Task One: Working with Counts
For this task we split ourselves into 3 groups of 5 and a group of 6 and all stood in lines one behind the other. Working on counts of 8, the person at the front of each line jumped and on the 8th count (or jump) would turn to face the person behind them; who would then start jumping for 8 and turning to the back. This would carry on down the line till the last person in the line had turned to face the back. This back person (now the front person) would start jumping for 8 and the same process would happen back down the line.
Then as a whole collective we stood in lines of the same amount facing the same direction and began a similar task. Line 1 would be still while lines 2, 3 and 4 jumped for 8 counts. On the 8th count line 1 would jump and turn over their right shoulder to face line 2 and start the jumps facing line 2, who would stop for the following 8 counts but jump and turn on the 8th count to face line 3 who would stop and line 2 would start jumping again and so on till line 4 were facing the back. At this point all lines will be jumping and line 4 would begin bringing the turns back to the front so line 4 would jump for 8 and on the 8th count turn over their left shoulder to face the front then stop. All lines would do this until they come to a stop. Additional movements were added after we’d practiced this and these instructions were that on count 2 we were told to raise our right arm in the air, on count 5 we would shoot our left arm out to the side and on count 8 we had to land the turn in a plie.
The first part of this task I picked up with ease as well as the start of the second part to the task as this was just jumping essentially, but at the end when the additional movements were added in I struggled with the counts because the arms felt like they were on odd counts. Particularly the arm on the 5th count, I found this is the movement that threw me most throughout the exercise.
Task Two: Imagery Task
From a position we felt relaxed in we were one by one given the following instructions to use as an image to influence our movements.
- Knifes for legs
- Spaghetti for arms
- Head trying to touch sit bones
- Nose lower than lower half of body
- Cells racing
After we tried these on our own we split into two groups and collectively chose which of the previous or new imagery we wanted to use; as a group we chose cells racing. Being able to observe and participate in this task was interesting because watching others allowed me to pick out on things that I do similarly to them. When I was participating I found that I was using my chest and stomach to start movements, meaning I was starting to use more internal parts of my body but in the feedback from the audience we were told to try start using more internal body parts. I also found that I was repeating some of my new movements at times when I found a sequence I was comfortable with.
Task Three: Thick-Skinning
At the start of this task I found it really awkward and I was unsure on what I was really meant to do so found it became repetitive. If I was to do a task like this again I would try to play more with my movement and maybe use my partner more for support.
Task Four: Improv Jam
The start of today’s improv jam had us entering the centre in groups or ‘tidal waves’, meaning that a group would enter the circle at exactly the same time and leave at the same time, no one could enter individually or leave alone. People seemed less confident about entering the centre during the start of this task – I know I was nervous about it.
Following this we were given freedom to enter the space and this was when people began to move more frequently and confidently. While in the circle many attempted thick-skinning for a second time to see how it worked in bigger groups.
By the end of this lesson I felt that I was starting to become more comfortable and confident in the space and found myself willing to try more movements and push boundaries of my habitual