# data[].attributes.headline
Changing focus: bodily experience in Modern

# data[].attributes.subject
Changing focus: bodily experience in Modern

# data[].attributes.body
In my past few modern classes (as well as my other dance practices of the week like jazz and rehearsals), I've focused on trying to connect to the experience of moving and making as related to how it feels in the body, as opposed to how it looks. This is a huge shift in mindset from what I've experienced in the past, as growing up in dance studios, we were sometimes taught to pay attention to how a particular movement looked and how to accomplish that look. This mindset really came into play when it was time to rehearse for performances or other events. If you were featured in a role, it was important to "be expressive" and "stand out;" two ideas that surround around how one looks to an audience. Conversely, if it was an ensemble piece, it was important that everyone look the same and do movements in sync. As a young dancer, the question circulating around my peers was "how did it look," not how did it feel.
So, shifting this perspective is something I'm going to continue to work on, as it is not easy to just turn the idea of how something looks on and off. However, focusing on my body's experience in dancing has made me feel much more connected to the physical experience of dancing and how my body feels doing different types of movements. I like to think about one part of my body at a time, from my head to shoulders to hamstrings to feet. By doing this, I try to tune into the different ways one particular type of movement, like a jump or pattern of the feet, effects contribute to the experience of my entire body.
One thing I've noticed in particular is that in positions where my head is dropped toward the floor (like in a stretch or combination), I rarely release my neck and relax the tension in my upper body. In some ways, this could be a safety measure, like protecting oneself from whiplash or muscle strains if a pattern of movement requires you to lift your neck down and up quickly, but in other ways like when stretching, it prevents me from experiencing the full motion and release of the stretch. Being able to acknowledge the way my body feels in certain movements is very beneficial, as I can try to find the root of why I may be doing something in a particular way, and whether that may be helpful, hurtful, or have no effect at all on how I experience dance.

# data[].attributes.body
BodyMind dancing with Martha Eddy challenged me to think about what "dance" is in a different way. The class began with Eddy saying hello to everyone on the Zoom call, and then sending us to breakout rooms to talk about how our body was feeling and what our day had been like. I spoke with a woman who was joining the class from Australia, and the class was filled with a diverse group of individuals who were of different ages, had varied dance experiences, and were from a wide range of places. After the breakout groups, we spent several minutes discussing what each of us was experiencing today and what we wanted out of the class. Many of the class members talked about places they were sore or described a physical sensation, and it confused me at first why the class would help with those issues. In my previous experience, most dance classes focus on working on a specific technique or doing specific tasks. But BodyMind dancing felt as though the goal was the opposite of a "typical" dance class.
Eddy led the group through several series of prompts as well as improvisational scores. At the beginning of class, she emphasized to do what our bodies were "telling us," and not to worry about if that was different from what she was doing. We began with the idea of "swaying," whether that was in one body part, multiple, big, small, or in any other way it could be part of the body. Eddy encouraged the group to try to connect with another member of the class and do the same movements that they were, along with continuing to focus on our bodies. The encouragement to work alongside a peer and the beginning of the class starting out in discussion created a great sense of community like we were meeting each other where we were currently at and giving each other support.
Throughout the rest of class, we were encouraged to explore different ways to move a single body part or experience a specific sensation. One of my favorite ideas from this part of the class was to try to "make space between the vertebrae of your back," which made me much more aware of the tension I was holding there that I hadn't noticed before the class began. Through the BodyMind style, I felt as though I could do any movement I wanted to in class, whether that was what Eddy was instructing, a technique to release tension in a specific part of the body, or just what made me feel good and relax. It was a welcome hour break to both move and listen to my body and forced me to focus on the present moment instead of what was coming next.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
[Virtual] BodyMind Dancing™ | Movement Research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One of the world's leading laboratories for the investigation of dance and movement-based forms.

# data[].attributes.body
While in my yoga and modern classes over the past week, I noticed a relatively stark difference between somatic practices in each discipline. Throughout my years dancing, I learned certain positions that my body "should" be in, such as having a "long spine" and "tucked in stomach." While these instructions are important for safety while dancing, they are very different from the directions given in my yoga classes so far. Our yoga instructor often gives multiple options for different yoga poses or stretches, emphasizing that you should do what feels best and if none of the poses feel good, you should skip the exercise. The focus is much more on connecting to what your body is experiencing throughout the entire class, whereas in many dance classes, the focus is often on performing in a certain way and rarely on focusing on how your body feels.
In one of my readings this week, "Somatic Knowledge: The Body as Content and Methodology in Dance Education" by Jill Green, different somatic practices are discussed with a focus on how dance may incorporate more somatic practices in classes. Green argues that using somatic practices in dance helps dancers move more freely and expressively, as they can more easily learn to release tension (116). Through my personal experience and Green's argument, I have a working hypothesis that yoga may have more "active" somatic practices, as the emphasis is continually placed on breathing, how one's body feels, and maintaining a calm, relaxed body-mind connection. Contrarily, dance seems to have more of a "passive" somatic practice. There are some examples in my experience of teachers using somatics in dance, such as telling dancers to "listen to their body" so they don't get injured or reminding dancers to breathe, but dance instructors don't often lead their students intentionally through somatic practice activities. This concept of "active vs. passive" somatic practice may be something that has been identified and discussed before, but it is a phenomenon that I have experienced in the past week and is the best way I can think to describe the idea.
Works Cited
Jill Green (2002) Somatic Knowledge: The Body as Content and Methodology in Dance Education, Journal of Dance Education, 2:4, 114-118, DOI: 10.1080/15290824.2002.10387219

# data[].attributes.body
After my first yoga class this past Monday (9/8), I noticed many differences from this class to what I typically experience in dance classes. I took a deep stretch yoga class through the Davidson physical education course, taught by Lisa Hogan. In its course description, the class aims to "explore long deep stretching to enhance flexibility and joint mobility while encouraging healing and realigning the body’s connective tissues. Deep stretching through the pelvis, hips, low spine and shoulders will allow tight muscles to gently release while also releasing tension in the mind" ("Yoga").
The class begun with a series of exercises that involved sustaining lower body stretches while focusing on one's breath. During this, Hogan explained that she typically starts the class in this way to help students become more present in the moment and leave behind the stresses they may have encountered throughout the day. Hogan read a quotation about how every choice a person makes is either draining or energizing, and that being mindful of these choices will allow us to be more aware of our bodies and how we care for ourselves. I've found that this is a common theme in dance as well, as dancers need to make choices to take care of their bodies and stay healthy.
Another thing I noticed in this yoga class was how slowly paced it was compared to both other types of yoga and many types of dance. We were guided into each stretch or pose very gradually and then maintained that for a good amount of time. Many dance classes often move faster as we are instructed from one combination of movements to another, and often only do slow moving patterns of movement as warm up or cool down stretches, or as part of a piece of choreography.
Because of the slow-moving nature of deep stretch yoga, I found my thoughts drifting more than in a typically dance class. I thought both about what was happening in the class and in my life outside the class. Although I wasn't able to necessarily "clear my mind" of any thoughts, the relaxed and meditative nature of the yoga prevented my thoughts from being frantic or worried. Even when I entered the classroom, I was nervous about both what the class would be like and about the rest of my day. When I left, I was still thinking about things I wanted to accomplish for the rest of the day, but I didn't feel the pressure that I typically associate with a Davidson schedule.
Growing up, I always loved going to dance classes because it let me forget about what was happening outside of the classroom. As I've gotten older, I'm not as able to completely forget the outside world, but dancing still feels like an escape or outlet to de-stress. Even after only one yoga class, there feels to be a significant difference in these mindsets. I do not believe now that one is particularly better than the other, but the difference I found is a meditative vs. escapist mentality, both being good coping mechanisms to get the body moving and decrease everyday stress.
Works Cited:
"Yoga/Deep Stretch." Davidson Online PE Registration. Accessed 7 Sept. 2021.