Ideokinesis involves the study of the relationship between the mind that governs the ‘ideas’ of movement and the body’s movement response to those ideas. The main aim of analyzing thought patterns during movement is to promote movement efficiency by correcting neuromuscular-skeletal coordination and postural alignments. (Celichowska, 2000:16). This would involve becoming reacquainted with structural facts of the human body, and using movement imagery to change habitual neuromuscular skeletal patterns that hinder maximum efficiency.
The core concept of Ideokinesis involves visualizing motor imagery to alter injurious mechanical forces by programming neuromuscular patterns. The purpose is to improve alignment and mechanical balance. The concept evolves around the idea of the mind’s eye being able to alter injurious movement like stress to avoid strain and injury. This paved the way for an approach to movement education, resulting in improved agility, expression, flexibility, and coordination.
The fundamental key in Ideokinesis is to visualize the movement with the mind’s eye without any perceivable sensation of muscular effort. The movement could be within the body or a movement in the space, making way for neural pathways and re-programming unwanted muscular tensions. The motor imagery pioneers consist of Mabel Todd, Barnara Clark, and Lulu Sweigard.
Eric Hawkins, a dancer, first studied Ideokinesis with Mabel Todd, the originator and two of Todd’s disciples, Lulu Sweigard, and Barbara Clark. (Celichowska, 2000:16). He developed a system of normative dance training through the lifelong study of kinesiology (the science of movement) and Ideokinesis (the study of “idea” movement).
Movement Imagery can be applied to various ways during moments of stillness or when the body is moving. During stillness, imagery is used to encourage change in ‘involuntary’ movement patterns such as normal respiratory activity or unconscious muscular contraction. ‘Voluntary’ movement is when there is a conscious dialogue between the mind and the body while the body is in motion, such as walking, running and dancing. (Celichowska, 2000:17).
The objective of using imagery in ‘involuntary’ movement is to increase the person’s sensitivity to optimal muscular coordination. The central nervous system falls into a pattern of engaging certain muscles during habitual movement patterns whether or not the muscles are needed. Hence, the muscles would fall into a habit of prematurely tensing and overworking. By executing imagery during stillness, the dancer can correct the overworked neuromuscular-skeletal patterns.
‘Thinking’ a movement of imagining change within the body, allows the body the opportunity to assume its innate, more efficient movement patterns. An Ideokinesis practitioner would instruct students to close their eyes and rethink a movement pattern as if they were watching themselves do it.
By disengaging the body from carrying out a movement temporarily, there lies the potential to visualize the ideal form of the movement. Over time when using movement imagery in stillness alters neuromuscular habits, movement deficiency caused by aberrant muscular patterns can be effectively corrected. This process would require much sensitivity and concentration. (Celichowska, 2000:18).
References:
Celichowska. R (2000) The Eric Hawkins Modern Dance Technique. Canada: Princeton Book Company, Publishers.
Batson, G. (2009) Somatic Studies and dance. International Association of Dance Medicine and Science. Available at: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/resource_papers/somatic_studies.pdf [Accessed 23 January 2015].
The core concept of Ideokinesis involves visualizing motor imagery to alter injurious mechanical forces by programming neuromuscular patterns. The purpose is to improve alignment and mechanical balance. The concept evolves around the idea of the mind’s eye being able to alter injurious movement like stress to avoid strain and injury. This paved the way for an approach to movement education, resulting in improved agility, expression, flexibility, and coordination.
The fundamental key in Ideokinesis is to visualize the movement with the mind’s eye without any perceivable sensation of muscular effort. The movement could be within the body or a movement in the space, making way for neural pathways and re-programming unwanted muscular tensions. The motor imagery pioneers consist of Mabel Todd, Barnara Clark, and Lulu Sweigard.
Eric Hawkins, a dancer, first studied Ideokinesis with Mabel Todd, the originator and two of Todd’s disciples, Lulu Sweigard, and Barbara Clark. (Celichowska, 2000:16). He developed a system of normative dance training through the lifelong study of kinesiology (the science of movement) and Ideokinesis (the study of “idea” movement).
Movement Imagery can be applied to various ways during moments of stillness or when the body is moving. During stillness, imagery is used to encourage change in ‘involuntary’ movement patterns such as normal respiratory activity or unconscious muscular contraction. ‘Voluntary’ movement is when there is a conscious dialogue between the mind and the body while the body is in motion, such as walking, running and dancing. (Celichowska, 2000:17).
The objective of using imagery in ‘involuntary’ movement is to increase the person’s sensitivity to optimal muscular coordination. The central nervous system falls into a pattern of engaging certain muscles during habitual movement patterns whether or not the muscles are needed. Hence, the muscles would fall into a habit of prematurely tensing and overworking. By executing imagery during stillness, the dancer can correct the overworked neuromuscular-skeletal patterns.
‘Thinking’ a movement of imagining change within the body, allows the body the opportunity to assume its innate, more efficient movement patterns. An Ideokinesis practitioner would instruct students to close their eyes and rethink a movement pattern as if they were watching themselves do it.
By disengaging the body from carrying out a movement temporarily, there lies the potential to visualize the ideal form of the movement. Over time when using movement imagery in stillness alters neuromuscular habits, movement deficiency caused by aberrant muscular patterns can be effectively corrected. This process would require much sensitivity and concentration. (Celichowska, 2000:18).
References:
Celichowska. R (2000) The Eric Hawkins Modern Dance Technique. Canada: Princeton Book Company, Publishers.
Batson, G. (2009) Somatic Studies and dance. International Association of Dance Medicine and Science. Available at: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/resource_papers/somatic_studies.pdf [Accessed 23 January 2015].