There’s a still, quiet, readiness I recognize from movements. It’s taken a long time to get there.
Movements, Phase I
When I was introduced to movements as a twenty year old, they were not that appealing to me. Too angular, too militaristic for my ballet influenced sensibilities. Then I experienced how they can change one’s state—indeed, the atmosphere of a whole class. This beginning phase included wanting to learn how to “do” movements. Of course, that led to learning how to “not do” movements but to let them do me. And the only way to learn that was through trusting my three centers to do their own work. Where the head focuses on timing and connection with classmates, the feelings attend to the music and presence, and the body is trusted to learn the patterns. Still, I was identified with doing movements. That was the first phase.
Movements, Phase II
After a particularly long and fulfilling period of working with movements I felt closure at the culmination of a large demonstration. I was getting older and had decided not to become a movements teacher. It was the moment to let go of this phase of my work. I did and years passed. Fourth Way work at Claymont receded into a background activity.
Deborah Rose Longo resurrected community movements. To have the needed six to twelve people for a class, I came. But my relationship with movements had shifted. This less formal class approach suited my sense of non-identification with my performance. I entered a phase of what felt like “not caring” whether or not I learned a movement. Besides, as the years went by, movements stopped, started, and shifted regarding when, how, and which ones were taught. For me, the result was to let go entirely of expectations—both of myself and of which movement would be taught.
Movements, Phase Now
This brings me to the phase I am in now regarding movements. It’s not that I don’t care about learning a movement. It’s that my relationship to each movement presented is one of unknowing. Because I have no idea what I am about to be presented with, I find myself open to what is coming. What I recognized the other day, is that the sense of unknowing has evolved into a still, quiet readiness. I go to that place naturally now before a movement starts. It’s the place from which I can move.
Because I recognize this still, quiet, readiness that has evolved in me through movements, I wonder if I can evoke this when interacting with another. Is it possible to be open to what comes and respond from that place of unknowing? Is this the dance that Gurdjieff intended to teach through movements?
Thanks Roberta. You know we did movements about every day on our course in spring of 1986. I loved it. Still do but from what I remember I have only practiced them three times since then. The last time was on the silent work day. It was a struggle and I was not very good but seemed to get all the benefits. A deep presence. I never thought about it in relation to relationships but I do see a tendency in me to go into each interaction with expectations on how it should go. It will be interesting to try just to be open to what ever presents itself.
Love your wording-expression “… the result was to let go entirely of expectations… I find myself open to what is coming… that sense of unknowing has evolved into a still, quiet readiness… It’s the place from which I can move.” Breathing that all in & then exhaling—- I have a sense of what that experience must feel like.
Thank you Michelle, that means a lot to me. Breath is always key. love you, r