Life as a Modern Dancer

Invitations: 52 Movement Poems (the complete list)

Movement Poem #7

From Blog Director Jill Randall:

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place, in Spring 2020, I started sharing Movement Poems on the blog. The idea was to offer improvisation and composition prompts that we could easily do at home. I paired each poem with a piece of music by Michael Wall, easily accessed on his site soundformovement.com.

Here is the complete list of 52 poems. I hope that you can use them for your personal practice, or use them within an undergraduate or graduate level course.

Movement Poem #1 (Sequencing)

Movement Poem #2 (Grounding)

Movement Poem #3 (Opening)

Movement Poem #4 (Body Game)

Movement Poem #5 (Whole Body, Going)

Movement Poem #6 (Personal Space)

Movement Poem #7 (confetti)

Movement Poem #8 (Whimsy)

Movement Poem #9 (Contents/Container)

Movement Poem #10 (Goals)

Movement Poem #11 (Activate)

Movement Poem #12 (Accumulation)

Movement Poem #13 (Aspirations)

Movement Poem #14 (Placement)

Movement Poem #15 (If, I)

Movement Poem #16 (Distill)

Movement Poem #17 (Bookends)

Movement Poem #18 (Seeking a Daydream)

Movement Poem #19 (simplicity)

Movement Poem #20 (eyes)

Movement Poem #21 (exterior/exit)

Movement Poem #22 (small dance)

Movement Poem #23 (zig zag)

Movement Poem #24 (Movement becomes wishes)

Movement Poem #25: The Delight of Verbs Beginning with the Letter D (thank you, Ross Gay)

Movement Poem #26 (palette)

Movement Poem #27 (Symmetry)

Movement Poem #28 (word pairs)

Movement Poem #29 (Simply, Warming Up)

Movement Poem #30 (Anchors)

Movement Poem #31: Some That I Love (Actions + Pathways)

Movement Poem #32 (You Choose)

Movement Poem #33 (Simple Score)

Movement Poem #34 (reverso poem)

Movement Poem #35 (to arrive)

Movement Poem #36 (Less/More)

Movement Poem #37 (spinal twist)

Movement Poem #38 (light)

Movement Poem #39 (reciprocity)

Movement Poem #40 (Yes!)

Movement Poem #41 (Iterations)

Movement Poem #42 (lean in)

Movement Poem #43 (The Ribs)

Movement Poem #44 (Time/Timing/Tempo)

Movement Poem #45 (Today, So Much New Information)

Movement Poem #46 (word pairs for a solo)

Movement Poem #47 (calming actions for today)

Movement Poem #48 (an entrance, moving backwards)

Movement Poem #49 (Imagery/Ideas)

Movement Poem #50 (New Directions)

Movement Poem #51 (Remembering Kites)

Movement Poem #52

 

Movement Poem #52

 

Movement Poem #52

A poem for May 5, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

commitment

will

willing

 

throughlines

 

curiosities

 

scanning the space

 

committed to myself

to this practice

to another day

 

to moving

to exhaling

to playing

and making

and diving

and loving

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Hello! Today is the last poem for this project. I wanted to make 52 poems, and here we are!

Today's music selection is "9x" by Michael Wall, #10 on this playlist.

I would begin with the two words or lines that resonate for you today. (I selected "scanning the space" and "committed to myself.") Improvise for a minute or two with these words.

Build a movement phrase for the whole poem today. It is a commitment to yourself, a gift for yourself.

Here's to more dancing and more joy in the weeks ahead. Thank you!

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Movement Poem #51 (Remembering Kites)

Remembering Kites

A Movement Poem for May 4, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

all @ once

fluttering

suspending

balancing

upward

seeking equilibrium

agile

 

present,

and nodding

it is okay,

when it is time

to return

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Hello!

Today's music selection is "Rainy Day" by Michael Wall, which is 8th on this playlist.

Today's imagery of kites aims to evoke flight, loft, and levity. Subtle movements.

I would first select two words or lines from the poem that most pop out to you today. (Mine are "seeking equilibrium" and "fluttering.") Put on the music and improvise for 1-2 minutes with these words.

Shape a short movement phrase that captures the essence of today's poem. Play with levels, pathways, and directionality with the limbs and eyes.

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Movement Poem #50 (New Directions)

New Directions

A Movement Poem for May 3, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

outward

upward

skyward

far reaching

extending

expanding

exhaling

fulfilling

completing

 

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Hello!

Today I want to reference another project of mine, "365 Dance." From August 2014 to August 2015, I wrote down one word or phrase every day related to my dance practice. This poem reminds me of October 11, 2014 and something from Elizebeth Randall's ballet class. As I noted back in October 2014, she talked about "spaciousness + possibilities" in her class. That is the idea behind this poem today as well.

Today's music selection is "4 102" by Michael Wall, #22 on this playlist. I appreciate the drive and energy of the song.

"Spaciousness + possibilities." Improvising with reach, moving outward, core/distal, and focus. Playing with stationary movement, traveling work, and dancing on the floor.

I hope that you will build a short phrase today! Thank you.

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Movement Poem #49 (Imagery/Ideas)

Imagery/Ideas

A Movement Poem for May 2, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

Zip line

Slack line

Hopscotch

Four square

 

What are the

essential movements here?

 

And pathways?

 

And tempos?

 

The tilt of the head

The focus required

The placement of feet

 

Let's play!

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Hello!

Today's music selection is "3 185" by Michael Wall, #35 on this playlist (and #36 on the Spotify playlist).

Today's poem is all about play and abstracting from the literal.

Put on the music, do a quick read of the poem, and then begin to move. What are the actions the poem calls forth? Play with tossing, throwing, jumping, hopping, and traveling on a narrow pathway.

Build a short movement phrase; it does not have to go perfectly with each line of the poem. How can your phrase convey playfulness and levity?

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Movement Poem #48 (an entrance, moving backwards)

 

an entrance, moving backwards

a movement poem for May 1, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

back body
back space
back of the heart
moving backwards is so hard

vulnerability
trust
softening,
soles of feet
softening,
chest, front of the heart, throat, face

retreating?
rewinding?
reversing?

no, just a different perspective
and choice of direction

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Hello!

Today's music suggestion is "Soft" by Michael Wall. It is 7th on this playlist.

Let's begin today playing with direction and direction changes. Begin warming up with walking, jogging, lunging, grapevining. Moving forward, backwards, side to side. Head to the floor and play with crawling, rolling, and sliding in many directions. Do a few big passes across your space changing directions, levels, and facings many times.

Build a quick sketch based broadly on the poem. Then, revisit it and play with softening. How can you find ease in your eyes, neck, back of the head?

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Movement Poem #47 (calming actions for today)

calming actions for today

A Movement Poem for April 30, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

arms + legs

alternating

swinging

sensing weight

 

unhurried

 

receptive

 

expansive collarbones

space between the bones

broad brushstrokes

far reaching with focus

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Hello!

Today's music suggestion is "One or the Other" by Michael Wall. It is 2nd on this playlist.

To begin today, select one word or line from the poem that is really resonating with you in this moment. (I personally selected "unhurried.") Explore a short improv for a minute or two with this line/word....

Then, choreograph a movement phrase for the poem today. Go stanza by stanza. How can choreographing be a calming act itself? What is the tempo and quality of each movement? How can both large and small motions feel calm?

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Movement Poem #46 (word pairs for a solo)

word pairs for a solo

a movement poem for April 29, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

brighten,

spark

 

ripple,

disperse

 

offer,

open

 

see,

stand

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Hello!

Today's poem is pretty simple in concept: 8 actions to try out in a particular order.

May I suggest "4 120 " by Michael Wall for music today? It is #37 on this playlist.

Today, put on the music and cycle through all 8 words. How many ways? Play with size of movement, gestures, and speed. Generating ideas while warming up -

Build a short phrase for today. Then pick a location to "perform" it. If at home, are you inside or outside? In the center of a room, or closer to a window or wall as backdrop? Play with space, proximity, natural light, and backdrops. If at a dance studio, play with placement in the room and how close you are (or far away) from your audience. Thank you!

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Movement Poem #45 (Today, So Much New Information)

 

Today, So Much New Information

A Movement Poem for April 28, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

This movement of my hand

 

What catches my eye

 

The exact distance, measurement of

the space between my feet

 

new ways + pathways to walk

jog

swivel

kick

pause

 

a new small dance

 

new transitions, connections between

 

a new dance for this very moment, now

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Hello!

Today's music suggestion is "Body Becomes the Measure Section 2" by Michael Wall. It is the 2nd track on this playlist.

Today is all about the intention and openness towards the "new." Not falling into the same patterns.

Put on today's music and cycle through the poem, going line by line. Improvise with each line for 20 seconds or so. How many different ways can you explore each verb/image? Move in place; travel the room. If dancing at home, what if you tried out each line in a different room of your home? Keep changing the space, the movement, the air.

I hope that you will choreograph a movement phrase today for the poem, making a shape or movement for each line. Thank you!

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Movement Poem #44 (Time/Timing/Tempo)

 

Time/Timing/Tempo

A Movement Poem for April 27, 2020 by Jill Randall

 

slow motion

 

fast forward

 

all the time in the world

 

not needing to keep

track of time

release, let go of,

allow for space,

opportunity,

and options

 

no watch,

clock,

countdown timer

 

just an internal sense

of today

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Hello!

Today's music selection is "Reload - The Remix 2020" by Michael Wall. It is first on this playlist and is a longer track, 16 minutes in length.

As dancers, so much of our life is set in time and bound to time - the phrasing of choreography, the dates of the shows, the time to begin and end our classes.

Today, can moving be a healing and recuperative practice, as we let go of time? What if you move as slow or fast as you want? What if you move and noodle for as long or short of an amount of time as your body wants/needs today?

Where do pauses and stillness fit in?

What if you made a short movement phrase today, loosely based on the poem, and this movement phrase is meant to feel healing and restorative? What 6-8 movements will you choose today, and what will the tempo be?

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