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"Sound is vibration in space, and music is a dance in sound. In order to find the sound we have to find the gesture; in order to find the gesture we have to find the impulse. The impulse, though initially emotional or indeed spiritual, cannot exist through any vessel other than the body. Without the body we have no messenger; no voice. We are mute."
Ruth Phillips, The Dance of Sound
We rarely hear the inward music
But we're all dancing to it neverless
Rumi.
(Trans. Coleman Barks)
a i m s l e l e m e n t s l f e e d b a c k
The Dance of Sound aims to build bridges between people through art, and specifically through performance . It promotes listening and understanding, and is an ideal opportunity to gather strength and inspiration from each of the rich disciplines we bring. Drawing on the traditions of classical, world and improvised music, The 5 Rhythms and improvised dance, Voice-Movement-Therapy and Yoga, The Dance of Sound offers a unique opportunity to explore the nature of artistic performance and to address such isssues as stage-fright and physical tension. In so doing, participants have found that it is possible to rediscover performance as joyful and personal, and as an act of generosity which unites rather than separates us all.
Carol, Ruth and Sophie, all committed performers, cover a huge spectrum of a performing artist's experience - from the perfectionist pressures of the classical music world through the therapeutic use of music and dance to profound need to sing or dance in order to stay alive. They run workshops for professionals or students in the performing arts, and for mixed groups.
Some Elements of Performance Explored in The Dance of Sound Workshops
Breath
The in-breath followed by the outbreath is expansion and contraction which is the essence of any movement, of singing or of bowing. It is receiving and giving inspiration which is the essence of performance. Through working consciously with the breath we can learn to work positively with adrenalin and release our energy into movement and sound, thus alleviating stagefright and helping us realise our authentic voice.
Voice
Song is a universal medium through which history has been handed down to us over thousands of years. We have sung songs of war, of peace and oppression, of love, motherhood and loss. We have sung alone and in community. Through the voice we can explore the sounds of our own life history and that of our fellow humans - the calling voice and the whisper, the howl and the lullaby. In so doing we begin to connect with the voices of the composer, writer or choreographer, and to those of our audience.
Movement
Any gospel choir or African drumming group shows us that to play together is to move together. In certain African tribes there is only one word for singing, dancing and drumming and, as a result, all singers dance and drum and all drummers dance and sing. Through working with improvised movement we will explore the body as an instrument and the instrumentalist as a dancer.
Feedback
Your workshop changed my life. It encompassed the beauty of each person’s creativity without the judgement I was so used to in my training. I enjoyed the performing side in a way I knew deep down that I could, but had never allowed myself. I felt, not stage fright as I have known it before but anticipation and positive adrenalin.
Professional violinist.
I found the weekend workshop life-changing, - like the birth of a new facet of performance which I am very excited about exploring.
Singer/songwriter.
For me the whole thing was magical, even with my two chords and very limited repertoire I was able to produce something unique.
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last updated 27 Feb 2002