(Was)Daily Dances: January 2012

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Wash Your Time

I am very happy with this excerpt as an example of what I consider "good" improvisation. What does that mean? "Good" improvisation? For me some of the hallmarks of successful improvisation are:

1)Responsivity: when something happens we take it into the improvisation. We do not shut things out or down (a choice the other improvisor makes, a sound from outside the room, etc)..... we integrate.... we "yes" things. We find the sense in what occurs.

2)Immediacy: there is not a delay in our responses. We allow our intuitive response to come into action without pausing or blocking to analyze. We trust our experience and innate knowledge of composition to organize our response(s).

3)We are improvisors, not a dancer and a musician. I think it is essential to consider yourself an "improvisor" not a dancer or musician or actor if you are improvising. I believe those labels block our abilitiy to respond in an honest way. We are trapped in the definition of our role. As an improvisor, everything is at your fingertips. One is not limited to movement or sound or text. (What is important though is to know what medium you are able to work in with some level of control... going out of your medium and out of control is not "good improvisation".

4)Changes of Leadership: I enjoy this clip because I feel Jane and I take turns leading, following/supporting, working in simultaneous solo and duet. There is seamless movement and transition between these roles.

**** I have many other things to say about what is happening when improvisation is really cooking. This is just a small commentary on why I like this particular clip.

Thanks for watching and reading !!!