Somatics and Dance: Benefits of ATM (Feldenkrais)
Integrating somatics and contemporary dance technique promote an embodied way of knowing the self in dance. Hence technique becomes an intrinsic and personalized rather than extrinsically representing an external idea. Somatic practices allow the students to experience a stronger sense of internal authority, an enhanced self-image, and a sense of ownership in the learning process. Teachers who has incorporated somatics into dance training found that somatics offers them a teaching model where students become the central focus and class are based on movement and somatic concepts versus pure skill acquisition and repetition.
Somatic practices allow the students to experience a stronger sense of internal authority, an enhanced self-image, and a sense of ownership in the learning process. Teachers whom has incorporated somatics into dance training found that somatics offers them a teaching model where students become the central focus and class are based on movement and somatic concepts versus pure skill acquisition and repetition.
A body scan is often performed with the students lying on their backs and serves as a positional reference point that allows changes to be noted during the lessons. This provided the foundation for increasingly complex movement tasks in future lessons.
Phrases can address concepts of ATM lessons such as balance, flexion, extension and rotation of the spine, relationship of the crown of the head to the coccyx and soles of the feet, taking weight into the hands and arms, and the exploration of backspace.
During class, the student can reflect on their experiences about improving one’s understanding of how they organize themselves in a movement from a sensorial and functional level.
In a study conducted to assess the effects of Somatics during a dance technique class, students reported changes in their self-image through recognition of preferences, tendencies, patterns and changes in their movement. Because of these changes in movements, changes were also reflected in sensation, feeling and thinking.
Participating dancers in the study, Sally, Dawn and Lilian found that they move in a more rounded way after ATM lesson. This positively affected their ability to perform dance phrases in class and activities outside of class. Larry, Sally and Tristram found an enhancement of fluidity and ease in transitions when performing phrase work after ATM lessons. All participants recorded moving with a greater range of motion throughout the spine, giving them a sense of elongation after doing ATM. Larry reported that after an ATM lesson, he was able to fine dynamic posture, making his balance easier. Larry felt integrated as a whole person, and because the ATM lesson help him to relax, he was able to dance with greater efficiency by “eliminating superfluous movement where possible.”
In all the named participants above, their approach to learning shifted, and they started to move from a place of self-judgment to a place of self-acceptance. The dancers began to questions how they internalized external feedback and expectations as they move towards a more internal sense of authority.
When students developed an awareness of their actions, this awareness created the foundation for changes in movement, sensation, feeling and thinking. New variations in movement may have awakened a sense of curiosity and taught each student the value of constant adaptation to alter circumstances. Instead of focusing on performing an action in the “right” way or “correcting” a movement that is seen as “wrong”, students were encouraged to explore the options and choices available to them.
These benefits invoke curiosity in the students as their bodily sensations awaken, and their awareness level sharpen in the process. The student begins to appreciate the given qualities in their bodies and develops a sense of self-acceptance and gratitude. The student must gradually bring in new sensations and concepts learned in somatic approaches and apply it to their dance technique. Whether it is changing the movement quality or how one is holding a particular position, moving in between transitions, the student learns to move as a whole person, integrating oneself into an entire unit. Somatics bring in new ways and initiation of moving in the dancer as it frees up, relieving tension or stress placed on a body part.
Reference:
Diaz, H and Chatfield, S and Cox, J (2008) Cultivating Presence in Movement Student Reflections on the Practice of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement in Dance Training. Journal of Dance Education 8 (3) 79-93. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=22&sid=4d0ecb1c-0bf5-4e70-9d5f-ecb4fa324b14%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114 [10 January 2015].
Fortin, S and Long, W and Lord, M (2002) Three Voices: researching how somatic education informs contemporary dance technique classes (2002) Research in Dance Education 3 (2) 155-179. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=96c072e3-d8ce-4706-bca3-5401acbcf6e9%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114 [10 January 2015].
Integrating somatics and contemporary dance technique promote an embodied way of knowing the self in dance. Hence technique becomes an intrinsic and personalized rather than extrinsically representing an external idea. Somatic practices allow the students to experience a stronger sense of internal authority, an enhanced self-image, and a sense of ownership in the learning process. Teachers who has incorporated somatics into dance training found that somatics offers them a teaching model where students become the central focus and class are based on movement and somatic concepts versus pure skill acquisition and repetition.
Somatic practices allow the students to experience a stronger sense of internal authority, an enhanced self-image, and a sense of ownership in the learning process. Teachers whom has incorporated somatics into dance training found that somatics offers them a teaching model where students become the central focus and class are based on movement and somatic concepts versus pure skill acquisition and repetition.
A body scan is often performed with the students lying on their backs and serves as a positional reference point that allows changes to be noted during the lessons. This provided the foundation for increasingly complex movement tasks in future lessons.
Phrases can address concepts of ATM lessons such as balance, flexion, extension and rotation of the spine, relationship of the crown of the head to the coccyx and soles of the feet, taking weight into the hands and arms, and the exploration of backspace.
During class, the student can reflect on their experiences about improving one’s understanding of how they organize themselves in a movement from a sensorial and functional level.
In a study conducted to assess the effects of Somatics during a dance technique class, students reported changes in their self-image through recognition of preferences, tendencies, patterns and changes in their movement. Because of these changes in movements, changes were also reflected in sensation, feeling and thinking.
Participating dancers in the study, Sally, Dawn and Lilian found that they move in a more rounded way after ATM lesson. This positively affected their ability to perform dance phrases in class and activities outside of class. Larry, Sally and Tristram found an enhancement of fluidity and ease in transitions when performing phrase work after ATM lessons. All participants recorded moving with a greater range of motion throughout the spine, giving them a sense of elongation after doing ATM. Larry reported that after an ATM lesson, he was able to fine dynamic posture, making his balance easier. Larry felt integrated as a whole person, and because the ATM lesson help him to relax, he was able to dance with greater efficiency by “eliminating superfluous movement where possible.”
In all the named participants above, their approach to learning shifted, and they started to move from a place of self-judgment to a place of self-acceptance. The dancers began to questions how they internalized external feedback and expectations as they move towards a more internal sense of authority.
When students developed an awareness of their actions, this awareness created the foundation for changes in movement, sensation, feeling and thinking. New variations in movement may have awakened a sense of curiosity and taught each student the value of constant adaptation to alter circumstances. Instead of focusing on performing an action in the “right” way or “correcting” a movement that is seen as “wrong”, students were encouraged to explore the options and choices available to them.
These benefits invoke curiosity in the students as their bodily sensations awaken, and their awareness level sharpen in the process. The student begins to appreciate the given qualities in their bodies and develops a sense of self-acceptance and gratitude. The student must gradually bring in new sensations and concepts learned in somatic approaches and apply it to their dance technique. Whether it is changing the movement quality or how one is holding a particular position, moving in between transitions, the student learns to move as a whole person, integrating oneself into an entire unit. Somatics bring in new ways and initiation of moving in the dancer as it frees up, relieving tension or stress placed on a body part.
Reference:
Diaz, H and Chatfield, S and Cox, J (2008) Cultivating Presence in Movement Student Reflections on the Practice of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement in Dance Training. Journal of Dance Education 8 (3) 79-93. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=22&sid=4d0ecb1c-0bf5-4e70-9d5f-ecb4fa324b14%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114 [10 January 2015].
Fortin, S and Long, W and Lord, M (2002) Three Voices: researching how somatic education informs contemporary dance technique classes (2002) Research in Dance Education 3 (2) 155-179. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=96c072e3-d8ce-4706-bca3-5401acbcf6e9%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4114 [10 January 2015].