LOSS IN TRANSMISSION??

                                                                                 How can a blind person copy movements?

It’s an exercise about transmitting movement information.

It’s based on a dance scene created by Wim Vandekeybus for his performance “Her body doesn’t fit her soul”.

Necessities: Ideally from 2 to 6 people (more people will take very loooong time).                                                                                                    If there is public observing they will enjoy the evolution of versions of copy after copy.

Everyone works with the eyes closed.

Person A creates a model sequence based on 4 simple movements                                                                                                                   that can be repeated forever in chain or loop form.

A calls or whistles to  the first blind-copier B & allows copying the movement, as B perceives it by touching your body: trunk, arms, legs, head.

Once B has learned it goes beside the model person and both repeat the sequence together. I believe it’s important to keep executing the sequence &      be conscious whether the sequence continues evolving or not.

B calls/whistles to the next participant and we repeat the operation

till the last person learns the sequence.

Once done open the eyes and observe the differences.

Depending of the blind learning techniques the nuances of the original sequence fade more or less away, mainly intentions, small movement details on extremities, rhythm….

Some questions rising from the exercise:

---Check your blind learning technique: How do you place yourself/stand around the copy model?  How do you copy without interrupting the interpretation of the leader’s movement?

--- The choice of a sequence staying on the spot or travelling in the room it will greatly influence the learning technique (remember we work blindly)

---Do you prefer to work towards the “digital” info extraction??

--- “Guessing” is also an useful instrument: Does the movement content Intentionality? How much input do we want to insert to capture the intentions contained in the model movement?

--- How much do you trust your memory when you capture without your sight?

---Is it copying a creative method?

Modify the meaning of the exercise  by rising different questionings.