Feb 10 / The Movement: Aesthetic Response

 

 

Unit: The Movement

Theme: Aesthetic Response

 

I

Introduction

The aesthetic response is based on an exercise I experienced at the European Graduate School. The dancer places him/herself in front of the art piece to embody the qualities of the piece and give it voice. In our class we will do the same to generate movement. The response will allow the dancer to find ways to express the voice of the art piece in dance.

II 

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the aesthetic response process.
  
• Explain the sensations generated as a result of the work
• Gain awareness of the use of art to generate movement vocabulary
  
• Experience solo improv when responding to the piece
  
• Reflect on the creative process at the end of the process
  

 

III

 Main Lesson

1

Warm Up

Stretching

 Body Storming

Finding rhythm with each other ....

 2

 

Read the Article

Aesthetic Emotions: The Emotional Effect of Beauty 

Question 

2. After reading the  article, what is the point of art?

 

3

Read the Article

 

The Art of Becoming: How Group Improvisation Works

Raymond A. R. MacDonald and Graeme B. Wilson 

Chapter 1

(Page 2 - From the Edges to Mainstream)

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Art_of_Becoming/-QbcDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Art,+Music+and+Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover

MacDonald, Raymond A. R. and Graeme B. Wilson (2020). The Art of Becoming: How Group Improvisation Works. Oxford University Press

 

 

IV

A Note to Remember

"Improvisation plays an important role in the earliest and most important bonding relationships of our lives" (MacDonald and Wilson 2020).

 

V

Case Study

Question

1. After watching the video, write your reflection.

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V

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 VI

 

 

Question

With which artist interviewed in the video above do you identify with the most? Explain why?

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VII

 

Activity

 Lowe Art Museum

 Go to the link

 https://www.lowe.miami.edu/

 

• Choose a painting that resonates with you
•  Go back to your painting 
• Observe it
• Dance its colors
• Dance its textures
• Dance its shapes 

*

• Is there a story?
• What is the story?

Exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

• Express it in movement & dance.
  

 *

• Imagine the painting could talk through you.
• What would it say?
• Express it in movement & dance.

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 Record the dance process and post it on Discussion Board. 

Post a picture of your chosen painting or art piece in general.

VIII

Glossary

 

IX

Journaling

 

X

Sources

 MacDonald, Raymond A. R. and Graeme B. Wilson (2020). The Art of Becoming: How Group Improvisation Works. Oxford University Press 

 

XI

Students' Work

Academic

William Brodsky

Although I was not in class for this session, I explored the assignment independently and found it to be one of the most visually inspiring and emotionally rich exercises in our improvisation journey. I chose to study a painting from the Lowe Art Museum that featured bold, abstract brushstrokes in deep blues and reds, almost like a chaotic ocean under a burning sky. 

Standing in front of the image (virtually), I imagined not only what the painting might feel like, but what it might say if it could speak through movement. The textures and colors felt conflicted—powerful but uncertain—and I began to move slowly at first, letting my arms trace the brushstrokes, then adding in sharp, sudden contractions to express tension beneath the surface. 

It felt like storytelling without a script. Reading about aesthetic emotions helped frame this for me: the point of art isn’t just beauty, but its ability to provoke something in us—something real, uncomfortable, or sublime. That’s exactly what I felt when I tried to embody the painting’s energy. 

It made me realize that improvisation is a form of empathy—we don’t just react to art, we become it. As MacDonald and Wilson write, improvisation mirrors our earliest ways of connecting to others. This process helped me form an emotional bond with the image, even without words, and reminded me that sometimes, our deepest responses are better danced than said.

 

 

Gabriele Pernigotti 

Aesthetic Response

• After reading the  article, what is the point of art?

• The point of art is to represent something in a beautiful way. By doing this, it will evoke aesthetic emotions that represent the likeability or intensity of what you are seeing causes in you.  

• After watching the video, write your reflection.

• I liked how each represented a color such as the color palette and artists used to paint as well as how they stared at the painting for a few minutes, soaking in the aesthetic emotions to be able to express the improvisation. 

• With which artist interviewed in the video above do you identify with the most? Explain why?

• I identify with the last one that focuses not on the colors or shapes but of the story he imagines or that reminds him of because that is how my brain would’ve worked in a similar setting. 

Is there a story?

Yes

What is the story?

Imagine the painting could talk through you.

What would it say?

I feel like it represents millions of people yelling and barricades falling, similar to protests when citizens are trying to take down a government.  

 

 

Kiree Huie

1. After reading the article, what is the point of art?

Immanuel Kant's perspective on art suggests that its value does not lie in merely replicating beautiful things, but rather in portraying them in a way that elicits beauty. Art serves as a medium for deeper expression and understanding, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary through the artist's unique vision and technique. It allows individuals to explore and communicate complex emotions, ideas, and concepts that might otherwise remain unexpressed.

2. After watching the video, write your reflection.

The video highlighted several artistic concepts that align closely with what we learn in class. The artists used various movements, emphasizing different levels, such as high, medium, and low, as well as utilizing the space around them through their limbs and other body parts. This expanded upon the foundational techniques we practice, offering a broader understanding of how these movements can be applied creatively in artistic expressions.

3. With which artist interviewed in the video above do you identify with the most? Explain why.

The artist I resonated with most was the first one, who embodied the spirit of Maggi Hambling in 2016. Their movements were a blend of simplicity and boldness, an approach I strive to incorporate in my own work. This balance between straightforwardness and daring expression is something I continually aim to achieve in my art pieces.

 

Aidan Murphy

1. After reading the article, what is the point of art?

As Immanuel Kant said “Artistic beauty is not representing beautiful things, but the beautiful representation of a thing."

2. After watching the video, write your reflection.

I recognize many concepts in the video to be from class. The artist in the video were utilizing movements that you talk about in class from height (high, medium, low) to the space around us (legs, arms, hips, etc.). The video further expanded the movements you teach us in class. 

3. With which artist interviewed in the video above do you identify with the most? Explain why?

The artitst interviewed that I identified the most with was the first, the artist embodying the Maggi Hambling 2016. I thought it movements were simple yet bold at the same time, actions I try to implement in my own pieces.

Julianna Malygin

 

After reading the article, what is the point of art? 

The article concludes that the main point of art is to evoke emotion, communicate those emotions (can be in dance), and create a connection between the observer and the work. Art not only represents beautiful images but it represents an abundance of emotions such as joy, nostalgia, anger, or pain. Art allows us to feel in non traditional ways beyond words making it a very emotional practice. According to Rafael (a professor at Barcelona) aesthetic emotions are the emotional responses to the beauty found in art.

Was unable to play/access the video 

Choosing a piece of art from the Lowe Art Museum 

This sculpture is called What goes up must come down. This represents people who peacefully protest and symbolizes global resistance. 

If I could talk through a painting what would it say? 

I would say something along the lines of always looking for the beauty within the pain. Especially on a long journey I feel that if someone chooses to, they can always see the bright side or the beautiful aspects of places that make us feel very dark.  

Ciara Schweitzer

1.The article suggests that art exists to provoke emotions, communicate ideas, and forge connections between people. These emotions, referred to as aesthetic experiences, can be uplifting or unsettling, depending on an individual’s perception of beauty in art, nature, or human expression. More than just presenting visually pleasing images, art must engage its audience on a deeper level, creating a shared experience that unites people through its emotional impact.

2.The video explores how movement and dance can shift our understanding of art in an exhibition setting. At Corali, artists with learning differences challenge conventional ideas about art by emphasizing interaction rather than passive observation. By using their bodies to engage with artworks, they transform the gallery into an immersive space that encourages a more personal and sensory-driven experience. This redefines art as something that extends beyond the visual, incorporating movement and feeling to create new interpretations. The performances add energy and depth to the exhibition, making the space more dynamic and inviting.

3. I resonate most with Sherri because of her approach to engaging with art beyond traditional boundaries. Her willingness to step outside expected norms and experience art through movement and personal expression reflects my own belief that art should be an interactive and emotional process. Like her, I see art as something that should not be confined to rigid structures but should instead be experienced in a way that allows for creativity, spontaneity, and personal connection.

 

Kyle Jordan

 

1. After reading the  article, what is the point of art?

The article claims that the purpose of art is to evoke feelings, convey them, and establish a strong bond with the viewer. These feelings, which are referred to as aesthetic emotions, can be either pleasant or negative and are triggered by an individual's relationship to beauty in nature, art, or even other people. Art must perform more than showing beautiful objects in order to generate a powerful emotional response which unites humans through its creation of a shared experience.

2. After watching the video, write your reflection.

The video shows how dance transforms our perception of artwork at an exhibition and showcases the close relationship between movement and visual art. At Corali, artists with issues learning lead the way to question traditional beliefs about art engagement and views. The performers increase the dynamic experience by using their bodies to respond with artworks instead of no movement. Art is redefined as a sensory experience that goes beyond visual perception because it encourages viewers to feel and create a new perspective of art in new ways. The gallery space gains new creative perspectives and becomes more inviting and colorful through the inventive expressions in the performances.

3. With which artist interviewed in the video above do you identify with the most? Explain why?

I most identify with Paul. Through his movement-based interpretation of art he expresses a deep emotional connection with the works which confirms that art requires active engagement rather than passive viewing. His willingness to break the rules and interact with the exhibition space in a playful and authentic way mirrors how I believe art should be experienced: freely and without limits in all ways. This viewpoint supports my conviction that art is about more than just aesthetics as it’s about expression and connection.

Gigi Mangieri 

1. The point of art is a form of connection between the audience and a person. It also is a form of expression for emotions making it very personal. Also, people are able to connect through art and convey their feelings to each other. 

2. The dancers in the video are all interpreting the space through different movements and how it makes them feel. It is a very still space, so if this were me I would display movement that shows calmness because I feel like the space is very calming.

3. I feel I would be similar to Henry Fuseli because he is very soft with his movements and he talks about how every part has a purpose which I agree with. He is very logical with his responses and interprets similar to how I would. 

4. A piece in the Lowe Museum that I resonated with was scenery made out of trash. It reminded me of Florida which is where I am from. I also feel passionately about our environment so I appreciated the message of the piece.