Guided Improvisation—Angela Sigley Grossman
Angela Sigley Grossman is an associate professor of dance.
The countdown is on. Less than two weeks of classes remain, and the holiday season is fast approaching. As I revel in the gift of 70-degree November days, it’s a good time to be reflective. I can be a chronic over-planner, but so many times this year I’ve had to toss those plans out the window. We’ve all had to have patience with ourselves and with each other, and we’ve had to give ourselves permission to take things in a different direction. Where I’ve found this permission is in one of my most beloved embodied creative practices, improvisation. Since the way that I understand the world is through movement, I’ve had to rely on the curiosity and openness I experience as a dance artist and strive to apply those qualities to other aspects of my life.
I also chuckle at how many movement-related words we use to describe this time. Pivot. Shift. Zoom.
Breaking movement down into basic elements leaves us with body, action, space, time, and effort. Our relationship with each of these elements has been altered since March. We have become connected to our bodies in different ways. We employ new verbs as part of the daily routine, and the actions we DO are just as important as the actions we DON’T do. We are more observant of the space we are in and the space we take up. We are more cognizant of the negative space. It usually takes longer to get things done. It takes more time to clean our spaces, prepare for classes, unmute yourself. And we experience major shifts in effort, energy, and dynamics, each day, each hour, each moment. Some days it feels bound, tight, weighted, forceful. Other days it feels light, flowing, free, easy.
Improvisation in dance means making spontaneous movement choices, usually in response to some kind of stimulus, such as movement directive, imagery, music, other people. Improvisation, while unplanned, does not mean dancing without thinking, or necessarily doing whatever you please. There are simply many valid answers to every problem. Improvisation is a technique; it’s something everyone can do, and it can be practiced.
When we improvise, we allow ourselves to be open to the moment, be mindful, and welcome what comes. We accept that it won’t always be pretty, but something valuable will be learned in the process. If we are willing to experience the unknown, and curious about what’s possible, even if it means we might stumble, that’s when we benefit the most.
So, how are your bodies feeling today? I invite you to connect to your breath, feel the weight of your body resting in your chair, let yourself feel supported. What do you notice about how you feel? What new direction will you let yourself go in today? What might happen if you improvise?
Angela Sigley Grossman is an associate professor of dance.