HOW TO MOVE WITH GRACE
THE FLOW OF TIME - CHRONOMANCY
Of all the qualities of a graceful mover, none seem to be as shrouded, yet influential, as her control of the flow of time.
It's usually the bodily positions that draw the most attention - how she contorts, contracts and coordinates her way in and out of various shapes. But on their own, these shapes would only amount to impressive screenshots. For actual movement to be perceived or experienced as graceful, we need a comfortable relationship with the passing of time. Not by rushing through it in the apprehension of an end result, but by letting each moment serve its purpose.
The way we angle our wrists should tell a story that demands a sequel. To elongate our necks should both nourish us and keep us wanting more.
When we are at ease with time and what it contains, it doesn't have the power to pull us along anymore. Something as seemingly trivial as shifting one's weight from one foot to the other becomes more than a setup for a jump or a turn - it becomes a gesture that by itself has the capacity to both enthrall and create anticipation for whatever comes next.
Moving with grace seems to make time slow down and speed up. This is achieved by having the control to perform the same movement at different speeds. Not just by moving fast or slow, but also by knowing all the shades in between and how effortlessly we can transition from one to the other. When our movements aren't locked to a single pace, we inform ourselves and those around us that the story might move on at any time. This creates suspense, which in turn makes time malleable enough to be stretched out or compressed.
A common mistake when pursuing grace is to make positions and transitions the only focal points. It's a healthy and necessary process that we all need to go through, but if we stop there our movements will consist of just that: transitions and positions that are divided by a predictable and fixed time.
The movement loses much of its grace, and we, the movers, need to live up to the standards of the movements instead of setting the standard for what we wish to do, and when we would like to do it.
Homework
Pick 3 or 4 simple movements - preferably ones that you can perform at many different speeds.
They don't have to be complex. The goal is not to improve the movements, but to refine how you relate to the time it takes to execute them. Something as easy as bending forward, squatting down, lifting one arm and standing back up is more than enough.
Practice one movement at a time, experimenting with how you can gradually and abruptly change the speed you execute them with.
Example: Can you squat down fast and then transition smoothly into squatting back up very slowly?
Combine the movements into a sequence that isn't meant to stop.
A good way to avoid rushed movement is by not relating to it as something finite. Go through the sequence until you don't feel restricted by time. After a while, you should notice that you may want to spend more seconds per movement. You might also recognize that there's more room in a second than there was before.
IN A SENSE - PROPRIOCEPTION
Of all the senses, proprioception is given the lowest of jobs.
Our sense of smell can transport us back to memories of a distant childhood. We can taste our way to remote countries, places we've never been. A touch can induce perspiration. A song can break us down and a sight can inspire us.
Proprioception, the feeling of navigating our bodies through space and the relative position of body segments in relation to other body segments, is rarely talked about in such terms. It's not a sense we allow ourselves to experience for the sake of enriching our lives. No, proprioception is more commonly treated like a tool - one that allows us to move in a practical and visually pleasing manner.
This is only natural. After all, proprioception is meant to be subtle. If it was as pleasurable as the taste of chocolate or as offensive as the feeling of wet socks, our selection of movements would be limited and the movements we enjoyed doing would likely be performed in a gluttonous manner. However, just because a sensation is subtle does not mean that we can't benefit from immersing ourselves in it.
Dancers and other movers of a high caliber will often look as if they're influenced by what they're doing. Not necessarily because of the fear of judgment or the expectation of acknowledgment - rather they are affected by what they do because they're experiencing it. Dancers might say that a movement feels "right", even though they can't actually see themselves perform it. A climber might succeed in pulling off a move but will say that it feels "ugly".
The arching of a spine can feel warm. An arm can feel like it's floating. These experiences are available to all of us. To experience them is to improve the way we move because it allows us to become immersed in what we do and be influenced by how it feels.
It's quite similar to cooking. Like any respectable chef, you wouldn't serve a dish without tasting it as you were preparing it. In the same respect, a person who wishes to move with grace will sample the movement as it's being executed. It doesn't matter if you have all the right ingredients, the perfect temperature, or cooking time - if you want your movement to be more than a recipe, you should always "salt to taste".
Homework
As you move, notice what you are experiencing.
Be receptive to how the experience affects you.
See if you want to and/or can change the experience.
ALL THE SMALL THINGS - POISE
Movement does not have to be technically difficult, athletic, or artistic to be graceful. It can be found in the smallest of gestures; Our posture, gait, mannerisms, and in the spoken word.
This becomes obvious when you look at the actors of the past. The way Rita Hayworth turned her head, Cary Grant's stride, and the manner in which Audrey Hepburn's hands never seemed to move without purpose - these all evoked a sense of composure.
Why was it that they moved with such grace?
There were many factors, but one big and likely reason was mainstream media. Like it or not, mainstream media influences cultural norms, which again influences how we might behave. Today's movies and media tend to either zoom all the way in on deep psychological turmoil or all the way out to make room for more explosions, backflips, and robot dinosaurs. We use a lot of effects as well - emotional, as well as digital ones. The more mundane stuff usually only gets portrayed in comedy or satire.
Things were a bit different in the past. When they shot movies they didn't use camera angles, effects, or provocative scripts as a distraction. The focus was on the actors, from the top of their brylcreemed heads down to their polished shoes, and there were very few things they could hide from the camera that never kept them out of sight.
This encouraged them to learn how to carry themselves. They became mindful and confident without seeming self-conscious or self-important. One of the ways they achieved this was by allowing any occasion, movement, or gesture to be a potential exercise in grace.
We should learn from them. If we only practice grace when we perform physically or emotionally taxing movements, we won't get much time to practice. Worse still, we might end up creating an anxious connection to grace; thinking that every time we move in a graceful manner that the stakes are high.
Homework
Find moments throughout the day to investigate simple gestures.
How does your posture feel?
How would it be to intentionally relax the hands?
How is it to walk with purpose? Are you enjoying the view as you do so or are you trapped in thought?
What does your body language tell you?
Jon
