Natural Movement:Using the Concepts of Yoga, Tai Chi, Laban and Others in the Teaching of Choral Conducting

I. Focus on organic movement in gestureA. Gesture is more than keeping time

1. What does the body do to produce sound?2. How can a conducting gesture reflect and inspire that function?

B. Rudolf Laban1. Movement should grow naturally out of the rhythm inside every individual

i. Personal rhythm should find means to express itself dailya. Schwungskalen

1. Scales of movementi. Foundation to Laban’s movement theoryii. Large movements that involve the whole body as base

a. Second swing grew out of first and returned to thebeginning1. Circular foundation to theory

ii. Eukineticsa. Focus on the intensity and the nature of the effort put into the movement

1. Revives a sense of a person’s individuality and restores dignityiii. Choreutics

a. Architectural element in movement1. “the sculptural shape which would emerge if small jets giving off vapor

trails were attached to all parts of the body and the resulting shapecould be seen” (Davies, 35)

iv. Laban believed that everyone should experience movement from every angle to fullyunderstand and appreciate ita. Observationb. Notation

2. Potential for beauty in the effort and shaping of the body that is required to performeveryday functions

3. Each person has a unique pattern of movementi. As individual as their fingerprints or DNAii. Discovery that how a person performs one task will reflect on how they will deal with

any taskiii. Variables

a. Strengthb. Stancec. Center of gravityd. Endurancee. Sensitivity to touchf. Easy use of hands

iv. Consideration of these natural movements when teaching conductinga. Natural plane of motionb. Physical limitations or discomfort

1. Impossible to teach from drawing of pattern in a textbook.i. Use drawing as a guide, but gesture should come naturally from

exploration4. Documentation of movement

i. Labanotationa. Putting words to movement to allow it to be documented and archived

ii. Warren Lamb

a. Student of Laban who was able to observe and record movementb. Scales of movement based on icosahedron

1. Form of twenty equilateral triangles2. Diagram 1

iii. Three planesa. Door

1. Verticali. Confrontation, presentation, and evaluation

a. Despair and sadness usually associated with downwardmovement

b. Upward motions represent joy and elationb. Wheel

1. Sagittali. Idea of commitment to motion, anticipation, and decisiveness

a. Retreating and advancingc. Table

1. Horizontali. Balance of movement

a. Give and takeb. Accept or refuse

ii. Establishing communicationiii. Exploration of environment

d. Diagram 2 (Laban: 41)

iv. Three Qualities of Movement – Efforta. Space

1. Total of one’s kinosphereb. Weight

1. Type of pressure put into actionc. Time

1. Pace contained in movementv. Rules for Movement Analysis

a. Functional movement1. Using an object or tool2. Using part of the body as a means for communication

a. Good-bye waveb. Body Attitude

1. Movement of the body as a wholec. Shadow movement

1. Movement that moves across the surface of the body lightlya. Twitch

d. Can the movement contain more than one of these elements, or all three?1. What is the core purpose of the movement?

5. Laban’s Eight Basic Effortsi. Six effort components

a. Space: flexible, directb. Weight: light, strongc. Time: sustained, quickd. Diagram 3 (Davies: 45)

e. Efforts1. Floating2. Punching3. Gliding4. Slashing5. Dabbing6. Wringing7. Flicking8. Pressing

9. Diagram 4 (Davies: 46)

f. Shaping1. Spreading→enclosing2. Ascending→descending3. Advancing→retreating

4. Diagram 5 (Davies: 64)

6. Three-Stage Decision-Making Processi. Attention

a. Indirect→space→directii. Intention

a. Diminishing pressure→weight→increasing pressureiii. Commitment

a. Decelerating→time→accelerating7. Application to conducting gesture

i. Movement text can transfer easily to musical elementsa. Time (Movement)

1. Tempo2. Rhythm3. Breath intensity needed for phrase

b. Weight1. Textural meaning

i. Word stress2. Dynamics3. Breath energy4. Harmony

c. Space1. Pedagogical needs

i. Breathii. Voice placement

2. Phrase motion3. Musical line

II. Body AwarenessA. Conducting should develop from the student’s kinesthetic sensations, not from imitation of instructor

1. Experiences versus verbal reminders2. Connection between sound and gesture must occur at the very beginning of study

B. Body Mapping1. Barbara Conable

i. Self-representation and self-image of one’s selfa. Comparison to kinesthetic experience

1. What you see yourself as versus what you feel yourself as2. Body representation needs to evolve from the inside

i. Spirit and psycheii. Body awareness at all times of the process

a. How do you feel and how should you feel while you are conductingC. Swiss Exercise Ball

1. Originally used in physical therapy for balance and equilibriumi. Susanne Klein-Vogelbach

2. Puts person in constant state of kinesthetic awareness to stay on the balli. Unawareness is common for musicians

a. Repetition of practiceb. Ineffective practice of time rather than purpose and awareness

ii. Asking students to focus during rehearsala. Allows it to be acceptable for them to be unfocused when not reminded

iii. Awareness of extraneous body motion while conductinga. Feeling of rocking or swaying

iv. Three Main Conceptsa. Core of the body

1. Six points of balancei. Base of headii. Shoulderiii. Pelvisiv. Hipv. Kneevi. Ankle

2. Unawareness of core can be biggest hindrance to conducting techniquei. Core should not be blocked by hands

a. Vulnerability to ensembleb. Breath process

1. Core of bodyi. Apoggioii. Sound barrel

2. Constant exhalation during conductingi. Holding the breath will cause locking of the muscles and result

in a tense and arrhythmic gesturec. Correct structure of the arm and hand

1. Three rotations of the armi. Ulnarii. Upperiii. Humero-scapular

2. Misperception that motion and strength is generated from the shoulderforwardi. Gesture becomes rigid and tightii. Limited flexibility and fluidity

v. Constructive Rest Positiona. Drape over the ball with the abdomen contacting and rounding the ball

1. Listen to breath2. Good position to relax, focus, and re-align before conducting

vi. “Perching” versus being centered on the balla. Proper sitting should not have too much weight and pressure on the legsb. Feeling of no work from the body to maintain balance

III. Natural Energy Flow of the GestureA. Tai Chi Ch’uan

1. Chinese form of exercise and self-defensei. Based on the concept of the “Grand Ultimate”

a. Yin (negative)b. Yang (positive)

1. Balance of both for success in the universeii. Form is sequential

a. Focus on form is for controlled motioniii. Awareness of how the different parts of the body are being used for each specific

movementa. Focus of mind from movement to movement

1. Relaxation2. Concentration3. Discipline

iv. Teaching is highly individualistica. Focus on small details of gestureb. Student’s natural body motion and challengesc. Muscular movement while relaxing

1. Close relationship to gesture focus in conducting study2. Chi

i. Intrinsic powers associated with blood and breathii. Energy gathered in lower abdomen

a. Grounded and settled feeling1. Foundational concept of good singing

iii. De-emphasis on cognitive, logical, and analytical thoughta. Allows intuitive mind to play

1. Brings out creative concepts and thoughts in musicb. Focus to ground one’s self and then allow person to open to intuition and

creativity3. Taoist philosophy

i. Don’t overdo and don’t under-doii. Simplify to clarityiii. Modesty with strength and softness

4. Focus on sensing the location of the body’s centeri. Location where push will be exactly on target

a. Most strength1. Conducting gesture will be most connected and effective when

connected to core5. Avoid straightening the elbows

i. Impossible to resist counter-attacka. For conducting, having the arms extended that far away from the body

disconnects the gesture from the core of the breath and energy6. Elements of practice

i. Relaxationii. Tempo

a. Evenb. Slow

iii. Movementa. Circularb. Continuous

iv. Balancev. Coordinationvi. Directionvii. Proper breathing

a. All elements that will benefit and help conductors to become more aware andproficient with their gesture

b. Tai Chi Ch’uan can be practiced in addition to conducting to focus on fluidity,space, direction outside of the musical context

7. Example routine

IV. The Conducting Posture and BreathingA. Yoga

1. Gradual uplifting of man to the ultimate peacei. Nothing ever disturbs the mind

a. Mind is three qualities1. Illumination2. Activity

3. Inertiaii. Body/mind balance

2. Four recognized branchesi. Mantra

a. Association with sound and vibration1. Moaning with gesture during practice

ii. Hathaiii. Layaiv. Raja

3. Foundational conceptsi. Asana

a. Posture1. Grounded and strong stance for conducting

ii. Pranayamaa. Rhythmic control of breath

1. Ability to be kinesthetically aware of breath at all timeiii. Dharana

a. Concentrationiv. Dhyana

a. Meditationv. Samadhi

a. Super-consciousness1. Body and breath awareness while conducting

4. Journey to the pure and truei. Focus on the innermost meaning and necessity

a. Helps quiet the “inner chatter” and self-analysis that may be detrimental toconducting study

5. Complete grounding with the Earthi. Focus on kinesthetic awareness of body alignment and body weight and distribution

a. Assists with keeping conductor’s feet on the floor and at a strong and stablestance

6. Heightening of sensesi. Mediation

a. Clears away extraneous elementsb. Practice of complete focusingc. Practice of complete relaxation

1. Allows conductor to focus on more intricate parts of the score2. Allows conductor to hear specific elements of the music more clearly

i. Assists with polishing of pieces7. Example exercises

V. Strengthening the Core and Resistance AwarenessA. Use of Pilates bands

1. Pilates focusi. Using the mind to control the muscles

a. Contrologyii. Strengthening the core

a. Core is foundation and all other body elements will benefit and be supported bycore

b. Improves posturec. Strengthens back and abdomen muscles

1. Helps relieve and stop fatigue during long conducting periodsiii. Use of bands in conducting

a. Tactile feeling of resistance1. Use of band to familiarize with feeling of resistance, then remove the

bandi. Can be used on all planes

b. Physical prop for representation of various planes1. Used to show plane and have conductor trace the plane by following the

bandi. Very successful with sagittal focus

c. Guidance from teacher to student1. Used as a “guide-line” to assist students in understanding planes of

motion and limitations of kinosphere2. Example exercises

Works Consulted

Davies, Eden. Beyond Dance: Laban’s Legacy of Movement Analysis. New York: Routledge, 2006.

Delza, Sophia. The T’ai-Chi Ch’uan Experience. Albany, NY: The State University of New York Press, 1996.

Ghosh, Jajneswar. A Study of Yoga. Dehli: Motilal Banarsidass, 1977.

Goldman, Ellen. As Other See Us: Body Movement and the Art of Successful Communication. New York:Routledge, 2004.

Hewitt, James. The Complete Yoga Book. New York: Schocken Books, 1977.

Hui-Ching, Lu. T’ai Chi Ch’uan: A Manual of Instruction. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1973.

Jacobsen, Knut A. Theory and Practice of Yoga. Boston: Brill, 2005.

Jordan, James. Learn Conducting Technique with the Swiss Exercise Ball. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2003.

Kauz, Herman. Push-Hands: The Handbook for Non-competitive Tai Chi Practice with a Partner. Woodstock,NY: The Overlook Press, 1997.

Klein, Bob. Movements of Magic: the Spirit of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. San Bernardino, CA: The Borgo Press, 1984.

Lamb, Warren and Elizabeth Watson. Body Code; The Meaning in Movement. Princeton, NJ: Princeton BookCompany, 1987.

Loman, Susan, ed. The Body Mind Connection in Human Movement Analysis. Keene, NH: Antioch NewEngland Graduate School, 1992.

Rai, Ram Kumar. Encyclopedia of Yoga. Varanasi, India: Prachya Prakashan, 1975.

Simon, Margaret. Integration of the Breath: Seattle Yoga Co-operative and Education Center. Master ofArchitecture: University of Washington, 2004.

Sivananda, Sri Swami. Practice of Yoga. 4th ed. rev. Himalayas, India: The Divine Life Society, 1970.