When it comes to Improvisation, I always thought that it was the process of creating innovative and exciting new movements, on the spot without any prior thought as to what would come next. You’re constantly worrying that what you’re doing is wrong. In “Dear Practice…The experience of Improvising” by Midgelow, the dancer states “but what if nothing happens- what if we are waiting forever?” Before I began to explore Improvisation through the activities set in class, this is how I felt. The process of improvisation at first seemed daunting, due to the lack of structure and direction. However, using the reading by Midgelow and tasks set in class, I started to become open to the idea of just going with your instinct, and what happens will happen.

In partners, we had to throw a beanbag to each other, whilst moving around the room. To avoid bumping into others, we had to use our peripheral vision, which is something that may be needed when improvising within a group. This really opened my eyes as to how difficult improvising within a group could be, as you have to be aware of what everyone else is doing, as well as focusing on yourself. The second time we did this, if you heard anyone else in the room drop the beanbag, then you had to drop to the floor. This gave a slight structure to the task, as each time you heard the beanbag on the floor, you had to perform the same movement. This gave me the understanding that even when improvising, there can still be a structure interwoven in the movement, that helps you get from A to B. We repeated the original task, each time adding a new element. Each time we did the exercise, it opened up a new element to improvisation.

In groups, we created a finite score, comprised of the various developments of the task set in partners. To successfully work as part of a larger group, I had to have whole group, small group and self-awareness, so that I could focus on others while also focusing on what I was doing. I constantly have to make choices while working in this group. How are we going to enter and exit the stage? In pairs, as a soloist or as a group? How are we going to incorporate all the elements of the previous task, into a group formation? Once these decisions were made, we began improvising, deciding on what actions and movements would be fixed, and what would be unfixed. As a group, we decided how we would know when to change the element of the task, and in partners, we would have to decide at which moment this would be. As I took part in the group score, I was discovering how my decisions influenced everyone else in the group. When I changed task, they had to change task. This made me understand how it is not only self-awareness that is important, it is also your awareness of everyone else in the space, and the space itself. If I’m not aware of the space, then how am I meant to make use of it.

One part that stood out to me the most in the reading, is when Practice says ‘give up expectations of pre-knowledge and, in some senses, control.’ (Midgelow, 2012, 11). To begin with, I found this extremely difficult. Giving up control and just going for it is easier said than done. But once I started to explore improvisation through this reading, and through class tasks, it became easier, and I am slowly starting to understand how to do this.

Midgelow, V L. (2012)  Dear Practice … : The experience of improvising. Choreographic Practices, 2 (1) 10-11.