From Steve Paxton’s small dance to finding grooves
Steve Paxton’s Small Dance serves me as a source of inspiration for listening to the impulses and signals of my body. In his Small Dance Paxton is scanning the body, giving each part of the body attention and observing what is happening. Not amplyfiying anything or doing anything extra but just realising what’s happening. What’s unfolding is a small dance showing the constant negotiation of our body with gravity.
In my approach to generating and shaping movement I use a similar pathway but in relation to music and a groove. Through the connection of music and the body a groove emerges. A lot of things are happening in the body that can be observed by scanning it. Small bounces, waves and swinging movements emerge that wait to be noticed and amplyfied. A movement pattern will emerge. I aim to not perform a preconceived step as a start but to depart from the groove. On the unfolding journey I follow the information my body gives me, not trying to produce anything but following the path of emerging variations of groove.
I let the movement grow from within
Not trying to fill a preconveived form
But following the paths of my body
Paths that have been paved
Through explorations of material
That I learned in my encounters
With individuals of similar interest
And by myself
Catch the moments
However you can
You will feel it
They come and go
Make them stay
because…
Once they’re gone
They’re gone…
Underneath all
You'll find the poetic voice
At times covered by protective layers
Strongly shaped by a hidden identity
This voice with all its vulnerability
Waits to be unleashed