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- FULL NAME: Robin Berkelmans

- EMAIL ADRESS: info@robinberkelmans.nl

- PHONE NUMBER: +31-6-21414499

- KEY TEACHER (YES/NO. if yes, which partner organization?): Yes, Amsterdam

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- TITLE OF THE ACTIVITY:

- TITLE OF THE ACTIVITY:

Experiential lecture on the latest myo-fascial research and the ancient art of Chi Kung

- DETAILED CONTENT DESCRIPTION (300 words or more):

Introduction

In this lecture, I want to present my on-going personal research, which blends Western and Eastern bodywork, as an approach to increase somatic awareness and creativity of performers in general and dancers in particular. Somatic research is highly useful for performers to understand and develop bodily awareness; however, its focus does not go beyond the level of corporeality. The energetic structure of the body as practiced in Eastern bodywork - Chi Kung - can be seen as another layer of the body. Expanding somatic knowledge with the notion of chi energy, it’s characteristics and possibilities, can lead to a more profound understanding of bodily awareness, presence in performance, enhancing mobility and the creative process. In this lecture, I aim demystify and to demonstrate how this work can help to enhance these fundamental elements for performers by explaining its theoretical foundations and, then, invite the participants to experience the issues discussed by means of easy-to-do exercises. Doing so, I will also give an insight in how the teachings of the principles of Chi Kung usually are done.

Content of lecture:

I will focus on two specific somatic theories, myo-fascial meridians by Thomas Meyers and modern meridian theory by Paul Grilley - which I will complement with the work of Chi Kung. In other words, the lecture builds on existing somatic research on fascia and meridians and extends them with a particular approach on chi energy. Aiming to bridge the gap between eastern and western body work, I will illustrate the theoretical background via recognizable daily situations and practical exercises based on Chi Kung that can be experienced by the people present. My goal is to make the practical techniques of Chi Kung clear, to put them in the light of a dancer’s somatic training and to give insight into how they can be applied on stage. The exercises are part of a standing Chi Kung series, which are part of the curriculum of the school of Tai Chi & Chi Kung, which I represent in the Netherlands.

Myo-fascial meridians

Myo-fascial research constitutes an important element of somatic research in the last two decennia. One of its most popular theories of the moment is ‘myo-fascial meridians’ by Thomas Myers (Anatomy Trains, 2001). Myo-fascial meridians (also known as anatomy trains, connective tissue planes, fascial planes, or myo-fascial trains) are lines of bones and connective tissue that run throughout the body, organize the structural forces required for motion, and link all parts of the body. They can be described as lines of tensegrity (tensional integrity) in the connective tissues of the body (Wikipedia, 2012). This work offers a new and deeper insight to research on the body and its fascia, and offers valuable information to improve body mechanics and bodywork.

Nevertheless, these meridians are different than the energetic meridian lines as used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), among others. Therefore, the focus remains limited within a corporeal level. 

Modern Meridian Theory and Fascia

Paul Grilley’s ‘modern meridian theory’ goes one step further than Meyers in the sense that it comes closer to acknowledge the value of chi in somatic research. Grilley is one of the leading figures in Yin Yoga, a Taoist yoga approach which focuses on stretching the fascia and the joints, and extensively researched fascia and meridians in yoga. He worked with Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama, a scholar and priest, who specializes in mind/body connection and the energy system which travels through the connective tissue of the body.

According to the modern meridian theory, meridians are waterrich lines inside the connective tissue of the body. These lines are created by hyaluronic acid - this is a major component of connective tissue, found in the skin, cartilage, joints, and eyes –, which binds water and ions very well, and apparently, along certain spiraling lines. We know water is a very good electrical conductor; these ‘waterlines’ resemble insulating tubes within which free aqueous ions provide highly conductive pathways. And these pathways would be the meridians of the body, as used in for example acupuncture or chi kung.

In his book Yin Yoga, Grilley stresses that ‘if Dr. Motoyama’s insight and subsequent research are correct, then what Western science has traditionally considered merely inert connective tissue may in fact be vital meridian tissue which conducts life giving energy to all the cells and organs of the body (pag.1).’

In my practice, I make explicit what remains implicit in Grilley by expanding his work with the practice of Chi Kung.

Chi Kung

I have been doing Chi Kung (and Tai Chi Chuan) throughout my entire dance career and so the overlap between the two practices is quite apparent for me. The ancient art of Chi Kung has been around for thousands of years. It can be said that it is the energy-based somatic work of the Far East. Chi Kung deals with a profound physical alignment which increases mobility dramatically, a mind/body fusing and, for this context the most important, chi energy and meridians. Chi Kung actually means ‘chi refining / mastering / working’. Obviously it is not the only bodywork that deals with chi; it takes on different names and forms in different cultures, yoga being one of the most well-known. What makes Chi Kung special for this context (i.e., performers, dancers) is that Chi Kung aims for an embodied mobility and tensegritic body understanding. Its strong focus on stretching and stressing the joints and fascia enables the hyaluronic acid to increase and so, the chi flow to be cultivated, harmonized and enriched. The advanced practitioner aims for a mind/body blending and cultivates a clear awareness, will and intention in which the different physical tissues are experienced as suffused with chi. That cultivated awareness, will and intention is used to harness and later project the chi through the body into space, and can also be used to negotiate the choreographical elements which are requested of him/her in the performance. I will be giving the audience some chi kung exercises in which they will be able to feel the chi quite easily, and learn to understand what it is to direct it through the body and into space.

The above mentioned doesn’t embrace the total realm of Chi Kung, its means or its aims, but my view can enable us to see why this work can be interesting for performers. For years now, I have been developing insight in how to translate my training in the internal martial arts of China into my work as a dancer and physical performer. Slowly,  a method arises which blends this material into my dance, movement and performance teachings. As mentioned in the introduction, the understanding, experiencing and harnessing of the energetic layer of the body will give the performer, when s/he is able to combine it with his/her somatic awareness, a more profound presence, physical control and will be able to enrich and enliven his/her creative process.

- SUMMARY OF CONTENT DESCRIPTION                                                                                                                            

Robin Berkelmans will present his on-going research - a combination of Western somatics and Eastern bodywork. He will focus on two specific forms of somatic theory (myo-fascial meridians, modern meridian theory) and, by demystification, blend them with the art of Chi Kung. He aims to show why this work is valuable for a dancer. The participants will sometimes be invited to do simple and practical exercises to experience the discussed topics in their own bodies. 

- SHORT BIOGRAPHY (for publishing):

Robin Berkelmans (1976) is a dancer, physical performer, teacher and maker of dance and theatre. His fascination lies in bodily movement and in the mobility of mind and body’s meeting ground, researching why simplicity plays a part there.

Robin is a teacher of contemporary dance at the Amsterdam School of the Arts and the Fontys Danceacademy in Tilburg. The main work he teaches there is about experiential anatomy, release technique and contact improvisation. At theatreschool De Trap in Amsterdam he teaches fundamental movement for performers, physical theatre and stagefighting. Next to this, he is the Dutch representative of Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung school l'Art du Chi.

More information: www.robinberkelmans.nl

- AIMED AT WHO (AND HOW MANY PEOPLE MIN /MAX?):

People who are interested in somatic research, somatic practitioners, dancers and performers.  There’s no minimum or maximum amount of people, it can be done with 2 people or with 100.

-  TIME REQUEST                                                                                                                                     

One and a half / one and three quarters of an hour                                

- TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (audio, beamer etc.):                                 

I would need a beamer and the people need to be able to see me clearly as I will be giving them exercises to do. So maybe a small stage with a desk to put my laptop and an area to be able to stand and move freely. It should be big enough to invite a person out of the audience to demonstrate on. Maybe even amplification for my voice if it is a big room, it depends a bit on how many people will come.

- SPACE NECESSITY (studio size etc.):

The size of the studio needs to be big enough to host the number of participants (they should be able to stand and move freely while standing). And chairs would be welcome too (the participants should also be able to sit).