steve Paxton the inventor of contact improvisation (or “contact improv”), a form of dance characterized by two or more people moving together in almost constant and spontaneous contact. Since his initial experimentation with the form, Paxton has also investigated solo improvisations and has created set choreography.
As a founding member of the Judson Dance Theater, he performed works by Yvonne Rainer and Trisha Brown. He was a founding member of the experimental, Grand Union, and in 1972 named and began to develop the dance form known as Contact Improvisation, a form of dance that utilizes the physical laws of friction, momentum, gravity, and inertia to explore the relationship between dancers.
Paxton was influenced by the experimental arts and performance scene in New York in the 1960s and 1970s, and he was interested in how the body could create a physical playground. Contact Improvisation developed out of an exploration of the human body and under the supervision of Paxton. Its roots trace back to 1972. Contact Improvisation, usually done in duets, pulls elements from martial arts, social dance, sports, and child’s play.[1] Upon entering a Contact Improv structure, two bodies must come together to create a point of contact (i.e., back to wrist, shoulder to thigh, head to foot, back to back, the options are endless), give weight equally to each other, and then create a movement dialog that can last for an undetermined amount of time, as long as both participants are fully engaged
Paxton believed that even an untrained dancer could contribute to his experimental dance form. From his work with Merce Cunningham and José Limón, and later his contribution to the formation of theJudson Dance Theater and Grand Union, Paxton was fascinated with the exploration of the human body. His approach to a movement vocabulary included the pedestrian world around him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Paxton
Steve Paxton came up with contact improvisation. This is where two or a group of people move together by using contact in some sort of way. e.g rolling over one another, or lifting one another. He was the founder of the judson dance theatre.
ReplyDeleteAnd worked with the dancers Yvonne rainer and trisha brown. Contact improvisation plays on relationships, and especially gravity.
contact improvisation has influences from martial arts and social dancing. He found contact improvisation by exploring the human body, and it roots back from 1972.
contact improvisation can last any amount of time aslong as the people are touching in some way, e.g shoulder to back. They must be fully engaged always. Paxton says that anyone can do this, and you dont have to be trained up. He was very interested in the human body and his contact improvisation/movement includes the pedestrian scene. (pedestrian movement - everyday actions)