Ответы на вопросы конференции — Ньюман Н.

 

МОРАЯ НЬЮМАН Портланд, Орегон, США

 

9й класс средней школы. Танцует балет, модерн, начала бальные танцы.

Немного говорит по-русски.

Эл.адрес: dance_outside_the_box_233@yahoo.com 

 

Moriah Newman

Portland OR, USA

 

Морая посвятила свою статью ответам на вопросы конференции, делясь личным опытом и собственными представлениями.

 

 

Морая рассказывает о своем опыте посещения «Развивающей группы», где она впервые получила возможность выйти из рамок балетной хореографии и позволить своему телу самовыражаться, не натыкаясь на критические замечания. Она отмечает, что почувствовала уверенность в себе и в своем танце. 

 

Бальные танцы, считает Морая, очень полезны для мужчин, которым необходимо почувствовать себя лидером, кто не знает как прочувствовать свои эмоции. Бальные танцы учат мужчин принимать решения, знать, куда повести пару и привести ее туда в целости и сохранности. Без мужчин бальный танец, в сущности, невозможен. 

Морая рассказывает также о своей реакции на групповое упражнение вовремя одного из мастерклассов. 

 

Какие эмоции позволяет почувствовать и выразить? 

 

Морая чувствует себя свободной, когда танцует. Бывают времена, когда она бы ни зачто не рассказала то, о чем танцует. Часто ей не нужны слова совсем, т.к. тяжелее высказать эмоции, чем станцевать их. Танец и движения могут выразить намного больше, чем могут сказать слова, считает Морая.

 

Какой танец для чего предназначен, «от чего лечит»? 

 

«Если бы ко мне пришли люди с проблемами брака и доверия друг другу, я бы отправила их на занятия по бальным танцам», пишет Морая, анализируя тему «доверия». Она считает, что для тех, кто ищет структурированность в жизни нужны занятия балетом, тем кто испытывает трудности с выражением своих эмоций, необходимы занятия танцем модерн и «развивающий танец». Морая убеждена, что любое движение выражающее эмоции приносит исцеление.

 

Что может привнести тот или иной танец в отношения пары? 

 

Любые отношения строятся на внимании, доверии и времени, считает Морая. Она анализирует разницу в партнерских отношениях бальников и балетных танцовщиков. Без общения пара существовать долго не может, резюмирует Морая.

 

Какие черты личности развиваются у человека, танцующего фламенко, капуэро, танец живота, социальные или бальные танцы? 

 

Бальные танцы развивают коллективизм и чувство команды. Социальные танцы развивают потребность в заботе о другом (партнере). И те и другие развивают самопринятие. Фламенко развивает независимость, выразительность и силу. Морая находит себя саму улыбающейся в каждом танцевальном путешествии.

 

Резюме составила Анна Климова

 

 

What kind of live problems, (themes) does the certain

dance expose? 

 

Many people struggle with the same things. Generally for women, it is lack of confidence, and low self esteem. For men, it is getting in touch with their feelings. Women typically have a harder time accepting themselves, and usually don’t feel secure with who they are. Men usually don’t like to let their emotions out, never want to show anything. All of us, at one point or another, are struggling with the same issues. Dance Movement Therapy however can change all of that. While most of us have a hard time expressing ourselves with words, it can be much easier to show how we’re

feeling with dance. Sometimes it is even better to describe how we feel though dance, rather than with words. Words can be used by anybody, but the way you move can only be used by you. Take for example the woman that is having a hard time with lack of confidence. Group improv classes are wonderful in this area because she is able to move without anyone telling her that the way she is moving is wrong. In improv, there is no wrong movement.

 

My first improv class was strange for me, being a ballet dancer, but by the end of the few weeks, I was able to let go of the strict choreography, and just move how I wanted to. All the other dancers in the room were moving how they felt most expressed, and no one criticized someone else for the way they were dancing. Learning to dance improv as a group definitely can increase one’s confidence. Ballroom, on the other hand, is great for men who need to step up and take the lead. It is their duty as the guy to lead the woman on the dance floor, to know where they are going, and to bring her there safely. These are all great skills men need to actually apply to their lives. Ballroom is great for the man who does not know how to get in touch with his feelings, because the dance allows him to call the shots. Without the man, it’s very hard, impossible even, to dance ballroom. He is the person that holds the couple together, and for him to be able to decide where they are going is great to help him dig deep inside himself. I took a workshop one time where all the dancers stood around the room, and the workshop leader called out a random word. Upon hearing that word, we had to get into some sort of pose or position that we felt best described the word the way we heard it. Everyone heard the same word, but all of our movements were very different. Looking around the room, it was very cool to see how people were interpreting the same word and using it in the way that they moved or danced, making it their very own.

 

What kind of emotions does it allow you to feel and

express? 

 

When I dance, I am free. I am able to express myself more freely with dance and movement. There are times when words can not even begin to express what kinds of emotions I am feeling, no way to tell others how I feel. But when I dance, I am able to express myself more than if I were to explain myself with words. 

 

Sometimes words are not even needed for me to communicate. If someone were to come up to me and ask me how I was feeling right after I had a horrible day, it would be hard to go into the exact emotions I was feeling, and would not be able to tell them. 

 

However, if I was asked to express my feelings through dancing, I would find it much easier to let those emotions out, express myself however I felt. Everyone is able, and capable of feeling the same emotions, but each one expresses those emotions in very different ways. Just as the improv exercise I talked about in the last question, all people can hear the same words, but express that in a different and unique way. Each individual expresses emotions in a way that they feel they are able to express themselves freely. Some people find it much easier to write out their feelings, rather than dance. Some like to draw, paint, play with clay. However different these acts of therapy are, the arts is very effective in letting people express how they are feeling in a way that best fits them. I myself let my emotions out with dance. No one can tell me exactly how I am feeling, so no one can tell me that the way I am moving does not express a certain emotion. If I am feeling alone, I may express that emotion by pulling my arms around myself, moving in a way that is showing I am by myself. That may or may not be how another individual chooses to express that same feeling. When you dance, you are more likely to truly express yourself, and how you feel, in the movements you chose to create. It allows you connect how you think, and how you feel. Sometimes it’s just better not to use words when describing how you feel; words will simply not do it justice. As a child, it was always hard for me to use words to say how I felt, or to express feelings, I simply could not find words that totally described how I felt. No one seemed to understand that the only way I am able to best express those feelings, is through dance. Dance and movements say sometimes what words cannot, and that, quite simply, can be the most effective way to express how you feel.

 

For what is the certain dance intended (what does it

"treat")?

 

To me, Dance Movement Therapy is the most effective therapy. It allows each individual to connect with themselves and express what they are really truly feeling. Dance Movement Therapy allows people to express emotions much deeper than words could, allows them to find new areas in their lives to connect with. If someone were to come up to me and say they were having trouble in their marriage, they were having a problem trusting each other, I would tell them to take ballroom classes.In ballroom, trust is an essential part of the dance. The man is the leader, the woman the follower, and each have to trust the other, otherwise there is conflict and they will not be able to complete the dance. The woman must be able to trust her partner to know that he will make sure to get them to where they are going. The man must be able to lead his partner, or she will not know where to go. Each individual must place their trust in the other person, and learn to rely on the other. Each dance has a unique way of treating one's unique emotions. There are different dance styles to help different people get in touch with what they are feeling, each one has a different way of letting them express themselves. For the couple with trust issues, there is ballroom. For the person who needs structure, ballet is great for them. If someone is having a hard time getting in touch with what they are feeling, modern, or improv would be great for them to learn how to express what they feel in any way, not having to fear anyone criticizing they way they are choosing to express themselves. In general though, I feel that DMT is the best, and most effective way for people to express themselves, to really connect with what they are feeling, and incorporate those emotions into how you move. Obviously, there are different types of dance for different types of therapy, and one dance may or may not be well suited for a specific person. However I do think that it is great to encourage people to use DMT, for any sort of therapy. When there are no words to express how you feel, there is movement, and with movement, you will be able to feel the deepest part of your soul, dig down deep, and discover that you can express yourself freely. Different dance styles treat different types of emotions. There is no, “One size fits all” deal, but movement, when describing the emotions of one’s heart and soul, brings healing.

 

What can the certain dance bring into the couple

relationship? 

 

It is a great and valuable life lesson to learn how to get along with others. In the world of dance, particularly when it comes to partnering, this is something that all dancers need to know how to do. Just as any relationship, it takes time to grow with your partner. Obviously for the different dance styles there are different types of partnering, but all of them do require time, trust, and attention. Without these three elements, the couple relationship will wither away. It takes time to grow as a couple. You can’t expect to dance perfectly together over the course of one or two classes, you must be patient with each other. By allowing this growth to take place in each other’s lives, you are acknowledging the fact that your partner is not, in fact perfect, but requires just as much time to work on something as you do. Each one of us deserves grace, because we are not perfect. We know we will mess up all the time, but this is all part of the process of growing as a couple. We need to be able to trust our partner. Without trust, we as dance partners will not get anywhere. If I allow myself not to trust my partner, I am saying that I do not believe that he will be able to take care of me, and lead me to where we need to go. I am a ballet dancer, so there is a different sort of trust between the ballet couple relationship, and the ballroom relationship, however we do use all the same elements. For ballet, I need to be able to trust that my partner won’t let me fall when he lifts me, that he will be able to catch me, and will hold onto me. Now, I have no way of knowing if he will indeed let these things happen, but that’s what faith, or trust, is. Faith is placing our trust out into the unknown, hoping that we will somehow be caught. I have faith that my partner will indeed catch me, therefore I am now able to trust him. Whatever style of partnering we are dancing, we need to know how to trust. We need to pay attention to our partner. After long periods of dancing together, the couple relationship goes much deeper than just dancing together, we build a friendship with the other person. As in all friendships, communication is a huge part of building and keeping that couple relationship. Without communication the couple will not last long.

 

What kind of traits can be developed in personality of

dance? 

 

Any sort of dancing is wonderful to help people express themselves, and discover new areas of their life. Each dance style is effective in a different way for dealing with different people’s issues. When you

dance a style long enough, you begin to take on that personality of the dance, you make it your very own. For each style, there is a personality trait that best fits that dance. No matter what style you are dancing, it can build your self-esteem and confidence, two traits are very important to have. In ballroom, you are learning to work as a pair, instead of just by yourself. Being able to work together as a team is, not only important for ballroom, but also for every day life. This is the same in Social dance. It helps you to stop thinking about yourself, and place in mind your partner, and how the two of you can complete the dance together. The ballroom, and social dance setting are ideal for learning how to accept yourself. In all dance styles you have to learn how to communicate with other people, how to get along with them, all the while building your self-confidence. I would say for Flamenco, you are learning independence, flamboyance, and strength. In my own life, all of the different dance styles have been a journey, helping me to discover myself along the way. When I take ballroom, I do learn how to dance as a pair, no longer thinking that I am just a ballerina dancing a solo. During my modern and improv classes, I feel joy at being able to express myself however I feel. Modern makes me full of joy, loving to be able to dance, and glad that I can finally communicate my feelings in the way that I move. I have seen in my own personal dance journey that no matter what style I am dancing, I am filled with joy, and you can see that joy in my personality, in the way that I encounter others. When I dance, I cannot help but let this big grin spread across my face. I have found out who I am during this journey, I have finally become me.