Drumming was created in August 1998 to a composition of Steve Reich. The compelling rhythmicality of the music propels the dancers into a choreography that appears complex and at the same time insidiously simple. Just like the music, the dance proceeds from a single motion phrase, explored exhaustively and unremittingly for an hour through endless combinations, variations and transformations, by reversing it, speeding it up and slowing it down.
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the golden section is used as a floor pattern |
Brilliant! I'm so happy you're getting to have this experience!
ReplyDeletethanks, michael! me too! I feel so lucky!
ReplyDeleteYou deserve it! But I admit I'm also a trifle jealous. But my time of good fortune is coming, I know!
ReplyDeleteawe, thanks :) yes, your good fortune must certainly already be in blossom. i was thinking about that just today. that somehow i believe or like to think that all of our desires may already be present, and its just a matter of seeing them. its fun to think that way, isnt it? as if its already there, and all we have to do is train our eyes... been playing with that :)
ReplyDeletebut i do feel so in heaven this week with my teacher dominique. she was a pina bausch dancer, so i am learning movement that i have always dreamed of dancing. its so beautiful!
That's terrific, I'm so glad you're getting to learn from that Pina Bausch dancer, I've heard you talk about her before. Really does sound like a dream come true!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree, it is fun to think that everything we need is right in front of us (same conclusion Dorothy came to at the end of Wizard of Oz, come to think of it).
I guess I've been thinking about that too, in one way or another recently. I had a weird moment of clarity after class on Saturday (because it seemed easy in some ways) where I realized that if I saw an orthopedist about my achilles, and maybe a chiropractor, and lost five or ten pounds, I could probably achieve whatever potential I have as a dancer. And the new novel I'm writing (a funny romantic comedy) is going great--I'm really seeing it. It's all about the clarity.
haha :) love that you remembered that from the wizard of oz! and wow, im really excited to hear that you are interested in looking into working with your achilles!!! this is incredible! and to hear about the new novel! wow, michael! you are well on your way! keep me posted about it all! and also, there is a new bikram yoga studio in durham opening soon... wonder if there may be some good achilles work for you there too!
ReplyDeleteSo do you think Bikram would help? You're going to get me into one of those classes yet ;-) And thanks for being so encouraging, I really appreciate it!!
ReplyDeletei do think that bikram would be helpful. you are working the body/mind/spirit connection in a clear way... and the room is so hot, the muscles are already warm. but really, i think any yoga would be helpful. so many of the poses will help you to guide breath to that area. but, maybe you will know clearly if this is a good idea if you see some videos online first to see if it speaks to you...
ReplyDeleteI value your opinion so I'll think about it, but at the moment bikram doesn't really appeal to me. An extremely hot, crowded room is pretty much my idea of hell. The quasi-religious nature of American Yoga is slightly off putting for me (of course, in its purest form its completely religious). I know that it can help unlearn and reprogram patterns in the body, but I think there are other modalities that can do that as well. Feldenkrais and Rolfing come to mind, chiropractors. I'm interested in those things, and I also wish I would have went to see an orthopedist when I had health insurance.
ReplyDeleteAs for yoga, I do love kirtan and I wish you could see me dancing to that, I love freeform ecstatic dancing, and I've been practicing Americanized Tantra for 20-some years, and it's funny, when doing ecstatic dancing to kirtan (or in the old days to punk rock) my achilles never hurt.
OK, I've probably hijacked the comments on this post enough and I've got to get ready for work. How's your French holding out?
interesting ... certainly following your own guidance is best. for me, yoga in its purest form is just breath and connection. but im sure it is a lot of things to a lot of people. my french is still not so good. its been hard to practice because the working language of the school is english, and all of my international friends like to practice their english with me ... and they are quite good!
ReplyDeletehaha, well I'm sure you're picking up a lot by osmosis. And it sounds like there will be a whole contingent of Belgians speaking English with a Virginia/North Carolina accent ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnd help me understand what you mean by breath and connection? Connection to what?
connection to the body
ReplyDeleteok, cool. And I hope none of my earlier comments came across as too harsh--the heat and mercury retrograde is making me churlish. I really cherish and respect all your wisdom and knowledge and am grateful for your input--I wish I loved yoga, but it just doesn't seem to be the path for me right now. :-)
ReplyDelete