I have asked myself recently what is it that excites or inspires me in my life and as a creator/performer.  Through this process I have given in to my astrological identity as a Gemini, master of communication, and realize that I need communication in order to feel a balance of interior impulses and exterior engagement. 

This realization has taken me through 3 periods of creation (A Johnny Caged Community – with Maurizio Grandinetti;  Did You Say Something – with Angelika Thiele and Monica Gillette; and Misalliance with Monica Gillette) as well as several workshop explorations with children, amateurs and professionals alike.  There have been interesting conversations and discoveries surrounding Fear, Habits, Power, Control, Release, Listening, Rhythm, Following, Guiding… 

 A Johnny Caged Community - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE9zdWRDJk4

Misalliance - http://deathbyglitter.wordpress.com/misalliance/

The workshops I've been teaching often go through several stages of development inspired by ideas of non-verbal communication, and more simply, the clear giving and receiving of information.  Communicating a direction, a gesture, a story, a speed, etc.  The following exercises can be performed by anyone, professional or amateur.

One major component of this work is a release of focus on self and a placement of focus on the other/your partner in order to REACT, rather than act. This idea comes from an improvisation exercise called Repeat as practiced in The Meisner Method, which I was able to study for one year as part of my theater studies at SUNY New Paltz.  My understanding of the exercise is to remain in the moment and react to a partner’s impulses, rather than ‘act’ on your own ideas/impulses.  Here is a video of a rather advanced version of the Meisner exercise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDgEKDTkgb4

A BRIEF SCORE

Working in pairs.  One person gives physical directions to the other for a certain amount of time, then they switch on the command of the teacher (generally 1-2 minutes each).  The partner should always try to react immediately to the offered gesture.  Change partners between each command/gesture.

It is important to work as simply and clearly as possible at the beginning to establish an array of tools from which to explore.  But still try to have fun.

Physical commands/gestures:

- Handshake - offer a clear handshake, try to shake it.  Play with the gesture.

- Hug

- High five

- Point/Gesture to WHERE your partner should move (additionally you can add HOW to move - slowly, quickly...)

You can then do a round with all four gestures/commands.

Next the person receiving direction can (physically) negotiate the proposition.  

Both people can eventually give and take direction simultaneously.  No time limit.  It is often interesting at this point to have the possibility to watch the other groups, so often I split the workshop into 2. 

Partners can eventually interchange freely during the course of the practice. I like to compare it to a contact improvisation but with 20% contact.

THOUGHTS AND DANGERS!

Before the physical refusion step comes into play, try to always respond positively to a direction.

Each of these steps/layers can be practiced for as long as desired and can be repeated as desired. 

Try to avoid mirroring as a method of giving direction to your partner.  Same goes for follow the leader type stuff.

One other exciting layer to thrown on is the layer of immaturity/playfulness/being mean.  Children telling each other what to do will never be nice, but adults are almost always very polite and sometimes quite boring.  Giving people the opportunity to be mean to each other is often much more fun to watch and do, and is generally much more interesting and honest.

To further release the focus on self (and often as a warm up to the aforementioned exercises), I have also been exploring ways of emptying the body of excess information in order to work with the body’s basic inner rhythm.  We’ve been shaking and moving in slow motion with our eyes closed a lot.  Generally I like doing things with closed eyes, such as exploring spaces in pairs, slow motion group improvisation and authentic movement. Here are some simple explanations/options:

- shake for minimum 10 minutes, eyes closed, no contact with others

- in partners, both blindfolded, one leads the other in an exploration of a space; minimum 10 minutes, then change roles; or both lead each other and take care of each other for this exploration

 - slow motion group improvisation, everyone blindfolded or eyes closed) always connected to at least one other person; any amount of time

- authentic movement, minimum 10 minutes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentic_Movement)

All of this is important work for me because it forces us as performers to remain present and open to one another, to ourselves and to our audiences.  This connection is terribly lacking in many realms of contemporary dance and performance in my opinion. 

As part of the IDOCDE meeting in Grenoble, we did only the directional giving portion of this score/document/description.  Below are some comments/reactions to that practice.

I am really open to sharing this and for feedback/discussion/debate/ways to extend these ideas.

RESPONSE TO CLINTS SESSION AT IDOCDE GRENOBLE

From Stephanie Maher

MOVEMENT WRITING Writing from embodyied states..

SONG IN HEAD..ITS TO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW.....I BELIEVE I BELIEVE I BELIEVE

I'M FALLIN IN LOVE

BLACK BLUGERING BURDEN. FOLLOWING THE FINGERS OF HER PERFORMANCE HER SUDTLE NEED FOR DOMINANCE HER COWARDNESS THE SAME THE SAME COWARDS ARE HOLDING YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR SQUEEZING YOUR BANK CARD OUT OF YOUR HAND DETERMINING IF YOUR CHILD IS A GIRL OR BOY..UNDETERMINED SEX UNDEFINED RITUALS UNDETAILED LOVE AFFAIRS UNDESCRIBED MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHOSE CHILDHOOODS SCUM OURS UP.

MOVEMENT IN THE MUD .....SHARP TURNS COME... TELL ME WHEN TO CRAWL AND WHEN IT IS TIME TO PERFECT MY SOFTNESS-

TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT

TELL ME WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED

 TELL ME HOW TO CLASP YOUR HEART YOUR SKIN YOUR SEX

 TELL ME WHEN IT IS OVER, WHEN THE MOON HAS PASSED WHEN MY CROWN APPEARS. IT COULD BE CALM IT COULD BE BLISS OR BE THE DEATH OF US ALL.

TELL ME

From Sophie Gerard

 Meet clint :

They speak in english.He speak in english.i’m not sure that they untersdand what he say.

There are in a circle.

There’s a French expression: OBEIR AU DOIGT ET A L’OEIL. Obei by finger and by eyes.

There’s a question of communication and execution. they change the rule.

Simple actions: stand up, seet down,roll,  lye down.

How this proposal can be untersdanding in a way of communication, order to.

He take notes, he smill to the jokeand I also smill to the jokes.

They change Rules.

I don’t succeded in looking, I think to much at the planning for tomorrow, thegirl who are engang in the improvisation, she make me laugh.

From the question : Who are you ? make a plane paper.

At the end I think that we are :ALL TERRAIN DANCERS…….

From Lili Cheng

Workshop with Clints / Take the focus on the others

Intension with the partner

How to listen and give the right instructions

How to use the simple movements to create a choreography

How to make people non dancer to dance

From Laura Faguer

I have for this workshop just words :

Dare, be disciplined, to refuse, to go directly to the objective, play…

Clint said : Teaching without speaking

The communication passes by the movement, to be honest, sincere

For me, the play was very present and there was a other way of meeting (Who is other ?)