For your eyes only: watching and being watched.

Do you recognize the following situation? You are dancing in a jam. You have been dancing with a partner for a while and all is well with you and the world. Then you have a sense that you are being watched by someone…a tingle...and you begin to dance better with your partner for this someone. Perhaps knowing that you are observed gives you a certain satisfaction…perhaps this sense accompanies you for a while, and in fact you do have a more satisfying duet. So how has being watched affected the dance?

We will examine the physical function and properties of the eye, in order to see how this awareness can affect the connection to our partner, and the way we use our eyes when we dance.

How do we use our eyes in everyday life? When walking through a city, I use my eyes to locate signs, words and pictures, and read them. I look for food. I avoid cars. I look at clothes. I recognize a friend. I ensure my survival. Walking on a path in the countryside, I use my eyes to guide me safely. I take in the view. I close my eyes and rest. I notice and gaze at a flower. I watch as cloud-shapes darken a field. I look into your eyes. Generally speaking, I can focus on objects both near and far, I can open or close my field of vision, I can select or receive. How do I use my eyes when I am dancing Contact Improvisation with a partner?

We will practice watching as an activity which brings awareness to the use of space, timing, and touch. It supports flow and presence, and invites playfulness and receptivity. Watching becomes a point of reference in improvised dances, and a compositional tool in performance.