As humans living in populated communities however big or tiny, we are conditioned to understand others personal space, and to not encroach upon it. We are encouraged to develop an awareness of being able to read a room, and as performers learn from early on in our craft how to use space, and share a performance space. Instructions to stagger ourselves, and stage directions of up stage, stage right etc are ingrained in a dancer’s vocabulary. But what about own space, what about feeling an expansion of space, holding a space, and how do we find or create an atmosphere conducive to calm and creativity? As part of Only When Its Feathers are Grown R&D, Fly No Filter‘s AD Lucy identified three important spaces which she felt would enhance the artistic flow for her collaborators. The first is PAUS. Lucy and project psychologist Dr Michelle spent a day in the hidden retreat to consolidate initial research on The Descent and discuss parallels with the project’s narrative. Creating space for ourselves, in time, in mind, finding length in our spines, and actual physical structures, is a vital part of Fly No Filter’s creative process. Space with views, with fresh air. Time for reflection and absorption. So far, this approach has lead to a very stress free start to a very intense immersive project. The company have been extremely productive and have left space for ideas to move in different directions. Watch this space to see how things develop as the deadlines come round.
Thankyou to Chanting Stork Yoga for introducing us to PAUS. and Arts Council England for supporting this project and investing in artists.
Dope
So from doing dance from a young age i do have to agree you do learn about spatial awareness pretty quickly as you don’t want to be knocking into one of your peers and cause an injury or getting injured yourself. And how you also learn how you can intruded into someones personal space and how you can use this whilst creating movement to add to that persons character.