Mar 17 / 5 Rhythms: Stillness

 

 

 

Unit: 5 Rhythms

Theme: Stillness

 

I

Introduction

Continuing with our unit on the 5 Rhythms created by Gabrielle Roth, today, we will explore Stillness. For the dancer in general, stillness is a musical term that gives active space and rhythm to a melodic flow of energy. Stillness is a part of ballet training when the dancer seems to pause after a melodic phrase.  Stillness holds many images and they are understood in different ways by each dancer.

 

II 

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the ideas behind Stillness rhythm
  
• Explain the sensations generated as a result of Stillness
• Gain awareness of the use of embodied movement-meditation in letting go
  
• Experience solo and group dance dancing Stillness
• Reflect on the creative process at the end of the lesson
  

 

 III

 

 WARM UP

Stretching 

 

IV

 

Main Lesson

 

 

1

 

Stillness

 

 

 

According to Roth and Loudon (1998) stillness is a moving meditation that uses every part of one's body in "living prayer" (p.38).  In the 5 Rhythms, the movement in stillness becomes inner, of concentration, a feeling of empty fullness and of vibrant presence. One moves in slow motion or one moves and stops, feeling one's feet, face, hands and total body. The movement is no longer the mediator, but the stillness in between. The breath is strong, the vitality is intense. The time is now and the place is here. Every gesture is total and measured as one's body is full a breath and one's look direct.

 

Question 1

Compare and contrast the general concept of stillness in dance and stillness in the 5 Rhythms.

2

 

 

WARM UP 

 

Let your arms reach out just in any direction.

Let your body expand with a free flowing kind of stretch.

No particular shape or form.

Feel free to take a step around; look through the window if you wish.

Let your eyes be soft and easy. 

Allow little movements to permeate the body, loosening up joints, opening your chest, twisting your spine.

A couple of a few more breaths and let your feet settle.

Come to a stop and sense (one hand on your chest, one hand on your dantian). 

 

Question 2

 

How do you think this warm-up helps you with the stillness rhythm?

 

 

3

Observe video on Stillness Rhythm

 

 

Question 3

 

 Write a reflection on the expression of stillness performed by the dancers in the video.

 

 

 

 4

 

Text: Maps to Ecstasy

 

Question 5

 

After reading pages 33 and 34:

how do we get in touch with the rhythms?

 

 

 

 5

Summary

cue 9::20 - 14:00

Question 6

How did Gabrielle Roth create the 5 rhythms?

 

 6

 

Read  

Dance and the Specific Image: Improvisation 

Daniel Nagrin

(Page ix)

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dance_and_the_Specific_Image/6uB3uuVtQbUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover

Nagrin, Daniel (2015). Dance and the Specific Image: Improvisation. University of Pittsburgh Press

 Question 7

Please, summarize the content of page ix.

 

 

 V

 

A Note to Remember

 

 Stillness is a moving meditation that uses every part of one's body in "living prayer" (p.38).

 

 VI

 

Case Study

 

Eiko & Koma: Stillness in Performance

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDthedy-LzM

 Question 4

What aspects of stillness are observable in the dances of Eiko and Koma?

VII

 Activity 1

 

 

 Guided Embodiment

Inner Sensing: Connect with your meditative state by closing your eyes and quieting your mind.

 

Concentration: Pay attention to what it is going in your mind in terms of ideas, thoughts, images.

 

Feeling: Focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale deeply expanding and contracting your body. Be aware of what you feel.

Vibrant Presence: Begin to move with your breath as you inhale and exhale visualizing how your body irradiates energy, light, vibes.

 

Sustained Movement:  Begin to move in slow motion paying attention to every transition.

 

Pause: Begin to perform one or one moves and gradually pause. Continue moving slowly as you intersperse new pauses.

 

Stillness: Begin to focus on feeling your feet, face, hands and total body as you elongate the stillness in between movements. Inhabit the stillness

 

Open Eyes: Transition to a stronger breath.  Remain focused on the here and now.

 

Focus: Every gesture or move is total and measured as you begin to express yourself using stream of body-consciousness.

 

Activity 2

 

•  Improvise individually using the ideas explored in class in regards to Stillness.
• Gather with your group and share those ideas as you improvise with your group members.

 

Music

 

Stillness

 

----------------------
 

 

https://youtu.be/4TNt3Yu0AJ4?si=6HWOUiEcJYjRKeMl
 

 

VIII

 Glossary

 

 

IX

Journaling

 

 

X

Sources

 

Roth, Gabrielle (1998). Maps to Ecstasy. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Maps_to_Ecstasy/32dt-2F-sjkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Chaos

 

XI

Students' Work

 Academic

 

William Brodsky

Question 1: Compare and contrast the general concept of stillness in dance and in 5 Rhythms.
In most traditional dance forms, stillness is a pause—a break between movements, a held shape, or a moment of aesthetic suspension. It’s often about control, precision, and visual clarity. In 5 Rhythms, Stillness becomes something deeper: a state of embodied meditation, where movement and non-movement blur. Rather than being empty or decorative, stillness in this context is full—rich with sensation, intention, and breath. It’s not about freezing but about inhabiting the space between actions, feeling every inch of the body even in stillness. One is not static; one is deeply alive, vibrating with inner awareness.

---

Question 2: How does the warm-up help you with the Stillness rhythm?
The warm-up invited me to soften—not just my joints but my attention. Letting my eyes wander, my breath slow, and my movements emerge without structure helped me slip into a more intuitive space. It grounded me and prepared me to experience stillness not as stiffness or pause, but as something responsive and internal. That slow expansion and subtle movement primed my body to receive stillness rather than perform it.

---

Question 3: Reflection on the Stillness video
In the Stillness video, I was struck by how little the dancers actually “did” yet how much I felt watching them. Their movements were slow, intentional, and at times barely perceptible—but there was a constant energetic presence. Their stillness wasn’t about stopping; it was about feeling. You could sense every breath, every shift of weight, every flicker of energy. It reminded me that presence is more powerful than performance.

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Question 4: Eiko & Koma – Observations on Stillness
Eiko and Koma embody stillness as something sacred. Their performance had a sense of timelessness, as if the moment stretched indefinitely. What stood out was the vulnerability in their stillness—it made me feel like I was witnessing something deeply human and raw. Their movements didn’t demand attention, they invited it. It felt like they were dancing with time, not within it. That created an emotional weight in the space.

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Question 5: Maps to Ecstasy (pp. 33–34): How do we get in touch with the rhythms?
According to Gabrielle Roth, we access the rhythms by listening deeply—not just to music, but to our body’s inner landscape. The rhythms are not imposed; they are revealed through surrender, breath, repetition, and the willingness to let go of thought. By tuning into sensation, instinct, and raw emotion, we naturally fall into one of the five rhythms. Stillness is accessed not by forcing quiet, but by trusting the silence that already exists inside us.

---

Question 6: How did Gabrielle Roth create the 5 Rhythms?
Gabrielle Roth created the 5 Rhythms through years of exploration, combining her knowledge of movement therapy, shamanic tradition, theater, and music. She saw rhythm as a map to the soul, a way to move through emotional and energetic states. Her method was experiential, developed by observing how movement patterns mirrored psychological states and how certain rhythms could unlock healing or release. The 5 Rhythms—Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness—became a full cycle for transformation and awareness.

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Question 7: Dance and the Specific Image by Daniel Nagrin (Page ix)
On page ix, Nagrin emphasizes the idea that dance improvisation isn’t just about spontaneous movement—it’s about creating images that carry meaning. He encourages dancers to work from specific inner sources—emotions, memories, or sensations—and to allow those images to shape the movement authentically. For him, specificity is what gives improvisation its power. It’s not randomness—it’s deeply intentional expression.

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Final Reflection:
Stillness, more than any of the other rhythms, demanded that I listen inward. It taught me that movement doesn’t need to be visible to be real. The smallest internal shift—the breath expanding my ribs, the focus of my gaze softening, the awareness of my feet meeting the floor—became a dance of its own. This rhythm helped me understand that stillness is not the absence of action, but the presence of everything. It is the rhythm of being, and in that, I found a new kind of strength.

 

 

Ciara Schweitzer 

 

1. In dance, stillness often serves as a moment of suspension, contrast, or preparation within 

   movement, emphasizing control and intention. In the 5 Rhythms practice, stillness is the final

    phase, representing deep integration, presence, and meditative rest, where movement dissolves

    into a state of awareness rather than a pause for effect.

2. This warm-up gradually releases tension, increases body awareness, and encourages fluid 

   movement, making the transition into stillness more natural. By loosening joints and deepening 

   breath, it allows stillness to emerge from a place of openness rather than rigidity.

3. The dancer's expression of stillness was moving and impactful. They portrayed so much through

    such little movement. It was really moving to observe.

4. We get in touch with the rhythms by surrendering to our natural movement impulses, allowing

    the body to respond intuitively rather than forcing control. Through breath, awareness, and 

   presence, we tune into the energy of each rhythm, letting it guide us into deeper expression 

   and connection.

5. Gabrielle Roth created the 5 Rhythms by observing how energy moves through the body and 

   recognizing universal movement patterns that reflect life’s natural cycles. Drawing from dance, 

   theater, and spiritual practices, she developed the practice as a way to access deeper 

   self-awareness, healing, and expression through movement.

6. Page ix introduces the book’s focus on the role of improvisation in dance, emphasizing its depth 

   beyond mere spontaneity. Nagrin highlights the importance of intention, awareness, and specificity

    in movement, framing improvisation as a disciplined and expressive practice rather than random

    motion.

7. In the dances of Eiko and Koma, stillness is deeply embodied through slow, deliberate movements

    that evoke a sense of timelessness and raw presence. Their use of stillness creates tension, 

   intimacy, and a meditative quality, emphasizing the body’s connection to nature and the passage 

   of time.

Gigi Mangieri

1. In dance stillness is more about visual contrast. In the 5 rhythms, stillness is more about awareness and intuition. Both approaches value stillness, but one more structured and performative, the other more intuitive and experiential.

2. The warmup helps us warm up our muscles which allows us to hold control over our body better. We also do alignment practices which helps us reach stillness and control over our center.

3. The people are on the beach which is known to be very calming. It is very zen and easy to get lost in the waves and environment you are in. One of my favorite things to do is go to the beach in my hometown to watch the sunrise or sunset. When I do this I feel very calm and like I am the only person on the beach because I am so focused. 

4.  We get in touch with rhythms when we stop overthinking and let our body take us where we want. It is our job to allow ourselves to follow our inner rhythm.

5. Gabrielle Roth was a dancer and theater artist who worked with mental health patients, actors, and spiritual seekers. She noticed that when people were free to move without judgment or choreography, they naturally expressed themselves in rhythmic, emotional, and transformative ways.

6. Page 6 talks about inner rhythm and how to find it. It also says how important it is for our mental health to follow our inner rhythm. It follows your body through its breathing patterns, impulse,. and emotional state.