Practice - One.on.One

- PRACTICE -

First thing in class today, we went over logistics and Sister Wadsworth gave us some reading assignments to be done in the next two weeks...which I'm actually pretty excited about. We haven't had any readings for a little bit, and I tend to really enjoy the readings for this class. So I'm looking forward to that.

Then we did some movement to get into our bodies a little bit, and to read where we are today. Then we did a really neat exercise. We paired up into partners, and me and Kelsey were together. So first, Kelsey just walked around the room for a bit while I just watched, looking for her tension patterns, and just her mannerisms in walking. Then, after a while, I started walking with her, trying to mimic those patterns and mannerisms. We did that for just a little bit before Sister Wadsworth stopped us.

She brought back the fact that we have to get out of our minds, and into our bodies. We're thinking too much, and not feeling enough. So we restarted the process, with the focus of trying to feel more than think through what we were attempting. As I started following Kelsey, I wasn't sure if I was really doing it right, but I didn't let myself dwell on that too much, because I figured that would lead to too much thinking. So instead, I just tried to glean the demeanor that Kelsey had, and tried to portray that myself. It was interesting.

Then when we switched, and Kelsey was mimicking my walk...it was really interesting to see. I felt like she probably did pretty good. I know that I tend to take pretty small steps, which she did, and I saw that I don't really move a ton. I could see some tension in her back, which I can feel in myself, too. It's just kind of weird seeing myself on another person's body. Kind of eerie.

- ONE.ON.ONE -

I really enjoyed today's one on one. We didn't do anything on the mats, but went with a chair instead. She still did the forward and up lengthening exercise, which is always fantastic, and then she had me stand up. I really wasn't expecting it...at all. She just applied some pressure, and suddenly I was standing. She did that a couple of times, and I noticed that I was sort of leaving my pelvis behind when I stood. So we tried it again, this time with me having warning of when I would be standing, and it was better. Then we did it again, and I adjusted my footing, and it was so much better. It just felt nice. I even felt more like I could breathe.

There was so much air going through my body, rather than just concentrated in my chest area, like it normally feels. Oh, it was great!

Then she wanted me to do some movement a little more dance-related, and I decided a relevé would be really good for me. I know I always hold a lot when I go on relevé. So, I held on to the back of the chair, and we did the same thing, with this movement. As I tried it first without the Alexander principles, I could feel that I hold tension in my hips, to try to keep myself upright. Then we applied the forward and up principle, and, again, it felt so much better! And it was just easier. I really hope I can hold onto this, and carry it through my technique classes and rehearsals. I felt all sorts of fantastic after this session. I had so much more breath and ease in my body. It's amazing how good of a mood it can put me in.