Dance and Stillness; A danced inquiry to the experience of stillness

ISBN-13: 9783639140279 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 136 str.

Jennifer De Leon

Opis

We explore the subject of stillness: specifically thestillness that occurs in the midst of movement,turbulence or chaos. It is found in the midst ofmovement - it can also be conceived as that whichframes, or holds all movement. A principal focus isto distinguish the therapeutic value of thisstillness. A Christo-centric philosophy and worldvieware ground to the work and the research methodologyis hermeneutic phenomenology. Within this framework achoreographed dance work and written exegesis areequal parts of the whole. The choreography for thedance work employs a neo-classical-contemporarytechnique particular to the choreographer. The dancework was choreographed on and presented by fourdancers. These four dancers and four watchers werethe research participants. As the dance work evolvedit was presented in process and the participantsinterviewed subsequent to the showings. Informationwas sought about the essence of the danced/watchedexperience, with particular attention being given tothe felt experience of stillness. This is a story anda journey - being the vehicle for the central themeof the thesis to be best elucidated.

O autorze

Jennifer De Leon, NZ dance choreographer, performer, teacher, Founder/Director of POYEMA Dance Company; registered Psychotherapist and Dance Movement Therapist. Her work is called 'The healing Dance'. Jennifer works from her studio in Auckland.