Sending partner: Tanzhaus Zürich

Inviting partner: ICK Amsteram in collaboration with Hjs Amsterdam

 

below you find a deatiled description of the exercises and the build up of the class. During the five classes at HJS not all of the elements were taught and practiced. About 5 dancers came to the class more than once till 4 times. Together with them a build up from Monday till Friday was possible (intensity, quality of the movements and training effect, quantity of material) even though the dancers coming to the class were different ones every day.

 

1) in a circle (conect and create an open and concentrated atmsphere to collaborte) / introduction spiraling along / around the spine to warm up / loosen hip joint, lower back and explore and enlarge the freedom of movement of the pelvis area and upper body - arms and head (giving direction by little finger and focus by following with the eyes)

a) feet parallel, bit wider than the hips, but comfortable position, swinging the arms from side to side away from the bend leg arms swing along = spiraling movement, light, big range of movement possible in the upper body and creates a panorama view around yourself) 

b) swinging towards the bend leg = sidewards movement, legs can bend more and movement is mor grounded (into the floor, more wight)

c) change from a) to b)

d) juggling the ball

e) combination = coda for the rest of the class (can be variated and performed from simple - advanced versions): 

Movement 1: from little finger take the hand across the chest-behind the head = figure 8- reach over high (1st half of a 2nd figure 8)-drop the hand/arm down in a 1/2 circle (video 1). The legs change between a) and b) according to coordination need by following the little finger

Movement 2: idem but open to the side, over the heel = 4th position straight back leg and come back or turn around

Movement 3: idem but reach so far to the top that wight transfer happens to the same leg as working hand/arm = can go up till relevé or even passé or turn

Movement 4: transfer the weight to the other leg along with same arm movement (figure 8 + 1/2 figure 8 - point of change- + 1/2 circle to drop the arm), this time turn around = 1 turn, slide along lower while shifting the weight to the other leg - repeat that 2x double tempo, changing legs = skating-steps forward or backwards - start other side

d) can be variated in emphasizing reach, drop, shifting weight, spiraling more or less, acceleration, suspense, double turns, turning in the reach etc.

e) improvise with the movement elements, explore the range of movement possibilities with in that one move

 

2) spiraling down to the floor and up from the floor and introduction swing - push-  kick - reach (foot and leg) = SPKR

a) preparation of lower back curving and legs bending at the same time (alignment: tailbone-top of the head connection): taking of the T-Shirt (reaching) - over high / point of change - drop and swing arms 4 times - reach arms to the side - over high / point of change - drop and swing

b) continue from a) when arms reaching to the side, than over high and change to diagonal front - tailbone goes down to sit (sit bone to heel) - breathing out to drop upper body and head - spirale to the back to sit down - push the knee - rebound and fall to the side - SPKR - walking backwards 4 steps (lying on the side) -lower leg reaches backwards -reach in banana shape - let go to open and close to other side - SPKR - reach from the toles further backwards - change from one sitbone to the other - to spiral around yourself to spin around (sitting) - stand on the front foot to send Blackfoot around (alignment: under yourself!) to spiral around yourself  to stand up - over high - to yo other side 

c) when coming up - keep spiraling while lower yourself and walking forward - arrive on the ground - collect by looking backwards on one side and other side - to arrive on all 4 

d) lower the chest to the ground (looking backwards) and collect by pushing and looking to other side (2 x to each side) than coda but now from the ground, getting up and lowering while spiraling

 

3) stretch and strengthen legs and arms to support the spine (alignment, coordination, isotonic power (breathing in -> growing pushing from the inside to the skin breathing out -> empty, air goes out like form a balloon)

Elements to work with: on all 4th, dogpose, diving to cobra, walking across, dogpose + lifting one leg + reach across and follow the foot to the ground (drop), walking across low to the ground, knee to the chest, one leg bend - one leg sterched movements.

 

 

4) using serpentines through the spine (curves sideways) in order to move along, off and into the floor

a) all 4: shift the weight re, left and right while lowering and slide out to the side, open over the back, drop knees, SPKR to recover

b) add from the K 1/2 turn on the ground, R to open to starfish, accent in to close, R to open through starfish and recover

c) idem but 3 open close, ellbow trough to arrive on the bally, fingers through to arrive on side, football-kick to turn 1/2 around on the ground, both feet on the ground, hand behind head on the ground to support, pushing pelvis up to arrive to the other side, repeat and recover (or repeat several times)

d) idem + from the 3ed football-kick the head goes under, pull form hand to roll over the shoulder down to the opposite hip, repeat 2 more times = 3 x, turn on the spot, feet under yourself (vertical), to slide along the floor to recover

Preparation: just from the 3 football-kicks (start lying on the side) 

e) idem + big jump backwards, one leg passé, stand on that leg to turn to the back hips front, drag the other leg, to swing it in figure 8 and jump, step to roll in aikido roll, get up or reverse the rol (advanced)

 

5) tailbone-head connection combined with football kick and SPKR

a) take a step and tailbone down - transfer the wight to front foot, tailbone up - change legs in the air - come down on the side - SPKR to take back foot front to stand up, pushing from 2 hands and 2 feet the back foot (take off like an airplane)

b) instead of standing up: dive with the head to turn (hands can support on the ground) following the foot into arch - hand takes over the lead to fall into circle to run to not fall around in the circle to come back to vertical - start again

c) After coming down on the side: rol to come up on all 4 - reverse and swing the leg around to go over the shoulder, hips front, reverse to come dwon legs crossed, leg under to walk backwards, rol over the back and foot front, stand on it and dive with the head - than adding elements form the class as many as the students can take at that moment in the end of the class.

 

coda advanced: stepping and turning diagonal front on movement 2, turn on spot by reaching to the sealing from little finger - stepping and turning diagonal backwards (repeating movement 2) - movement 4 with the skating steps