A heavy dancer. A light dancer. A deep action. A light action. A heavy groove. A light groove. What do these mean? Which properties are good and desirable? Which ones not so? How did these metaphors come about?
Concept: Apparent weight (Dance)
(Not to be confused with apparent weight in physics)
- Manoeuverability - This is the second-party i.e. dance partner's perception of: how capable a dancer is of movement; how much lead force is required for, or provided by, movement and the cessation of movement.
- Rhythmicity - This is the second-party i.e. dance partner's perception of: how capable a dancer is of interpreting rhythm with his or her body.
Concept: The centre of gravity and basic divisions of the foot
The centre of gravity is the single point associated with an object where the force of gravity can be considered to act. Four parameters - front, back, medial (towards the centreline), and distal (away from the centreline) - coarsely divide the foot into four sections through which a dancer's centre of gravity appears to act. At which point the centre of gravity acts through the foot affects, profoundly, a dancer's ability to utilise force for motion.
Exercises: Kinesthetic detection of the position of the dance partner's centre of gravity, two-footed
Partnered. Double-hand hold, eyes closed. Weight evenly distributed across both feet. Centre of gravity acting through front or back of foot. The leader moves the partnership hand-hold gently and firmly away and towards his/her body, sensing the changes in contact pressure; the follower varies the exercise by changing from weight toe-ward to weight heel-ward. (An advanced practice involves the follower moving his/her weight toe-ward on one foot and weight heel-ward on the other foot.) How does the each partner perceive the 'lightness' or 'heaviness' of the other?
Exercises: Kinesthetic detection of the position of the dance partner's centre of gravity, single-footed
Partnered. Double-hand hold, eyes closed. Follower's centre of gravity acting through any quadrant of the supporting foot. The leader moves the partnership hand-hold, gently and firmly, away and towards, to the left and to the right of his/her body, sensing the changes in contact pressure. The follower varies the exercise by changing the quadrant through which his/her centre of gravity acts. How does the each partner perceive the 'lightness' or 'heaviness' of the other?
Exercises: Kinesthetic detection of the position of the dance partner's centre of gravity under turning, single-footed
Partnered. Single-hand hold, eyes closed. Follower's centre of gravity acting through any quadrant of the supporting foot. The leader executes HALO turns (see: http://www.salsa-merengue.co.uk/VidTutor/merengue/halo_fol/int_halo_fol.html) sensing the changes in contact pressure.
The follower varies the exercise by changing the quadrant through which his/her centre of gravity acts. The leader varies the practice through choice of HALO direction and height. How does the each partner perceive the 'lightness' or 'heaviness' of the other?
Concept: Mode of movement (Dance) and a mode library
Parameters, such as the part of the foot through which a dancer's centre of gravity acts, profoundly influence a dancer's quality of movement; and how it is perceived by his or her partner, and even onlookers. A dancer can configure a mode of movement through the setting of these parameters and proceed to building a library of modes, from which may be selected the most musically appropriate at any time.
Exercises: A simple mode, full dance context
Partnered, to music. Deploying a simple, single-parameter, mode: selecting which point of the foot through which the centre of gravity acts; in full dance context.
Section II - Rhythmicity
Concept: 'Depth of penetration' of weight into the dance floor
This is a progression with pedalling, based on its learning metaphor of 'pressing a nail into the floor' (see 'Learning Tips' in http://www.salsa-merengue.co.uk/VidTutor/merengue/lbaction/det_lba.html). To 'drive the nail deeper into the floor', the dancer smoothens and slows the pedalling action, taking up more of the beat. To 'tap the nail onto the surface of the floor', the dancer shortens the time of the action.
Exercise: Salsa walk, 'driving the nail deeper into the floor'
Solo, then partnered. Kinesthesia - detect the tone and relaxation around the hip, and co-relate it with the intensity and progression of pressure registered through the soles of the feet. Does this groove feel heavier or lighter?
Exercise: Salsa walk, 'tapping the nail onto the surface of the floor'
Solo, then partnered. Kinesthesia - detect the tone and relaxation around the hip, and co-relate it with the intensity and progression of pressure registered through the soles of the feet. Does this groove feel heavier or lighter?
Concept: Lower body action (pedalling) affects rhythmicity
The 'depth of penetration' of weight qualitatively affects two aspects of the lower body action: attack i.e. how rapidly the heel contacts the floor; and duration i.e. the breadth of time over which weight is transferred. Both of these are parameters in percussion and by extension, rhythm.
Exercises: A simple mode, full dance context
Partnered, to music. Deploying another simple, single-parameter, mode: selecting the quality of lower body action; in full dance context. An advanced variant is to deploy a different mode per leg.
Exercises: Compound modes
Solo, then partnered. What are all the possible modes which can be created when two parameters: where the centre of gravity acts through the foot; and quality of lower body action, interact?
Section III - Modes in practice
Exercise: Compound modes to music, solo
Solo, to music. This is an action-event practice: deploying modes of movement to music and assessing their musical qualities.
Exercise: Compound modes to music, partnered
Partnered, to music. This is an action-event-partnership practice: deploying modes of movement to music, assessing their musical qualities in first and second person, and understanding how modes influence apparent weight (and hence how others perceive you as a dance partner).
Loo Yeo
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