Investigating Professional Dancers with RMDC: Experiences and Perceptions of Dancers’ Body Sense and Potential

Dr Angela Pickard, Canterbury Christ Church University

This first study for the RMDC Research Programme, Investigating Professional Dancers with Russell Maliphant Dance Company: Experiences and Perceptions of Dancer’s Body Sense and Potential, engaged 8 Russell Maliphant Dance Company dancers, 3 male and 5 female, in semi-structured interviews, to explore approaches that Russell has used to facilitate dancers’ understanding of their body and its potential. 

Russell Maliphant’s studio and choreographic practice is informed by his knowledge of the body as experiential anatomy and physiology, applied to classical and somatic dance vocabularies. Through his practice, Russell is able to engage in thinking through the body, by drawing on his knowledge of ‘body theories’, in particular those surrounding fascia such as Tom Myers’ anatomy trains model and, Rolf method of structural integration (Rolfing). Using this knowledge with different dancers in different ways, Russell is able to engage and enable each dancer’s body sense and increased body potential to make technical, aesthetic and performance choices.

The dancers that Russell works with have often worked with and continue to work with a range of choreographers and on a project by project basis. I was interested to find out:

• What are the methods and processes that Russell uses to train, teach and enable each dancer’s body sense and potential?

• How is Russell’s knowledge of the body integrated into and applied in his practice?

• What are the experiences and perceptions of professional dancers working with Russell and the methods and processes he incorporates into his practice?

• Are dancers able to describe and give examples of how the processes and methods used in Russell’s creative practice facilitate optimisation of movement potential and choice?

• How is Russell Maliphant’s dance/movement language and aesthetic - characterised by flow and energy within his choreography - realised using a safe, enabling environment for dancers?

Each of the interviews were recorded and transcribed. The dancers had much to say. This article gives a taster of some early findings. One of the most interesting areas we explored was the idea of the dancers’ increased body sense and how this is facilitated by Russell. 

Body sense, or awareness, can be viewed as a partnership between proprioception and kinaesthetic awareness/kinesthesia which enables us to perceive location, movement and action. Proprioceptors are sensors in our muscles, joints and fascia and enable us to judge limb movements, their position and navigation within space, as well as the force and weight of movement for example. Proprioception works in conjunction with and as a part of our sensorimotor system which both directs movement as well as monitors the consequences of movement, resulting in movement adjustments, as well as knowledge of interactions with self and world through movement. Kinesthesia involves our muscle spindles and skin and joint receptors and can sense the smallest change in motion. 

It is expected that professional dancers would have a highly tuned sense of their own movement and of the position of their bodies in space, but this sense can be facilitated further to increase understanding, optimal potential and enable aesthetic choice. As one male dancer said:

‘Russell has helped me see myself from the inside out. I am more aware of tension, feelings, and sensations in my body more than I ever was before I started working with him. I am much more aware of how the body works.’

Furthermore, a female dancer discussed ‘how I can listen and hear my body and see small changes in mine and the bodies of the other dancers. I have learned to invest time and be patient because when you unlock these sensations it’s like you have switched on a new sense. I am more powerful and have more flow to my movement, thanks to the work with Russell.’

Another female dancer spoke about how ‘I realised my habits and holding patterns, how I need to breathe through my body and this helps me become stronger and maintain flow.’

The ways that Russell creates an enabling studio environment to facilitate greater body sense, proprioception and kinesthesia, with the dancers, is important and is worthy of further exploration. It is intended to examine this area further in future work. 

One male dancer described the commitment of studio time as ‘helpful in offering time to concentrate and think about your own body development rather than just learning or creating choreography.’ Russell ‘is always so calm’ (male dancer) and ‘observes each movement closely.’ 

‘He brings his experience and knowledge of a range of techniques from classical ballet training to yoga and tai chi, and his understanding of the body to find the best method to help each dancer find the line or release. This could be visualising anatomy trains or using garden canes under our feet. Russell makes you feel special and important and that what you bring to the studio is what he is looking for, but then together you find something different you didn’t know you had.’ (Female dancer).

All the dancers interviewed were able to describe and give examples of how they have gained greater body awareness, sense and knowledge when working with Russell and his practice. Here, the need to commit and engage patiently and deeply in a sometimes slow process of change was cited as ‘a rare opportunity to be appreciated’ (female dancer). The dancers described how they have had a positive experience when working with Russell and have felt a sense of ownership and partnership.  The dancers also appreciated Russell's extensive knowledge of the body and 'bodyworks' e.g. tensegrity, mind-body centering, structural integration. The dancers gave examples where they have made aesthetic choices based on a feeling in the body and appreciated the freedom that they have here.

‘It is holistic and organic training. You are thinking all the time until the new becomes habit and you are stronger. You’re able to notice, identify and use sensations in the body and apply knowledge of the body for efficiency and fluidity.’ (Female dancer).

This first study within the Russell Maliphant Dance Company research programme has begun examination into methods and processes that Russell uses to train, teach and enable each dancer’s body sense and potential, and how these are received and applied by professional dancers. This study will be further analysed and disseminated. It will also inform planned future research projects investigating ‘training tomorrow’s contemporary dancers’ and ‘contemporary dance futures, career resilience and longevity’, in partnership with Russell Maliphant Dance Company and with contemporary dance conservatoires, professional dancers, artistic directors and choreographers.