How are you maintaining the somatic base of your dance?

I have always done a lot of personal practice, in my home, by myself. I feel this has developed a strong awareness of my physicality's internal processes, energies and active spirit. More than ever this has become vital for me. I have specific exercises that help me to access the awareness and I return to these constantly during every online experience.

Online, I am more with only myself.

But if I am online it is because I am meeting with others (otherwise I'd not bother turning on the computer and I simply do my work myself).

When I am fully aware somatically this includes internal, surface and the environment I am in. When the work's equation includes others then they are part of my body/spirit. ...

Online... I have not figured out how this is possible..

it is very interesting to find myself when I dance and speak online conference/web performances it is easier/less tension than the studio or theatre although never know if this attitude is useful to improve my personal skills…however, personally feels less pressured from the energy that my sensation gets from the fresh human energy, eyes, focus on me and awareness from others. I don’t get all of this sensation through screen because I often see my expressions only when I speak. I always feel selfish a bit but it works.

Sometime, I lead to close eyes to all the senses. First-listen, second-smell, third-skin sensation, fourth-how you feel(how you are), fifth-open eyes&what you see, last-ask one more time how you feel.

We have done a deep dive in our own art form. We’re spending a lot of time improving our own technique and understanding what we’re trying to do with our technique. We’re trying to deepen our own knowledge of our art form. We’re trying to make works using this deep work that we’re doing. (from Conversations 2021)

practicalities> The reality is try as we might, our homes are not designed to dance in. The floors are slippery, we can’t afford larger spaces to live in, so we did class everyday but we got out of dancing-shape very fast. We did rehearsals from home but never could do anything larger than the reach of arms...limiting for choreographic choices! (from Conversations 2021)

When I had the opportunity to teach online, it was for pre-professional students doing a technique class at York. I needed to remind myself of what I wanted to teach by dancing it beforehand. Each day, I ran the entire class once before meeting the students, and I did each exercise with the students at least once. This meant I was able to be present to the physical intricacies that I wanted to share. I found that recording class and recording all of the on-opn-one conversations gave me focus, and challenged me to be careful, and concise with my words.

I also usually teach young children, and these classes are usually very play-focuused. I have yet to try to connect with young children online. PErhpas I should; perhpas it would be fun.

The few times I have had the opportunity to be in rehearsal online, I felt very able to be fully present. This was partly due to my delight at being involved in a creative process, and partly due to the open-mindedness and confidence of the choreographers leading the sessions, but, I also felt the social constraints of the medium (including but not limited to zoom enforced turn-taking) assisted me in the role of interpreter to stay focussed. These rehearsals were also short, only an hour, and, it was easy to focus my attention and maintain committment for the duration.

When I was teaching online I felt that was at my best when I focused on the somatic base of my knowledge. While I did my best with demonstrating exercises (camera pointed in the right direction, verbal instruction) I feel that that was just the first step in learning. Once I could connect with sensation, and then communicate finding sensation with the students, I could deepen the knowledge exchange process. I think...The only way I could tell if they were receiving knowledge is by discussion after the fact or by viewing them individually. As Lo says, eyes got bigger but that was because you can't see as much through a screen as in person.

Learning a new choreography online a few weeks ago I experienced directional (right/left) disorientation even moreso than in studio/class. However, having time to view the work and attune to the choreographer's intention of the work I realized I allowed myself to focus more on the emotional quality of the movement, and express the nuances within the movement... In a strange way I felt more present in my body.

going back to my sensations is a way to feel connection in this moment in all aspects of life, so i am practicing it through daily movement practices. online i feel there is about a 70% focus on my own sensation and 30% visual awareness of someone online with me. but my eyes feel bigger than before. i think i would look with my whole body more often before. i believe my memory is enacting remembrances of being with people moving.

In a way it opens up another new Sense and that's why I feel all twisted by this platform. (from Conversations 2021)

When working online I’m responding more with my eyes than my skin senses, but I remember the skin senses. It is in us, so I try to bring that memory back and active when online. (from Conversation 2021)