After the Introduction to Contemplative Dance Practice Workshop at Studio Current, November 4

There was a lovely, small group ready to learn about Contemplative Dance Practice last Sunday. While I have facilitated a regular meeting for some time now, I have never "taught" about CDP, and felt the open questions ... how? what? why?

An image from dancing at Studio Current

I began by asking questions of them. Why were they there? Did they want meditation instruction? Did they need guidance into personal awareness practice? What do they need to be comfortable with open space? I received some clear, reflective responses from them. Wonderful. It was such a great feeling not to know everything. So often when I teach (yoga, Feldenkrais), I have to hold everything. In this case, I could relax and just be with everyone.

We began with meditation. I counseled on posture, then guided them through abdominal breathing (borrowing R. Ray's teaching). We continued into samatha (calm-abiding), the meditation practice I have the most experience with. Vanessa reported afterward that her mind's movements seem like the coming and going of tides—toward the breath, away from the breath.

We transitioned organically into personal awareness practice as everyone came out of meditation and began to stretch and move. "You are doing it. This is it," I told them. I proceeded to guide to them toward self care, listening to the body, moving toward pleasure (ode to Mary Reich), and "kinesthetic delight" (Barbara's term). I eventually tossed out choices, places to rest their attention if they so desired: breath, skin, bones, movement/stillness, sound/silence, stay/travel, eyes open/closed, etc. I was happy to see all choosing to stay with their own explorations, not always jumping on my offering immediately. The quality in the room was patient, deep and willing. Further on, I wondered if there was too much of a work ethic, so I invited them to play. I added in the reminder that we would do open space next. What do you need to prepare? See, hear others, etc. Afterward, we heard a report from one participant who was reminded of being a child. He rediscovered the sensation of holding his arm plumb with gravity while lying on his side, as though it could be there forever without effort. He was so delighted!

Funny, I had totally forgotten to prepare how to introduce open space—what scores to use. I was delighted to stumble into all I needed. In pairs, one showed the other (a seated witness) something of what had happened for them during personal awareness practice. Then, in trios, one witnessed two showing what had happened during personal awareness, this time opening the awareness to include the other, sensing "being with" the other. They were right there with it, even our one participant who was really very new to all of it.

Then, we sat on the edges of the space, each with an object, and we did a little mini open space with a limited movement score: bow in; place, remove or resituate an object; bow out; do all any number of times, with any number of people. It was beautiful! I hated to ring the bell! One participant report after about noticing his self-consciousness, now being in front of others. We talked about different ways of dealing with that feeling.

We finished our time with one full, simple practice. I did not share with them the timing, but it was approximately 15 minutes per part. We spoke afterward. There was less to say now, it seems. We were tired and satisfied. Thank you to Vanessa DeWolf for hosting the workshop, and the weekly CDP meeting, Wednesdays 12-2.