Surface / Noa Iluz (2021)

This study explores and investigates the pathways between tension and release in the body and mind as choreographic tools.

All humans experience tension in their lives. Some people may be aware of it daily, whilst for others this might be occasional or linked to specific events. The research was built in three layers that became tools for developing the choreography: First layer is exploring the meaning of tension and release in the body and the mind, the Second layer is understanding the timeline of Before, During and After tension occurs. The Third layer included researching the levels of absence and awareness in the body and the mind, working with the dancers in the studio, and building tools for choreography.

Five choreographic tools were studied to trace the interplay between tension and release. The 6-dimensional Chart with Body Figure was the starting point for further developing the Dancers Self-exploring Creativity, Paint, Text, and the Body Mind Dialogue. The reflections of the live event rehearsals and performance manifested the dancers’ limits of body-mind high tension.

Building on research of the last two decades, neuroscience proved without a doubt that the body cannot be excluded from thoughts and feelings as all are one. My research counters body-mind split and dualism; physical tension can cause or be caused by mental tension and vice versa. Mind and body are inseparable. This research is focused on the physical expressions/manifestations of tension and the mental/emotional aspects of tension. This was done so to understand these expressions and to investigate similarities versus differences among the dancers.

Mental and physical manifestations of tension are interconnected and whenever there is a reference to mental tension there is always a set of physical symptoms while physical tension can generate mental tension, unease or discomfort. The result in the final choreography brought together as a whole – body and mind.