I want to start where I left off in my last blog.
Music and movement are inseparable. Intention and gesture propel sound and breathe life into phrases. The beat invites us to step or sway, boosting our energy as we fine-tune each movement.
During my classical voice training I was told not to move, and that was something I really struggled with. For as long as I can remember music has always made me move, and often I don’t even realize it’s happening. I have watched videos of myself with a feeling of surprise at how much I move to the music: I see subconscious inflections subtly reflected in my arms, torso and head. Sometimes in a silent room or at a bus stop, I find myself pulsating a rhythm - a silent groove that when I catch it, could easily be turned into a vocal rhythm section. Sometimes I gently rock when I do vocal toning.
I have always loved keeping a beat and now enjoy doing it with hand drumming, my guitar and my voice. It picks up my mood and energy.
At my improvisation workshops I love to get people moving together. I also love exploring how we respond to different kinds of music. When people are given permission to move, I am always amazed at how flexible, fluid and expressive their movements are. Like singing, dancing seems to be another form that is perceived as only for those who are good at it. BUT WE ARE ALL FULL OF MUSIC AND DANCE. DANCE IS THE BODY’S NATURAL RESPONSE TO MUSIC.
In popular and jazz music, it is rare to see players and listeners completely still. In that respect the culture of classical music is quite exceptional as it is expected that we remain still and give our full attention when we play and/or listen. However, if you watch an orchestra or string quartet closely, it is quite beautiful to watch the players’ subtle movements.
What if you let yourself move to the layers of a piece of classical music while you listen to it? Articulate with your fingers what the violins are doing, move your feet with the bassoon or double bass, draw the conversations between two wind instruments, or move your arms to a soaring long note. When I coached ensembles, I would bring a recording of the piece they were working on and ask the players to move and breathe to the different instrumental parts. Initially with trepidation, they would begin to move, but the music eventually took over. As they let go of their inhibitions, they became more curious about what they had not noticed before which was what was going on in the parts they were not playing. For example, take a trio for violin, voice and piano: the violinist moves to the voice part, the singer to the piano part, and the pianist to the violin’s part. Then switch parts until each person has moved to every part that was not their own. I loved hearing them play after that exercise.
When my father was young, he taught ballroom dancing. In his later years he struggled with MS. It pained me to see the effort in every step he took. However, I always noticed a renewed ease of movement if we had a bossa nova or samba playing. Recent research is revealing that those with Parkinson’s disease find more ease of mobility when they dance. Music helps us move better. Moving with others to music also creates something magical called collective effervescence. We see it at concerts when a large audience moves together in sync.
I feel that deep physical connection with music is something we need to cultivate. In my improvisation workshops, I encourage movement. It is another pathway to full expression, it frees constriction and builds connections with others. Stillness then becomes a choice and not a demand placed on the player. Stillness as an act of expression can be very powerful and enchanting.
Try this: play a piece of music you are working on, and move to it. Yes, dance to it in a free improvisation. Listen and connect your movements with the sound, move against the sound, notice how your body feels.
Try this: when you are cooking, cleaning or putting away things, become aware of the rhythmic sounds you make. For example as you’re cooking: pulling out the pots and pans, chopping, shaking the spices, pouring the rice, stirring it all up, kneading the dough, scraping every last drop from the pot. If you’re cooking with someone, create a rhythmic duet. It’s a great way to make risotto, and makes the stirring much less tiring!
Movement is a gift - enjoy it!