Focusing on developing our partnerships for contact has been interesting, working on how we can sense each other and notice the specific movements we do in our bodies as well as build enough trust to start including weight bearing/ balancing positions.
This week we were introduced to two contact videos both including a pair and their version on contact.
- Martin Keogh and Neige Christenson- The play of weight (2009)
The first video for me was my typical idea of what a contact pair should look like; female and male taking on the stereotypical role of the man always lifting and the female up in the air. As for the chemistry the flow of their movements were constant as well as their points of contact, by keeping them interesting in using more than just their hands and feet. What was interesting to watch was their dynamics and speed, as they look comfortable with each other and the noticeable trust they had was used to build the dynamics and speed element in to their improvisation to also use levels.
- Mirva Makinen and Otto Akkanen – Contact Improvisation
This video was definitely different, comparing this to the previous one it had less elements of dynamics and speed. This may have been to the obvious lack of trust in this pairing with it also being a male and female pair but what I believe to be with the male having a lack of strength. What was fascinating to watch were their exploration of the space and how they broaden their bodies also which did create new points of contact but for me I didn’t feel as though they were as in sync with each other.
Even though these two pairs represented how contact improvisation is performed today I still feel there is an element that is missing, I think this may be from the Steve Paxton video we watched previously and how I thought the raw energy added a unique look to the typical look of a contact pair.
This week we focused more on our movements than weight baring positions, so increasing our technique by specifically moving in spirals and playing around with levels and speed. From this we learnt a new way of continuously moving called ‘surfing and rolling’. I found it difficult to do this as I kept struggling to find new points of contact with my partner, I mainly went for my stomach and back, creating the habitual pattern. Within building this close connection to my partner we then went on to learn a new weight baring position- Aikido Roll. This requires the two people in the position to be able to move smoothly in and out by aligning the hips together. We had previously done this role but on our own. I still haven’t been able to master the direction that I needed to go which worried me because I didn’t want to hurt my partner in the process.
I noticed that while I was the over dancer I could roll over smoothly but struggled getting back up with my partner, I feel that this was due to my lack of core strength and also my partner being a lot taller than me. When it came to my turn being the under dancer I panicked, this was my first time with working on a lift with someone else and my previous thoughts of not being strong enough waved over me and I froze. Being too scared to even do the role I needed extra assistance from Kirsty, she led me even though she was the over dancer, showing me that all I needed was to push up from my feet and hips.
After this we changed partners and with one lying on the floor and one on top of the other person. I was the under dancer at this point and with my partner on top me of we needed to create a simple connection by syncing our breath with each other. This led on to then creating a small contact duet. It was about a minute in the duet when my partner tried the aikido roll and I was not in the correct position or aware of what she wanted to do and because of this, it ended up with me being injured. Having to sit out for the remainder of the lesson I observed the class in attempting other lifts such as: paper clip lift and cradle lift each having a development of their own. The only thing I was able to pick up while watching was how to use less muscular tension to create a smoother transition and anchor points for the body to help control the movement also.
Curtis, B. and Ptashek, A. (1988) Exposed to Gravity. Contact Quaterly/Improvisation Sourcebook. 13(2) 156-162.
Neige Christenson (2009) the play of weight. [Online Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ltq6y06E8ew [Accessed 15 November 2015].
Omegabranch (2011) Contact Improvisation Mirva Mäkinen & Otto Akkanen. [Online video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMLbWxujoGw [Accessed 15 November 2015].