body melts, a somatic approach to the body on and with ice. Questioning the existing practice & expectations of Figure Skating
Author: Maja Luther
Course: MA Creative Practice
Year: 2020
In this thesis I investigate a somatic approach to ice in several contexts. First and foremost, I examine Figure Skating training and why a somatic movement approach could be beneficial for the development of competitive athletes or recreational skaters, and specifically how the approach may diversify movement forms and artistic outcomes on ice. An international survey was taken to understand current coaching practice and the integration of somatic practices into Figure Skating training. Secondly, I interrogate if a somatic encounter with ice can stimulate agency for climate action. Furthermore, I will reflect in this thesis on the process and live sharing of body melts, which premiered on October 27th, 2020, as an immersive ice installation combining my studio-based and on-ice processes for the first time. The resulting interactive space allowed those two investigative environments to inform one another, with movement responses to ice as well as on ice, with and without skates. A multimodal approach was used to investigate the above-mentioned research topics.
This thesis argues that knowledge and research of somatic techniques integrated into contemporary dance training are transferrable to Figure Skating training and bring a variety of positive developmental effects. The process and presentation of body melts as outlined in this document – underpinned by questions, images, and mind-maps – also suggest that there is potential for Figure Skating as an artform to be recontextualized; and for audience expectations of it to be challenged. More broadly, this thesis also concludes that a somatic and sensory experience with ice did allow project participants and audience members an opportunity to connect to and grasp the issue of climate change in new ways. This conclusion could have implications for further art-as-advocacy work.
A short video of the installation body melts can be found under the following link: https://youtu.be/wn2VqJdXWP8
| dc.contributor.author | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-11-25 03:54 |
| dc.date.copyright | 2020 |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://researchonline.trinitylaban.ac.uk/oa/thesis/?p=1839 |
| dc.description.abstract | In this thesis I investigate a somatic approach to ice in several contexts. First and foremost, I examine Figure Skating training and why a somatic movement approach could be beneficial for the development of competitive athletes or recreational skaters, and specifically how the approach may diversify movement forms and artistic outcomes on ice. An international survey was taken to understand current coaching practice and the integration of somatic practices into Figure Skating training. Secondly, I interrogate if a somatic encounter with ice can stimulate agency for climate action. Furthermore, I will reflect in this thesis on the process and live sharing of body melts, which premiered on October 27th, 2020, as an immersive ice installation combining my studio-based and on-ice processes for the first time. The resulting interactive space allowed those two investigative environments to inform one another, with movement responses to ice as well as on ice, with and without skates. A multimodal approach was used to investigate the above-mentioned research topics. This thesis argues that knowledge and research of somatic techniques integrated into contemporary dance training are transferrable to Figure Skating training and bring a variety of positive developmental effects. The process and presentation of body melts as outlined in this document – underpinned by questions, images, and mind-maps – also suggest that there is potential for Figure Skating as an artform to be recontextualized; and for audience expectations of it to be challenged. More broadly, this thesis also concludes that a somatic and sensory experience with ice did allow project participants and audience members an opportunity to connect to and grasp the issue of climate change in new ways. This conclusion could have implications for further art-as-advocacy work. A short video of the installation body melts can be found under the following link: https://youtu.be/wn2VqJdXWP8 |
| dc.language.iso | EN |
| dc.title | body melts, a somatic approach to the body on and with ice. Questioning the existing practice & expectations of Figure Skating |
| thesis.degree.name | MA Creative Practice |
| dc.date.updated | 2021-11-25 03:54 |