The material you reach for is doing physiological work your body already understands. Sensory creative regulation is already happening in your practice.
Love this! Translating this for the dancer and/or actor, I wonder if the “material” might be the mode of operation? “Material” such as choreography or text is (usually) already selected. We’re often asked to “leave our baggage outside the door” of the rehearsal studio, but that is sometimes pretty difficulty (especially these days). So, in reflecting on my own experience, I think that I have altered the mode of my process, maybe focusing on the blocking/movement, which is the most concrete thing in theater, and let go of full emotional involvement. Laban talked about recuperating in opposition to the exertion, and I think what you propose is corollary to that. But in this case, the opposition is to the stress of the outside world. That’s not always possible in rehearsal, but building in some breaks that are purposefully addressing the particular stressors of the material (e.g., playing very silly when rehearsing a tragedy) might be a good idea. I’m going to have to think about this. Thanks!
Love this! I love thinking about material as mode of operation instead of object, that shift makes total sense once you're in a room where the "material" was already chosen for you.
The Laban connection is a new one for me... definitely one for me to research.
Your silly-during-a-tragedy example is basically the performance version of reaching for a particular yarn instead of any yarn, the nervous system wants the right relief, not just relief. Thank you for sitting with this alongside me. Offers me more to think on!
Yoga has been a mainstay for me in times of turmoil: the technical focus it requires as well as the nervous system reset. But I used to draw large-format charcoal and pastel pieces. I think movement and sensory input create the physiological processing the mind craves.
Nicole, this is a great example of the same thing happening through a different door. Yoga's technical focus giving your mind somewhere to go, paired with the actual physiological reset, that's sensory regulation working through structure and movement rather than material in the traditional sense. And the charcoal and pastel history you mention fits too, I think ... it seems like both are about the body doing something concrete when the mind can't. The material isn't always the point, sometimes it's what the material lets the body do. It's taken me a long time to become more embodied (trauma history) and I am always inspired when I can make related connections
I love this! Thank you for putting it into words, very helpful. I might add gardening to this, although there are months of the year when that's not available.
Love this! Translating this for the dancer and/or actor, I wonder if the “material” might be the mode of operation? “Material” such as choreography or text is (usually) already selected. We’re often asked to “leave our baggage outside the door” of the rehearsal studio, but that is sometimes pretty difficulty (especially these days). So, in reflecting on my own experience, I think that I have altered the mode of my process, maybe focusing on the blocking/movement, which is the most concrete thing in theater, and let go of full emotional involvement. Laban talked about recuperating in opposition to the exertion, and I think what you propose is corollary to that. But in this case, the opposition is to the stress of the outside world. That’s not always possible in rehearsal, but building in some breaks that are purposefully addressing the particular stressors of the material (e.g., playing very silly when rehearsing a tragedy) might be a good idea. I’m going to have to think about this. Thanks!
Love this! I love thinking about material as mode of operation instead of object, that shift makes total sense once you're in a room where the "material" was already chosen for you.
The Laban connection is a new one for me... definitely one for me to research.
Your silly-during-a-tragedy example is basically the performance version of reaching for a particular yarn instead of any yarn, the nervous system wants the right relief, not just relief. Thank you for sitting with this alongside me. Offers me more to think on!
Thank you. A very insightful piece.
Thank you for reading, Gabrielle, glad it landed.
Yoga has been a mainstay for me in times of turmoil: the technical focus it requires as well as the nervous system reset. But I used to draw large-format charcoal and pastel pieces. I think movement and sensory input create the physiological processing the mind craves.
Nicole, this is a great example of the same thing happening through a different door. Yoga's technical focus giving your mind somewhere to go, paired with the actual physiological reset, that's sensory regulation working through structure and movement rather than material in the traditional sense. And the charcoal and pastel history you mention fits too, I think ... it seems like both are about the body doing something concrete when the mind can't. The material isn't always the point, sometimes it's what the material lets the body do. It's taken me a long time to become more embodied (trauma history) and I am always inspired when I can make related connections
I love this! Thank you for putting it into words, very helpful. I might add gardening to this, although there are months of the year when that's not available.
Gardening is a terrific medium that I often forget about!
Stitching by hand with natural materials soothes me and helps me think.