As a performer I find that it is useful in keeping my mind connected with my physicality – so that, no matter what I am doing on stage, I am able to perform with my greatest facility. The particular kind of nervousness that an audience provokes does not take full control. Rather, I am able to have some cognizant-presence along with my nervousness. I am able to steer my performance more in the direction that I desire to go.
When I peer with my mind, more internally, I am able to discover the micro-movement existing there; finding new parts of myself, or old, asking questions of these parts – and in the answers I find that my larger-movement – *dance or crossing a stage – can change dramatically.
*When most people speak of dance I believe they are referring to specific types of movement training. Therefore, this is how I often use the term – simply, for ease of communication. However, I deeply believe ALL types of movement to be dance.
In improvisation, specifically, I am able to perform more dynamically because of the effect of the conversation between various aspects of myself, such as: my desire to entertain or impress, my nervousness invoked by the audience gaze, by asking some small part of myself a question and being “led” by its response.
Aspects of myself, such as these, continually roll onto the other again and again – observing and asking and being influenced by…each bringing forth information which learns from the other. More possibilities become available to my action.
If you have performance or dance training you have specific kinds of patterns learned already. If you do not have this training, you have – still – specific kinds of patterns you’ve learned already. The work I do can be tailored to address the kind of background of the participants. Too, no matter this tailoring, the kinds of questions that are posed in the workshops can be used to find new information – to see your current patterns, to find new ones, to find more sources of inspiration, to bring more cognizance to your performing, to move in different ways than you have been.
Relational Awareness 