"I was thinking about how one learns to improvise. It can't be 'learned' in a class. It's more an immersion into an explorative way of thinking, a certain relationship to life, and an interest kindled through an immersion in all these experiences. Then it starts to take hold of us, then our own particular exploration and expression starts to emerge. How brilliant is that! So as a teacher you are both supporting this process and carefully watching each student and listening intently to what kind of voice begins to emerge. We have to be heard. This is SUCH an important part of learning and why we need a teacher. What starts to emerge is not just a dance/music voice, but one that speaks about that individuals maturation, their desire to take responsibility for the work themselves, for their own lives and for life itself. After all, this form is a life process (at least it always has been for me). This is why it is an ongoing joy to be part of the evolution of this work through everyone that gets involved with it.
You will see through your increased involvement with this form that for some people it doesn't go this far. It can be just a 'dance form' or a ‘music form'. For me, this not as interesting, as it is then about controlling something that is inherently wild and free, and will ultimately be limited. Improvisation is the exploration of freedom, and if you allow it to take it's own course then it is constant surprise and discovery through oneself. We are rarely given any early training to meet life in this way, we have to develop skills of intense listening that will grow quite naturally through the honing of our own interest. It’s just like falling in love. This keeps one in a constant state of humility at the mystery of how things work.
As a teacher you hold this space of creativity and invite students into a relationship with themselves and their own learning. If you get it right, life will be doing the teaching. You will never know exactly what you are doing, and yet you will know it’s right, because it won’t be about you, “you will be it.”
Kirstie Simson, master improviser
You will see through your increased involvement with this form that for some people it doesn't go this far. It can be just a 'dance form' or a ‘music form'. For me, this not as interesting, as it is then about controlling something that is inherently wild and free, and will ultimately be limited. Improvisation is the exploration of freedom, and if you allow it to take it's own course then it is constant surprise and discovery through oneself. We are rarely given any early training to meet life in this way, we have to develop skills of intense listening that will grow quite naturally through the honing of our own interest. It’s just like falling in love. This keeps one in a constant state of humility at the mystery of how things work.
As a teacher you hold this space of creativity and invite students into a relationship with themselves and their own learning. If you get it right, life will be doing the teaching. You will never know exactly what you are doing, and yet you will know it’s right, because it won’t be about you, “you will be it.”
Kirstie Simson, master improviser
Originated by dancemaker Nina Martin, Ensemble Thinking is a group improvisation training system consisting of rigorously structured movement scores focusing on a group’s use of time and space. These scores provide limitations, which are the foundation for comprehensive group connectivity. As a group discovers cohesion during the practice of a score, the limitations are incrementally removed, leading the group into an open improvisation that is supported by the established deep connectivity. As a result of this method of working, individuals trained in Ensemble Thinking are able to create dynamic and cohesive group actions – which can be applied to improvisational dance performance or other situations.
Ensemble Thinking is an invaluable resource for those exploring group cohesion as it facilitates a language wherein creative choices made by the individual can be understood and acted upon by the group. This focus on valuing the choices of the individual while still valuing the composition of the group has profound ramifications for the artist/activist – the individual is given autonomy as a necessary component of group cohesion, rather than insisting the individual solely “serve” the group. In this way, Ensemble Thinking is an effective foundation for ensemble building as it distributes power horizontally, engendering cooperative leadership and responsible action without a hierarchical structure. As a result of Ensemble Thinking’s non-traditional power structure, this system teaches us about how individuals can engender cooperation in dance/performance genres and the world at large. It also challenges the “tragedy of the commons” theory by demonstrating that collective ownership and shared responsibility can lead to increased care instead of neglect.
Ensemble Thinking is an invaluable resource for those exploring group cohesion as it facilitates a language wherein creative choices made by the individual can be understood and acted upon by the group. This focus on valuing the choices of the individual while still valuing the composition of the group has profound ramifications for the artist/activist – the individual is given autonomy as a necessary component of group cohesion, rather than insisting the individual solely “serve” the group. In this way, Ensemble Thinking is an effective foundation for ensemble building as it distributes power horizontally, engendering cooperative leadership and responsible action without a hierarchical structure. As a result of Ensemble Thinking’s non-traditional power structure, this system teaches us about how individuals can engender cooperation in dance/performance genres and the world at large. It also challenges the “tragedy of the commons” theory by demonstrating that collective ownership and shared responsibility can lead to increased care instead of neglect.
Collaborative Improvisation
in2improv developed out of COLAB, a class at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that explores improvisation and ensemble composition between dancers, engineers and musicians. This exploration opened a door for us to start questioning issues of performance, presence, relationality, creativity, the significance of touch and impromptu composition.
We made the choice to immerse in improvisation and found out quickly that it was not about the number of hours a week that we practiced it. It became a continuous state of awareness and readiness to take and play with whatever life offers; a way of constantly becoming in the world that we could no longer separate from the rest of our lives. It was something that we found at the core of our beings and transformed – as it does now – everything we do.
When we improvise in a group, our entire being is present to contribute and build with what is given by the other members of the ensemble. This can result in countless outcomes, but the process of negotiation – how we listen and respond – between performers has fueled our research and teaching in this form. As we discovered the capacity of a group of people to make decisions as a group and not as individuals, we began to see ensemble improvisation through the lens of community building.
We made the choice to immerse in improvisation and found out quickly that it was not about the number of hours a week that we practiced it. It became a continuous state of awareness and readiness to take and play with whatever life offers; a way of constantly becoming in the world that we could no longer separate from the rest of our lives. It was something that we found at the core of our beings and transformed – as it does now – everything we do.
When we improvise in a group, our entire being is present to contribute and build with what is given by the other members of the ensemble. This can result in countless outcomes, but the process of negotiation – how we listen and respond – between performers has fueled our research and teaching in this form. As we discovered the capacity of a group of people to make decisions as a group and not as individuals, we began to see ensemble improvisation through the lens of community building.
Social TherapeuticsWe continuously train with the East Side Institute for Group and Short Term Psychotherapy on their revolutionary and humanistic approaches to therapy, education and community building. In addition to being involved in their online classes, workshops and forums, in June 2013 we completed the International Class - a Social Therapeutics study and training program. The Institute defines Social Therapy as "a philosophically informed, practically oriented method in which human beings are related to as creators of their culture and ensemble performers of their lives." This methodology has completely revolutionized our practice and has given us the tools to further frame our work for social change. Through the Institute, we have also studied closely with their associates at the All Stars Project, Performance of a Lifetime, the Social Therapy Group and Independent Voting.
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