JAVIER, Cziarlene Jhoy B.

MLS 1-4
#22

MIDTERM: ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following:

1. What is the importance of breathing techniques in contemporary dance? Enumerate at least five.

- The importance of breathing techniques in contemporary dance makes your stamina last
longer which is an essential in dancing. Holding our breaths as we perform makes us dance lifelessly.
Breathing is a part of our movement and we should to learn how to embrace it because fighting the
natural rhythm of our breathe disrupts our natural movement. Our breath informs and supports our all
of our movement and being aware oh how we breathe gives an organic shape to our movement. It
connects us to our bodies and our viewers.

2. What is contraction?

- Contraction refers to the action of the body at the moment of exhalation and it also refers to
the forward curving of the spine, staring from the pelvic bone.

3. Explain in 6 to 8 sentences how contraction and release are being performed.

- This is was first introduced by Martha Graham, which why it is also called as the Graham
Technique. Contraction is a type of movement that is originally starts in the pelvic muscles. These
muscles along with the abdominal muscles pulls the spine to create a concave arc starting from the
coccyx to the nape. In contraction, the spine grows longer, not shorter. Release on the other hand is
considered to be a return to the normal state of the body. It is also considered if there is an equally
active outward propulsion of energy. Contraction is associated with exhale while release with inhale,
though the connection is only conceptual.