Firstly, this month instead of diving right into movement research I had to do actual research on my computer due to an injury. This was good because doing research is good and I learned a lot. I realised that there was a lot more I had to learn about the history and the basic fundamentals that I was planning to investigate in order to adapt them into movement material for dance training.
Over the last month I have spent a lot of time trawling through youtube, reading academic articles and doing research on fitness, sports science, injury prevention, dance training, rehab training, strength training, mobility training, martial arts history and practice and somatic practice. What I have examined so far is the history of martial arts, the difference between various martial arts and the training elements and techniques from different martial arts. I read many articles surrounding the subjects of sports science, dance training and injury prevention. I read articles about somatic practices such as Feldenkrais and Alexander technique and did research on functional range conditioning and practices taking from the methodology of functional range conditioning. Although next month is the month I will start doing physical research, I also included some physical exploration onto the different subjects that I was researching.
I think that the subject I did research on were good ones because they actually cover a three fundamental ways in which we relate to the body and express movement/action. Somatic practice teaches one to look inward into the body, exploring the mind-body connection and deepening ones body-awareness. Then the convoluted subject of injury prevention and recovery, centred around sports science and dance practice and methodology. This is a subject with a lot of different pathways and opinions and conflicting arguments. As it relates to my research though, the practice of injury prevention and recovery is another fundamental part about how we relate to the body. In this mode of relation, we are using the body physically to improve range of motion and strength in the joints and muscles as well as to promote new movement pathways, motor function, control, ballance, blah blah blah. This is a form of training as well as self healing that is essential to preperating for skill based activities like sports and dancing etc.
Lastly, skill based activities like sports and dancing etc. Are how we express this movement capacity and body-awareness that we have cultivated through somatic practice and conditioning. There are varied ways in which this capacity for movement expression and movement action can take shape. Expressing movement capacity through skill based activities is one of the big joys of life. Just by the way.
So, that's good to know. I am happy to be on the right path. What I noticed was that different movement practices and practitioners all like to create their own way of doing things and say I'm right you're wrong, just like religion. They also like to say, this is my movement and I made it up and it's called this and now it's mine. I will save the religious comment. This is fine. The good thing is that these days people put a lot of free content on the internet and I can learn it for free and it's not that hard to understand because I already have enough knowledge in the subect of the body that I can figure out concepts and ways of moving very easily and then implement, change, adapt and develop them. What a time to be alive.
What is evident from the literature I have read so far and also the subjects I have researched is that dance training is actually far behind current sports science methods and current sports science methods are behind some of the pioneers of movement/strength and conditioning practice. What was already evident to me was that a lot of people teaching contemporary dance just teach their own fun choreographies that slightly help to acquire new skills and improve conditioning, but don't actively seek out to improve a dancers body condition for when they actually do have to go and dance. Something else of note, of which different movement pioneers are correct about, is that people who do train certain skill based activities often put a half assed effort into the strength and conditioning aspect of their training and often just focus on the skill based activity itself. This attitude is also somewhat reflected in the dance scene.
I will continue to do this online computer research, which, by the way, is so boring. Even though it's interesting. I like to learn new things, but I hate to sit at a computer for hours no matter what the reason, unless that reason is videogames, in which case I love it.
I have also already started to do the physical research proponent of my project because I am writing this like day 10 of the second month like a lazy shit. There have been many realities of life which have recently been getting in the way of my progress and ability to maintain a schedule and daily routine. That being said, I am excited to continue with the computer research as well as the physical research into different skill based activities. I did a Muay Thai class which was great and I will continue to take classes in different dance styles, different martial arts and practice somatic exercises, functional range conditioning and other conditioning/fitness practices throughout this month.