BUTOH DANCE ART Winter Intensive 2012

BUTOH  DANCE  ART   WINTER INTENSIVE 2012

Wednesdays
6:30-8:30 p.m.
November 7, 14, 21
December 5, 12, 19

This intensive develops physical control for the spontaneous awareness geared toward Butoh Dance Art and Performance in diverse venues. Choreographic techniques explore the shaping of time, spatial boundary to mass ratio, juxtaposition and layer of internal to external world(s), and texture of energetic qualities.

The creative meaning to dance content deepens by finding an objet d'art d'innocence for our dance, evolving danceable sculpture, word images, drawing, and song.

Registration and info
MARY POWER 
415-294-0978 

GDP 2012: "Mandelbrot" Dance of the Double Helix

GDP 2012: "Mandelbrot" Dance of the Double Helix

The Mandelbrot Orbit, the double helix, DNA shape, the infinity sign, the figure 8 pathway is a sure way to overcome physical inertia. Dancing along two circles, entwined, the two circles create momentum, propulsion, float, cosmic glue.

THE DANCEWAY:

Keep awareness a vertical axis point of the circle; keep awareness of a personal central axis that relates to central point of that circle; and relate it to forward, backward, side-side motion; relate it to momentum and stillness.

THE HUMAN STANCE

Gently stand.

We are hanging upside down while gravity smashes us to the ground. How is this so?

One thousand miles per hour spin of the earth's rotation, with the earth's axis rotating around that, while the earth orbits around the sun--without crashing into other planets. And our galaxy spirals around other galaxies too.

How is it that we cannot notice?

TURN ON A POINT

Stand in the center of a circle with balance. Perceive the energy circulating freely and lightly throughout your being. Perceive gravity and will gently balancing you in the center point of the circle.

Turn on that point toward the easiest direction you feel like moving in. Establish your axis with the center of the circle, slowly.

Notice the internal/external rotation each leg makes to keep your feet centered on point.

Notice any resistance.

Allow your entire torso and gaze to turn with you.

Gradually return to stop or pause, balance along the vertical axis. Begin in the other direction.

The Point Becomes The Circle

Walk around the axis point to circumscribe a circle. Determine the size of the circle.

Maintain a magnetic connection or awareness to the central axis point from your original stance.

Move forward along the circumference of your circle. Notice the flow of unresisted gentle forward propulsion.

Increase the speed forward.

Again increase the speed and lean in toward the central axis of the center of the circle. The size of the circle must get bigger.

Slow down for a moment long enough to keep going forward. Then make a second circle.

You now have two circles to flow around--a figure 8 pathway.

A Figure 8 Changes The Direction

Change directions at the point of crossover to the second circle. In other words, walk backwards into the circle at the point where the two circles intersect.

So far, in this figure 8 pathway there are three axis points: one in each circle and one at the

point where each circle meets.

Once you have figured this out as a base, movement begins to take off, takes shape, takes balance. The circles move too, and the figure 8 pathway iterates toward infinity.  It's literally infinite and beautiful.

                                                                                   
                               

The Land of NO

The Land of NO

The Land of NO

extinguish doubts stbuod hsiugnitxe

No oN War raW

No oN Torture erutroT

No oN Slavery yrevalS

Okay now back to the dance! !ecnad eht ot kcab won yakO

THE GLOBAL DANCE PROJECT

Recharge: Begin

Recharge: Begin

Find a time and space to begin a daily dance of healing movement and sounds. It is important to feel safe and comfortable in your chosen atmosphere. Its nice if you can perform these exercises outdoors, in the elements, preferably before noon. But definitely before the sun goes down.

Cleansing Breath and Movement:

Inhale: sweep the hands out to the sides and circle the arms up and overhead.

Exhale: lower the palms in front of self with palms facing down fingertips pointing in toward each other and elbows wide.

Storing the Qi

Then place hand over hand, just below the belly button. Imagine all of the organ Qi compressing into a seed of energy stored in the center of your pelvis at the same level as your hands. Relax your breath. Turn to the next direction.

The following series is inspired by Qi Gong exercises. The entire series is a sequence for one session. It can serve as a warm-up. Each organ Qi is represented. Usually, begin with the organ Qi associated with the east; then circling round to each direction and respective organ Qi; and finishing with the triple heater.

If necessary, the following series can be done seated or supine, without movements. However, let the hands dance, vibrate and pulse toward and away from each other as if holding a living sphere. Imagine playing with an orb of gold and silver swirling energy that emanates from the body through the palms.

If you choose only one organ to begin your dance for the day, balance all of the organ Qi at the end of your session by one round of sound for each organ Qi. Try to keep to the sequence of the directions. Always end with the triple heater.

If possible, repeat each organ Qi sound a minimum of 3x's. Follow the last rep. with at least one cleansing breath and movement before going on to the next organ.

The East Qi

The East Qi

Recharge and circulate the Liver Qi (chi). Its element is wood. Its color is dazzling emerald green. Its direction is east. The sound is "shaer" or "shur".  We prefer "share". The imagery is a tree.

The tree unites sky and earth. Its roots and branches take nourishment above and below, providing strength to the whole. The trunk is the conduit which transforms and communicates sky energy into earth and earth energy into sky.

The roots grow toward the core of the earth, through thick matter into pure material energy. The branches grow into the space of the heavens, into apparent nothingness energy. Each energetic flow of the tree is distinctive.

But the distinctiveness transforms into the other, re-energizing the other, without losing its own foundation. The roots plug into the material nourishment of the earth and draw it upward into the branches. The branches draws energy downward from the living sky to strengthen the roots and its stance.

We are all upside down, hanging from this earth. Give many thanks to gravity and our adapted optical physiology. We all agree in the illusion of uprighted-ness in which we appear to be in full control.

Stand Comfortably

feet hip width apart

Turn your legs gently inward. Keep your knees and toes aligned with this mild internal rotation of the thighs.

Make a little bend in the knees toward each other.

Back of your hands touching one another.

Arms hanging down in front of you.

Take a breath in, then

let all of your air out. 
Sink, let your tail hang toward the center of the earth
relax your lower back in this mild pidgeon-toed, knock-kneed plie.

With One elongated inhale, straighten upward:

upward to straight legs, elbows lead upward too, reach your hands into the sky overhead.

Breathe.  One slow exhale to flower the arms open out to sides, like branches.  Sink.

Keep your legs parallel and gently bend your knees into a plie. At the same time, release your shoulders out of its shrug as your arms open out to the sides. Your palms turning upward create arms like branches. Chest open. Spine lengthens.

Return by gathering the arms upward again, reach through the heavens.  Elongate One inhale.  Stand up with the heels lifted again. Sustain your inhalation as you lengthen your entire spine. Crown to the sky,  evenwhile legs press down through the feet, down into the earth. 

Breathe out slowly, continue the upward reach of the spine. But lower to sink into original shape of the beginning.