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In this episode of Dance GEMS, Jean and Ton delve into the essential but often overlooked topic of gravity in dance. They explore concepts that combine physics and artistry and analyze what every dancer should understand: support surfaces, support points, center of gravity, and gravity itself, as experienced by the dancing body.
Jean's key points:
Everyone is subject to gravity: Jean emphasizes that no matter how skilled or elegant a dancer is, gravity affects everyone equally. Mastery lies in creating the illusion of lightness, not in being less subject to gravity.
Historical context: He cites Isaac Newton's crucial contribution to our understanding of gravity and links this back to dance movements, reminding listeners that these fundamental laws underlie everything dancers do.
The center of gravity is imaginary: Jean clarifies that the center of gravity is not a tangible part of the body, but that imagining its location (often near the stomach or navel) can be a great aid to movement and balance in dance.
The importance of experimentation: He advocates practicing different support surfaces and points, such as standing with feet together, spreading them apart, or placing a hand on the floor, to help students intuitively understand balance and stability.
Creativity with points of support: Jean encourages dancers not to settle for a mechanical approach, but to experiment creatively with how and where they create support. He even refers to games such as Twister as a way to explore these concepts in a playful way.
Ton's key points:
Physical principles in dance: Ton draws parallels between dancers and athletes such as ballet dancers and skaters, who through training seem to defy gravity while remaining subject to its rules.
Using gravity in movement: He introduces the concept of using gravity to your advantage, referring to techniques such as Chi Running, where falling and quick foot placement reduce muscle strain and injuries.
The role of points of support and surfaces: Ton explains that points of support can be anything that touches the floor (feet, knees, hands) or even another dancer. The support surface—the area between those points—affects stability and balance.
Holistic relationship: He emphasizes that gravity, center of gravity, points of support, and surfaces are interconnected and that dancers should view them as a holistic system rather than as separate factors.
Artistry beyond mechanics: Ton challenges dancers to transform repetitive, mechanical habits into unique artistic choices, using the way and place they touch the floor or a partner as a form of creative expression and individuality.
Key points for listeners:
Gravity is inescapable in dance, but understanding its mechanics can unlock new levels of control, elegance, and creative freedom.
By imagining their center of gravity, playing with points of support, and varying their base of support, dancers can develop better balance and artistry.
Creativity flourishes when dancers are aware of their technique and deliberately vary it, turning the mechanical into magic.
References and sources:
GEM: Dance from a Different Perspective – Book by Ton Greten
Previous episodes of Dance GEMS on body creativity and dance mechanics
Join the discussion: Did this episode spark new ideas about gravity in your own dance practice? Share your thoughts or questions with us on [social media/contact details].
Thanks for listening!
