Can you describe a little about your background, training, interests, and how you became involved in improvisation and Shamanism?
I was interested in Psychology and psychic phenomenon from an early age. I was determined to understand life and held a firm belief that there had to be more to life than we just live and die. Thus, my life long spiritual journey.
I graduated from C.W. Post, NY with a Masters in Special Education and had every intention of getting a Ph D. in Psychology until I came across CIIS (California Institute of Integral Studies) San Francisco and entered the Intercultural Philosophy and Religion Doctoral Program in 1980. This was the first graduate school to become accredited in our country with the mission of integrating eastern and western thought. This is where I was introduced to Shamanism.
At the time Michael Harner, founder of The Center of Shamanic Studies, was an adjunct professor teaching about Shamanism at CIIS. His particular studies were the aborigines in Australia.
My deer friend at the time , Sandy Ingerman, was participating in his classes and program but I couldn't participate as there was a schedule conflict with the program I was signed up for. So Sandy would share with me (known by a nickname Presti at the time) everything she was being taught. We were drumming together, journeying with the drum and on and on. Via this intimate exchange I became very knowledgeable about shamanism. Eventually I was gifted my first drum and embellished the journey and further independent education from there.
I had already gained quite an eclectic background of dance by now. I had experienced a taste of modern, jazz, ballet and the awesome involvement with Wallflower Order Dance Collective later to evolve into Dance Brigade. There I started a lengthy commitment to Amazon Kung Fu (Kajukenbo) that was integrated into choreographed dance productions. In the midst of this experience I was introduced to improvisational movement theatre. This is what really jazzed my world because it was free form and more of me could be expressed.
I was also involved with several other dance troupes at the time, some with political focus, spiritual orientation and healing intention. I tried them all. Simultaneously I was introduced to Dance Therapy. I reaped so much knowledge and experience from each of these disciplines. As I went on to teach workshops and develop my own body of work some of the more poignant parts of these experiences began to surface in my own language through my own teachings. It wasn't until maybe the late 1990's that a student said to me you should be calling your dance Shamanic Dance. I took the suggestion to heart, meditated upon it and thus "Shamanic Improvisation" was be-earthed.
How do you incorporate techniques of Shamanism into the dance?
The basic technique of Shamanism that I integrate into dance is access to the multidimensional realms where our soul and guides speak.
This begins by first creating a safe and supportive environment to take risks then beginning with exercises to warm up the body, voice and heart. Guided exercises in breath awareness and visualization are offered and then followed by isolated body part and vocal warm-up.
During this I am intuiting or recognizing the body language of the participants and begin to take my cues from what is given. The exercises are then adjusted from my intuitive read of the individual and the group. Although I have a score prepared for the session I teach improvisationally, always going with the flow.
Slowly we evolve from these exercises to what I call "solo" development. This is when the strengthening and development of solo integrity and inner reflection is in-couraged. Once the solo is strong in integrity of self we move into "duo" or "other" in which now we recognize others in the shared space and time scenario. This unfolds into group, community and world embrace.
At some point within this evolution I experience what I call a "drop". This is similar to a shamanic drumming meditation when we are journeying to meet our guides. There is an experience of when the group is beginning to venture "between the worlds". There is an experience that the "ordinary" reality is no longer the impulse for movement and voice but something primal and otherworldly. When I experience this moment is when I can begin to offer the prompts for deepening our connection to the other realms.
What distinguishes Shamanic Improvisation from other forms such as Contact Improvisation, 5 Rhythms dance, Authentic Movement, etc.?
Although the basic parameters of the above mentioned forms of dance are similar as in a more free form and explorative dance it is the intention that most distinguishes Shamanic Improvisation from other.
Shamanic Improvisation has a focus of "Going Between The Worlds" and accessing the multidimensional realities and then allowing those impulses to enthuse the body and voice. Improvisational tools and vocabulary are offered to guide the journey. The basic vocabulary of contact dance is included in this approach. I consider contact dance to be a tool of creating and experiencing intimacy with the group consent of honoring one's personal boundaries and agreements. Contact offers a heightening of sensitivity and energetic communication. It contributes considerably to the development of experiencing subtle realities from within and without the physical body.
In 5 Rhythms Dance and Authentic Movement it is allowable to have eyes closed. I in-courage eyes wide open. On occasion within a guided visualization eyes may relax to a half focus. Ultimately after we recognize and cultivate that all impulses are coming from within the next step is to bridge to the outer reality, the ordinary reality or our daily surrounding relationship. Thus it is important to strengthen the inner focus while all along reconciling our balance with eyes that see from without. Otherwise the experience can become trance-like. In my experience of trance dancing which does have its own particular value it does tend to release the use of illumined mind to navigate deliberately with a conscious focus. I am inviting conscious focus and deliberate self awareness as I recognize the importance of this in our multidimensional growth and experience.
I look at our dance as a metaphor for all life events and relation-shipping. I seek the awareness in dance that we wish to have in our relationships. This includes such things as; self awareness and awareness of other, ability to communicate and resonate together, conscious evolutionary experiences, eyes wide open, especially when dialoguing, and multi-faceted growth.
However, Dance-Movement Therapy (D-MT) has influenced this body of work so I recognize that as we drop more deeply into the self many layers are revealed. It is not uncommon to experience impulses that are purely emotional prompts. At this level we may address some of the common occurrences one would encounter when practicing a spiritual discipline.
This would be recognition of the ego dancing different from the soul impulses or divine self revealing through the body and emotions. Thus the facilitation is to honor what is happening in the Now and in-courage going deeper. I sometimes refer to emotional dance as "emoting" through movement. An example of this is when we are expressing simple life obstacles such as issues of self esteem or confidence. This is where character development is helpful. It allows the character to express the real life issues and for the story-line to unfold. My experience is that once this level is given expression then we are able to move and explore at a deeper level. Again similar to a spiritual practice, once peace is experienced another aspect of self emerges and engages differently with life issues. Thus the healing aspect of the dance.