The Dart Procedures is a series of exploratory poses and movements relating to the sequence of human developmental movement from infant to adult. Developed by Joan and Alex Murray (both Alexander teachers), they correspond to F.M. Alexander's understanding of human poise and coordination. It grew out of the Murray's ongoing investigation into a human developmental movement as it relates to the Alexander Technique.
The Dart Procedures were inspired by and based on the work of Professor Raymond A. Dart, thus the name. Dart is widely recognized as one of the preeminent anatomists, anthropologists and paleontologists of the 20th Century. It is less well-known that he had great interest in human developmental physiology and human developmental movement as exhibited by infants and young children.
Dart did not pioneer the Dart Procedures. Beginning in 1967, from close readings of several of Dart's published papers and personal visits with Dart, the Murrays expanded and developed The Dart Procedures. It was a way of exploring developmental movement while applying the principles of the Alexander Technique.
The Dart Procedures contain a series of position that when linked becomes a movement sequence that retraces the path of developmental and evolutionary patterns. It is not the movement sequence itself that is important, but the principles applied. In each movement segment, provides the vehicle for experimentation. Learning the movements or positions is only the beginning of the journey toward learning about one’s movement patterns.
The Dart Procedures to learning is relevant to dance training in refining technique, understanding movement principles, and discovering habitual movement tendencies. It opens a door for exploration that can easily provide links to dance vocabulary. The dancer can take the information learnt from exploring these procedures and apply it to dance performance. The way in which a dancer performs simple movements on the floor will become apparent in the dance performance. The Dart Procedures are useful tools in diagnosing problems a dancer might experience in dance.
A demonstration of the Dart Procedures are shown in this video:
The Dart Procedures were inspired by and based on the work of Professor Raymond A. Dart, thus the name. Dart is widely recognized as one of the preeminent anatomists, anthropologists and paleontologists of the 20th Century. It is less well-known that he had great interest in human developmental physiology and human developmental movement as exhibited by infants and young children.
Dart did not pioneer the Dart Procedures. Beginning in 1967, from close readings of several of Dart's published papers and personal visits with Dart, the Murrays expanded and developed The Dart Procedures. It was a way of exploring developmental movement while applying the principles of the Alexander Technique.
The Dart Procedures contain a series of position that when linked becomes a movement sequence that retraces the path of developmental and evolutionary patterns. It is not the movement sequence itself that is important, but the principles applied. In each movement segment, provides the vehicle for experimentation. Learning the movements or positions is only the beginning of the journey toward learning about one’s movement patterns.
The Dart Procedures to learning is relevant to dance training in refining technique, understanding movement principles, and discovering habitual movement tendencies. It opens a door for exploration that can easily provide links to dance vocabulary. The dancer can take the information learnt from exploring these procedures and apply it to dance performance. The way in which a dancer performs simple movements on the floor will become apparent in the dance performance. The Dart Procedures are useful tools in diagnosing problems a dancer might experience in dance.
A demonstration of the Dart Procedures are shown in this video:
The movement exploration of the Dart Procedures includes (according to appearance in the video above):
1. Standing on toes
2. Shallow Monkey Position
3. Hands on the back of chair
4. Anthropoidal-knuckles on the back of the chair
5. Deeper Anthropoidal-knuckles on chair seat
6. Tarsoid-back of hands on the chair
7. Anthropoidal-knuckles on the floor
8. Creeping-quadrupedal
9. Kowtow
10. Pentapodal-Cranial-globe, Elbows, Knees
11. Pre-fetal
12. Fetal Crouch
13. Rolling to semi-supine
14. Rolling on Prone
15. Pull to the Elbows
16. Spiral Rolling
17. Ventigrade (Fish Arms)
18. Creeping-Quadrupedal
19. Clambering-squat with palms on chair
20. Upright/Relevé
(Nettl-Fiol and Vanier, 2011 :35-40)
References:
Alexander Technique Tucson (2014) The Dart Procedures. Available at:
http://www.alexandertechniquetucson.com/thedartprocedure.html [Accessed 4 May 2015].
Alexander Technique Milwaukee (2009) Dart Procedures (Joan and Alex Murray).mov. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnYUvIRZe_o [Accessed 4 May 2015].
Nettl-Fiol, R and Vanier, L (2011) Dance and the Alexander Technique Exploring the Missing Link. USA: University of Illinois Press.
1. Standing on toes
2. Shallow Monkey Position
3. Hands on the back of chair
4. Anthropoidal-knuckles on the back of the chair
5. Deeper Anthropoidal-knuckles on chair seat
6. Tarsoid-back of hands on the chair
7. Anthropoidal-knuckles on the floor
8. Creeping-quadrupedal
9. Kowtow
10. Pentapodal-Cranial-globe, Elbows, Knees
11. Pre-fetal
12. Fetal Crouch
13. Rolling to semi-supine
14. Rolling on Prone
15. Pull to the Elbows
16. Spiral Rolling
17. Ventigrade (Fish Arms)
18. Creeping-Quadrupedal
19. Clambering-squat with palms on chair
20. Upright/Relevé
(Nettl-Fiol and Vanier, 2011 :35-40)
References:
Alexander Technique Tucson (2014) The Dart Procedures. Available at:
http://www.alexandertechniquetucson.com/thedartprocedure.html [Accessed 4 May 2015].
Alexander Technique Milwaukee (2009) Dart Procedures (Joan and Alex Murray).mov. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnYUvIRZe_o [Accessed 4 May 2015].
Nettl-Fiol, R and Vanier, L (2011) Dance and the Alexander Technique Exploring the Missing Link. USA: University of Illinois Press.