Kelli Briggs 1

DANCE 343
Nov. 28, 2016
Monson
Need A Hand?

Its the first Saturday morning in the month. The pantry is empty, the fridge is barren, and

the grocery budget is practically whispering, spend me!. I know its long overdue. So, I drive

to the store, navigate a bustling parking lot, and walk toward the vast entrance flanked with

massive cement pillars and bright red lettering Costco Wholesale welcomes me. I notice

happy shoppers pushing gargantuan carts, full to the brim with a vast array of household needs,

headed back to their cars. I grab my own cart, show my Costco membership card to the man at

the front door, and enter the shopping warehouse of dreams. I gather various grocery items as I

contentedly meander through the store (sampling the newest microwave wonder around every

aisle): several large cartons of berries, a massive netted bag of clementines, a three-pack box of

almond milk, a three-pound container of 2% cottage cheese, a package of five dozen eggs, and

various frozen and dry goods. I check out and pay at the register, collecting a few larger

cardboard boxes to transport several of my bulk items at a time. I proudly push the haul of goods

back to my vehicleit is a heavy load, but fortunately its a short journey from the cart to the

back of my car.

I drive home, ready to fill my pantry and I am satisfied, excited, eventhat isuntil I

park at my apartment complex. Dread starts to settle in as I imagine the journey: several

laborious trips across the parking lot, through the courtyard, and up four flights of stairs to get to

our apartment. Maybe Ill just leave it all in the car until my husband gets home, I fancifully

imagine but no, the milk will go sour, and the frozen goods will thaw. My eyebrows furrow as

I awkwardly crawl into the back of the car to select and situate my first load. Ill take as much

weight as I can handle, so I can make this trip the least amount of times possible, I rationalize.

The first cardboard box is teetering way too high, and quite asymmetrically. My fingers and
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shoulders are already cramping before I have traversed the parking lot, and the courtyard

sidewalk ahead looks way too long. By the time I reach the stairs, my spine is contorted, my rib

cage is shifted to the right to prevent the cottage cheese from toppling and smashing all over my

neighbors doorstep. On the very last flight of stairs, as I hurriedly scale the final steps and turn

the corner to my apartment, I bang my shin on the railing, and several less than pleasant words

escape my muttering lips. Several deep breaths later, I collapse on the couch and wonder, do I

really need to get the rest of the groceries?

Effectively lifting heavy objects has always been a struggle for me, whether in day-to-

day tasks, such as grocery transportation, or in dance partnering, which I also deal with on a

regular basis due to my field of study. In contemporary dance, lifting, regardless of ones size,

has become an essential element in the artistic subcategories of improvisation, composition,

technique and performance. The technique required for such challenging weight bearing is

important to aid artistic intent, to sustain energy, and to prevent injuries. Several reflections and

experiences related to lifting, much like the Costco scenario above, have caused me to ask the

following questions as a prompt for this research essay: What can I do to make carrying heavy

loads more efficient, and less arduous? How can I access proper alignment as I lift substantial

materials? How can I arrange my load and manage its weight? After thorough observation, study,

and deliberation, I have come to believe that the proper application of Bartenieffs patterns of

total body connectivity can help to make liftingboth in heavy grocery carrying and in dance

partneringmore easy, safe, and effective.

As I initiated this study on the effective use of the patterns of total body connectivity

(PTBCs), as explained by Peggy Hackney in Making Connections: Total Body Integration

Through Bartenieff Fundamentals, I decided to observe several individuals carrying loads of

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groceries from the car into the kitchen. The two individuals I will compare are my husband,

Dylan, and my 11-year-old sister, Kami, as they were the most drastically different. When I

observed Dylan, he carried a large cardboard case with a high, heavy stack of groceries. He

managed the weight very well and seemed generally efficient in his movement patterns. His

stack of groceries was mostly symmetrical, so it was easy for him manage the weight without

disrupting his head-tail connection. Additionally, his upper distal edges, like his shoulders,

elbows and hands stayed very close to his core for increased stability and control. He had a

steady use of breath throughout the trip from the car to the kitchen. Twice during Dylans trip,

when he had to adjust the load and when he had to open the front door to our apartment, his

shoulders and scapula became momentarily elevated. As Hackney notes, When the scapula is

not effectively anchored the upper group of shoulder muscles are then used unnecessarily and

tend to tighten (170). I noticed that the moment this tension was present, his strong upper body

kinetic chain (grocery weighthand, elbow, shoulder, scapula, core) was temporarily broken.

Similarly, Kami (who carried a large carton of 5 dozen eggs, with two more large food

packages stacked on top) had the same shoulder/scapula elevation as she carried her high and

heavy load, but she maintained this deviation the entire time she carried her load. At times, she

even had a notable anterior tipping of the scapulaas if to cradle the grocery load with her

shoulders to keep it from falling. Her upper body kinetic chain was entirely disconnected, and

there was a lot of tension in the upper back, neck, and arms. The grocery load was almost level

with the top of her head, and was asymmetrically stacked, so Kami had to turn her head to the

side to balance it. In addition to an awkward tilt of the head, her pelvis came into a slight

posterior tilt to support the weight and balance of the load with her dominant lower body strength

in the legs and in the pelvis. The strained positions of the head and pelvis caused a break in the
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head-tail connection and disrupted the normal flow of her cross-lateral walking. Most of her

steps were small, and some were a bit more of a shuffle. Her breath was regular, but quite

shallow as she completed the task. Although there were many deviations and tensions present in

Kamis approach, she did have a strong sense of core-distal in the way she hugged the weight

into her body and kept her elbows very close to her rib cage, like Dylan did, for more stability

and control.

Although Dylans approach to carrying a heavy load was far more efficient than Kamis

in the realm of breath, head-tail connection, and cross lateral movement, they both could have

benefitted from utilizing the upper body kinetic chain, as explained by Peggy Hackney, with

more consistencyfeeling the weight and pressure of the load in the palms, connecting the

energy through the elbows, remaining aligned and close to the body, sending grounded energy

from the shoulders and the scapula down into the deep muscles of the coreacting as a root or

an anchor of sorts for the limbs (164). Kami could have utilized more full breath to support the

work of her body as she carried her load. Additionally, if she could find a way to maintain better

core alignment, specifically in the realm of head-tail, I believe she would find more ease in both

locomotion and weight bearing.

After assessing various movement patterns in grocery carrying, I was eager to observe

how these findings related the world of dance. Soon after, I had the wonderful opportunity to

observe lifting in two contrasting genres, and at two vastly different phases in the choreographic

process; both were equally informative and valuable. First, I observed a rehearsal for

Contemporary Dance Theatrethe dancers were just beginning the creative process when I

came. They were split into groups of 3-4 dancers, and were creating movement sections with

ample amounts of group weight bearing and partnering. Second, I observed a rehearsal for
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Theatre Ballet, where the lead couple in La Sylphide was rehearsing a highly polished section of

their pas de duex, with many refined lifts and spectacular weight bearing moments. What I found

after viewing these functional elements from a dance standpoint, was that many of the same

PTBC observations I made about groceries were relevant in this arena too.

As I watched Contemporary Dance Theatre craft the beginnings of their piece, I took

interest in a group with 3 dancers: Kent, Tessa, and Jose. They made some fascinating choices

with weight sharing, and it was wonderful to watch them discover what uses of body alignment

were successful, and which ones were awkward and non-functional. During one moment, Tessa

and Kent were facing forward, standing shoulder to shoulder, and Jose was hanging upside down

(face to the audience), with his knees hooked on Tessa and Kents shoulders. In the next moment,

Jose reached out for one of Tessas hands, and one of Kents hands, and performed a type of sit-

up mid-air, with his legs still hooked on their shoulders. Tessa and Kent bore his weight and

travelled down stage in this peculiar position. The first time they attempted this, Tessa held her

breath, leaned way back, elevated her shoulders, disconnected her upper body energy line, and

moved into a posterior pelvic tilt to try to hoist Jose up. She staggered a bit and the air moment

for Jose ended abruptly. This process repeated several times, until she learned, kinesthetically,

that correct breathing and alignment are crucial in producing the necessary timing and

coordination [in partnering], as is mentioned in Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance

(Franklin 191). Tessa slowly began to tune into her upper kinetic chain and head-tail connection,

and proper alignment and breath soon followed. Although there were still several kinks to work

out in their lifting sections, I was able to witness firsthand a transformation from ineffective to

effective use of the PTBCs.

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Another moment in the CDT rehearsal that caught my attention and was directly related

to my grocery observations was in a fast-pace triplet combination that the whole company used

to warm up and prepare for their choreography. It was clear that the choreography and the pace

of the triplet combination were challenging for several of the dancers. Two or three of the

company members seemed to hold a lot of stress and tension in the neck and upper back

similar to what I observed when Kami and Dylan were carrying their groceries from the car to

the kitchen. I came to a very strong realization when focusing on this excess of tension, that any

amount of tension in the neck can, and usually does, prevent true head-tail motion. Lack of head-

tail cuts off the power and impact of the movement. The lines of energy in the body look broken

and the efficiency is null. I also noticed that elevated shoulders seem to be connected to a lack of

breath, or a much shallower use of the breath, which is exactly what I saw in Kami as she carried

her groceries. I think if the dancers were to begin with improving the quality of their breath, in

this scenario, that the body would be allowed to relax. It would settle into a natural and efficient

position for functional alignment. As Eric Franklin so artfully dictates in Dynamic Alignment

Through Imagery, the breath is a great teacher, leading you to new experiences and telling much

about your current physical and psychological state. Any improvement in your alignment and

movement patterns will improve your breathing patterns, and vice versa...A small improvement

in your breathing organization brings much improvement to your movement energy, and life

(373).

Watching Theatre Ballets rehearsal through the lens of the PTBCs was also equally

enlightening. It gave me some fantastic perspective that also related to grocery carrying

observations, but in a new way. As I watched the rehearsal, I chose to zone in on a selection from

La Sylphides pas de duex. It was, in my view, very well-rehearsed and immediately prepared to
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be put on stage. Fortunately for me, the rehearsal I attended was student run and slightly less

formal than the average Theatre Ballet rehearsal, so I was able to take Cameron and Morgan off

to the side of the studio and watch them perform the pas de duex section four times in a row.

Because they so willingly did this for me, I could deeply analyze the transitions, alignments, and

efficiency in the movement. I was also able to discuss with them what they felt as they

performed the movement and what made it so successful for them.

The most striking through-line that I came away with after viewing their selection of

choreography was the immeasurable impact of properly used core-distal patterning. Every

travelling lift, every overhead press, every assisted sot was powered by Camerons rock solid

core. There was a continuous flow of energy in to his body and out of his body as she would rise

and descendalmost as if the air surrounding the couple was water. Camerons use of pli in

every entrance and exit to a lift also seemed connected to his use of core distal; this facilitated a

seamless transition each time the couple reconnected. I also assessed from watching the couple at

great length, that proper use of breath and proper use of core-distal are very intimately related.

The complement one another; they embellish and beautify one another. With my cumulative

observations regarding core-distal connection between Dylan, Kami, Morgan, and Cameron, I

would go so far as to say that proper core to distal body patterning can be the lifeline of lifting.

Had Kami not held the load close to her body as she carried it, surely her functionality and

strength would have failed her, and the floor would be covered in broken eggs. As a general

piece of advice for any dancer who is struggling with lifting efficiency, in many cases, I would

first counsel them to remember the power of core-distal connectivity.

After discussing the physical sensations and mental images that Morgan and Cameron

embodied while dancing, I was brought to both new and old ideas. Cameron discussed the tried
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and true principles of grounding the inferior tips of the scapula, utilizing the upper kinetic chain,

and keeping the arms in close relation to the core, and breathing. Although Cameron was very

muscularly built, he emphasized, as does Hackney that muscle sequencing is more important

than muscles strength in producing coordinated movement (42). Speaking to Morgan, however,

was interesting, because at first it was hard for me to relate the role of a living, breathing human

to an inactive pile of groceries. Certainly, Morgan had an active role in the lifts, but how much

could a pile of groceries do on its own? How could her comments relate to my day-to-day

example? After a little reflection, I found the answer. Morgan talked about how she had a

constant sense of her centerline, core control, and balance in all movements. I connected this

strongly to body half patterning that we discussed thoroughly in class and soon came to realize

that although groceries cannot connect to their sense of body half, we can strategically align our

load in the most symmetrical way possible, so that its center of gravity works easily in tandem

with our own.

It has been both enlightening and informative to observe average humans participating in

menial daily tasks, and to assess dancers as they work to refine their craft. As I sit back and

reflect on all that I have gained from this research process, I return to the personal value that this

topic has for me, as a dancer and a person. Understanding functional alignment to the greatest

degree possible when lifting heavy loads is immediately applicable to me as much of ballet

dance, contemporary dance, and other common dance forms, is intimately connected to

partnering and lifting. Being a petite person, I have often felt weak, inadequate, or incapable

of certain tasks, both artistic and functional, due to what I thought was my lack of strength. It

truly inhibited me in ways far below the surface. I now know that although I am not often the
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strongest person in the room, there are so many tools that can help me to enhance my art, my

expression, and my functionality in day-to-day life.

Additionally, as a current and future teacher, my ability to analyze, assess, and offer

feedback for functional alignment concerns is a skill that I will use on a daily basis. When it

comes to lifting heavy objects and people, I am certain that I am not the only person who has or

who will experience difficulty, and I am eager to educate others and guide them to maximizing

their potential. I reiterate the strong conviction that viewing movement through the lens of

Bartenieffs Patterns of Total Body Connectivity can help movers to get the very most out of

their miraculous human bodies; the proper use of these patterns transforms movement to become

more easeful, safer, and much more effective.

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References

Franklin, Eric N. Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance. Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics, 1996.

Franklin, Eric N. Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery. Champaign, IL: Human Kinnetics,

1996.

Hackney, Peggy. Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals.
New York: Routledge, 2003.

Simmel, Liane. Dance Medicine in Practice: Anatomny, Injury Prevention, Training. London:
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2014.