Talawa Grounding

 

GROUNDING: Pulling the Ground into Your Body

Grounding in Africana dance is a sophisticated technique involving the metaphorical pulling of the ground into the body, filling it with the energy beneath the floor to create movements that are both magnetic and sinewy. This technique, known as grounding, requires an astute understanding of the forces at play in and around the body.

The Principle of Grounding

In Africana dance, to rise up, one pushes down against the ground rather than stretching upwards. Conversely, to lower the hips or buttocks to the floor, one does not simply give in to gravity. Instead, the dancer actively pulls the feet toward themselves, resulting in the bending of the knees. If the dancer were in the air, the feet would rise towards the body; when standing on the ground, this action lowers the body as it seems to be drawn towards the floor. This bidirectional action, where the feet and the metaphysical space beneath the floor are pulled into the body (resulting in the body lowering), constitutes the unique Africana approach to grounding.

This technique can be likened to the instinctive action of grounding oneself when someone tries to lift you, making your body feel heavier and harder to lift. This “heaviness” is an active engagement with the Earth, metaphorically drawing the ground up through the feet, creating a sensation of pulling the body downwards and anchoring it securely.

Creating Movement through Grounding

Africana dance utilizes grounding to create powerful and dynamic movements. Consider the example of swinging the arms upwards and around while bending the knees and pulling down with the body to increase the force of the upward swing. This involves a coordinated action of multiple body parts and forces, resulting in a dynamic arm swing or ballistic movement.

In this movement, the Africana dancer uses the forces gained by grounding (pulling the ground into the body) to maximize movement relative to the energetic output. This demonstrates the intelligence of the Africana dance technique and the Africana dancing body. As the knees bend, pulling in towards the body, the body’s height is lowered. Gravity and the ground reaction force both enter the body, asserting opposite forces.

Pulling the feet towards the body while they are planted on the ground creates a different force than merely lowering the body by bending the knees. This action makes the ground reaction force greater than its resting value due to the added muscle exertion. This becomes tangible potential energy, with inertia and momentum becoming visible and palpable in the body. By expertly curbing and repurposing these forces through alignment, strategic relaxation, and muscle exertion, the dancer can use this initial action to guide the forces through the body, creating undulations, grooves, swings, curves, twists, and motions achieved by channeling these external forces through the body rather than just using muscle force.

Pulling the Feet Toward You While Planted on the Ground

When you pull your feet toward you while they are firmly planted, you are creating an additional set of forces beyond those involved in simple knee bending. This action involves:

1. Shear Force: By actively pulling your feet towards your body while they remain planted, you are generating a shear force. This force acts parallel to the surface of the ground and creates friction.
2. Increased Ground Reaction Force: The action of pulling engages additional muscle groups, especially those in the lower legs and feet. This increased muscular activity raises the ground reaction force as the feet press more firmly into the ground.
3. Isometric Muscle Contraction: The muscles of the legs (calves, hamstrings, quadriceps) and feet are contracting without changing length, creating stability and generating force within the body.
4. Energy Redirection: The pulling action changes the direction of force application from just vertical (as in knee bending) to both vertical and horizontal components. This creates a dynamic interplay of forces that can be redirected through the body.
5. Tensile Force: There is a tension created in the muscles and tendons as they work to pull the feet inward while resisting the pull of the ground.

Differences in Forces and Outcomes

• Force Application: In bending the knees, the forces are primarily vertical, involving gravity and ground reaction force. Pulling the feet toward you adds horizontal components, creating a more complex force interaction.
• Muscle Activation: Pulling the feet activates additional muscle groups (especially in the feet and lower legs) and increases overall muscle engagement compared to just bending the knees.
• Energy Storage and Release: The tension created by pulling the feet can store more potential energy, which can be converted into kinetic energy, leading to more powerful and dynamic movements.
• Friction and Stability: The shear force increases friction between the feet and the ground, enhancing stability and allowing for more controlled and forceful movements.

Sensations Created by the Talawa Africana Grounding Method

Grounding

Grounding is a fundamental principle within the Talawa G-System, essential for understanding the sensations it generates within the body. Imagine a powerful magnet beneath the ground and another magnet situated at the hips, which is the dancer’s center of gravity. These two magnets interact through attraction and repulsion, creating a dynamic relationship between the body and the ground. This is not about sluggishness, but rather the deliberate use of energy, body weight, and force, modulated by these magnetic forces. This intimate connection with the ground acts as a vital energy source, channeling the earth’s energy into the body. In the context of Africanist dance, grounding illustrates the dancer’s unique interaction with the ground and their organic movement quality. Despite its significance, detailed explanations of grounding are seldom provided, contributing to the mystique surrounding African dance.

Grounding Pull (GP)

Also known as a G-up, Grounding Pull refers to the sensation of force traveling from the ground upward into the body, as if being magnetically drawn by the interaction between the ground magnet and the hip magnet. This creates a feeling of being anchored to the earth while moving, aligning with gravity, and manifests as slow, organic movement imbued with a “groove” or “feeling.” For example, when a dancer dips down and then rises back up, the upward pull from the ground to the hips is palpable. The Grounding Pull facilitates pulsation and undulation within the body, enhancing the “mystical” qualities often attributed to Africanist dance.

Grounding Push (Gp)

Termed as a G-down, Grounding Push is the counterforce to Grounding Pull, where the sensation of force moves from the body down towards the ground, as if the hip magnet is repelling against the ground magnet. This is evident when a dancer sinks into a deep plié or dips their body closer to the ground. The conscious pushing down through the feet into the ground creates a force that supports and stabilizes the body, allowing it to rise again with fluidity and control. This awareness of pushing alters the movement quality, enabling the body to perform polycentric movements with greater control and fluidity.

The Talawa Africana Grounding Method

Dancers employ the Talawa Africana Grounding Method, where they strategically select different points along the spine to be held back by inertia and to receive the gravitational reaction force as a counter pull or push. Simultaneously, other points are allowed to be pulled down or work with gravity. This dynamic interplay creates moving support, arranging pulls and counter pushes along the body’s and spine’s alignment. Such technique results in the grounded undulations characteristic of yanvalou. By using this method, dancers do not need to muscle through movements but instead channel the energies of momentum, inertia, gravity, and ground reaction force. This holistic approach to grounding enhances the fluidity and organic quality of their dance, connecting them deeply to the earth and the rhythms of Africanist movement

The Interaction of Three Magnets in Africana Grounding

In In the realm of polycentric Africana grounding, the intricate interplay of forces within the dancer’s body can be elegantly explained through the analogy of three magnets. This analogy is not meant to suggest that the body’s centers are actual magnets but rather to provide a technical framework to envision how these centers interact dynamically to produce powerful, fluid movements. This conceptualization aids in understanding how dancers engage with the ground and harness various forces to achieve a distinctive style of movement.

Conceptual Framework: Three Magnets in Polycentric Africana Dance

When we consider grounding in polycentric Africana dance, it is useful to imagine three pivotal points in the body functioning as magnets: the chest, the hips, and an external point beneath the ground. This analogy serves to illustrate the dynamic interaction of these points and how they influence the movement of energy through the body. Each of these ‘magnets’ plays a crucial role in the dancer’s engagement with the ground and their overall movement dynamics.

When thinking about grounding, imagine the body with three specific points acting as magnets: the chest, the hips, and a point beneath the ground. This creates a dynamic interaction that influences how forces travel through the body and how different body parts move in relation to each other:

1. Magnet A (Chest):
   • The chest acts as one primary point of interaction. It pulls energy upward from the magnet below the surface, creating a dynamic force that influences the upper body’s movement.
2. Magnet B (Hips):
   • The hips act as another primary point of interaction, pulling energy from the deeper source and influencing the lower body’s movement.
3. Magnet C (Submerged Energy Source):
   • The energy source beneath the ground acts as the third magnet. This energy is not just at the surface but extends deeper, creating a strong pull that the dancer taps into.

Dynamics of the Three Magnets

The interaction of these three magnets creates a complex and dynamic force field that influences how energy flows through the body and how different parts move relative to each other. This interaction can be seen in various dance movements and techniques, which can be broken down into specific dynamic patterns.

Opposing Polarities of Chest and Hips:

• Chest Forward, Hips Back: When the chest moves forward, the hips naturally move back due to the opposing magnetic forces. This creates a dynamic balance and helps maintain stability while allowing for expressive upper body movements.
• Hips Forward, Chest Back: Similarly, when the hips move forward, the chest tends to move back. This counterbalance is essential for maintaining fluidity and control, especially during complex movements that require a strong core engagement.
• Creating Balance: The constant opposition between the chest and hips helps in creating a balanced and grounded stance, essential for powerful and controlled dance movements.

 

 

Circular Movements:

• Opposite Points: In circular movements, the hips and chest remain at opposite points, creating a harmonious and continuous flow. This opposition allows for smoother transitions and a more natural movement path.
• Maintaining Momentum: The opposition also helps in maintaining momentum, as the pull from one magnet creates a counteraction that propels the body forward or around, depending on the movement.
• Enhancing Fluidity: Circular movements benefit from the opposing magnets as they create a natural ebb and flow, enhancing the fluidity and grace of the dance.

Engaging the Third Magnet (Under the Floor):

• Dynamic Interaction: The third magnet under the floor provides a dynamic source of energy that can be tapped into by either the chest or hips. This engagement enhances the power and depth of the movements.
• Alternating Connections: By alternating which magnet (chest or hips) is connected to the ground magnet, dancers can create additional force and movement. This alternation keeps the dance dynamic and prevents stagnation.
• Amplifying Force: Engaging with the ground magnet amplifies the force and energy of movements, making them more impactful and expressive.

Feet and Their Role:

• Conduits of Energy: The feet act as conduits for the energy traveling through the body from the hips to the ground. They channel this energy efficiently, allowing for a seamless connection between the body and the ground.
• Light and Quick: The feet can be light and quick when the chest magnet is primarily engaged with the ground magnet. This engagement shifts the center of gravity upwards, freeing the feet for agile and intricate footwork.
• Grounded and Strong: Conversely, when the hips magnet is engaged with the ground magnet, the feet become more grounded and strong. This engagement provides a solid foundation for powerful and stable movements.

The Mechanics of Magnetic Interactions in Movement

Creating Movement through Magnetic Forces:

• Propulsive Force: By actively engaging with the third magnet and alternating which of the two other magnets are connected to it, dancers can generate additional movement and force. This dynamic interaction creates a propulsive force that drives the dancer forward.
• Balanced Dynamics: The interplay between the chest and hips magnets ensures that the movements are balanced and controlled. This balance prevents overexertion of any single body part, distributing the effort evenly.
• Fluid Transitions: The magnetic forces help in creating fluid transitions between movements, as the engagement with the ground magnet provides a continuous source of energy that keeps the dancer in motion.

 

The Role of the Chest and Hips in Movement:

• Chest Magnet: When the chest magnet is engaged with the ground magnet, the hips can move more freely, creating upper body undulations and fluid movements. This engagement lightens the feet, allowing for quick and agile footwork.
• Hips Magnet: When the hips magnet is engaged with the ground magnet, the chest can move more freely, supporting lower body movements and grounding the dancer. This engagement creates a strong foundation for powerful and stable movements.
• Complementary Movements: The chest and hips work together in a complementary manner, with one providing stability and support while the other initiates movement. This dynamic ensures a cohesive and coordinated dance performance.

Utilizing Opposing Polarities for Propulsion:

• Natural Opposition: Africana dance harnesses the natural inclination of the chest and hips to be in opposition. This opposition creates a natural propulsion, as the force generated by one magnet is countered and amplified by the other.
• Continuous Motion: The continuous push and pull between the chest and hips magnets generate a rhythm and flow that propels the dancer through space. This interaction ensures that the movements are dynamic and engaging.
• Harnessing Energy: By tapping into the opposing polarities, dancers can harness the energy created by this interaction, using it to enhance their movements and create a more powerful dance performance.

Verticality and Balance:

• Ballet vs. Africana Dance: Unlike ballet, which forces the chest and hips to align vertically by engaging the “center,” Africana dance leverages the natural opposition between these centers. This approach creates a more organic and fluid movement pattern.
• Rooted Movements: The engagement with the ground magnet ensures that the movements are rooted and grounded, providing a solid foundation for dynamic and expressive dance.
• Dynamic Balance: The opposing polarities help maintain a dynamic balance, allowing dancers to shift their weight and center of gravity fluidly as they move. This balance is crucial for executing complex dance sequences with precision and grace.

The Submerged Magnet and Its Effects

Effects of the Lowered Point of Initiation (submerged magnet)

The concept of the submerged magnet, or the point of initiation “under the floor,” is central to Africana dance. This external source of energy changes how forces such as gravity and ground reaction force interact with the body, creating more acute angles and enhancing the dancer’s rootedness and dynamic balance.

Enhancing Movement Forces: Initiating from a point beneath the floor enhances various forces, including momentum, inertia, and ground reaction force. This deeper initiation provides a stronger and more sustained push, greater stability, and more explosive movements.

Africana dancers often describe their technique as dancing “under the floor.” The energy is pulled from deeper than just where the foot meets the floor. The lowered point of initiation in Africana dance is analogous to the concept of the third magnet submerged under the floor. This means that the energy is pulled from deeper than just where the foot meets the floor. Consider it almost like a syringe that sucks up energy from deeper down. This changes the angles through which forces such as Ground Reaction Force and gravity enter and work on the body. It is not just about having a low center of gravity; rather, everything is rooted, extended down, and embedded under the “floor” or ground as opposed to being on top of it. This submerged gravitational orientation causes angles to be more acute as they have traveled from further down before entering the body. Consequently, verticality is countered by astuteness, with forces entering the body at a more acute angle.

Initiating from a point beneath the floor enhances various forces, including momentum, inertia, and ground reaction force. This deeper initiation provides a stronger and more sustained push, greater stability, and more explosive movements.

Momentum

• With the initiation point being “under the floor,” the force of momentum is pulled from a deeper source, providing a stronger and more sustained push that enhances the body’s ability to maintain fluid motion and directional changes.

Inertia

• Inertia, when initiated from below the floor, provides a more profound resistance that stabilizes movements. The body appears more rooted, with a greater sense of balance and control over motion and stillness.

Gravity

• With the point of initiation beneath the floor, the force of gravity is more acute, resulting in a stronger downward pull. This enhances the dancer’s rootedness and provides a solid foundation for upward and lateral movements.

Ground Reaction Force

• Initiating from under the floor, the ground reaction force becomes more powerful. The increased depth of force application results in more explosive and dynamic movements, enhancing the dancer’s ability to push off the ground with greater intensity.

Shear Force

• The deeper initiation point intensifies the shear forces, resulting in more stable and controlled lateral movements. This allows for greater precision and strength in directional changes and stability on uneven surfaces.

Isometric Muscle Contraction

• Isometric contractions are more effective with a lowered initiation point, providing greater stability and internal support. This enhances the dancer’s ability to maintain posture and balance during complex movements.

Tensile Force

• With a deeper initiation point, tensile forces become more pronounced, resulting in greater muscle engagement and tension. This allows for more controlled and precise movements, enhancing the dancer’s ability to manage force and balance.

 

The 7 Forces of Grounding and Their Orisha

In ritual dance, each force is related to an Orisha to show how they are active in the body, assisting in dance and showing up for dance. Here are the seven key forces and their corresponding Orisha, with detailed explanations:

1. Momentum (Oya)
   • Physics Concept: Momentum is the body’s motion and the ability to continue moving once set in motion. It is related to both centrifugal and centripetal forces due to Oya’s link to tornadoes.
   • Linked to Oya: Oya, the Orisha of winds, storms, and transformation, embodies change and directional force. Momentum mirrors Oya’s ability to drive movement and change.
2. Inertia (Obatala)
   • Physics Concept: Inertia is the resistance to changes in motion, holding certain parts of the body back while others move.
   • Linked to Obatala: Obatala, the Orisha of wisdom, purity, and creation, represents stillness and resistance to change. Inertia, which resists motion, can be seen as the grounding wisdom of Obatala that maintains balance and order in movement.
3. Gravity (Oshun)
   • Physics Concept: Gravity pulls the body downward, creating a counterbalance to upward movements.
   • Linked to Oshun: Oshun, the Orisha of love, fertility, and rivers, embodies attraction and the force that brings things together in the universe. Gravity, which pulls the body downward, mirrors Oshun’s stabilizing and grounding presence, anchoring the dancer to the Earth.
4. Ground Reaction Force (Shango)
   • Physics Concept: The ground reaction force is the upward force exerted by the ground, which the dancer uses to push against.
   • Linked to Shango: Shango, the Orisha of thunder and lightning, represents power and explosive energy. The ground reaction force parallels Shango’s powerful and reactive nature, providing the energy needed for dynamic movement.
5. Shear Force (Ogun)
   • Physics Concept: Shear force acts parallel to the surface, created by pulling the feet towards the body while they remain planted.
   • Linked to Ogun: Ogun, the Orisha of iron, war, and labor, represents strength and relentless forward motion. Shear force, created by parallel action, mirrors Ogun’s ability to drive progress and change direction.
6. Isometric Muscle Contraction (Eleggua)
   • Physics Concept: Isometric muscle contraction involves muscle engagement without changing length, providing stability.
   • Linked to Eleggua: Eleggua, the Orisha of communication and crossroads, takes on the task of proprioception and internal body communication. Isometric muscle contraction reflects Eleggua’s ability to stabilize and balance the body’s movements through internal communication.
7. Tensile Force (Orunmila)
   • Physics Concept: Tensile force creates tension in muscles and tendons as they work against each other and the ground.
   • Linked to Orunmila: Orunmila, the Orisha of wisdom and divination, represents the tension between knowledge and action. Tensile force parallels Orunmila’s role in maintaining the balance of tension and release, guiding the dancer’s movements with precision and control.

Managing and Maximizing Forces in Yanvalou

Yanvalou is characterized by a series of undulating movements that travel through the spine, hips, and knees, involving the entire body in dynamic and continuous motion. This complex movement pattern harnesses and repurposes various forces to enhance the dancer’s performance.

When undulating through the Africana grounding method, dancers select different points along the spine to allow them to be held back by inertia and to receive the gravitational reaction force as a counter push away from the ground. Simultaneously, other points are allowed to be pulled down or work with gravity. By manipulating and guiding these forces, dancers create the grounded undulations characteristic of Yanvalou. This method ensures that the dancer does not have to muscle through the movement but rather channels the energies of momentum, inertia, gravity, ground reaction force, and shear force, enhancing the fluidity and amplitude of the undulations.

Polycentric Movement: Centers of Motion

Polycentric movement is the ability to multiply oneself kinetically without ever cancelling oneself out. That means understanding the forces that play in and around the body and how to guide the forces through the body in order to create multiple results. The energy or movement path created by one movement is harnessed and put to use by another section of the body. Multiple centres of the body simultaneously influencing how the forces travel through the body gives a particular “effortless” and smooth organic feel to the movement due to the fact that it is an entire body endeavor. Some parts of the movements are intimated and others are reactions to what is already shifting. As such, the lines between action and reaction are smoothly blurred, creating that particular movement quality or qualities associated with Polycentric movement.

The collaboration between the multiple centres requires astute muscle recruitment and coordination and also requires a heightened sense of proprioception. This way of working and its intelligence considerably decreases the risk of injury and ensures that no muscle group or joint is carrying an excess amount of the effort, force, counter forces or stress/pressure of a singular movement sequence. It is a mindful and technically astute way of working.

Key Centers of Motion/Power

1. Ankles
   • Dorsiflexion: Raising the foot upward toward the shin. Essential for walking and running, allowing foot clearance. Limited dorsiflexion can cause compensatory movements, stressing knees, hips, and lower back.
   • Plantarflexion: Pointing the foot downward, away from the shin. Vital for pushing off during walking, running, and jumping. Strong plantarflexion supports powerful movements and stability.
   • Inversion: Turning the sole of the foot inward. Stabilizes the foot on uneven surfaces. Excessive inversion increases the risk of ankle sprains and lateral ligament strain.
   • Eversion: Turning the sole of the foot outward. Maintains balance, especially on uneven surfaces. Insufficient eversion can cause instability and a higher risk of medial ligament injuries.
   • Circumduction: Circular motion combining dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, and eversion. Enhances range of movement and adaptability, crucial for agility and directional changes.
2. Hips
   • Flexion: Raising the thigh toward the abdomen. Enhances walking and running efficiency, improves stride length and gait, facilitates activities like climbing stairs and sitting down.
   • Extension: Moving the thigh backward, away from the abdomen. Provides powerful propulsion during walking and running, supports activities like jumping and sprinting, contributes to maintaining an upright posture.
   • Abduction: Moving the thigh away from the midline of the body. Improves balance and stability, especially during lateral movements, enhances agility, and strengthens the gluteal muscles.
   • Adduction: Moving the thigh toward the midline of the body. Stabilizes the pelvis during movement, supports activities requiring crossing the legs, and strengthens the inner thigh muscles.
   • Internal Rotation: Rotating the thigh inward toward the midline of the body. Enhances the range of motion for daily activities, improves overall hip mobility, and supports proper gait mechanics.
   • External Rotation: Rotating the thigh outward, away from the midline of the body. Increases agility and ability to pivot or change direction quickly, strengthens the external rotators, contributing to hip stability.
   • Circumduction: Circular motion combining flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction. Maximizes the range of hip movement, improves adaptability and coordination for complex activities.
3. Scapula/Chest
   • Elevation: Raising the shoulder blades upward toward the ears. Enhances shoulder and neck stability, supports movements like shrugging and lifting objects overhead, strengthens the upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles.
   • Depression: Lowering the shoulder blades downward away from the ears. Improves shoulder alignment and posture, reduces neck and shoulder tension, strengthens the lower trapezius and serratus anterior muscles.
   • Protraction: Moving the shoulder blades forward along the ribcage. Enhances forward-reaching movements, supports pushing activities, strengthens the serratus anterior.
   • Retraction: Pulling the shoulder blades backward toward the spine. Improves posture, enhances pulling movements, strengthens the rhomboids and middle trapezius.
   • Upward Rotation: Rotating the shoulder blades upward and outward. Facilitates overhead movements, supports activities like throwing, strengthens the upper trapezius and serratus anterior.
   • Downward Rotation: Rotating the shoulder blades downward and inward. Improves shoulder alignment during lowering movements, supports activities like pulling down or climbing, strengthens the rhomboids and levator scapulae.
   • Chest (Thoracic) Movements: Flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral flexion. These movements enhance core stability, posture, and upper body strength, and are interconnected with scapular movements.
4. Neck
   • Flexion: Bending the head forward toward the chest. Enhances the ability to look down, read, or examine objects closely, stretches the muscles in the back of the neck, improves flexibility and range of motion in the cervical spine.
   • Extension: Bending the head backward, away from the chest. Improves posture, strengthens the muscles in the front of the neck, enhances the ability to look up and reach for objects overhead.
   • Lateral Flexion: Bending the head to the left or right side. Increases flexibility and range of motion in the cervical spine, stretches the muscles on the sides of the neck, supports activities that require side-looking or ear-to-shoulder movements.
   • Rotation: Turning the head to the left or right. Enhances the ability to look around, improves situational awareness, stretches and strengthens the muscles involved in neck rotation, improves overall cervical spine mobility.
5. Wrists
   • Flexion: Bending the wrist so the palm moves closer to the forearm. Essential for gripping objects and performing tasks like typing, writing, and lifting.
   • Extension: Bending the wrist so the back of the hand moves closer to the forearm. Important for pushing movements and maintaining a neutral wrist position.
   • Ulnar Deviation (Adduction): Moving the wrist so the little finger moves closer to the forearm. Increases the range of motion for side-to-side wrist movements.
   • Radial Deviation (Abduction): Moving the wrist so the thumb moves closer to the forearm. Important for movements involving lifting and carrying objects with a thumb grip.
   • Pronation: Rotating the forearm so the palm faces downward. Essential for activities like turning a doorknob or using a keyboard and mouse.
   • Supination: Rotating the forearm so the palm faces upward. Important for activities like holding a bowl or receiving objects.

 

Benefits of Polycentric Collaborative Motion in Africana Dance

Africana Polycentric dance is characterized by the simultaneous and interconnected movements of multiple body centers. This dance form thrives on the dynamic interplay of forces and the strategic guidance of movement from one part of the body to another, creating a fluid and expressive dance experience. Here’s an in-depth look at the benefits of Polycentric Collaborative motion in this dance style:

Enhancing Fluidity and Reducing Tension

• Wrist and Arm Interaction:
  • Example: When swinging the arms, relying solely on the shoulder can cause tension and stiffness. This restricts the range of motion and makes it challenging to incorporate additional movements like chest motions.
  • Benefit: By initiating the swing with a flick and push of the wrist, the shoulder is relieved of excessive strain. This allows for greater fluidity and the ability to add chest movements, shimmies, and shakes without stiffness.

Multiplying Motion without Interference

• Polycentric Collaborative Force:
  • Concept: Polycentric technique involves guiding force through one center and connecting it with the force exerted by another center. This prevents the movements from canceling each other out and enhances the overall motion.
  • Benefit: This interconnected approach enables dancers to create complex and layered movements. For example, a wrist flick can guide an arm swing, freeing the shoulder and enabling simultaneous chest undulations.

Utilizing Momentum and Energy Efficiently

• Organic Movement:
  • Concept: Understanding what the body naturally wants to do due to alignment and forces, and either facilitating this movement or redirecting it to achieve the intended motion.
  • Benefit: This results in more natural and efficient movements. Utilizing momentum and energy from multiple centers, such as combining the force from a wrist flick with a shoulder roll, helps achieve graceful and powerful dance motions with less effort.

Creating Unique Dance Qualities

• Polycentric Dynamics:
  • Example: By moving the arms with force initiated from the wrists, dancers can create a ripple effect that travels through the shoulders, chest, and hips.
  • Benefit: This interconnected movement pattern is what gives Polycentric dance its unique qualities and feel. The ability to guide and multiply motion through different body centers results in a richly textured and expressive dance style.

Enhancing Coordination and Control

• Force and Counterforce:
  • Concept: Astutely manipulating force and counterforce, along with gravity and propulsion, to achieve desired movements.
  • Benefit: This enhances coordination and control, allowing dancers to execute intricate patterns and sequences. For instance, coordinating a chest shimmy with an arm swing initiated by the wrist creates a seamless and dynamic performance.

 

Practical Implications for Dancers

Improved Technique

• Focus: Developing an understanding of how to guide force through different body centers.
• Practice: Regularly practicing movements that involve multiple centers, such as combining wrist flicks with shoulder rolls and chest undulations.

Injury Prevention

• Approach: Reducing strain by distributing movement forces across different body parts.
• Application: Using the wrists to initiate arm movements can reduce the risk of shoulder injuries and improve overall joint health.

Expressive Range

• Outcome: Enhancing the expressive range and dynamic quality of dance performances.
• Implementation: Integrating Polycentric techniques to create more varied and compelling dance sequences.

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Concepts in Africana Grounding

Torque

• Physics Concept: Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It measures how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate.
• Relevance: In dance, torque is generated when a dancer pivots or spins, leveraging rotational force to enhance movement dynamics.

Leverage

• Physics Concept: Leverage is the mechanical advantage gained by using a lever. In dance, the body parts act as levers to amplify force.
• Relevance: Effective use of leverage allows dancers to maximize their movements with minimal energy expenditure.

Friction

• Physics Concept: Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another.
• Relevance: Friction between the dancer’s feet and the ground is crucial for stability and control during movement.

Transfer of Energy

• Physics Concept: Energy generated from muscle contractions in the lower body is transferred through the kinetic chain to the arms and upper body.
• Relevance: Efficient energy transfer ensures fluid and powerful movements, enhancing the dancer’s overall performance.

Potential Energy

• Physics Concept: Potential energy is stored energy that has the potential to do work.
• Relevance: During the initial grounding phase, potential energy is stored and then converted to kinetic energy, powering the dancer’s movements.