UPDATE: As of June 2003, the Somdance Team has completed studio work, and has compiled a manual of procedures for dance educators. It is anticipated some of this material may become available for distribution and also be published on the web soon. Please enquire if you would like more information somdance@alexandertechnique.com.au.
Please note the remainder of the website has not yet been updated. Please email if you would like to be informed when an update is completed. Thankyou.
The Somdance Project is exploring how best to integrate "somatic" educational methods and experiences into technically based contemporary dance classes and programmes of study.
This project is currently being undertaken at UNSW and UWS Nepean with the dance students.
This website has been published in order to inform interested people working in the field of dance education and/somatics of the nature and progress of this project. It contains details from the first year of the project only.
We would like the site to stimulate discussion and promote exploration of different perspective's regarding the fundamental principles of contemporary dance training and somatic methods of movement education, and how they may work together.
Please note that the project is not an attempt to replace appropriate Somatic training (such as ATM's, AT lessons etc) but is oriented to enhancing existing contemporary dance training processes.
We welcome feedback and questions, please email us at somdance@alexandertechnique.com.au
Contextual Information
Aim of Project
Proposed Activity
Outputs/Products
Learning Outcomes
Evaluation
Project Team Members
Rebecca Gregg UNSW Dance
Greg Holdaway Alexander Technique
Zoran Kovich Feldenkrais
Jacqueline Simmonds, UWS Dance
Theme: Observation - movement and breathing
Theme: Soft (peripheral) vision
Theme: Alignment, self-balancing
Theme: Mapping the spine
Theme: Shifting attention in body
Theme: Folding/unfolding
Theme: Spinal imagery
Theme: Release Breath, Practise in Hands-on work
Theme: Breathing, Balancing
Theme: Hands-on approaches to discrete dance tasks
Theme: Observation and work in specific simple exercise
Theme: Spreading awareness
Theme: Multiple points of awareness. Confusing the conscious mind
Theme: Feedback from the students re whole semesters work
All material on this website is copyright ©1999 2001, all rights reserved.
Please contact the Somdance team before using or disseminating any material from this site. Thankyou.
Any problems with this site, please contact Greg Holdaway at greg@alexandertechnique.com.au