(Ebook) Falling Through Dance and Life by Emilyn Claid ISBN 9781350075719, 135007571X

(Ebook) Falling Through Dance and Life by Emilyn Claid ISBN 9781350075719, 135007571X

This book is about falling, in dance and in life. Dance and movement-based performers understand how falling enhances life and creativity. An intentional practice of falling, experienced through somatic movement knowledge is a core element of dance practice, performance and movement-based therapy. This physical intentional falling deepens psychological awareness and inspires metaphorical representation, and underpins the ideas explored in this book. Falling can be dangerous and painful, so to suggest a falling practice - as a means to develop vitality - is a provocative core premise. Furthermore, Western culture resists falling in a drive towards verticality as emblematic of moral stature in defiance of fear and failure. A paradox emerges: by a practice of falling, we are consciously vulnerable and empowered as agents of change. A simple act of physical falling unleashes momentum throughout this writing and forges links with a wide range of performance from ballet to comedy, live art to circus. Implications ripple further to embrace shame, laughter and dying as shared experiences of falling through life.