Great work this Quarter!

Hey everyone,

Great work this quarter. Thank you for all your feedback and final postings. I am done with the counting and the blog is now done. Any entries on the blog at this point will not be counted toward your grade. Enjoy your break!

Louis

Last Touch

For this final entry, lets talk about touch. We began on our backs. Bodies touching the floor. Bodies touching one another. We explored allowing our energy to pass through the points of contact and to feel a current as it swirled around our circle. We flowed with touch from the floor to standing and then allowed touch as we mingled in the center of the space.

With eyes closed, we followed fingertip connections around the space. We listened to touch to see where it would lead us. Finally, we played with the idea of touch with our focus. We looked and touched one another with our eyes. We felt the energy of our focus as touch. How did it feel?

Thank you all for being part of this very valuable learning experience for me. I hope you also had a positive learning experience as well. Feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. Have a great well deserved break!

Cheers!

Vision

The visual system is the dominant sense in humans. We tend to rely on the visual sense, even when other senses may be better for gathering information.

We began our exploration of vision by noting that there are two visual systems at work. The visual field is approximately 180 degrees of work space. The central visual field is made up of the center 90 degrees with the peripheral visual field taking up 45 degrees on either side.

The central visual field absorbs information. As we walked around the room, we gathered information about the objects, textures and colors. When we greeted one another, we looked into their eyes, at their faces and absorbed information about them through our central visual field. Moving quickly in and around one another we relied on our peripheral visual system. This part of our vision is adept at noticing movement and to orient ourselves in space.

In our mirror exercise, we explored both systems. At first we did the exercise while focusing on our partner with our central visual field and then we tried with our peripheral field. What did you notice that was different between these two?


Working with a partner, we also worked on turning down our vision so that it did not dominate quite as much. What was your experience of this exercise? Given the analogy of the equilizer on a stereo system, did you have any success in changing your levels of attention? Did this change your experience of your senses throughout your day?

Outside Exercise

On this rather cold overcast Thursday, we went outside to attend to our senses in a natural environment. Working in pairs, each person had the opportunity to move through space attending to sounds, touch, taste, smell and movement. With our eyes closed, we moved without the sensation of sight. What changes with eyes closed?
Each partner had fifteen minutes to move and fifteen minutes as a witness. Write a little about both experiences. What do you learn or notice as a mover? What did you experience as a witness?

Neurospeak

On this Tuesday, we explored the body/mind connection with writing from Robert Masters book Neurospeak. (Masters, Robert. 1994. Neurospeak. Wheaton, Ill: Quest Books.)

What I hoped to illustrate in this class was the power with which the mind can influence and change the body. With our knowledge of the body, we can create healing if we chose to direct our positive attention to our bodies. The commands from the Alexander Technique similarly allow for a better use of the body. We are also at the mercy of our thoughts if they are negative in nature.

Each of you had a different response to this class. Some felt lighter, some heavier. Most felt some imbalance or change, perhaps some did not. Each response is equally as valid as it is your experiences. In your comments for this class, please speak to the relationship between words or thoughts and the way they can manifest in the body. Most particularly, what were your experiences in this class.

Nervous, Circulatory and Digestive Systems

Today, we explored a number of systems. We began by palpating the abdominal region in order to gain a better understanding of the organs that lie just beneath the surface. Just below the rib cage in the front, we found the stomach to the left and the liver to the right. You can see how large the liver is in these images. The 23 feet of small intestines in the middle framed by the large intestines the ascend from the right hip, drape across the front of the abdomen and then descend down the left side to run along the sacrum before entering the colon.
On the flip side, we worked in pairs to help one another find our kidneys by placing our hands on either side of the spine at the bottom of the rib cage. Then we traced the path of the ureters as they descended toward the bladder. You can see the organs very well in these images.

We then took a moment to trace one anothers nervous systems from the brain, down the spinal column and then the network of nerves as they branched off the spinal cord. This video above "A Stroke of Insight" talks alot about the right and left hemispheres of the brain in a fantastic tale that you will never forget. Check it out!

We did a little reggae dance of the circulatory system. This video gives a more visual experience of the circulatory system that may expand your understanding.

Finally, we took the Magic School tour of the digestive system. As a group, we walked our way from the mouth through the esophagus to the stomach. We went single file through the small intestine and then became quite dehydrated in the large intestine. Then, we got all bunched upon in the colon until Traci pushed us all out. Splash and bravo! This video above is also a lot of fun.

What learning would you like to integrate from today?

Respiratory System

Exploring the respiratory system. Beginning with the nose, we brought our attention to the air as it moved in and out of our sinuses. We explored the mouth, lips, and tongue and brought our attention to the air as it passes through on its way into the body and its way out of the body. Bringing our attention to the these two spaces and following them to where they meet in the larynx. Continuing further, we enter the trachea and imagining this major airway as it divides into the bronchi and then subdivides into ever smaller and smaller passages.

At the end of these subdivisions, there are alveoli, small grapelike structures where oxygen enters the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is released. Once the blood has been oxygenated, it is then pumped throughout the body.


At the base of the lungs is the diaphragm, a domed shaped muscle that draws air into the body as it moves toward the pelvis. We explored the movement of the diaphragm and the expansion and contraction of the ribcage in a few dance sequences. We explored why we breath rapidly into the upper lungs when startled as well as the calming effect of breathing while allowing the belly to respond as babies do. We tracked the four stages of breath: the inhale, the suspension, the exhale and the suspension that follows.


We also explored a couple of yogic breath practices. The video above gives a demonstration of opposite nostril breathing. The video below offers an example of the fire breathing. At the end of the class, we meditated while focusing and counting the breaths.



What was your experience of the respiratory system?

Muscular System

click on the images to make them larger

Today, we explored the muscular system through Thai massage. Jamie Hall lead us through a hands on exploration that not only familiarized us with the muscles but also provided a wonderful sense of healing and release.

We began at the feet, touching and holding the soles of the feet and poured our weight straight down into our hands squishing the muscles in the calves and the thighs. We avoided putting a lot of pressure on the knees (where there are smaller muscles and more bone near the surface).

Next, we took hold of the legs at the heels and rocked the body back and forth and provided traction that created a sensation space in the hips. Holding one leg at a time, we intuitively guided and supported our partners leg as it moved through circular pathways. Crossing the leg over the body provided an opportunity for stretch and allowed access to massage the muscles on the inside of the other leg.

Moving on, we next massaged the muscles in the back where they met the bone by feeling for bony landmarks. We then lifted and supported our partners arm and rotated the shoulder while massaging around the scapula. We squeezed the big muscle of the neck (the trapezius) and laid our partners arm long along their body and pressed it into the body rotating the hands front and back.

With our partners lying on their front, we walked the palms of our hands up the back careful not to put direct pressure on the spine. We kneeled on our partners gluteus maximus and massaged with our knees! Finally, we gave our partners bodies a brush with our hands to refresh and invigorate at the end.

click on the images to make them larger

What did you experience of the muscular system today? Any surprises? Difficulties? Write of the experience to touch as well as the experience to receive touch. Did this class change your relationship to your muscles in any way?

Skeletal System

On this Tuesday, we explored the skeletal system through movement. We began with the toes and moved sequentially through the body. One spot we focused on particularly was the bony connection where the arms attach to the body at the sterno-clavicular joint. Once we had explored the whole skeleton, we danced freely exploring the sensations of dancing our bones.

The second dance of the day was connected to the three layers of bone: the periosteum, the bone itself and the marrow. Taking each layer at a time we explored the different layers by moving our bodies and our imaginations into these areas of the skeletal system.

How did it feel to dance from the bones? Where there some bones that were harder to move? What was it like to dance from the periosteum, the layer of tissue that covers the bone where ligaments and tendons attach? What was it like to dance from the marrow where red and white blood cells are created? Did you experience a difference between these three layers of bone?

Authentic Movement Extra Credit

For those of you interested in extra credit, you can revisit the authentic movement exercises we did at the beginning of the class on your own. Studios at the IMA are often empty and so beautiful. You can re read the postings on authentic movement to refresh your memories of how it works. Afterward, post your written responses to this entry.

Alexander Technique Concluded

In todays class, we explored the relationship between thoughts and the body. We began working in pairs and played with the idea of thinking thoughts and being guided to a standing position. We thought four things: 1) I am very tired. 2) I am eager to please and to do what my partner wants. 3) I have decided that I absolutely do not want to get out of the chair. 4) I am thinking about allowing my neck to be free and thinking about allowing my head to lead so that all of me follows. What did you notice during this exercise?
We also explored the concept of direction, however briefly. We did two exercises. The first put the tops of our heads together with our partners while on hands and knees and rocked back and forth. The second involved holding our partners heads while they flexed their hips slightly in a plie and then worked to remain attached to the sensation of touch. This direction of lengthening and moving up into the contact was to provide the sensation of the lengthening that Alexander Technique describes. What did you experience in these exercises?

Here is F M Alexander himself.

Alexander Technique II

Continuing in our work with Alexander, we began class today (after a brief brain dance) by walking around the space in straight lines. In order to turn, we would turn our heads and allow our bodies to follow in the new direction taking in the sensations of how the body follows the head.
Next, we worked with partners and copied one anothers walks in order to discover the false sense of kinesthetic awareness. As we walked, we tried to be as neutral as possible and our partner's impression of our walk may have shown us aspects of our movement that we were not aware of.
Then, again in partners, we worked to discover psychophysical unity or the way use affects function. We asked our partner to tense a muscle in the body and to think of a difficult physical movement and observed what happened. What happened?Finally, we worked with idea of inhibition. We asked our partners to do a movement. Then we put our hands on our partners and asked them to do the movement while they inhibited their physical responses and allowed their neck to move freely, forward and up. As we noticed in the previous exercise, just thinking about movement can create tension. Responding to a request for movement by doing nothing creates a possibility of something different to happen. Usually, when we remove what we do not want and allow the head to lead the spine, something better and more organized will takes its place. What was your experience?

Alexander Technique

In this class, we repeated the brain dance and then began our work in the Alexander Technique. We began by doing un-Alexander which was to draw our heads down onto our necks. We explored the concept of the importance of the head and spine relationship by saying our names and making a gesture, circling ankles, wrists, and spines. We noticed what was different when we allowed the head to move forward and up from the spine. What did you notice? Next, we worked with the head and spine joint. The atlas upon which the head rests is actually in the center of our heads. We gently manipulated our partners head around this pivotal point in order to feel the actual joint and to allow an outside force to show us this point.
Then we took a walk through the space with our newly experienced head /spine connection. For homework, you were given the image of a conehead. How does your head feel differently with a conehead? What else did you experience in this introduction to Alexander?

Even Homer

The Brain Dance and Five Fundamental Actions

On this Tuesday, we explored the Brain Dance and the Five Fundamental Actions. The Brain dance was a quick physical journey through evolution that mirrors the journey each of us passes through developmentally in the first year of life. We explored our pathways and took note of the way in which our bodies are designed along pathways that end in hands, feet, head and tail. In the last portion of class, we broke down the five fundamental actions of yielding, pushing, reaching, grasping and pulling.

Please comment on your experience in this class.

For a refresher, here's the braindance described from This_Website.

Breath: take four to five deep breaths through the nose and out the mouth filling the belly, diaphragm, and lungs.

Corresponds with cellular breathing and the first breath of life.

Tactile: With your hands, squeeze strongly each arm, each leg and the torso, back, and head (whole body). Then tap lightly whole body, then slap sharply whole body and then brush smoothly whole body. Explore a variety of other tactile movements such as scratching, rubbing, soft pinching, tapping, etc.

Corresponds with cellular identity, what is our physical dimension.

Core-Distal: Move from the center out, through and beyond the fingers, toes, head, and tail. Then curl back to torso while engaging core muscles. Movement that grows and shrinks, stretches and curls into big "X"s and little "o"s is great!

Corresponds with radial symmetry and our fetal position in the womb and at birth.

Head-Tail: Move the head and tail (lowest part of spine or coccyx) in different directions and pathways. Play with movement that brings head and tail/pelvis together curving forward and backward and side-to-side. Keeping the knees bent helps to release the pelvis. Wiggle the spine like a snake.

Corresponds with fish and the ability to lift the head.

Upper-Lower: Ground the lower half of body by pressing legs into floor with a slight knee bend. Swing arms in different directions and stretch and dance upper body (arms, head, spine) in different ways. Ground upper half by reaching arms out into space with energy as though you were hugging the earth. Dance with lower half - try marching in place, simple knee bends, jumps, leg brushes, and other actions.

Corresponds with amphibian

Body-Side: Make a big X with your body. Dance with the left side of your body while keeping the right side stabile (still). Then keep the left stabile and dance with the right side. With knees and elbows slightly bent like a "W" bring the left half of the body over to meet the right half and vice versa (like a book opening and closing). Follow your thumb with your eyes as it moves right to left and left to right. Do the lizard crawl with arms and legs open to the sides - reach left arm and knee up then right arm and knee up like a lizard crawling up a wall. Move your eyes right to left and left to right (looking at the thumb near your mouth helps) to develop horizontal eye tracking.

Corresponds with lizard and early crawling

Cross-Lateral: Do a parallel standing crawl with knees and hands in front of you. Let your eyes travel up and down looking at one thumb as it reaches high and low for vertical eye tracking. Do a cross-lateral boogie dance finding as many ways of moving cross-laterally as possible such as touching right knee to left elbow, left hand to right foot, right hand to left knee, left hand to right hip, skipping, walking, crawling, etc.

Corresponds with mammals, monkey and humans walking

Vestibular: This pattern may be done at the beginning of the BrainDance. Choose a movement that takes you off balance and makes you dizzy. Vary the movements you do each week. Swing upper body forward and backward and side-to-side. Make sure head is "upside down." Tip, sway, roll, and rock in different directions (any movement that makes you dizzy). Spin 15 seconds one direction, breathe and rest 15 seconds, then spin 15 seconds the other direction. Take three to four deep breaths to center yourself after spinning!

Corresponds with proprioception and our ability to balance

Five Fundamental Actions

Yielding - getting grounded, connecting to the environment
Pushing - creating boundaries, learning to say no
Reaching - exploring, curiosity, desire
Grasping - making connections with new ideas, object and others
Pulling - bringing new things into ones life

Blogging

Hi Everyone,

Great work on the blogging. I am really enjoying reading your entries. It gives me a good idea of what you are experiencing;,your struggles, connections and differences. It was interesting to note how each person responded differently to different stages. Some loved the fish. Some loved the cellular stage. As I noted at the beginning of the course, each of you will have your own response and whatever that response, it is your truth. There is no need to be anything other than you are. There is no right or wrong. There is only the experience.

One thing that I hear repeated on the blog is the subject of relaxation. Relaxation is not necessarily the goal of this course. Relaxation may happen, but that is a response. The goal of the course is to unpack the body and find out what is inside. Imagine buying a computer with a bunch of programs already installed and running. If this was your first computer, you might think that all computers are like this and not realize that some programs can be minimized, turned off or deleted if they do not serve you.

Some programs, like vision or speech, take up so much RAM or memory that when they are running other programs like touch, hearing or the kinesthetic sense are overpowered. All of our senses and systems have unique information and functions for our aliveness. Getting in touch with our sensory selves, our inner selves and our journey provides valuable information for physical, mental and spiritual health.

Evolution to Standing

Today, we explored the theory of evolution from a cellular state to a full upright posture. We began in the water as a single cell, evolved through radial symmetry (starfish) to a central head/tail connection (fish). From there we played with idea of being thrust on the land and the change of relationship with gravity and inertia. It was a struggle to imagine being in a new environment with a body that was adapted for a different environment.

From there, we imagined that our limbs changed shapes. We imagined elbows, knees, and forearms with mobility at the wrist. We crawled like salamanders with our bellies on the floor and like lizards trying to lift our heads in order to see around. We explored being a four footed mammal that took to the trees to avoid predators then returned to earth with lengthened arms, legs and spines. Eventually the movement of swinging through the trees provided the contra-lateral movement necessary to balance and to walk.

After the exercise, we spoke about the connection to water and the concept that we are still evolving. Although there is plenty of evidence, most clearly in our bodies, evolution is a very probable theory. Scientifically, it is not fact.

What was your experience of this class?

Water Evolution

Click on the image to make it larger.

Today we begin exploration of the movement of evolution as it exists in the body.

• We begin in a cellular stage, moving in a fluid body. We explored the boundary of our physical selves, our skin and imagined a permeable membrane. In this part of class, we explored asymmetrical movement.
• Next, we explored radial symmetry with the starfish. We allowed the mind and mouth to exist in the center of the body and made connections between our limbs and our centers.
• From there, our ancestors mouths to migrated in one direction while elimination moved in the opposite direction. Exploring with our mouths and throats, we felt a hollowing within our inner channel.
• Finally, we explored our head/tail connection. We sat and swam upstream noticing the feeling of the wavelike fluidity of our spines.

What did you experience in this class? What images were most vibrant physically? What movement patterns were more difficult to access? How does this information change your relationship with your body if at all? Where was your mind during this class?

*As we work with these images, please remember to honor your body in whichever way it needs to move or not move.

Authentic Movement concluded...for now

"Animals, children, and all the elements are constantly responding to the forces of life moving through them. Imagine a horse full of excitement--prancing, whinnying, rearing its head, tossing its mane. Of all the life forms on this planet only humans have the option of not responding with such immediacy to thr forces of life. Through the twists of evolution, humans have the ability to shape, modify, and outwardly inhibit their organic responses to the world.



The British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882) called the responses of animals complete expressions. Darwin believed that the full repertoire of animal movement that preceded us in evolution remains with us. Consider the toddler excited to see a friend. As they greet, he may resemble a horse described earlier, prancing about, squealing in delighted anticipation, unable to contain his spontaneous natural movement. Unfortunately, by the end of toddlerhood, around age three, many children in our culture have already begun to inhibit their natural movement." Susan Aposhyan from Natural Intelligence, (20-21).

What was your experience with Authentic Movement on this Thursday? Could you experience your earlier evolutionary self? Perhaps you had glimpses, what did it feel like in the body. What does it feel like in the mind? If this was purely a struggle for you, that is completely fine. Struggle is still learning. What learning can you take away from the struggle? How does this idea about inhibition change your understanding about you, your body and/or the human species?

Authentic Movement Continued...

The universe unfolds in the body, which is its mirror and its creature. (Octavio Paz)

"A group of people sit in a circle, witnessing eight people moving. The movers have their eyes closed. One woman is curled up very tight and still. Another is exploring with her hands, feeling tentatively the grooves on the floor. A man standing very tall makes cutting movements with his arms, rigid as they slice the air. Another man beats a rhythm, with his fingers against different parts of his body. A third man rolls on the floor, rolls into the woman who is feeling her environment. He stops, frozen. She feels his face delicately, sensitively tracing its outline. He begins to cry. Another woman has been swaying, her arms straining upward. She softens her movement, and begins to stroke her own arm. The drumming fingers find the floor, become clawing, scratching movements. Someone crawls towards him, starts clawing with him, at him. They hiss. Another woman is standing very still. After a while she sighs deeply, and begins to rotate her hips, letting out a long, deep cry...."

Read the rest of this article here.

As we continue with Authentic Movement, each repetition will allow the experience to continue to unfold. Fortunately, we have a new president. Unfortunately, we have yet to really delve deeply into this practice because of our abrieviated class on inauguration day. If did have something that you would like to share from this class, please post a comment below.

Authentic Movement

Waiting to be moved. Following the body's lead. Gathering with others to move and be still together. Making time and space for the unconscious to manifest in the movement and stillness of the body. Attending to impulse. Embodying the flow of the imagination in movement and stillness. - Daphne Lowell

Today we introduced Authentic Movement into the course. We will be revisiting this practice throughout the quarter. Unfortunately, we have a short amount of time in this class. This practice opens to deeper experiences with longer periods of practice.

To review, we spoke of the mover and the witness. The mover moves with eyes closed following any impulses and the witness simply observes making no judgements nor interpretations. After the period of moving, the mover shares her impressions first speaking in the present tense. Then, if the mover wishes, the witness speaks to what they observed, again speaking in the present tense.

If you have not already done so, please read Authentic Movement; An Introduction by Daphne Lowell. Please include some reference to this article in your comments this week. What were your initial responses to this practice? As a mover? As a witness?

Just a Reminder

I've made the settings on the comments section such as to allow you to post anonymously, which means you don't have to set up a profile if you don't wish to. In order for me to give you credit for the assignment, you will need to sign your posting. So, it's not really anonymous.

Tiny Dancer

Today we stood and brought our attention to the small dance. This is the dance of our proprioception keeping us from falling over. It consists of minor adjustments that normally remain unconscious. Once we bring our awareness to the small dance, we become aware of the ability of our bodies to right themselves. All this monitoring and assessing happens without our active participation. What did this small dance feel like? Was it a surprise?

Today we also walked with a friend. We lead partners around the space by the hands, shoulders and palms. What did it feel like to lead? What was the experience of being lead? What did it feel like in the body to be lead by an unseen stranger?

Today, (boy we did alot) we also had fun. We stood in the circle and ran and changed places. We said our names and made gestures. What does fun feel like in the body?

First Assignment

Please read syllabus below!

This first assignment is a longer than those that will follow. This assignment is taken from a fantastic book on experiential anatomy entitled BodyStories, by Andrea Olsen.

Write a personal bodystory. This story may include:

-the story or your birth (pre-birth if possible; the health and activities of your mother affect life in the womb)
-your earliest memory (earliest kinesthetic sensation you can remember. Examples: being rocked, learning to swim, bouncing on your parent's knee, falling from a tree, riding a bicycle)
-training techniques (sports, dance, gymnastics, musical instruments)
-environments where you lived (mountains, plains, forests, oceans all affect how you move, how you perceive)
-comments you heard about yourself which shaped your body image ("Oh, what a cute chubby child? Stand Up Straight! He's going to be tall like his dad. Children are seen and not heard.")
-attitudes towards sensuality, sexuality; gender images
-injuries, illnesses, operations
-nutrition, relationship to body weight, strength, flexibility
-anything else that interests you.

*in this public forum, please share only what you feel comfortable sharing.

Somatics Syllabus

Alternative Movement Studies: Somatics
Course Syllabus
Dance 230 (1 credit)
Winter 2009
Instructor: Louis Gervais
Meeting Times: TTH 8:30-9:20
Location: Meany Studio 267
Office: Meany 59J
Office Hours: Monday 3:30 - 4:30 or by appointment
E-mail: lgervais@u.washington.edu

Course Description

Somatics are the study of the interrelational process between awareness, biological function and environment, all three factors being understood as a synergistic whole.
This course offers instruction in the theory and practice of somatic practices. This class will include a holistic approach of exploring the body through a variety of somatic practices including applied anatomy, authentic movement, and the Alexander technique.

Objectives

At the successful completion of this course students will:

• Create a new relation with their physical selves by exploring a variety of somatic practices.
• Acquire a basic understanding of variety of techniques that may provide relaxation, centering and health.
• Improve awareness of body alignment, weight, mental and physical functioning.

Requirements and Grading

Studio Participation(65%)

Regular participation is absolutely crucial in this class. This is considered a lab class. Please try to limit your absences and save them for when you really need them. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not take class (please don’t ask me) but are encouraged to observe. If I call your name and you are not in the room you are late. It is then your responsibility to check in with me at the end of class to make sure I have marked you present.

Participation grades reflect the following:

• Attending class on a consistent basis
• Arriving on time or early so that you have time to focus and prepare to participate fully in class
• Taking risks in improvisation and being fully invested in exercises.
• Demonstrate commitment, enthusiam, respect and support of fellow classmates.

Online Journal Responses (35%)

This blog has been set up for this course. Over the course of the semester, this blog will be the place where we as a class will share our thoughts and reactions to the course. Questions will be posted here and your responses will be submitted electronically. Post your responses to the blog in the comments link below each blog entry. You must post a response to each blog entry within a week. The URL is http://www.uwdance305.blogspot.com/. These postings should not be overly long, no more than a paragraph. Clicking on "follow this blog" leads you to creating a prompt that will deliver reminders in your email when new assignments have been posted.

Attire and Changing

Bare feet or cotton socks may be worn for class, no shoes. You will want to wear warm comfortable clothes like sweat pants or pajamas. No jeans/slacks or excessive jewelry. Long hair should not be a distraction to you as you move or lie on the floor. Bring elastic bands or clips that are easy to put in and remove. If you are not prepared to dance, you will not be allowed to take class. You may change your clothes in the dressing rooms on the Lower Level. Please do not change in the restrooms on the Upper Level. You may secure your belongings by bringing a lock each day for a locker in the hallway outside of the studios. Locks MUST be removed after each class. Locks may be purchased for $5 from the Dance Office. DO NOT bring personal belongings into the studio. Shoes, clothes, purses, cell phones, etc were stolen every week last quarter. Lock up your belongings!!

MISCELLANEOUS

For this class, you will also need to bring a journal and markers. You will also need a pillow or blanket that you can store in the studio for the duration of the course.

Studio Etiquette
• Demonstrate an understanding of the class structure by arriving in the studio, on time, prepared for class
• Be respectful of your peers and instructor at all times.
• Receive and apply corrections in a respectful manner
• Work safely and effectively in class and allow others to do so
• Contribute to the classroom by applying focus, concentration and enthusiasm
• If you are unable to dance or have any injuries, please inform the instructor before class begins
• No oils, creams or lotions on exposed body or hair––they make the floor slippery and dangerous
• No food, gum or beverages are allowed in the studio with the exception of water bottles
• No personal belongings in the studio––NONE

Miscellaneous

To request academic accommodations due to disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924, indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations. Please present the letter to your instructor so we can discuss the accommodations you require.