In early November I met with a group of pre-professional dancers to create sequences of movement that would become the foundation of this project. As pictured below, I worked with six unique and diverse dancers from all different movement backgrounds. For the purpose of this project their names will not be used, however, they did consent to the use of audio files, images, and video clips. This webpage is meant to be interactive. Click through the images, files, and source materials as you gather information about this project. By using practice as research, we were able to have some rich conversations around characterisation in movement.
Please note that all relevant COVID precautions took place, including the use of masks, social distancing, shielding, and self-isolation if relevant. The photos pictured below were taken at staggered times.
Please note that all relevant COVID precautions took place, including the use of masks, social distancing, shielding, and self-isolation if relevant. The photos pictured below were taken at staggered times.
After our initial creative session we met the following weekend in order to dive into this idea of characterisation in movement. Below, you will find the task that each of the dancers were given followed by a list of audio files from the task itself. It is not necessary to listen to all five files, however, it is important to listen to at least two - in order to gather the differences between characters.
The task - Pt. 1
"Gather a notebook and a pencil and find somewhere comfortable in the room. At the top of the page write, 'Who Am I?' Who are you? I want you to create a character and be specific with the choices you make. I want you to think of your name, your age, and where you grew up. I want you to notice whether or not you are choosing to create a character that is similar to you or different. Perhaps both. I want you to continue to dig deeper into the exercise and create the names of your mother and father, where you attended primary school, what profession you are in now. These names, locations, can be fiction or real. They can make total sense to you or not at all. This exploration is about beginning to understand imagination and character creation. Challenge yourself to think deeper, more creatively, taking risks wherever possible."
This exercise lasted about 25 minutes. Writing, thinking, imagining the different characters and characteristics that each of the dancers wanted to dive into. Their character descriptions can be found below.
| CHARACTER #1 |
| CHARACTER #2 |
| CHARACTER #3 |
| CHARACTER #4 |
| CHARACTER #5 |
The Task - Pt. 2
"Find a space in the room, two meters apart from each other, with your feet shoulder-width apart. When you feel comfortable, close your eyes. See your character in front of you. Shake hands with them. Greet them. Take note of what they are wearing today. Are they in the studio with us? Are they in a different location? How do they style their hair? Imagine as if they are on a rotating pedestal, as if you can see them from every angle. Do they look like you imagined them to be? Do you want to change anything about how they look? If so, do it! Take your imagination and edit them to be the best version of themself. Take a big deep breath in. Exhale. Take another deep breath in and when you exhale imagine as if you are the character, looking at yourself in the mirror."
"How does it feel to be in this new body? Do the clothes fit you? Does this character style their hair the same way you do? How does that affect the way you look at yourself? Take note of how you feel in this new body."
"When you are ready, open your eyes and begin to walk through the space as your character."
"How does it feel to be in this new body? Do the clothes fit you? Does this character style their hair the same way you do? How does that affect the way you look at yourself? Take note of how you feel in this new body."
"When you are ready, open your eyes and begin to walk through the space as your character."
*Please play the video above as you read the next portion of the task*
"As you walk through the space I want you to begin to feel your character in your body. How do they walk? What tendencies do they have? Using the sound as I guide, I want you to imagine as if you are walking through downtown New York City. Begin to see your peers in the room. Notice how fast you are walking. As you walk past someone notice whether or not you will greet them. Will you look at them? Will you try to avoid eye contact as much as possible? As you are walking through downtown begin to choose a route to the nearest coffee shop. Perhaps this is a place you visit frequently, or somewhere new. Decide for yourself."
*Stop the video*
*Please play the video above as you read the next portion of the task*
"Begin to slow down your pace of walking as you approach the coffee shop. Look at the outside of it. Take note of the details that might go unnoticed if it is a place familiar to you. Is the paint on the outside beginning to wear away? Are there people forming a cue on the inside? You decide for yourself."
"As you walk into the coffee shop notice how you feel around other people. Are we still in the time of COVID? Or are you reflecting on a time in the past, or perhaps the future, where we can meet up without masks. As you approach the barista think about what you are going to oder. Your regular? Something new? You decide. Once your drink has been prepared, take a seat. Feel the cushion underneath you. Take in the view. People chatting, moving back and forth... the sounds and sights of your coffee shop. Notice whether other people glance at you? Are others people watching as much as you are? You decide. Once you've finished your drink kindly return your cup to the counter and make your way outside."
"As you walk into the coffee shop notice how you feel around other people. Are we still in the time of COVID? Or are you reflecting on a time in the past, or perhaps the future, where we can meet up without masks. As you approach the barista think about what you are going to oder. Your regular? Something new? You decide. Once your drink has been prepared, take a seat. Feel the cushion underneath you. Take in the view. People chatting, moving back and forth... the sounds and sights of your coffee shop. Notice whether other people glance at you? Are others people watching as much as you are? You decide. Once you've finished your drink kindly return your cup to the counter and make your way outside."
*Stop the video*
*Please play the video above as you read the next portion of the task*
"The moment you step outside you are met with terrible weather. Although rain wasn't in the forecast for today, you must continue on with your journey home. Start to pick up the pace as you walk through the room. Do you have an umbrella with you? A large jacket? Perhaps you didn't plan for a change of weather at all. As you turn the next corner you see a faint patch of light in the distance. Although the way home is in the opposite direction, you continue onwards. You see the light appear closer and closer. As you approach the light you notice it is a small dance studio. A big sign reads, 'Debbie Dierde's Dance Studio.' You laugh."
*Stop the video*
*Please play the video above as you read the next portion of the task*
"As you peer through the outside window you can hear the sounds of the piano. The class is comprised of little children. You assume they are beginners based on the movements they are doing. I want you to think about your relationship to dance. That is, your character's relationship to dance. Are you experienced? Or have never stepped foot into a dance class before? How do you believe your character would dance? Would they dance like you? Imagine as if your character was taking the class with these children. Would your attitude shift or change. Would you feel out-of-place or right home? I want you to hold onto these feelings. Use them in the next exercise."
*Stop the video*
After the second task we took a short break. I asked the dancers to hold onto their experiences and write down anything they felt like documenting. I then asked them to find a place in the room, standing, as I turned on the music from the choreographic piece we developed in the previous week. I asked them to imagine their character dancing in the piece. Would it look "original?" Would it feel the same? This was their decision.
After a few moments, I asked them to get into their positions for the piece (about two minutes of material). I asked them to perform the piece as their character. Changing the timing, if it felt necessary. Going bigger with some movements, smaller in others. Each choice was up to the dancer to make.
And the piece began...
After a few moments, I asked them to get into their positions for the piece (about two minutes of material). I asked them to perform the piece as their character. Changing the timing, if it felt necessary. Going bigger with some movements, smaller in others. Each choice was up to the dancer to make.
And the piece began...
... and it ended.
Although I have a lot of interesting thoughts on what I experienced as the choreographer, I find it valuable for you to hear the perspective from the dancers themselves. It is important to hear the hands-on understanding of the preparation, development and implementation of a characterisation on this research project. In addition, providing you, the reader, with a deeper understanding of the creative process.
Take a listen to some of their thoughts:
| REFLECTION |
The journey I take the dancers through in the first process is quite open-ended. It allowed each individual to explore characterisation in their own way. Although I did guide them through different scenarios and tasks, they all had their own creative freedom within what was given.
What is next in this process?
Due to the introduction of the second lockdown in London I was forced to postpone the second research development process with the dancers. My next step in this inquiry of characterisation was to develop one character for all of the dancers to emulate. Not only that, but I would create a series of three physical exercises for the dancers to perform. My hope with these tasks would be to inquire on the dancers unique qualities of embodied knowledge. This would help inquire the dancers way of knowing movements cross-culturally.
The task #1a
I would develop a strong character that each of the dancers can emulate. Using the tasks described in the first portion of research the process would be repeated. The difference with this process is in the clear explanations of character and character choices. The dancers would no longer choose a name - the name would already be chosen. The dancers would no longer choose what made their character unique and individual, they would all be the same. As we would walk through each of the remaining tasks, such as milling through the space and event simulations, I would allow them to embody the character. Feeling similar images, thoughts, and descriptions in order to dance in complete unison.
This idea, however, would be very complicated. Each of the dancers implied personal narrative would affect the characterisation process - whether implicit or not. It is almost impossible to escape from our past and present. As dancers, our training and movement vocabularies are what makes us unique. Even if I challenged the dancers to create the exact same character, to uphold the exact same characteristics, I do not believe they could all dance the same. The use of personal narrative would still linger in each aspect of the research, as it did in the characters they created. All completely different. Completely unique.
The next step in this inquiry is to allow the dancers, at the same time, to complete the same physical tasks. These commands are all common knowledge, with phrases more or less familiar to the dancers. The goal with this exercise is the same as the one above. To identify whether embodied knowledge can affect even the most specific of tasks.
Physical Exercise #1:
Begin.
Take two steps forward, one step back.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Lift your right arm up and circle it twice.
Lift your left arm and place it on your chest.
Begin to sway side-to-side.
Lower your left arm.
Stop.
Physical Exercise #2:
Begin.
Look up at the ceiling with excitement.
Look down at the floor in disgust.
Look to your right with anger.
Look to your left in sadness.
Look directly front.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Circle your head to the right.
Pause.
Circle your head to the left.
Stop.
Physical Exercise #3:
Begin.
Clasp your hands together.
Lift them above your head.
Shake them vigorously.
Drop your hands to your sides.
Shake your wrists.
Roll your wrists.
Clasp your hands together.
Stop.
Even though the exercises can be replicated by each individual, I believe we would experience different movements from each dancer. There would be variation in arm height, emotion, and translation of the physical tasks themselves.
This idea, however, would be very complicated. Each of the dancers implied personal narrative would affect the characterisation process - whether implicit or not. It is almost impossible to escape from our past and present. As dancers, our training and movement vocabularies are what makes us unique. Even if I challenged the dancers to create the exact same character, to uphold the exact same characteristics, I do not believe they could all dance the same. The use of personal narrative would still linger in each aspect of the research, as it did in the characters they created. All completely different. Completely unique.
The next step in this inquiry is to allow the dancers, at the same time, to complete the same physical tasks. These commands are all common knowledge, with phrases more or less familiar to the dancers. The goal with this exercise is the same as the one above. To identify whether embodied knowledge can affect even the most specific of tasks.
Physical Exercise #1:
Begin.
Take two steps forward, one step back.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Lift your right arm up and circle it twice.
Lift your left arm and place it on your chest.
Begin to sway side-to-side.
Lower your left arm.
Stop.
Physical Exercise #2:
Begin.
Look up at the ceiling with excitement.
Look down at the floor in disgust.
Look to your right with anger.
Look to your left in sadness.
Look directly front.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Circle your head to the right.
Pause.
Circle your head to the left.
Stop.
Physical Exercise #3:
Begin.
Clasp your hands together.
Lift them above your head.
Shake them vigorously.
Drop your hands to your sides.
Shake your wrists.
Roll your wrists.
Clasp your hands together.
Stop.
Even though the exercises can be replicated by each individual, I believe we would experience different movements from each dancer. There would be variation in arm height, emotion, and translation of the physical tasks themselves.