STRETCH TALL!!!!!!!!

Dancer's slang: "Stay Lifted". Lengthen your spine by reaching upward with the crown of your head; stand as tall as possible without strain. This is key to many things including proper alignment, balance, and a healthy spine. (See also grace, co-ordination and power, below.)

To put it another way, press your feet against the floor and your head towards the ceiling, and increase the distance from your feet to your head as much as possible.

WHILE stretching the spine tall, stretch and reach with your limbs as well, through whatever else you are doing. For example, in a lunge, press each foot into the floor and lengthen each arm, and lengthen your neck as well. This teaches you deliberate muscle control for muscles you don't normally use very much. This stretching and lengthening in many directions at once will gradually become natural and comfortable and be a great aid to balance.

It also helps co-ordination by decompressing your joints and limbs. Without stretching tall, your hips (especially) and other joints are compressed, extension is more difficult, and your feet are more likely to collide with the floor when you weren't planning on it. That feels clumsy! Staying lifted makes those collisions much easier to avoid.

In the long run, relatively slow, steady, deliberate motions bear better fruit (in terms of muscle control and co-ordination) than do quick movements without the slow. It's also easier to avoid injury that way. As your co-ordination and balance improve, you can steadily, patiently introduce some increase in speed without neglecting the slow, sustained movements.

Oxygen flow comes first, not last! Start by taking a few deep breaths. Use the breath to help you stretch tall, gently begin using major muscle groups (eg. quads etc.)

Overuse in one direction causes strain and injury in the long run. If you bend it forward, bend it backward; if you reach right, reach left; if you twist or rotate in one direction, reverse it evenly, in the other direction.

Take your time. Listen to the signals your body is sending you (that means avoid physical pain, wait til you are warmed up, and stop when you get tired.) Impatience causes injury which causes sidelining and frustration. Slow and steady development is much more satisfying.

As David did in Jehovah's sight:

David Stood before the Lord

David Bowed before the Lord

David Prostrated himself before the Lord

David Raised his hands before the Lord

David Led a Procession before the Lord

David Leaped and Twirled before the Lord

Origins of movement:

Movement can originate from practically anywhere in your body: feet, head, arms, rib cage, to name a few. You can be dragged across the room by your wrist, or pushed by an invisible hand on your back. Experiment with motion originating from odd body parts: your right elbow, your left heel, your forehead or ear. Let your shoulder blade lead you in a tour of the room, including floor and ceiling.

Because emotions can affect different parts of your body, you can co-ordinate your emotion with your motion, and vice versa. Think about that combination as you dance, and it will change the dance. At home, this is one good method for being honest with God: letting our emotions show through dance.

When we think of desire or longing for God, we normally "reach out" to him. But have you ever had a longing for God fill your heart to the point of heaviness? Then that dance would have a heavy, inward quality. Or there may be moments where that longing pulls you into a closed position.

Is your mind full of questions that confuse you? Is your heart full of bubbly joy? How will that change your dance?

Types of movement:

Straight versus curving (direct/indirect)

Quick versus slow

Strong versus delicate

For fun and further exploration and expression, these can be combined:

Slow, direct, and strong: "press"
Slow, direct, and delicate: "glide"
Slow, indirect, and strong: "wring"
Slow, indirect, and delicate: "float"

Fast, direct, and strong: "punch"
Fast, direct, and delicate: "slice"
Fast, indirect, and strong: "chop"
Fast, indirect, and delicate: "flick"

'*****************************************if we have time:

Lines:

<demo.> Lines help tell the story of the dance; help explain the emotions of the dance; help both the dancer express and the viewer understand.

Lines mostly come from your spine, your arms, legs, the position of your head and neck, and also where you focus your gaze. Some lines originate from your body, as in one arm outstretched; other lines pass thru your body (4th arabesque, etc.) Multiple dancers can combine and/or contrast lines with great effect on the viewer.

Closed vs. Open

Closed (or contained) versus open poses express closed or open feelings.

Example from Ballet: attitude is more closed; arabesque is more open. Demo: promenade en attitude, open to arabesque to finish. Demo: example from Mary's dance, closing arms in fear and uncertainty, reaching for God with longing.

Possible Songs:

Jesus, Holy and annointed one

I Love Your Presence (Rethmeier)

Abba Father

Breathe (This is the air I breathe)

All That I Need

Jesus, Rock of my Salvation

With my lips I will bless Thee