Amanda moving freely through the loop and it’s progressions:
Amanda explaining verbally the loop and it’s progressions:
Written portion:
What are the easy-to-remember ingredients of your loop? (This could be movements/actions/images)
Lunge/step through/slide and side
Describe your process. How did you choose your parts? How was your experience leading up to this? What did you need to do to get in the right state of body/mind/spirit to Flow?
I have been trying to choose shapes I don’t typically choose necessarily. I am not a particularly flexible person, therefore anything with opening my hips and shoulders is a challenge-which is what I am trying to do more of (challenge myself). It was interesting to see how comfortable (or tolerable in the least) I could become just by exploring these less than preferred shapes further each time. I also am also in my comfort zone when I am seated/back/belly, which also played a part in choosing these shapes that were less than natural for me! I took those aspects of my preferences for movement and thought about shapes I see on other people that I hope to improve and started there! This is how I chose lunge, then thought of what would flow from that as best as I could. I enjoyed the process because by the end of it I could feel how much farther I was sinking into my lunge and even playing around with my arms during! Even when some parts felt “sticky” I knew it was from lack of use or the need to slow down and really connect myself to the floor to find the path of least resistance. I feel when I am home alone with the right music on and my comfy clothes, I am in the state of mind to flow! I often dance with many others and think there’s something about dancing with “nobody” there (even though it was recorded). I sometimes have to even turn the lights off so I am less critical of myself and just immerse myself in raw, feel-good movement.
What felt good (or provided a healthy challenge) in this loop video experience?
Personally, it just feels good to do the same thing for an entire song. I feel when I only have the expectation to do one loop on repeat I become much more creative than being expected to freestyle for an entire song. It is also such a positive feeling to know you’re moving for other people who love moving like you do, there’s something to be said about having such a talented support system and resource! I was almost giddy knowing I would have feedback from some of you, of which are a group I am so humbled to be a part of. That may have been part of the challenge as well, honestly. It can sometimes be intimidating to create something and know such talented people are going to be reviewing and critiquing it. It’s always humbling putting something together and presenting to a class, or in this case you all and hoping it is enjoyed!
If there is ONE thing that you would do differently, what is it?
For this loop video experience specifically, I would move even slower. It’s ironic to me that I genuinely enjoy moving like a sloth, but when I'm in front of people speed everything up (excited? Anxious?) Maybe remind myself, as I do sometimes my students, to take half the song to do ONE time through, then move through the loop at various speeds for the second half of the song? It is such a good reminder, to slow down, for movement.
What did you learn from this experience that you will apply to your own training or teaching?
How changing the levels of a loop can easily allow for an entire song of movement and then some. I feel so many people wanting to move, to dance, are so intimidated by the idea of moving for an extended period of time. I feel so many of them feel they are looked down upon for repetition of their favorite moves or what they’re comfortable with so they’re constantly searching for other wow-factors movements to show to the crowd. This experience reminded me that an entire song repeating the same loop/movement does the opposite of that. It gives me confidence in what I’m doing and freedom to simply move with less thought. And if I want to add some razzle dazzle? I can add different shapes or levels to what I’m already doing and feel much less stressed than trying to create something entirely new (and surprise, doing so you may just create something new!). All in all, it reminded me how differently people move when they’re moving for themselves and how it FEELS instead of who’s watching.