited focus.  Am I mad?

Inside us all there is a blind I.  The I that does not see.  This is (are) the I that hears, smells, tastes, and feels.  These I's are often unnoticed.

In these workshops we attune ourselves to our other I's.  And to the other, you.  Mainly through touch.  But the other senses also have their place.  We hear people's clothing rustle, their bones suddenly click, sometimes a cough.  Sometimes we might smell them, depending if the have bathed or wear deodorant.  Taste ... no ... that's for another workshop.

So, with feet rooted firmly to the floor, and body in a neutral state of readiness, the Blind-I prepares to respond to gentle touch of the Other.

We negotiate our way through a series of touches, once the arm, then the shoulder, twice the back, front of the head.  The Other touches, and the Blind-I, eyes closed, feet rooted, sways gently.  Always returning back to neutral as soon as the touch is released.

We do this for 10 minutes each.  Yes, 10 minutes.  We use a timer.

As a guide, it's tempting to think you have to do lots of different interesting things, choices initially seem limited.  But the first condition, the rooted position, isn't about being interesting, it's about becoming attuned.  Same as when you are being the blind-I, you literally just kind of sway a bit, and move your arms up and down.  Maybe tilt your head.  But all the time you are attuning yourself to the touch of the Other, until you are so sensitive that it is barely necessary to make contact at all.

It's important to remember that this first bit isn't about being expressive.

It's about learning to feel, and to respond, so no cognitive thought is involved.  Stimulus, Response. Rest.  Stimulus Response Stimulus Response Rest.

As we discovered before, several factors interplay; expectation, intention, comprehension, interpretation, range of possible response, choice of responses.  And a deep feeling of focus, it's meditative, very relaxing.

We thought about tai chi.  Apparently people can touch people with chi, without actually touching them.  I know this is true because I've experienced it first hand.  However I understand that people have to train for years to be able to do this, so we aren't going to try here.  Well we did try a bit but it backfired, because the trying got in the way of succeeding.  As is the way with many of these spiritual pursuits.  Like trying to recover from mental illness.

Anyway, back to the subject.

We decided, in order to test our sensitivity (attunement) that the Other would move their touch slowly to the Blind-I, before baking contact.  We amused ourselves by wondering if it was possible to sense the approaching touch before contact, and once or twice, this did seem to happen.

Differences in touch included whether to touch with flat of hand, combined fingers or tip of one finger.  The experience of being touched was very different in each case.  The quality of the movement was different in response.

In the second, travelling condition, this was even more apparent.  the range of dynamics is greater, and the availability of complex responses increases.

At the end of each cycle, I felt my body brain coming to life and my head brain quietening.  It was deeply relaxing.  Very peaceful.

We didn't get to the third condition, the dance.

Save that for next time.

I'm glad we did the workshop after all.  It's always an experience.  I know what we are doing is experimental and not everyone's cup of tea, but I do hope that soon we will have a thriving group again.  In the meantime, I'm grateful to the few who do keep coming, even if this can't be every time.

It's always a learning experience, and deeply interesting.

Going deeper into the darkness and finding warmth

Approach the Hub.  Courteous Firmness with the Young People in the Doorway.  Enter Building.

Latch on Door.

Move Tables.  Hoover Floor.  Check Time.

2 Others arrive to join in.  There are now four.  This is exciting.  And nerve racking.  It's safer when no-one comes, really.

Check in.  How are you?  I'm fine/tired/nervous/glad to be here and lots of other things besides. Stories of mud, headaches, memories ...

New people mean we take longer to warm up.  We can't just race in.  We look around the room, check out details, things we hadn't noticed before.  Nuts on the door that look like nipples...

A switch that might explode if someone turns it on.  (They it, and it didn't).

Standing circle, we enter a physical warm up.  Taking a movement, sharing it, changing it at will, playing with it.  This is a playful group.  I like this group.  The movement gets tossed back and forth, like a blustery spring breeze.  We, the leaves and empty drinks cans, rattling about, chaotic semi-conductors.

Now, we are ready to begin.  The Blind and the Guide.  Like last week, but there are more of us, so we can continue the experiment, introducing random factors.

Dependent Variable - moving in response to a touch.
Independent Variable - touching

Equipment - 4 movements artists.  Each will in turn take roles of Blind or Guide, so that the affects of 'passive/active' personality factors, characteristic movement factors, practice and individual dynamics can be experienced.

In this kind of experiment, experienced is akin to introspectively studied, its the opposite from observed.  Data can only be reliably verified through repeated replication and discourse analysis.

The Blind - a physical performer who has their eyes closed.  All movement is initially directed by the Guide.  The Blind is a passive participant, and they have two purposes.  To return to their neutral position, and to move in response to the touch of the Guide.  At first the Blind's feet are firmly rooted to the floor.  Movement is minimal.  When they reach limit of their available move, they stop.  when the Guide releases the touch, the Blind returns to neutral.

The Guide - a physical performer who has their eyes open, and can see (unless they are in real life, blind, which would be a very interesting variable!).  They instruct the Blind's movements through touch.  Not push, just a touch, as light as is possible.  They need to become aware, through practice, of the Blinds range of movement, and of the clarity of their instruction.

No Blind/Guide dyad is the same.  The rules will change with each pairing.  Control brings responsibility and requires understanding.  Control will always be limited to the available range of moves and the interpretation of purpose.  Responsiveness needs acute senstivity to the purpose of the Guide, and also an awareness of ones own range of movement - otherwise trips and falls occur!

In the first condition, the Guide is rooted to the floor.  Their movements are limited.  Each physical performer takes turns to take on each role.  They interpret the rules as they go along - where the Guide touches, how the Blind responds.  What happens when the touch is released.  What happens in the moments - sometimes long moments, between touches?

It is at times frustrating, purposes, interpretations, things getting lost in translation, not knowing what it means to 'let go' and 'give up control', making up the rules then modifying them.

It is at times beautifully relaxing and absorbing.  Entrancing.  When the pair find a rhythm, feel the rules, the flow of the rhythm, become attuned to each other, something very special happens.  The Guide - the brain, initiator, knowing, sensitively instructing; the Blind, the body, receptive and aware, feeling, sensitively responding.

Time taken - 10 minutes, then swap roles.

In the second condition, the Blind can move their legs.  This frees them up a lot, and allows for a greater range of movements, and also a greater range of interpretations of intent and sensitivity/awareness of range of movements.  Trust becomes an issue, especially when there is more than one dyad active, it is not just the room, but other people that need to be negotiated.

Time taken - 7 minutes, then swap roles.  Time is less due to the fact that the session is coming to a close and I want to fit in the dance part at the end.

In the third condition, a second independent variable is introduced.  Music.  The movement, which has already been modified to accomodate travel, becomes a dance.  The Blind is allowed greater release, and not just freedom to interpret in a more individual way, but freedom to become more expressive.  The music gives a different energy.  The role of the Guide is now not to control, but to enable.  The Guide also participates in the dance.  However they still have a position of responsibility.

Experimenter bias - I deliberately made the larger performers (who happened to be male) the Guides, and the smaller performers ( who happened to be female) the Blinds.  This is because we only had time to do this once, and wouldn't be able to swap roles.  Due to having previous experience at this procedure, I know that I personally prefer it this way round.

Music - We played Steve Reich.  Minimalist.  Moody.

As the Blind, I felt wonderfully released.  I am sensitised by taking part in the previous conditions, and I am tuned in to the touch of the Guide, who I have partnered with several times before.  I have my eyes closed.  Like a pre-toddler, I feel that if I can't see anyone else, they can't see me.  I am released from inhibition.  I smile uncontrollably as I allow my body to move under the guidance of gentle touches, bending, swaying, turning, waving ... sometimes I stand still, untouched, anticipating the next move.  I am smiling.  Occasionally I trip over myself. I stand on my guides foot.  I haven't got a clue where I am in the room, and I don't really care.  It all comes to an end far too soon.

Results & conclusion
Are two experiences ever the same?  Our interpretations, our responses, our interactions with the processes that we have gone through are all very individual.  Each dyad experienced sense of self and other, and the partnership of these two elements, differently.  Buber may be relevant here.My anxiety levels have decreased, and I am experiencing relaxation and satisfaction.  I feel a closeness to my fellow participant-experimenters.  I have partnered with each of them in one way or another and feel grateful to them for sharing this experience with me.
The others in the group say that they feel relaxed.  It has been entrancing.

It is stripped back, basic stuff, and has endless possiblities.

We have reached the end.

We pick up our things and say our goodbyes.  We turn down the heating and off the lights.  Everyone leaves the building while I set the alarm.  The Young People are Gone.  It is silent.  The odd empty drink can and crisp packed has been undisturbed by the evening breeze.








'

Interactive sensitivity, communication, body awareness.

Where do we begin?

We begin by remembering.  We want a bit of structure for this.  We don't need much, not like building a wall, where everything needs to be solid, well grounded and measured.

We are building an idea.

We need a few whispy strands of purpose.  Anything more definite would be limiting.

We are after all researchers in drama.  Everything we do and feel is physical, but physical laws would sentence us to imprisonment.  Cells formed of the very categories we would strive to define.

So, for now, we ask for a web to catch memories, and on which we may hang new ideas, to see how well they fit together.

Two spiders, in a room.  Want to build a web to catch memories.

What do we remember?  As we remember, we build, the web begins to become sticky, and structure emerges.

We remember touching, and responding. creating simple rules for a game of feeling (a touch) and responding (through movement).  One is blind - eyes shut.  They are the body.  The other guides.  They are the mind.  They can see, but this is irrelevant for anything but basic health and safety requirements of the session. 

The blind stands neutral, feet rooted.  The guide touches the blind, gently.  the blind feels the touch and moves in the direction of the touch, until they can move no more without losing balance.

Already we are bringing in new rules - "finding the game".

the blind can only move with a straight body if the guide uses only one hand.  If the guide brings in the other hand, then the blind can bend, bringing in a whole new array of movement.

Guiding the arms is nice, a light, very free and expressive array of movements.  Both arms moved independently but at the same time takes a lot of concentration, and the blind must focus hard to prevent themself trying to predict what the guide will tell them to do.

The guide uses the gentlest of touches, at times only the fingertips.  This takes practice - at first the guide is tempted to try to force the movement, but this may knock the blind off balance. The guide has to feel when the blind has reached the full extent of their movement, and they need to trust the blind to communicate this to them.

And the blind needs to be aware when they reach the full extent of their movement, or they lose balance.

Moving different parts of the body gives very different styles, intensity and quality of movement.  The arms free flowing, light.  The body strong, more restricted, mechanical.  Head movements are odd for the guide, as they are difficult to predict.  For the blind, head movements are destabilising, taking away sense of direction and place.  This could be very pleasant and relaxing.  Or it could be unnerving.  

For no doubt many different reasons.

The two spiders take it in turns.  Swapping the roles of blind and guide.  Each time discussing what has happened.  5 minutes for each turn.  After all, this is a scientific experiment.

Part two.  Blind Dancing

We move on to the next stage of the game.  Blind dancing.

We each give ourselves a task, based on what we found difficult last week.  Be more fluid when dancing is one, the other is to be more aware of the other (empathic) when guiding.

The feet become unrooted, and the blind is given permission to interpret, and, within the direction set by the guide, to respond not robotically, as in part one, but as a creative partner.  Here a balance is needed, between being guided, and following ones own "wanting" in terms of movement.  Or as a guide the balance is between giving safety and direction, and allowing freedom of expression.

It's a bit like a real life relationship where people negotiate their way through the many roles and purposes that come to us.

For me, being a guide was a enjoyable when the dancer correctly interpreted my purpose.  If they tried to take more control than I was comfortable with, I found myself getting frustrating, and trying o force my will onto them.  This reflects my constant battle with my need to be in control. I should do more of this, and maybe learn to enjoy the feeling of watching the dancer dance their own dance, with me just giving a little touch here, and there, and keeping safety.  This is like the role of a parent.

Being the blind dancer was exhilarating.  I felt very safe with my guide, who was much bigger than me and very patient.  I could move very freely, spinning, turning, bending, back and forth, with my eyes closed the whole time and not once did I worry that I may collide with a piece of furniture or a wall.  

And indeed I didn't.

At the end of the session, I felt very relaxed and peaceful.  I still do now, writing about it.  It felt very therapeutic.

My fellow researcher/dramaturge agreed.  

It also felt like a journey for our personal relationship.  One of getting to know each other through the body and movement, and through the themes of trust, responsibility, compliance, expressiveness, leadership, safety ...

And the second part of the session differed from the first in that the blind became uprooted; allowing a greater freedom of movement and thus expression and also a greater risk, and also increasing the responsibility of the guide, and also the potentiality of purpose of the guide.

A question comes to mind ... is greater movement necessary for greater expressivity?  Maybe this is something for future explorations.