Feb 12 / Multi-modal: Dancing and Drawing

 

Unit: Multi-Modal

Theme: Dancing and Drawing

 

I

Introduction

Dance Improvisation can also derive from other art modalities.Today, we will explore the influence that drawing has on dance that emerges from stream of consciousness creativity. It is a kind of aesthetic response to art, but in this case, the dancer's own art.

II 

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the inter-modal process (drawing, music, dance).
  
• Explain the sensations generated as a result of the work
• Gain awareness of the use of drawing to generate movement vocabulary
  
• Experience solo improv when responding to the piece
  
• Reflect on the creative process at the end of the process
  

 

III

 

Warm Up

Stretching

 

IV

Main Lesson

1

Link:

Dancing and Drawing by Auriea Harvey

 

"While I was not able to explore a structural representational style I would like to employ, due to reasons of time, I still feel what this exercise provided me with is a visceral approach to starting a drawing, a method for developing poses or even an entire choreographic outline for a model or performer whom I will draw. I think an applied theme or narrative would lead to an even more visually rich outcome. I wouldn't mind trying this all again." A. Harvey

 ------------------------------

Questions

After reading A. Harvey's report answer the following questions:

1. What does A. Harvey mean when she says, " I have a preference for the motions of the everyday and the absurd? "

2. Explain the meaning of the following statement:

"For it is not the performance but the intentionality of the created artefact and its aesthetic effect that I am interested in."  A. Harvey

3. What is A. Harvey's idea of a score?

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement; explain the meaning of the statement below:

"The world needs spaces for artists to experiment, discuss and transform vague ideas into big plans." 

 

 2

Read the Article

 

Composing While Dancing: An Improviser's Companion

Melinda Buckwalter

Introduction (1st and 2nd paragraph)

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Composing_while_Dancing/LRt59Uv9_OEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Art,+Music+and+Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover 

Buckwalter, Melinda (2010).  Composing While Dancing: An Improviser's Companion. The University of Wisconsin Press

 

V

 A Note to Remember

The danger of attempting to capture something of improvisation's essence and place it on the page, is that to capture it is to stop it from being the thing that it is - changeable. (Buckwalter 2010)

 

VI

Case Study

Video

Live Drawing and Dance Response to visual art: Laura Kvelstein and Jaanika Peerna

Question 5

Write your reflection to this piece.

VII

Activity 1

Draw freely any image you want to draw and dance to it using the following guidelines:

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.

 

VIII

 

Activity 2

 

Now think about the concepts bellow and create your score,

• Synthesis
• Composition
• Score

And, create a score of your improvisational dance based on your drawing

 

IX

Glossary

 

X

Journaling

 

XI

Sources

 

XII

Students' Work 

Academic

William Brodsky

Even though I couldn’t be in class for this session, I took time to do the drawing and movement improvisation exercise on my own. What I found most fascinating about this experience was the idea that movement can come not from watching others or interpreting emotion, but from our own marks on the page. I’ve always been drawn to the connection between aesthetics and intention, so this idea of creating something visual first—then embodying it through dance—felt very natural to me. I created an abstract line drawing without thinking too hard, just letting my hand move freely. It ended up feeling chaotic but strangely fluid, with sharp lines breaking into soft spirals. When I danced it, I tried to bring those contrasts to life—staccato footwork followed by circular arm motions, and a constantly shifting center of gravity. It became a story of tension and release.

Reading Auriea Harvey’s thoughts gave me a lot to think about. When she said she prefers “the motions of the everyday and the absurd,” I understood that as a way of valuing ordinary, unexpected, and sometimes irrational movement as a kind of artistic truth. I think we often overlook how strange and beautiful unplanned movement can be. Her point about caring more for the intentionality and aesthetic effect than for the performance itself also hit home for me—especially in a class like this, where being present and authentic is more important than being polished. I also agreed completely with her statement that “the world needs spaces for artists to experiment.” I think spaces like this class allow people like me—who don’t come from a traditional dance background—to discover something personal and expressive in movement.

Overall, this unit reminded me that improvisation doesn’t just come from the body—it can begin in the hand, in a line, or in a scribble. And it doesn’t need to make perfect sense to be meaningful. In fact, the less I tried to “make” something happen, the more the movement felt honest. That’s something I want to carry into all of my improvisational work going forward.

 

 

 

Gabriele Pernigotti

1. What does A. Harvey mean when she says, " I have a preference for the motions of the everyday and the absurd? "

That he prefers to use motions that our body already knows or are not “pretty” that movements that are forced to look elegant or unique. 

2. Explain the meaning of the following statement:

"For it is not the performance but the intentionality of the created artefact and its aesthetic effect that I am interested in."  A. Harvey

I believe it means that he is not focused on perfection but on the intention behind the artefact created. 

3. What is A. Harvey's idea of a score?

Time + Relationships + Gestures = A Choreographic Score

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement; explain the meaning of the statement below:

"The world needs spaces for artists to experiment, discuss and transform vague ideas into big plans."

I agree with this statement because i believe artists have a different type of intelligence and by being believed in and understanding their creative process starts not necessarily in a brilliant idea but in the evolution of a vague one will contribute to future success.  

Write your reflection to this piece.

I loved how they used all of the space, regardless of the people and how they interacted with each other but in different ways not necessarily touching. 

Lucy Leventhal

1. What does A. Harvey mean when she says, "I have a preference for the motions of the everyday and the absurd?"

Harvey made this realization after viewing a variety of performances. As she mentioned, rather than more traditional forms of dance, such as modern ballet, she prefers movements that take unique approaches to dance, taking inspiration from less straight-forward sources, such as our everyday surroundings.

2. Explain the meaning of the following statement: "For it is not the performance but the intentionality of the created artefact and its aesthetic effect that I am interested in." 

This statement refers to Harvey’s discussion of the black mirrored floor of a dance hall. Harvey finds herself appreciating aspects of a dance performance that contribute to the overall production, but may go unnoticed by some. Rather than the actual movements of the dancers, Harvey finds herself intrigued by the process and aesthetics that go into making the performance complete. She sees the importance of the synthesis between drawing and dance, and how the two can complement each other.

3. What is A. Harvey's idea of a score?

Harvey writes,  “Time + Relationships + Gestures = A Choreographic Score,” and goes on to further look into what goes into a score of dance and drawing combined. This was done through a combination of the two art forms, focusing on both unique movements and also strokes on paper to see how the two related to each other and fit together. 

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement; explain the meaning of the statement below: "The world needs spaces for artists to experiment, discuss and transform vague ideas into big plans." 

I agree with the statement, and see the importance of allowing artists to follow their passions, and experiment with mediums, in an appropriate and fitting space.

5. Reflection on video: “Live Drawing and Dance Response to visual art: Laura Kvelstein and Jaanika Peerna”

I thought that this was a very interesting video, as the dance movements within it were unlike many of the dance performances I have seen in the past. I liked that the women in the video showcased a unique approach to dance and art, showing how the two can complement each other.

Sai Chigurupati

1.  She means that instead of the traditional ideals that other forms of dance follow, such as ballet, Harvey prefers to generate inspiration from other sources, such as the mundane. She prefers to create her movements from everyday acts, such as communting and eating, and couples them with absurb and unexpected elements. 

2. Harvey is not so focused on the end product of her movements but rather the process to create those movements and how it makes her feel. She is looking for the deeper meaning of her movements rather than just the execution of the movements. 

3. As stated in the article Score= Time + Relationships + Gestures. She wants to create unique movements and then translate those movements onto a piece of paper that represents how they feel. 

4. I somewhat agree with the statement. Some artists need structure to preform at their best and will wilt without said structure. On the other hand, some artists thrive off of thinking outside of the box and are needed so that new ideas and creations are formed. 

5. The women in the peice are making movements in a way that they can relate to the art work. As a result of being subjective, the women's movements maybe not be what everybody would do in their mind's but it represents how the art makes them feel. They are also using an array of speed and height even because they do not have a lot of room to work with.