15 October
2009
Dear Dr
Lewis, Dr Chapman, Anna Carlisle and LUTSF committee
I felt delighted and pleasantly surprised to receive
the scholarship from Lisa Ullman trust. For many years I had been aware of the various
exciting projects that movement practioners had been able to undertake through
your support. Finally applied for it this year. So
thank you.
I appreciate your confidence in me and willingness to
contribute to my future development as a choreographer, performer, and teacher.
On my return from the US, I applied the knowledge
gained immediately, in my role as a teacher and artistic programmer for the
Milapfest Summer School in Manchester and the CAT program in Birmingham.
This (SME) training continues to inform and influence
my work and me. I plan to write some articles/blog based on this experience.
Will certainly keep you posted on anything I do.
I have included some of the participant’s comments of
their experience of my teaching after the August’09 Summer
dance course.
I am very happy to be contacted by any
one requiring information, suggestion or a conversation regarding my
experience.
Photographs and contact details are given below.
Again, thank you for investing in my future.
Warm Regards
Anusha Subramanyam
Introduction
As a
dancer, choreographer and teacher of bharatanatyam. I have been developing a teaching
methodology for teachers and dancers of the form. Living in the west and
therefore the need to articulate one self, necessitate re thinking and
articulating what I do. I think this is true of most artists, this dislocation
or relocation of the form in another context thrusts change. I believe that
bharatanatyam teaching and its practice is evolving and needs to continuously
evolve. It is therefore vital that
bharatanatyam, now very much a dance form of “Britain” also create an
appropriate teaching methodology suitable to the trans- national student and
practioners.
I felt this study would give me a valuable scientific knowledge of
anatomy in relation to movement principles. My plan is to use this information,
i.e. the western medical model of anatomy and physiology to further develop an
informed analytical movement training methodology for bharatanatyam.
Forming a construct of teaching and
learning dance that encourages being rather than doing, which to me is central
to South Asian Art practices.
The Project
I
studied three fundamentals body systems – endocrine system, connective &
ligament system and the nervous systems.
For
each system I learnt and experienced
- Anatomy
and physiology and aspects of motor development theory
- Muscular
attachments and key actions of the primary muscles
- Hands
on practice and movement exercises
- Indications
and contra-indications for working within each of these systems
Connective and Ligament
The functions of connective tissues are
varied. They are hugely responsible for creating unity and togetherness of the
body as an organism. They bond and tie
the body as one, giving us form and shape, through the tissues as structural
system and the organs as functioning units. Connective tissues are essential
for the protection of the body in its elaborate defense mechanisms against
infection and in repair from chemical or physical injuries.
This course gave a clear understanding of
muscular and bony landmarks and its interconnections. The hands on work gave me
basic understanding and simple tools to help ways of supporting good dance
practice and help in preventing injuries.
Endocrine System
Glands of the endocrine system and the
hormones they release influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our
bodies. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating mood. I studied the
hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, adrenal, pineal gland and gonads.
Nervous System
The nervous system is a network of
specialized cells that communicate information about our surroundings and us,
for ourselves. It takes information and processes this
to create reactions/responses in other parts of the body. The nervous system is
divided broadly into two categories: the peripheral nervous system and the
central nervous system.
Out Come
The SME course at Body
mind movement was truly transformative for me.
After the course I went straight into teaching and program directing an International Indian dance summer program.
It was almost witnessing a third person,
like an outer inner body experience. I felt my speech was clear and to the point,
As I
stayed within my own experience and felt the experience,
I was responding to people,
this changed how people responded to me.
I taught a warm-up-body mind preparation
class to start the day. I was able to share what I was witnessing in my own
self with the whole group.
Which I know from many people’s responses
everyone was deeply moved. And felt they were in a life program rather then
only a dance training camp.
The SME course was very well
structured, in its teaching, content and the teachers who were invited to teach
with Mark. All the participants I met on the course were extraordinary people,
who supported my learning and experiencing the work.
Connective tissues and ligaments course
was taught my Plouman; it was direct, clear and like the ligamentous touch
slowly crept into your being.
It was an important start for me as it
provided the basis for direct and clear touch, understanding of bony landmarks
and connections to ligaments. Enabled a direct knowing of the
body. Endocrine course taught by Diane, had the element of flying particularly
Diane’s singing voice and her presence gave me the permission to sing. The
course content as such also used lot of sounding and vibotorial awaking of
various glands. As a rabbi she also brought with a particularly
all-encompassing Judaic tradition which was specific and all embracing.
In the Nervous system course Mark was joined by Marie Lou, her teachings were
fine, clear. Her teaching of a yoga class, I had never experienced such
freedom and ease of movement as I did through her teaching. Marks teaching,
creating this course, with teacher's who are on a spiritual path and having
mediation every week was very special. The work to me became
way of living rather then a course one does and applies outside of who you are.
To me the course teaches integration in
its deepest sense, within yourself and ways to respond and see the world that
is not reactive. Importantly finding appreciation of who you are and others.
Conclusion
The somatic approach has been around in the
West since the 1970s. Choreographers Trisha Brown, Jennifer Monson, Daniel
Burkholder and many others have been influenced in working through a felt,
sensory based approach.
Equally
now there is a growing number of movement practitioners writers, artists who
are exploring somatic practice, which seems to encourage working from within,
in order to cultivate a deep inner connection. I believe a first- hand
personal, experiential approach is transformative and allows individuals to
experience themselves therefore any work that emerges from a process such as
this will be authentic.
This approach appeals to me as it uses
sensory feedback, one has to pay attention and learn from ones own experience.
As a performer, teacher this allows empowering the leaner and teaching is lot
more exciting. Dancing becomes a felt
experienced for the performer and the onlooker. This to me is core of learning
and understanding South Asian forms.
The emphasis is on being mindful and
knowing ones own body, would also prevent injuries, making the
learn as responsible for their learning and developing their potential.
Some Feedback
My experience of the warm-up sessions was very
positive over-all. I found the stillness to start, with visualisation of the
body using various images and concentration on the breath was an invigorating
way to become more mentally and 'present' in ones own body. It helped me feel a
sense of ‘wholeness’, which was great to feel more focused and empowered for
the day ahead. It also made me more aware of the sensory information I was
picking up from my environment (the room temperature, the feel of the floor,
the proximity of other people and the small sounds they were making) and the
information I was picking up from within (small adjustments in weight to maintain
balance, any stiffness or aching muscles and the feeling as they relaxed or
released slightly). This state of calm awareness is a great way to start a day
of dance!
Katie Ryan
I
loved the session Anusha Subramanyam gave during the extremely intense week
“Dance India 2009”.
I
felt deeply touched by the connective tissues “image” she made us explore
through the sessions as a possibility we have to connect different parts of our
body and ourselves and also to connect ourselves to other people in a peaceful,
loving and respectful way.
In
a society where we feel so often lonely as individuals, separated from each
other and very often from our own soul, our true self I think it’s crucial to
make this kind of experiences for our personal development. And as a dancer I
feel it’s even more important to experience my body from inside and amazing to
discover that deep there my body, my emotions and my soul are interlaced in
such a wonderful way that you can’t make any distinction!
Anusha
worked (as always) with her heart, with her whole being, creating in her
sessions a place for peace, meditation and sharing the excitement of body in
movement. Arianna Balabio
Warm-up session during Dance-India 2009,
Manchester.
I feel that the session was very well planned,
and I enjoyed the fact that it started with complete stillness (lying on
the floor, rather than standing), increasing the pace of movement and finishing
with an energetic dance sequence. It worked really well considering that the
whole week was physically intense, so we started with relaxation, when we
could take time to listen to our bodies, concentrating on our breath, while
being guided through the process by Anusha. We then continued with a variety of
stretches and strengthening exercises. I enjoyed the elements of touch
introduced to the session.
Elena Jecinta
I would like to say that I found the morning classes
very rewarding and prepared me mentally and physically for my daily classes.
The yoga combined with the subject of the human body (connective
tissue in this case) was as much educational as it was allowing us to
become aware of how our bodies work with every movement. You did and am
sure will carry on doing an amazing job and I would be amazed if you were to be
faulted on any of your practice and I am sure anyone would agree with me in
saying to be able to encourage and inspire students, to bring out their
creativity with such sensitive approach is a gift that of which you have. Thank
you so much.
king regards sarriea din (kathak beginners)
Images
Connective-Ligaments
Endocrine
Nervous
Contacts
http://www.bodymindmovement.com
Where I did my training
My Contact
Anusha Subramanyam