Fountain | the-sense-of-place

The video documentation of the third session. In this session a partner work was introduced as an alternative proposition to achive aims of the first, second and third part of the score. (look menu Score). Additionally to the video material of this run a brief analysis and participants experiences are exposed.

After this sessions participants pointed out several differences in relation to the previous runs. For example: a better ability to concentrate with the eyes closed; a realization that the image of an object produced when having the eyes closed could be very different from the one formed while seeing.

One of the dancers stated that when moving in the first run (in the dance studio) she felt “as if she [had] to dance now or do something special” in contrast to the next runs when she “felt more inspired and free to do whatever movement felt good”, which allowed her to explore movement in a different, unknown to her way of moving without fear and judgement.

After this run the interpretation of sense of place appeared as: “For me, it felt like diving into a kind of meditation”. Another person conveyed the experience of sense of place in to such form: “When I had the closed eyes, I tried to visualise where I was as I already knew a bit this place. But my vision of the place was totally different. Even though I didn’t know where I was, I didn’t feel lost or in danger”.

The video materials and text are not intended to be look at from the beginning till the end, but rather scanned through and observed accordingly to own interests. Helping to visit the practice or suggest outcomes of the research.

1. Arrive into the body

2. The materiality of the place

3. From an alien to an inhabitant

Differently from the previous sessions, this time the beginning of the score was accompanied by a partner. It started with the task to explore, observe and engage into a search for a variety of sensations that the site could motivate with a partner. It started with a task in which person A had a role to explore person B. Person B had the eyes closed and her task was to focus on the sensations caused by A. Person A could begin to move person B, take its weight and manipulate the articulation of her body. Then, A was asked to further explore the surroundings and introduce its elements to B, for example place B’s hand on the tree, let her walk on the grass, or let her experience the weight of a warm stone. A was responsible to ensure B’s safety and comfort.

This exercise allowed combining the first and second part of the score. B went through the phrase of arriving into the body and connecting to the present moment while A engaged into the exploration of B and the surroundings. The request for communication and exchange about what was being explored caused more carefulness and concentration. Furthermore, B was exposed to the site with the eyes closed, which resulted in the need for exploration with more attention given to other than sight senses.

Asked about the most important experience of this session, all five participants recalled this very task saying: “Feeling the heat by touching is more sensitive when one has the eyes closed”, “My orientation with the closed eyes was manipulated by the sun very much. Light changes made me feel really disoriented”, “Other senses such as hearing become more active.”

4. Attach yourself to the place

5. Becoming one

Following, the participants were requested to approach the site alone, and try to return to and recognise what was shown to them by the partner. After a while the task to find a spot in which one could yield the whole weight of the body was introduced. Responding to it, the dancers seemed to have a need to stay alone in their own places. This fact was very interesting in comparison with the other runs. Even though in the second run a similar situation took place, in this one the process of going into one’s own place was accompanied by more smoothness and safety.

This observation proves that through the course of three runs the level of trust, safety and confidence in taking independent decisions within the score increased. Almost all the participants, each in their own time, found a distinct place to rest even though many stated that during this run they “felt really connected with the group”.

6. Become active

7. Open score

The next stage was to move the place inside the body and observe the movement outside of it, and further acknowledged the presence of other people in this site and start to “invest, suggest, follow, be more active”. The guide encouraged the search for other ways of being in a dialogue with the site composition, task given, individual desires and other people. The participants were also motivated to explore whether their relation to space and their own movement could expand.

One student admitted:

“I felt really engaged with the possibilities the stone bench offered, such as stepping on it, balancing, giving weight of several body parts, and also doing this together with other people”

This video, even though one of the longest on this website, allows to observe how the progression of the last part of the score looks like. When looking carefully, one can notice delightful influences, similarities and relations between the group that emerge within this silent negotiation between oneself, the place, and the other people. In the end of the session dancers found an end on the bench, sharing each others weights.