Movement Composing
Daily Life Movement Awareness
from breathing, walking, and looking, at each moment we are always moving, we’re always creating movements, it’s just the difference that if we’re aware of it.
How do we work with the body efficiently?
When we squat or lay down, the body is in the lower level; when we knee on the floor or stand, the body is in the middle level; when we jump, the body is in the higher level.
How do we connect different levels of body movement so that we could move efficiently with grace and ease, and without exhausting the body energy, and even more, looks flowing?
”+”: plus - do the movement in order
”x”: multiply by - do two (or above) movements simultaneously
Tips of ”x” multiply by a few movements: one or two body parts for one movement only, so the rest of the body could do other movements at the same time.
The Composition
When we use “+” and “x” to create and connect movements, it’s just like math, we start to create a set of movements, as a sentence.
For example, 8 movements together could be
A: 1+2x3+4x5+6+7x8 = 5 movements
B: 1x2x3+4x5+6x7+8 = 4 movements
C: 1x2+3+4x5+6+7x8 = 5 movements
or any other possibilities.
Then we can mix up all the possible sentences above, based on permutations and combinations in mate, to create various and longer movement sentences.
For instance,
A1+C8xB4+C6xA5+B3+…………
so on and on.
All these above are just the way to create and combine movements, and we haven’t applied the elements of beats, rhythms, and dynamics, which would create much more playful composition with fun!
Please note that 8 movements connecting all together IS NOT 1 set of 8-count movement.
It is because for 1 movement we can do it for 1/2 count, for 2 counts, 3 counts, and even 8 counts. It expresses the quality and the dynamic of each movement.
Geometry highly influences Belgium contemporary dance art queen Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s way of choreography, and the law of probability is also a famous way for post-modern dance artist Merce Cunningham and his lifelong partner/collaborator musician John Cage to make dance work.