Summary Of Falling, Releasing, And Post-Judson Dance
“Falling, Releasing, and Post-Judson Dance”, written by Melanie Bales is a chapter that is based on the meanings of falling and the investigation of releasing and how dancers can use it through movement. Melanie Bales is a professor at Ohio State who graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy and studied at the Joffrey School and as a Harkness Ballet Trainee. Release technique is a studying method that targets to rehabilitate our constant grip and desire to control our emotions, negative habits, energy, and thoughts. There are many different release techniques that are used, such as Skinner Releasing, Klein Technique, Alexander Technique, Trisha Brown’s technique/style, and passive sequencing. As a whole, these techniques are used to increase
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“Interaction with gravity is a core issue with regard to almost all aspects of dance in term of technique style and expressiveness” (Bales, 156). I found this quote interesting, because as I experience falling and suspending in class, I constantly have this ongoing mindset of how exactly is this supposed to feel like or what does my falling show about myself in means of communication. When going through the process of falling and suspending in class, I typically relate my ideas to the Trisha Brown’s cube and how there are different lines that could be followed. This allows me to now fall back into my habitual ways of my safe zone and protecting myself. A point that Taylor stated in class, was that in much of post-Judson or “release” work, when dropping out and catching movement, it allows you to redirect your movement into something new. (158) Normally, when I think of falling, I think of spilling into the floor, but as she gave this point in class it opened my eyes to new ideas that falling is not about just going to the floor. It can be about catching movement in new levels of unexperienced feeling. When doing contact improvisation in class, I have noticed that when going into the floor, I lose touch with my partner as I tend to release for the tension of gravity. I feel that this happens because I lose possibilities on the floor. I can easily melt into the floor, but I question myself to how I can release to come back up to
“Interaction with gravity is a core issue with regard to almost all aspects of dance in term of technique style and expressiveness” (Bales, 156). I found this quote interesting, because as I experience falling and suspending in class, I constantly have this ongoing mindset of how exactly is this supposed to feel like or what does my falling show about myself in means of communication. When going through the process of falling and suspending in class, I typically relate my ideas to the Trisha Brown’s cube and how there are different lines that could be followed. This allows me to now fall back into my habitual ways of my safe zone and protecting myself. A point that Taylor stated in class, was that in much of post-Judson or “release” work, when dropping out and catching movement, it allows you to redirect your movement into something new. (158) Normally, when I think of falling, I think of spilling into the floor, but as she gave this point in class it opened my eyes to new ideas that falling is not about just going to the floor. It can be about catching movement in new levels of unexperienced feeling. When doing contact improvisation in class, I have noticed that when going into the floor, I lose touch with my partner as I tend to release for the tension of gravity. I feel that this happens because I lose possibilities on the floor. I can easily melt into the floor, but I question myself to how I can release to come back up to