Week 2 Technical Notes

Movement

Day 1

Review of Previous Week’s Work

1. Walk around space, checking in with the body and the breath
2. Monkey, English Gent, Naughty qualities of movement
3. Flexion, Extension
4. Levels
5. On floor, roll over every joint possible and find ways to make every part of the body make contact with the ground
6. Wind up lying on floor, relaxed and perform similar check in with body and breath

Weighing the Fish

1. From sitting, take the whole weight of one leg at a time in hands
2. Open up pelvis by using hands to maneuver leg in hip socket (bending knee, ankle, etc.)
3. As if weighing a fish, hold from knee to ankle out in front of body and gently but quickly lift and drop it slightly
4. Pause in between each leg and lay on the floor to observe how each leg feels after the exercise
5. Resume rolling on floor focusing on the legs’ connection to the ground
6. Come back to standing and check in with body and breath one more time after opening up

Imaginary Bowling

Revisit the Handstand Prep Exercise from the previous week

1. Imagine holding two bowling balls and releasing them ‘down the lane’ assuming a handstand position
2. Without imitating the bowling motion, reach the same handstand position
3. Start to let the motion bring the legs off the floor
4. First one leg, then the other
5. Scissor exchange while off the ground, taking one leg up first, then the other and then bringing them down in the same order
6. Bring one leg up, then the other but go back down on the second leg, so not scissoring while off the ground

Yoga

*These are not in correct order, and probably missing a couple of poses

1. Child’s pose
2. Downward dog
3. Plank
4. Snake
5. Dolphin
6. Sun Salute (lunge)

Headstand (Forearm)

1. Place forearms on the ground, parallel, shoulder width apart and forming 90° angles
2. Place the top of the head between the hands on the ground
3. Walk the feet toward the elbows
4. Bring one leg up at a time, shifting the pelvis as the weight centers above the body

Headstand (Three Point)

1. Place hands on ground, shoulder width apart
2. Place top of head of ground out in front of hands so that the arms form a 90° angle with the body
3. Keep elbows parallel
4. Walk feet toward hands
5. Slowly straighten the lower back and rotate pelvis, pulling feet off of the ground slightly
6. Bring knees to rest on top of the elbows
7. Keeping weight distributed between the three points (hands and head), lift legs from elbows and bring them together over the body

Headstand (Triangle)

1. Place elbows on ground, shoulder width apart
2. Lace fingers together, forming a cradle and place out in front of the elbows, forming a triangle (imagine a line connecting the elbows)
3. Place the crown of the head in the hand cradle
4. Walk feet toward elbows
5. Bring one leg up at a time, shifting the pelvis as the weight centers above the body

Decompressing the Neck (in partners)

1. One partner places one hand on the base of the skull (top of neck) of the other partner and gently lifts
2. Partner being lifted walks around the space with their partner following, helping extend the vertebrae in the neck
3. The partner lifting releases and lets the other walk the space
4. Switch roles

Partner Restraints

1. One partner places hands on the hips (waist) of the other and restrains them as they walk through the space
2. The partner restraining the other lets go
3. The restrained partner now runs through the space unrestrained
4. Same exercise, but now the restraint is from pushing on the chest
5. Return to the hips, but now not restraining
6. One partner moves, swaying from side to side
7. The other partner keeps in rhythm with the mover with hands on their hips
8. Remove the hands but keep the motion synched together
9. Return to hands on hips
10. Repeat all swapping roles

*Possibly incomplete notes for today

3 Claps

Day 2

Warm-ups

Walking through space, stretching and yoga routine repeated from previous class

Rolls (on Acrobatic Mats)

Side Roll (through Bench)

1. Start from bench position
2. Side roll across mats coming back to bench after each roll
3. Repeat slowly, concentrating on keeping hands on floor, then feet

Side Roll (through Child’s Pose)

1. Start from bench position
2. Drop hips back into child’s pose and side roll across mats
3. Come back to child’s pose after each roll

Partner Roll (through Child’s pose)

1. One partner in Child’s pose
2. The other partner slowly rolls over the back of the partner in child’s and assumes the same pose once the roll is complete
3. The partner in child’s gives resistance to the rolling partner and keeps the connection as they end their roll
4. The partner that started in child’s begins the same roll as soon as their partner has assumed child’s pose
5. Like this, both partners cross the mats together, switching from child’s pose as a base to rolling over the other’s back

Partner Roll (through Bench)

1. Repeat the previous partner roll exercise, but both partners stay in bench
2. Perform these rolls quicker than the previous exercise
3. Like this, both partners cross the mats together, switching from bench position as a base to rolling over the other’s back

Back Roll over Partner

1. One partner starts in Bench position
2. The other partner approaches the bench backwards placing their hands on the shoulders and hips of their partner
3. This partner lowers themselves as if to sit on the bench but places their pelvis between the ribs and pelvis of their partner (with weight forward, not on the spine)
4. Sitting partner leans back, bringing one bent leg up with them and back bends over the bench
5. Leaning partner finds the floor with the hands and slides over the bench, bringing their head to the ground
6. Bring the other leg over the bench, assuming a semi-headstand position
7. Bench partner give little push, sending the head-stander over the rest of the way
8. The partner in headstand brings legs over their body and lands feet on the ground, one in front of the other

Headstand over Partner

1. This is executed in reverse of the previous exercise
2. One partner starts in bench
3. The other partner places head and hands beside the bench and walks feet up to hands
4. With one leg, then the other, this partner goes into a headstand position, but lets the legs drape over the bench
5. When the legs reach the ground on the other side, one knee bends and slides under the bench, the other lands with a standing foot
6. The partner in bench gives a little push to help the other bring the torso over the bench
7. Repeat swapping roles

Three Claps

Day 3

Start by walking through space making a mental check in of the body and breath

Body Part Dance

Start from stillness (standing), then begin to move by focusing the motion from specific parts of the body, adding one on top of the other

1. Elbows
2. Wrists
3. Fingers
4. Shoulders
5. Ribs
6. Pelvis
7. Hips
8. Knees
9. Ankles
10. Toes
11. Head
12. Combine all and start moving through the space in a sort of dance

Stretches and Yoga exercises from previous classes

Partner Body Dance

1. One partner starts in child’s pose, the other with their hands placed on the sacrum and between the shoulder blades
2. Partner in child’s breathes into the space between the hands on their back
3. Eventually the partner in child’s starts to move
4. Mover goes through levels and eventually comes to standing but also is free to go back to the ground
5. The partner with hands placed follows the mover
6. Follower starts to move hands to different parts of the mover’s body
7. First focus on points of the body besides the initial two (head, ribs, small of back, etc.)
8. Then move to joints (knees, elbows, shoulders, etc.)
9. Move to muscles and give pressure
10. Place hands where mover is putting weight, allowing them to more fully feel the connection with the ground
11. Start drawing attention to lines made by the body and past the body
12. Follower starts to give suggestions to the mover, adding surprises like change of direction, change of speed, playing with momentum etc.
13. Follower lets the mover go and observes the dance for a moment
14. Both give feedback about exercise
15. Swap roles and repeat

Pendulum

1. In groups of three, two people stand to the front and back of the third person between them
2. The middle person starts to lean forward or back, letting the partner on either side take their weight and push them back the other direction
3. The middle person starts to chance the direction they are facing (but not which way their body is moving) so the two other partners have to negotiate a different way to catch them
4. Repeat so all three partners get to be in the middle
5. Repeat the same exercise but let the two outside partners start to take the weight of the middle partner off the ground when it is possible
6. Repeat so all three partners get to be in the middle

Three Claps

Day 4

Yoga

Poses and stretches from previous classes

Fast Yoga (Sun Salute)

1. Start standing, feet together, hands together in front of chest
2. Hands go up, head follows, watching
3. Hands come apart and spread down the sides of the body
4. Chest descends with arms (bend over from pelvis, flat backed)
5. Once hands reach floor, head and chest release,
6. Hands take weight, step back with one leg into a lunge
7. Send other leg back and form a plank
8. Chest drops to floor
9. Head pulls back and chest follows into a snake
10. Toes tuck under and pelvis is pulled back into dog
11. The first leg that was sent back steps (lunges) back toward the hands
12. The other leg follows
13. Hands spread to side of body and travel up, the chest follows (flat back)
14. Hands join above the head and come down in front of the chest
15. Repeat several times, swapping which leg is first each time

Side Rolls

1. Face partners in bench
2. Side roll in time with partner coming to bench each roll
3. Face partners in bench
4. Drop to child’s pose and side roll in time with partner over back with legs and arms in ‘huggy bear,’ coming back to bench each roll
5. Face partners in semi-plank (knees bent and off ground), weight suspended between hands and toes
6. Side roll in time with partner with aggressiveness of angry dogs, coming back to semi-plank each roll

Shoulder Rolls

1. Sit with one knee bent, foot in standing, the other leg on the ground behind the foot
2. Roll back and go over the shoulder that corresponds with the raised knee
3. Land in the same position that the roll started from
4. Stand with one leg forward
5. Lower body to ground and roll over the shoulder that corresponds with the forward foot
6. Tuck toes on completion of the roll and use arms to push body back up to standing
7. Stand with one leg forward
8. Lean forward, using counterbalance before lowering body to the ground, rolling back over the shoulder that corresponds with the forward leg
9. Tuck toes and use momentum (and arms if needed) to push body back up to standing, focusing on having the weight forward (should be ready to step forward upon completion of roll)
10. Repeat standing back roll, with a partner walking towards the roller the entire time, maintaining eye contact where possible
11. Kneel with one leg forward with foot standing, other knee on ground, foot behind
12. Back roll over shoulder corresponding with forward knee
13. When coming up out of the roll, imagine a string attached from the head to the opposite knee that started forward
14. This knee comes up with the head and ends in standing position, other leg is now behind, present flowers
15. Start in same position but do a front roll instead
16. The knee that is forward goes behind body, pulling the head and shoulders to the ground
17. Roll over shoulder and end in kneeling position but with opposite knee forward

Laban

Sagital Plane—all movement is front and back, up and down and every point in between those axis

Lateral Plane—all movement is sideways (left and right) and up and down and every point in between those axis

Horizontal Plane—all movement is parallel to the floor in all directions

Explore each plane individually, starting with common actions that live in each plane and then moving toward the more abstract.  Play with levels.

Combine all the planes into a single exploration but maintaining specificity as to which plane is being used and when

Voice

Day 1

Partner Massage

1. One partner starts bent over in a wide stance, flat backed, with hands on knees
2. The other partner gives quick but gentle massage all over the back with hands moving in contradicting directions
3. The bent partner pushes hands into knees and very actively breathes into the area the other partner is massaging
4. Bent partner actually maneuvers back into the area of the massage and releases down to go to a new area
5. Repeat but with quick slaps with both hands replacing the gentle massage

Partner Sacrum Massage

1. One partner start with feet about a foot from the wall, hands pressing into wall, shoulders dropped, knees slightly bent
2. Other partner is behind the first starting with thumbs on the sacrum (top two points of the sacrum triangle)
3. Partner against wall does three rounds of breath making sound on the exhale
4. Partner behind spreads thumbs outward from the sacral bones on first three breaths with a hum
5. Partner behind quickly and repeatedly presses into the sacral bones (jackhammering) while wall partner opens mouth for next three breaths and lets sound out
6. Partner behind changes to quick pounding with light fists on next three breaths
7. Wall partner, let tone and pitch be affected by motion

Trio Massage

1. One partner starts bent over, flat backed
2. Two other partners slap up either side of the spine on the bent partner’s exhale on a hiss
3. Repeat twice more and on the third time, bent partner rolls up to standing
4. Two partners start on either side of now standing partner with their hands on the top of the head
5. On three more exhales (hisses), partners slide their hands down from the top of the head, over the shoulders, down the arms, down the legs and to the feet, securing them to the ground
6. Lastly, two partners stand in front and behind the third and hold their hands a few inches from the chest and back
7. While the middle partner exhales on a ‘huh’ sound, partners sweep their hands away from the chest and back as if dusting cobwebs, three times
8. Repeat for each partner

Sound and Energy Games

1. Exhale on a silent ‘h’ sound, repeat on a voiced ‘hah’
2. Glissandi while rolling through spine from pelvis to neck and back down
3. Continue glissandi but pass sound and energy to each other in a circle, making variations on the sound
4. Each person keeps a quality of the sound as it is passed from person to person before adding personal variation.

Piano Work

1. Glissandi up and down on fifths, smooth circle of sound
2. Roh-oh-oh on thirds, focusing physically higher as pitch descends
3. Vi-vi-vi-oh-oh-oh-oh, up and back down on thirds

Day 2

Dynamic Nap (Feldenkrais + sound)

1. Lay on ground and one by one press parts of the body into the floor with the mental image of lying in sand, breathing into the areas being pressed and making sound on the exhale
2. Start with hiss, move to hum and end with an open sound (held note) on each body part
3. Heels, pelvis, arch of the lower back, between shoulder blades, back of the head, hands
4. Wave from heels to back of head and back down on one breath (sound)—exclude hands from wave
5. Play with sound made while hands are in turned in and turned out position, first alternating, then together

Standing Nap

1. Same concept as before except just standing—point of contact with the floor is only the feet
2. Inhale and lift up
3. Let weight pour into feet and bend knees on exhale, making sound

Partner Sacrum Catches

1. One partner behind the other, guiding them backwards from the sacrum
2. Partner being guided leads movement from the sacrum
3. Guided partner preps by slightly moving forward on an inhale and then goes back on a phonated exhale
4. Partner behind catches the other when they go past the point of balance

Spirit of the Wind

1. Sung in rounds
2. Soloists came in center of circle, giving weight to group and improvising on melody
3. Led around the room in circles and counter circles in group dance

Ye Na We

1. Three groups singing in rounds
2. Wandered across the desert (the room) from three different points to the opposite sides
3. Start piano and crescendo as groups converge in center of room and then decrescendo as groups split again

Day 3

Humming

1. Mmm
2. Nnn
3. Ng
4. Half open sound (like French ‘r’)
5. Start at hum, go through half open sound to fully open sound

Yo E MaMo

1. One group sings verse
2. Other group answers the refrain as a chorus
3. Couples do first verse
4. Rest of class answers as chorus
5. Use the lyrics to convey different emotions and then respond to what is given

Day 4

Floating Pelvis

1. Without letting the pelvis change level, move weight from side to side
2. Take 100% of weight on each leg
3. Picture a cork floating on water—that’s the pelvis
4. Breath into the weight exchange as the shift goes from one side to the other

Zoo, Woe, Shaw, etc.

Imagine these sounds actually being generated from the corresponding parts of the body and play and improv with that image

1. Zoo—vibrating feet
2. Woe—floating pelvis
3. Shaw—rotating ribs
4. Gah—percussive sound from the sternum
5. Mah—melting across the chest
6. Ng—back of the neck
7. Fuh—half open (French) lips, almost pursed
8. Huh—open mouth
9. Bah—long ‘A’ in the upper jaw
10. Dae—high cheek bones
11. Pay—descending from the brow
12. Ki—shot from the forehead
13. Ri—rolled from the top of the head

Play with call and response and movement around the room.  Mimic the sound and motion combinations of the leader

Eleleu

1. Start with same call and response from the previous exercise
2. Individually take the text and connect the words and rhythms to the breath
3. In partners, one lead the other around the room by holding the text in front and moving in awkward, unpredictable ways
4. Partner being led, keep up and keep reading
5. In a group, take the text line by line, person by person moving through the room
6. Evolved into song and dance

Snapshots

Each person who wanted to, take the space and give a quick demonstration or snippet from an exercise that was learned in class over the past two weeks