*** Backspace ***
It was introduced with these ideas:
*** We don’t have blind spots, only places we are not willing to look.
*** Working with the image of fish eyes – that we can see 360 degrees around us.
Here are the observations from the closing circle of the jam:
*** I didn’t expect it – the backspace led me into the spiral.
*** For backspace dancing I realized that I need to be really warmed up.
*** When I realized that my sides are connected to my back, and that my front is connected to my sides, it made my backspace feel much closer to get to.
*** I felt more of a sensitivity in my “back” – back of legs, arms, the little places. Even the backs of my organs.
*** In the circle you had us all look over our shoulders as an introduction to the backspace. I was amazed how this simple motion led me into a spiral, which with ease led to the back space and dancing in the entire sphere around the body.
*** I noticed going “over the top,” looking straight up and back as a way to get into the backspace.
*** There were beautiful lines and shapes in the space.
*** I haven’t danced in a while so I found the focus to be constraining. After a while I quit fighting it and just watched.
*** Technically, dancing into my backspace feels like the most dangerous thing I can do in contact improvisation. I often twist out of it. I don’t know how to make it not dangerous.
*** I got kicked in the eye at one point (when I wasn’t moving). That’s a sense of backspace coming out of nowhere.
*** I kept imagining the key on the keyboard that says “backspace.” Erasing what just happened.
*** It’s the first time I’ve thought about back space in my dancing. I enjoyed the precariousness of it.
*** I came in and started dancing and did not know the focus for the evening. I found myself dancing with my backspace – maybe because everybody was holding the focus so strongly.
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