De-distancing and Unconcealment as methods in processing memories

Masterarbeit Masterstudium Movement Research RA 066 767

ABSTRACT: This paper is about the potential possibilities in the expression of movements. Draw- ing on Martin Heidegger's and Maxine Sheet-Johnstone's phenomenological analyses and theories, I ask how engaging with my-body memories informs and shapes present move- ments in dance. I reflect on my past performance in The Green Table of Kurt Jooss to an- swer this question. I engaged my memory processing in dance through self-reflection and movement analysis. Through this reflection, I explore how the choreographic remains of the piece are remembered in my-body and influence my current dance exploration. Through my dynamic processing of movement, I discovered that Kurt Jooss' choreo- graphic language and themes in The Green Table are closely related to my movement ex- pressiveness found in my-body and influence my-body in the dance practice. Connecting this practice with Heidegger’s concepts of de-distancing, unconcealment, and Sheet-John- stone’s concept of sense-making, I demonstrate through my-body how movement is crucial to our understanding of the world when processing memories to make past movements visible. By linking these philosophical concepts with the dancer’s memories and these memories’ creative potentials I want to contribute to actual and virulent discourses in contemporary dance scenes. The method of self-reflective analysis of dance practice could be further explored with other dancers to investigate how individual movement choices contribute to the overall composition of dance.

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