Task 3: Somatic approach
This task will help you to start thinking about a practice of dancing that is characterized by reflection on the moving body based on a somatic approach. Here you are going to think of a range of somatic techniques.
Activity 3.1
Before you start reading, think and respond to this question.
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Activity 3.2
In the introductory pages to her text Anna Paskevska mentions that:
"There are a plethora of somatic techniques that are available as resources for dancers -including yoga, Pilates, Alexander Technique, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Body Mind CenteringTM, Feldenkrais, and the work of Irene Dowd and Eric Noel Franklin in Ideokinetics" and explains that the basis of her training is the Limón technique "because they deal with quality of motion as contrasted with neuromuscular repatterning, which concentrates on alignment, freedom of the joints, and flexibility."
(Paskevska, 2005, p. 4)
Are you familiar with any of these techniques? Can you think of any other movement or dance technique that is also somatic? Go to the mind map "Somatic techniques" in the internet and contribute to the map by adding at least one piece of information about a somatic technique. For instance, you can add the name of a different somatic technique, a definition of one of the techniques already on the map, a quote, a relevant image or a link to a video.
Note on using mindmeister
mindmeister is an online mind mapping and brainstorming tool that you will be using in this module. You will receive a message inviting you to contribute to this mind map. For this you will have to sign in with your Surrey email and a password of your choice. In order to access the map from the link provided above you need to right click on the link and choose "Open link in new window". You will be able to sign in from that window.
To start using this programme, click on "help" icon on the blue bar at the top of the map and then choose "Online help". Here you can find tutorials on how to edit the map. All you need to do for this activity is in the section "Basics".