Gestures, unknown gestures, looking up, changing direction of gaze, pulling, unlocking, boom, bam, pivot, snap, 1-2-3-! Undulation of the spine, strong core engagement, soft knees, pelvic motion. Coccyx initiates; sacral curve, lumbar curve, thoracic curve and cervical curve resonate into my skull and arms as peculiar linguistic manifestations from the spine. My skull pulls the spine as a reaction on my coccyx, my legs elongate, extend, travel in space, in the air, my knees soften and my feet direct further until they have found new ground to stand on. My skull sends the flow of motion back into my spine, undulations of the spinal curves initiate my arms to reach, strike, sweep, whip, pull, and my hands conclude with signs of strange expression. My pelvic bowl is in constant adaptability, transmitting the movement to and fro legs and torso. My body expresses to the outside world, meanwhile I am dwelling inside of my body, reflecting through movements coming from the visualization of an imaginative anatomy, based on the two extremities of my spine; my coccyx and foramen magnum.
When I dance, I visualize a distinct, different anatomy inside of my own body, a visual awareness of a specific complementary anatomy - intrinsically connected to my movements - forms the movement origination of my choreographic work. To me this is a clear and distinct appearance, but complex to transmit. This anatomy is based upon a physical sensation and an inward imagination, completely originating from the architecture of the spine, specifically from two different points located at the vertical extremities of the spinal column. Allocating these two specific points are key to the understanding and application of this imaginative anatomy.
Besides the physical explanation, a poetic and philosophical explanation gives a more complete understanding to this concept of an imaginative anatomy as origination of movement and choreography.
The best way to build the visualization of this inner, imaginative anatomy, is by seeing the body in a standing position, the feet approximately 60 centimeters away from each other and the arms elongated and raised op in the air with approximately 100 centimeters in between the hands. From this posture we build the visualization in three steps:
1
The first point we allocate is the lowest segment of the spinal column, the coccyx, also referred to as the tailbone. From the lowest point of the coccyx, two imaginative lines travel up in two diagonal directions, along the shape of the sacrum, through the pelvic bowl, the torso, shoulders, arms, the palm of the hand and finish up at the finger point of the middle finger. When this visualization is done in the standing positions with the arms raised up in the air, it displays a big V figure, with its lowest point situated at the lowest segment of the spinal column; the coccyx.
2
Then, we look at the other point from where an opposite visualization is constructed. Here, the visualization doesn’t start from a point at the bone structure of the spine, but at the space -or negative point- where the top of the spine enters into the skull through a hole in the cranial and main bone of the occiput (back and lower part of the skull). The two most upper vertebrae axis and atlas are located right underneath the skull. One specific part of the axis allocates the exact point where the visualization starts; the dens of the axis, and this is inside of the foramen magnum, inside of the skull.
From the point where the dens of the axis enters the foramen magnum, we start to visualize two lines which separately travel diagonally down the neck, torso thoracic cage pelvic bowl, legs, ankles and finish up at the point of the right and left middle toe. When this visualization is done in the standing posture, it displays an upside down V - figure, with its highest point allocated by the dens of the axis: the foramen magnum.
3
The two V - figures imbricate each other and this is the third shape which makes the visualization complete. This imbrication gives form to an quadrilateral geometry, a rhombus, or better said, a diamond. This diamond is the space where the two V-shapes imbricate and co-create there postures and motions.
During an interview with osteopath Bram Gerlach, we talked about the imaginative anatomy of the expressive diamond. Gerlach could understand the sensing of the diagonal directions of the muscles that create an imagination inside of the person’s body. Especially for trained dancers, this could be the case, hence the extended period of many years of training can creates an awareness of fiber’s direction in the muscles.
Interview took place at Maastricht in his studio on may 21st 2019
the expressive diamond became explicit after my solo Axis Mundi; an experimental solo in the nature, after analysis of the movement material, I coined the expressive diamond
Coccy, lowest segment of the human spinal column.
My coccyx connects with the concrete mother earth,
the soil, the known and materailized world.
The coccyx is direction and fixation of my body.
From my coccyx the water in my body streams effortlessly upwards. I am
connected with the knowing, with my roots, with my past
Foramen magnum, highest area where the human spine is still residing.
heaven
space
emptiness
open
flying
Foramen magnum, not a bone, a space, a space where the dens of my
Dens of the axis enters into my head.
My foramen magnum, immaterial space.
No direction, yet all directions are possible.
My foramen magnum is the not-knowing, infinity, openness, from this place
I am in touch with the future, with what is to come.
