Mind or Body?

Like most people, I used to think that choreograping a dance is about converting the image in my mind to the physical world. When I was teaching myself dance as a kid, I would see movements in my head, probably something similar to what I've seen on TV and will try to perform it by myself. For the most part, it works ok. It's how most people do it anyway, when they want to create/imitate/learn a dance.

However, things changed when I first started class with my teacher, Ms. Mew. She taught me that dance doesn't come from the mind, it comes from the body. And you just have to let your body do it, and you would know how to dance.

In our classes, we worked mostly on improvisation, where each of us get to interpret the music given according to our style, with her guidance. Of course, as most people would, I just danced in the ways that I think dance should be. When I listen to music, I often had images in my head, and I will just try my best to imitate it, and hopefully learn how to execute more complex moves in the future, those jumps and spins and tumbles that I wouldn't dare to try now.


Letting the body do the dance

Many years passed since then. Now I've learned that the body really does very different, sophisticated things when you let it, that the key is to let go of control. Sometimes, we are so stubborn and egoistic of what we want, we just failed to listen - and in this case, listen to our body.

Personally, not only I've discovered that it dances very differently and develops completely unexpected movements, in flow with one another, I've also discovered that it gives you flexibility, alignment and healing, just as you let it. There is also a lesser tendency to feel incapable of performing what I think I "want" to do, than what I am really doing.


Being a choreographer

However, being a choreographer brings out a different set of circimstances. Very often, the choreography for a group of more than 2 dancers will involve some measure of mental visualisation.
 
In an improvised dance piece, I am able to choreograph using my dancers' bodies, directing them for the artistic outcome I would like to achieve.

However, choreographing for more structured dance steps require a closer blend of my own body movements and my imagination. But it is still much more helpful to be able to play with spacing and arrangements when there is an opportunity to work with the dancers present.


Dancing with mind or body?

So, do dance with your mind or your body?
Have you talked to your body and connect closely with your body?
Anything new you discovered about it lately?