SOMA-DRAMA
'By innovatively exploring the dramaturgical application of somatic work in choreography, Chun Zhang wishes to continue her education in Laban Bartenieff Movement Studies, reflect on the influence of this somatic work on her current practice, and find some laws to refine her own artistic signature and raise awareness, to awaken the aesthetic value of somatic work in dance-movement dramaturgy.'
Initiative research plan (01.2023)
While continuing her education in Laban Bartenieff Movement Studies with individual workshops and intensive training, she will use the system of famous dance dramaturgy Guy Cool's (The four elements in creation: Perception - Heaven; Experience - Earth; Intuition - Water; Formation -- Fire and their process in forms of circle, cross and labyrinth) for research, to reflect closely on her choreographic works since 2017: how has the Laban Bartenieff Movement Studies influenced her practice. The compositional style (body, space, effort, shape, relationship, phrasing), the quality of movement (silence, intention, transition) and the performative status (observation and observed, reflection and action) are then her main focus to test a new creative process and the emergence of a subject/expression. At the end an article will be published, to find some rules and patterns in the past and look to the future.
She takes the books: 'Dramaturgy in contemporary dance: On the dramaturgy profession in dance and on the dramaturgy of movement using the example of Micha Puruckers' by Anke Euler; 'Choreographing Empathy: Kinesthesia in Performance' by Susan Foster as a theoretical reference, takes part in the classes 'Artistic philosophy and aesthetic questions' from Professor Wang De Feng from Shanghai Fu Dan University, exchanges ideas with Antja Kennedy (director Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies in Berlin).
Wrap Up (04.2023)
1. Pure dance means use the pure language of dance to express anything. It does not mean to express nothing.
2. Laban Bartenieff Movement Studies gives individuality.
3. It gives enriched experience of moving.
4. It embodies.
5. It gives philosophic and spiritual impact.
6. It triggers new working method: single movement on single body first, then phrasing and group and space.
7. Theme, form, movement and expression are one.
8. Not anymore rely on a plot or a literature, a given structure, no fulfilling but unfolding. The movement is the text itself. Automatism.
9. What I choreograph is the dramatic change of the body (body image) over time
10. Somatic work should be enriching bodily experience and eliminating body prejudice. That is the choreographer’s aesthetic goal of directing movement.
11. To open up movements that has been packed by experience. Enrich life and movement experience.
The research will directly benefit her recent two new productions:
WHIRLING LADDER | UPRIGHT; Gezeiten
Soma Drama | Laban Bartenieff Movement Studies and Dance-Movement Dramaturgy is supported by Dis-Tanz Solo, gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.
