“subject is too dark” dives deep into the subconscious and intuitive ways of being through the practice of “Authentic Movement.” The performers spent several weeks connecting together in movement while blindfolded to create a piece which speaks of searching for connection and the light within. What follows is a discussion with the piece’s choreographer, Sarah Power, about the relationships of this practice and artwork to the development of intuition, empathy and energy sensitivity:
Dee Musgrave (DM): Can you explain what "Authentic Movement" is?
Sarah Power (SP): “Authentic Movement (AM) is a physical practice of listening for and embodying inner impulses. The basic structure is simple: a mover moves with eyes closed in the presence of a witness, attending to impulses that arise from within and bringing them to from through movement. Setting aside the desire to invent, to direct, to be creative, the mover learns instead to listen and allow. By attending to sensory/kinesthetic impulses, we see what our body is asking of us, to what needs to happen next. Giving up controlling, pre-deciding or censoring, we enter a realm that is unplanned and often surprising, one that invites direct experience of personal and creative truth. The body is seen less as an object to be trained or brought under control and more as a source and inspiration, to be attended to with its stories, intelligence and perceptions.
There are many ways in which the role of the ‘mover’ in AM practice supports and even mirrors the work of the dancer/creator. At its most basic level, it teaches one to develop receptivity to one’s authentic impulses. When we discover a true sense of being non-selective, of having no agenda, in terms of what arises, more is allowed and available and the range and palette of expressive possibilities are expanded. Finding a felt sense of the moment, an uninterrupted connection of impulse into action, learning to self-witness, to stay aware of what is happening without prematurely shaping it, are all essential understandings for an artist. Authentic Movement teaches one how to tolerate not knowing, to trust and to remain present in the potential chaos of the creative process and not prematurely impose resolution before the excavation of ideas and imagery find their own completion.”
~Tedi Tafel
“I began to trust myself, my intuition, it allowed me to speak and write more confidently, be concise and clear.” ~Sarah Power
DM: When reading this I can’t help but, think how this relates to developing trust in our own inner guidance systems and intuition. Can you comment on AM with regard to the development of intuition and what you value in that skill?
Subject is too Dark, Photograph by Lorne Power
Choreography & Direction: Sarah Power
Lighting Design: Michelle Ramsay / Costume & Set Design: Brenda McLeese / Illustrations: Jenny Godin / Music composed & performed by: WL Altman, Andrew Reed Miller / Musician: Helen Pridmore
Interpreters and Movement Creation: Courtney Arsenault, Jalianne Li, Jessica Lowe
SP: Absolutely! This was the first thing I recognized as change or development in myself from the AM practice. I began to trust myself, my intuition, it allowed me to speak and write more confidently, be concise and clear. Bringing the practice into my choreography creations I found myself knowing or intuiting what needed to happen when and where, what didn’t work-and I didn’t second guess or if I did second guess I sat and waited, listened and the direction I needed to take would literally appear.
I was working on a solo, “She pulled her head out of the oven and vanished.”, there was a section that I knew didn’t work. I set up the scene in terms of props that I was working with, put myself into that character and practiced AM (this is called using a “point of departure”, starting from an existing scene or character). I waited for an impulse from this character and immediately began to sing. I knew this was what this scene needed. I value that the practice has given me the ability to be fluid, to wait for the needed thing to say or dance to happen and recognize it comes from this true place, my inner guide.
DM: How has the process of "authentic movement" been used as a therapeutic modality?
SP: Traditionally AM was/is used as a form of therapy, but not titled Art or Dance Therapy, simply therapy. Patients would work one on one in an open space or studio with their witness, they would move from impulses/sensations with eyes closed and after there may be speaking--the mover speaks first from their experience but therapists also used clay, drawing and writing as a way to "talk" about the session.
“I think the energy that emerges from the work is part of the collective unconsciousness that occurs in the AM practice. There are ritualistic elements in the AM practice, and one of those rituals occurred in our practice and we included it in the piece. When the movers move with eyes closed they can only sense the others in the room, they are asked to focus on their own practice, non-judgment, non-interpretation, try not to analyze, try not to invent-if they come into contact with another mover they are not obligated to move with them or stay in contact, but something special happens when the movers individually decide to 'move' together.” ~ Sarah Power
DM: Have you found yourself transformed in the process?
SP: I'm not sure if transformed would be the word I would use…as witness, I am having my own experience, sensations and impulses. My role as witness is to wait, listen, try not to interpret or judge and allow my own experience (memory, sensation, story) to unfold. Working with the 5 artists who were new to the process as I was new to witnessing, was an experiment. I definitely felt/feel a deep connection to each of them. Through the process we went from writing privately to speaking, the importance of "proper" speaking enabled us to set aside interpretations, judgements and story telling. For example, "In my story of you, I see a bird flying and flapping your wings..." It is through speaking from this place that we do not 'put' our story on the mover, instead we speak our experience of the mover's movement practice. This style of speaking is done in present tense which brings the mover and witness back to the exact sensation and experience, it makes the movement real and through the speaking we are able to go directly back into the source of the impulse.
I am continually moved when we practice together and yes it changes me, I am grateful…full.
DM: In hearing your response, I feel like you are describing a means for us to find peace in our varied experience; that we interpret the movement (and I am going to use “vibration” here) differently and by sharing our view without judgement of the other’s, we get at the core “vibration” of what the concept/word/movement is about? Could you comment on that?
SP: Yes, when we’re able to set aside our subjective views we can get to the core of the work, we can excavate together. It’s easier to dig toward the core of something together when we leave our interpretations, judgements and agendas aside. “subject is too dark” was created from this exact place of excavating together and doing our best not to judge ourselves or each other, we gave each other space to speak from this core place and trust in speaking ideas or thoughts—we joked that the piece would never be finished because there was always another path or deep excavation could happen that could alter or change the work!
DM: Can you explain the concept of the "witness" in this process? I find the term interesting given that "witness" in dowsing refers to a written name, blood, hair or an item of ownership which a dowser will use as an antenna for a client. Is the "witness" in "authentic movement" a form of an antenna?
SP: The practice of AM has to have an external witness and a mover. The witness holds space for the mover(s) and sees the mover. Eventually the mover will have an internal witness too, along with an external witness. I think what makes a witness in this practice is that the person witnessing is their own person, with their own memories and stories and during witnessing has their own experience almost as though there are two people moving but each having different experiences.
DM: It almost sounds like you are describing the esoteric philosophy regarding how we are divine beings having a human experience; that we are really part of a divine “source” that has fragmented to experience itself and learn to be human. This idea of watching, learning, researching and witnessing as a higher being watching it all play out in this dimension. What are your thoughts on that?
SP: I like that, the idea of being a divine being and having a human experience! But I also like the idea that we are mere humans with the ability to have profound earthly experiences or experiences only divine beings have! I am a searcher, I believe in afterlife and I believe I am truly here on earth but perhaps, a divine being is witnessing me and maybe channeling through me from another dimension.
“…this practice began shaping my bio-field/aura when I first studied it. I would walk out of the studio after our practice and felt other’s energy around me, I could sense people’s light/dark energies…” ~ Sarah Power
DM: When I have watched the dress rehearsals for "subject is too dark” I witness it as a form of energy work, as if the performers are creating ritual to manifest energy. As an energy healing practitioner and yoga teacher yourself, have you noticed this and can you comment on it?
SP: I think the energy that emerges from the work is part of the collective unconsciousness that occurs in the AM practice. There are ritualistic elements in the AM practice, and one of those rituals occurred in our practice and we included it in the piece. When the movers move with eyes closed they can only sense the others in the room, they are asked to focus on their own practice, non-judgment, non-interpretation, try not to analyze, try not to invent-if they come into contact with another mover they are not obligated to move with them or stay in contact, but something special happens when the movers individually decide to 'move' together. With the loss of sight they have to rely on their other senses but they are also still having individual experiences. I have witnessed, not these movers but others, one mover is crying and gently moving and another mover who comes into contact is joyful, they are each having their own experience but are now accepting to move together. The ritualistic elements are immediately there in the practice as soon as the movers close their eyes and if they are tapping into the collective unconsciousness, their energy will be moving from mover to mover and witness.
DM: Again, I find myself coming back to this idea that AM can teach us to tap into our intuition, instinct and understand energy. That when you describe another human being blindfolded but, somehow able to sense the distress of another they are actually tapping into the person’s energy field. When they start shifting that energy toward “joyful” as you say, it really models an empathetic way of being that could really assist humanity within what we are facing in the 21st century. What are your thoughts on that?
SP: Yes, this practice began shaping my bio-field/aura when I first studied it. I would walk out of the studio after our practice (Tedi Tefal is my teacher and mentor) and felt other’s energy around me, I could sense people’s light/dark energies but what I found interesting was people would take time to look at me, we would share a smile, someone even waved and said, “Hi”, someone I didn’t know. I realized the deep affect I could have on others when I was in a place of openness and witnessing, not only movers but people around me. People are desperate to be heard and seen. I have found it quite amazing what happens when you simply listen and wait with a biofield of ‘open’ energy. It’s not about people opening themselves up to me on a deep or profound level, but that I can witness when someone feels seen or heard and settles into their ‘true’ or intuitive self and can speak from there.
DM: The narrative I interpret when I have watched "The Subject is too Dark" is a "searching for light." I see many metaphors here with discovery of self and healing. I wonder if you have a similar or very different interpretation of the piece as a whole?
SP: I've been thinking about how to speak about the light (flashlights, little lights on the performers..) and when we first started I had a desire to create a world where there was light and there was dark, but where the world continues regardless if there is light or dark. The scratching section where WL is flashing a flashlight on the other performers, where they are simply scratching, making sound-that represents, to me that the world, the one they have created carries on whether there is light or not, eyes open or eyes closed.
Subject is too Dark, featuring Andrew Reed Miller and Jalianne Lee, Photograph by Lorne Power
DM: Can you comment on the relationships between the dancers or archetypes they take on? While watching it I could not help but, think of the Netflick’s original "The OA" and how five individuals who represent different archetypes have to find a unity in their movements in order to move into another dimension. I also think of Carl Jung's archetypes, such as the idea of the wiseman. I see this in the character, Andrew Reed Miller, takes on as always watching, rarely interacting with the life that goes on stage but, slipping in for a brief moment to drastically change the course of time and events. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have specific archetypes in mind for the characters or do they shift throughout the piece?
SP: I like that you see Andrew that way, I too see him as the one who orchestrates the world they are all in. I didn't necessarily think of them each being archetypes, but I see what you mean. They are each individuals who play important roles to carry each other and the progress of the world they are in. I see it sometimes as never ending, they do all these things every day and one of them forgets or decided not to do something, the whole world would fall apart. Or would it? Maybe it would just be something else? I think each performer is a strong individual and we worked on their 'characters' who came from their own material, their own practice, writing and speaking. Even in this part of the development we returned to the AM practice to dig into themselves and to bring this out to develop further into their character.
DM: What do you feel this complete piece is about?
SP: I was just thinking about this, "what is this piece about"? I think it happens in a world, a time, all ambiguous. What I notice when I watch the work is how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking about and how the sound, dance, lights, costumes, set create a place that I don't know where I am or what I'm going to see but I'm curious, I want to know who each of them are, why they are doing the things they do but I don't have a desire to 'peg' them as something, I like that they unfold and I can see myself in each of them. I go through a host of sensations from peace to tension. I have discovered that during the J&J duet and into Jess's solo I don't breath much and I'm pulling my limbs into my body, squeezing everything and when the women start to braid each other's hair and the music that happens at that moment- I become so relaxed and I am drawn into memories, images pass behind my eyes and my entire body softens.
DM: What you are describing is a true empathic experience; of feeling and knowing the being of another. Would you say, “empathy” is a major theme?
SP: I think so. In our practices we spoke about empathy and being connected with each other when eyes are closed and we are in our individual practice. What that showed me, was the ability to focus on what the individual mover was experiencing and be able to be empathic toward the others at the same time. I don’t think we need to be one or the other, they go hand in hand-when we work on ourselves we are working on our relationships with others.
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“Subject is too Dark” first shows at the Imperial Theatre, Saint John, New Brunswick on October 3, 2019.
Buy your tickets here: https://imperialtheatre.ca/event/connection-dance-works-subject-is-too-dark/
Choreography & Direction: Sarah Power
Lighting Design: Michelle Ramsay / Costume & Set Design: Brenda McLeese / Illustrations: Jenny Godin / Music composed & performed by: WL Altman, Andrew Reed Miller / Musician: Helen Pridmore
Interpreters and Movement Creation: Courtney Arsenault, Jalianne Li, Jessica Lowe
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Check out more of Sarah Power’s work with Connection Dance Works @ connectiondanceworks.com
Connection Dance Works is a non-profit professional contemporary dance company located in Saint John, New Brunswick. The company provides opportunities for artists to share knowledge and learn from each other through the PERSPECTIVE series, the Music and Dance Residency and our annual Saint John Contemporary Dance Festival.
Connection Dance Works: Artistic Director, Sarah Power, Executive Director, Joanna Bryson