Contact Improvisation

An Introduction to a Vitalizing Dance Form

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Dance, Performing Arts
Cover of the book Contact Improvisation by Cheryl Pallant, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Cheryl Pallant ISBN: 9781476626499
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Publication: February 16, 2017
Imprint: Language: English
Author: Cheryl Pallant
ISBN: 9781476626499
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication: February 16, 2017
Imprint:
Language: English

In most forms of dancing, performers carry out their steps with a distance that keeps them from colliding with each other. Dancer Steve Paxton in the 1970s considered this distance a territory for investigation. His study of intentional contact resulted in a public performance in 1972 in a Soho gallery, and the name “contact improvisation” was coined for the form of unrehearsed dance he introduced. Rather than copyrighting it, Paxton allowed it to evolve and spread. In this book the author draws upon her own experience and research to explain the art of contact improvisation, in which dance partners propel movement by physical contact. They roll, fall, spiral, leap, and slip along the contours and momentum of moving bodies. The text begins with a history, then describes the elements that define this form of dance. Subsequent chapters explore how contact improvisation relates to self and identity; how class, race, gender, culture and physiology influence dance; how dance promotes connection in a culture of isolation; and how it relates to the concept of community. The final chapter is a collection of exercises explained in the words of teachers from across the United States and abroad. Appendix A describes how to set up and maintain a weekly jam; Appendix B details recommended reading, videos and Web sites. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In most forms of dancing, performers carry out their steps with a distance that keeps them from colliding with each other. Dancer Steve Paxton in the 1970s considered this distance a territory for investigation. His study of intentional contact resulted in a public performance in 1972 in a Soho gallery, and the name “contact improvisation” was coined for the form of unrehearsed dance he introduced. Rather than copyrighting it, Paxton allowed it to evolve and spread. In this book the author draws upon her own experience and research to explain the art of contact improvisation, in which dance partners propel movement by physical contact. They roll, fall, spiral, leap, and slip along the contours and momentum of moving bodies. The text begins with a history, then describes the elements that define this form of dance. Subsequent chapters explore how contact improvisation relates to self and identity; how class, race, gender, culture and physiology influence dance; how dance promotes connection in a culture of isolation; and how it relates to the concept of community. The final chapter is a collection of exercises explained in the words of teachers from across the United States and abroad. Appendix A describes how to set up and maintain a weekly jam; Appendix B details recommended reading, videos and Web sites. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

More books from McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Cover of the book George Orwell on Screen by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Palliative Care by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Video Gaming in Science Fiction by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book The Electric Chair by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Exploring Our Dreams by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Tim Keefe by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book A Cultural History of the Arabic Language by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Ellison "Tarzan" Brown by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Torn between Two Genres by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book A Semester in the Sandbox by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book The Yanks Are Coming Over There by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Feminist Perspectives on Orange Is the New Black by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Lotte Reiniger by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book Herbal Remedies of the Lumbee Indians by Cheryl Pallant
Cover of the book The Last Confederate Ship at Sea by Cheryl Pallant
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy