THE TL REVIEW APRIL 15

APRIL 15 THE TL REVIEW

Gravity: The Constant Accompanist Alun ThomasAs musicians and dancers, much well-intended physical (and moral) effort is put into what we might describe as developing good technique and effective practise strategies. We spend months and years, literally, attempting to perfect the means by which we will perform. Its no small task actually, this process of transforming energy effectively; thought forms into physical motion and back again, the energy of intention and willing, into the energy of sound or sublime and yielding, expressive movement.

Repetitive actions condition creative acts, providing the platforms upon which creative diversions are made possible. Navigating this path effectively takes a long time, truth be told and the skills we hone on this sometimes less than well-signposted (if well-trodden) road will, themselves, provide endless more opportunities and starting points for further discovery. For some, it is a path of golden braid, though for others, less so; more a bumpy, gravel path with hidden obstacles that can make the journey seem like climbing 'Mount Improbable'.

Its been said before that the things we dont know about are often the hardest to get rid of. Not meant as an impish jest or complete contradiction, just as a rather edgy and zen-like paradox; it says, by way of translation that If only we knew what was holding us back, stopping us achieving what we intuit to be possible: the key, vital piece of information or pedagogic secret - that

well pay good moolah to access (from the right teachers of course) that would catapult us into the well paid world of the consummate artiste and effortlessly skilful, then we would find ourselves saved or even made(Continued on Page 12)

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TRINITY LABAN NETBALL SOCIETY

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GENERAL ELECTION SPECIAL PAGE 8

INSIDE THE LABAN ARCHIVE PAGE 11

THE

TL REVIEW

Alun Thomas 2015

TRINITY LABAN STRING ORCHESTRA

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ADVERTISMENT


IN THIS ISSUE: GENERAL ELECTION SPECIAL FEATURE The candidates for the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency pitch for your votes.

GRAVITY: THE CONSTANT ACCOMPANIST Alun Thomas discusses the force of Gravity and its impact on our art forms.

15 MINUTES WITH Hailey Mcleod interviews Dr. Emma Reading, Head of TLs Dance Science Program

Editors Letter Harry Methley

As we steadily approach what is going to be the most important General Election of a generation, I asked all of the announced prospective parliamentary candidates for the constituency of Greenwich and Woolwich to write a short article explaining why we should cast our vote for them. Flick to page 8 to see them.

In an election full of uncertainties; will any one party win a majority? If a coalition is to form, who will be the main partners? And who will walk through the door of Number 10 on May 8th? David Cameron or Ed Miliband?One thing is for certain: Greenwich and Woolwich will be getting a brand new Member of Parliament as Nick Rainsford our former MP is standing down.

The battle is on to replace him, but who will come out on top? In the Blue corner we have Matt Hartley, the Conservative Party candidate. In the red corner Matthew Pennycook, The Labour Party candidate. The Liberal Democrat candidate is Tom Holder. The Green party have chosen Abbey Akinoshun and the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate is Lynn Chamberlin.

So read what they have to say and make up your own mind. I urge you to ignore everything the walking thesaurus and all-round fountain of ill-considered nonsense Russell Brand says, and on May the 7th go and take part in our democratic process, and cast your vote!

To register to vote visit;www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The registration deadline is the 20th April

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String Ensemble Grace Buttler

On Friday 27th March I went along to Blackheath Halls to watch the Trinity Laban String Ensemble. I arrived around 10 minutes before the start and was shocked to see a lack of students in the audience. There was maybe a handful from the string department and a few wind players, but that was it. It saddened me that people hadnt come along to support one of the senior college ensembles. The concert opened with Janaceks first String Quartet, arranged for string orchestra by Richard Tognetti. I really liked this piece and enjoyed the different textures, techniques and dissonances. The ensemble were clearly engaged in the music and seeing them get into the piece made the audience appreciate it more. You could feel the passion of the piece coming through (the quartet is based on a short novella by Tolstoy about a husband murdering his wife in a jealous rage because hes convinced shes having an affair with her duet partner) and the ensemble really communicated the feeling of the text to the audience. This was followed by Romance by Sibelius. This was totally different to his symphonies in that it was a lot quieter and romantic (as the title would suggest) and perfectly complemented the turmoil of the piece that came before. The ensemble played well and it was a lovely piece to listen to.

The first half closed with Five Bagatelles by Finzi. This piece is written for string orchestra and clarinet. It was nice to have the contrasting timbre of the clarinet added and the soloist (Elliot DeVivo) played with style, really connecting with Nic Pendlebury and the rest of the ensemble. The piece itself was brilliant to hear and very charming, however it didnt have as much emotional impact as the two previous works. Opening the second half was a commissioned work by Jo Cooper (a composition student at Trinity Laban) called Re-finer. We play a lot of pieces by student composers in various ensembles, so I was really interested to experience one from the perspective of the audience. The piece began with members of the ensemble coming in from all doors to the hall and taking a coloured ribbon from a stand. The colour of the ribbon determined when they played, with Nic holding up corresponding coloured cards. From an audience perspective, there seemed to be moments of improvisation and sections where the entire orchestra came together and played from notated music .At one point Nic left the conducting podium and helped himself to a glass of wine which got a laugh from the audience. I actually really enjoyed this piece: it was dynamic and exciting and the String Ensemble got this across well.

The final piece was Tchaikovskys Serenade for Strings. You could tell that the ensemble really enjoyed this piece because everyone was very into the music: desk partners would catch each others eyes and smile. This level of communication within the orchestra helped the audience enjoy the piece more. I thought String Ensemble played beautifully with so much emotion and contrast between all of the different moods. Then it was all over and everyone headed out to the bar. I really enjoyed the concert and thought the standard of playing was so high and the music so varied, interesting and enjoyable. It was only a shame that there were so few people there to see it.

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15 Minutes with Dr Emma Reading Hailey McLeodEmma Redding is the Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban. As a trained dancer, she performed with Tranz Danz of Hungary and for Rosalind Newman in Hong Kong. She is on the Board of Directors for the International Association For Dance Medicine and Science and served as President from 2011-2013. She currently teaches contemporary technique classes at Trinity Laban, lectures in physiology for the MSc Dance Science programme and continues to pursue research in various areas of dance science. We spoke about what dance science means for dancers, why its not the dance police and how everyone should be getting more involved in the field.

Hailey McLeod: What influenced you to go into the world of Dance Science?

Emma Redding: As a dancer I was aware that I needed to do other training alongside my technical training; conditioning and fitness training outside of what was given to me in the degree programme. So that got me into questioning training. Then I went to Hong Kong to perform and teach, and I was given lots of freedom with my classes. I took them swimming regularly, to the running track and I noticed a difference in how they were approaching technique, and in their stamina.

HM: And that was completely intuitive? No one suggested supplementary training or anything?

ER: No. I didnt know anything about supplementary training or dance science. At that time, in the mid 90s, IADMS [International Association for Dance Medicine and Science]

did exist but there were no opportunities to study dance science. The freedom I had in Hong Kong allowed me to test out some ideas, observe differences. When I got back to England, I decided to do a Masters of Sport Science to see whether my intuitions had any kind of theoretical grounding. As I learned more, physiology really interested me, and it all went from there really.

HM: What was the reception of the dancers when you started taking them swimming and such? Did they also notice a difference in their training or was it strictly from an outside perspective?

ER: Both really. The thing is [in Hong Kong], they trusted me. I think I would have had to justify my actions a bit more over here. They didnt question what I did, perhaps not enough, and they just did what I asked. I remember doing ballet barre in the pool and they felt muscles they hadnt felt before and it was nice they could notice a difference. We were able to choreograph longer sequences, and [the dancers] commented that they felt they could focus on their artistry, rather than if they would have enough stamina. The thing about dancers is its about proving to them that [fitness] is an important method they can relate to. So getting them to dance for a long time and them realising after 20 minutes they are pretty fatiguedthats the best way of showing they need this, rather then showing them a journal article.

HM: That leads right into my next question, which is, as a technique teacher do you structure your classes around your scientific knowledge?

ER: Yes and no. I use mental imagery a lot because thats been shown to work in the execution of a skill and learning new ones. I talk about balance in a particular way; I get them to work with their eyes closed because I know its getting them to work on their proprioceptive strategies. I work away from the mirror a lot so they are not always relying on visual feedback. All these things that have been proven in dance science, presented at conferences, publishedIm trying to put those into play. With regards to fitness, which is what I did my PhD on, the jury is still out. I dont think it can be my responsibility to give them everything they need, because contemporary dance is a highly skill based activity that requires lots of time, correction, feedback. If I were to take away all those rest periods and have them dance the entire class, although they might get fitter, Id have to lower the skill level and they wouldnt get the feedback or time to absorb all of it. So we do need other types to training to address those physiological discrepancies.

Jess Wright, Wayne McGregor Random Dance

Photo by Chris Nash

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HM: Do you ever find yourself completely in the other camp, where you are doing things you know are not the greatest? We know choreography pushes the limitsare you ever in that position?

ER: Yes, often. As a dancer and as a teacher. More as a dancer I would say. I like dancing with choreographer Athina Vahla, and she pushes ethical, safety and welfare boundaries. We did a piece on a fatigue and exhaustion where she wanted me to get to a point where I was exhausted but had to continue dancing. We do pieces in less than ideal environmentssite-specific workswhere we all came away with soft tissue injuries. All the extrinsic risk factors that Dance UK found to be associated with injury were present in these site-specific environments. I like that kind of work because I suppose its challenging, to the audience and to the dancers. But it is work that goes against the scientific recommendations of dance science. As a teacher, less so, because I have a duty of care to my students. However, I do movements that I feel dancers need to do because I know choreographers will ask them to do those movements, but I try to do them slower, and teach dancers how to do them safely. For example, ballistic stretching, all the fact sheets say dont do it! but then you look at a piece of choreography where dancers are throwing their joints into hyperextension using the weight of the body part. I try to teach them about the risks and how to warm-up properly.

HM: Do you think the dancers then have an awareness of the risks and are hesitant to do such movements?

ER: Ive always got that in my mind, the question is dance science the dance police? I know others have thought [dance science] tries to make

the art form too safecloud it, dilute it, and make it something less risky. I really want to fight against that view. I use the Formula 1 [racing] car analogy; make a body so strong and durable that it can withstand all those wonderfully demanding elements. Have dancers with strong enough bodies and who are mentally aware so they can prepare properly and support the movements they are being asked to do. I really dont want dance science in any way to dilute the art form or make it too safe. However, I do want to make it safer by having better educated dancers.

HM: Switching to your role as a researcher, what are your aims? Your personal intrigues and curiosities?

ER: Im always interested in the physiological demands of dance. Although Ive done it for a while, I think there is so much more to do. I think were drawing too many conclusions from a couple of studies by a couple of colleagues. I think we should be applying the questions weve asked of contemporary dance to other dance genres. Im also really, really interested in creativity. What I love at the moment is the bridging of disciplinescognitive and neuroscience, all the work in creativity, and psychology. Thats exciting to me, bringing scientists and choreographers together.

HM: What are your hopes for the students graduating from the MSc Dance Science programme?

ER: The bigger aim of dance science is that every dance company feels a sense of responsibility to have dancers who are educated, strong, supported, and looked after. And I think every company should be associated with dance science, and every dance training centre have the support that we are starting to offer here, such as screening, nutrition advice and

psychological support. Id like to see the universities who offer sport science have dance science as well. There are more dancers than ever before so theres a demand for dance science, and I think the cohorts from here should be going out to make that happen. They should be developing news masters programmes, delivering on undergraduate programmes and furthering the research. Theres room for more graduatesits a good time to be in dance science.

HM: What has surprised you the most while working in this field?

ER: Our success. As an institution our external profile is fantastic. We occupy a large portion of academic content at international conferences. The amount that we can produce is phenomenal, given how lean we are as a department. The other thing, which has been disappointing and in a sense surprising, is other peoples perceptions and attitudes towards dance science. People from the dance world who dont have that much of an understanding and misinterpret what we are. And thats been a challenge throughout the last decade. We can go so much further if we work together. At the same time, sceptics are healthy; it means we have to justify ourselves. Being provoked by those peopleits not a problem as such, its just an interesting challenge.

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Alumni Relations Lucy NicholsonDo you know what you have in common with choreographer Rosemary Lee, composer Dai Fujikura, Random Dance company member James Pett and Royal Opera Tenor Sam Boden? What about Stine Nilsen and Pedro Machado, Artistic Directors of Candoco or Paul Hughes, General Manager at the BBC Symphony Orchestra? Or even Principal Anthony Bowen, Head of Jazz Simon Purcell or Transitions Artistic Director David Waring? Well, like you, they all trained at Trinity Laban! Our graduates are leaders in music and dance in the UK and internationally. They hold prominent roles in orchestras, opera and dance companies, the commercial music industry, West End theatre, community arts, research, arts education, dance science and much more.

Luminaries such as Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Cholmondeleys and Featherstonehaughs founder Lea Anderson, War of the Worlds composer Jeff Wayne and Matthew Bourne, Artistic Director of New Adventures - all like you - spent hours in the practice rooms and dance studios. As well as Random Dance, graduates have performed with many leading companies including BalletBoyz, New Adventures, Richard Alston Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Company, Akram Khan, DV8 and Candoco. Music graduates have performed with orchestras and companies including Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, Opera North and English National Opera. Many alumni are working internationally.

Oscar-nominated composer John Powell is one of Hollywoods top film composers, Ching Chun Lee is Associate Artistic Director of Cloud Gate Theatre of Taiwan, Petros Treklis is a member of Sydney Dance Company and Stjepan Hauser is one half of internationally-acclaimed duo 2cellos. Performing is only one area in which alumni have excelled and of course many not only perform but teach, create and direct! After dancing professionally for many years Emma Gladstone moved into programming and is now Artistic Director of Dance Umbrella; and Maxine Doyle, Associate Director for Punchdrunk, has choreographed many theatre productions. John Summers, Chief Executive at The Hall, started his career as a cellist with the Northern Sinfonia and Joan Gibson pursued a career in music education and is now Chief Executive at National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. Jazz alumni Laura Jurd, Elliot Galvin and Corrie Dick set up Chaos Collective which brings together the work of improvising musicians and composers, whilst dance alumnus Adam Rutherford founded RDC Youth, a professional youth dance company. We are extremely proud of all of our alumni and their remarkable achievements - and you are following in the footsteps of these inspiring people. There are many more examples that you can read about on the website (trinitylaban.ac.uk/alumni/alumni-profiles) and why not keep up to date with the alumni network on the Facebook page? (facebook.com/trinitylabanalumni).

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Elliot Galvin at the 2014 TL Gold Medal, Photo courtesy of jk-photography


GENERAL ELECTION SPECIAL Matt Hartley The Conservative Party

Too often, politicians patronise students in election campaigns by talking to you solely about so-called 'student issues' - such as tuition fees - as if this is the only topic that students base their vote on. I don't think that's right.

In fact, all the big issues in this election are relevant to students as much as - and often much more than - anyone else who will be casting their vote on 7th May. That's because this election is all about the future - and what kind of future we want.If you want more jobs, then it's the Conservatives who need your vote. In the last five years we have created 1.9 million jobs - and David Cameron has committed to doing the same in the next five years. If you want a strong and caring NHS, then it's the Conservatives who need your vote. We have invested an additional 12.9 billion in the NHS and hired thousands more doctors and nurses, and we will continue to invest so the NHS can meet the challenges of the future.If you want to get on the housing ladder, then it's the Conservatives who need your vote. Our Help to Buy scheme has already helped tens of thousands young first-time buyers to own their own home. We've only been able to do these things by dealing with the deficit - which remains the single biggest threat we face. All of the progress we have made is at risk from Ed Miliband and the Labour Party, who have no answer to the problems we face except more out of control spending and borrowing. Students and other young people would ultimately pay the price through the debt and taxes that always, always follow.I am 29, live in Blackheath and work for a national advice charity. I am standing for Parliament because I believe in what the Prime Minister wants to achieve in the next five years - and I want to be a part of this as Greenwich and Woolwich's new MP, to ensure our area continues to feel the benefits of the Conservatives long-term economic plan. You can find out more about me and my local campaigns - including on improving local public transport and securing real action on the Living Wage in Greenwich - at www.matthartley.org.uk I hope you will consider lending me your vote on 7th May.

Tom Holder The Liberal Democrats

Hidden among Greenwich and Woolwichs rich range of stunning parks and beautiful architecture, a vibrant music and arts scene spans the constituency. From the Trinity Laban Conservatoire and the University of Greenwich, to Ravensbourne College and Second Floor

studios, we live in a hotbed of creativity. If properly nurtured, the budding Digital Peninsula could be the next Silicon Roundabout, creating jobs, apprenticeships and opportunities for the people of Greenwich and Woolwich.

To achieve that, we need a transport system adequate for modern Londoners. If elected I would work with TFL to come up with a comprehensive plan to bring Greenwich's public transport system in line with neighbouring boroughs. Our smaller neighbour, Lewisham, has almost 50% more train stations (including DLR, Overground and Underground), while we are left with more cars and more pollution than many other regions of London. With our train stations losing direct access to Charing Cross, we believe the New Cross branch of the Overground should be extended into Greenwich and Woolwich.

In nearby Bermondsey, Liberal Democrat MP, Simon Hughes, fought and won his battle to get extra stops for the Jubilee Line, and is now campaigning to extend the Bakerloo line. We need an MP who will fight tooth and nail for such improvements in transport. Instead we have had the safe-seat complacency of a Labour MP leaving many areas out of reach of either tube or rail services for too long.

Even without any new infrastructure there are ways to boost public transport and to reduce vehicle traffic. The Liberal Democrats and I strongly support a one hour bus tickets, which would allow people to switch buses free within one hour of getting on their first bus. This would help tens of thousands of people across London and put us in line with many other large international cities.

Labour have long taken the votes of the people of Greenwich and Woolwich for granted. It is time for change. For better transport and more jobs, I urge you to vote for me, Tom Holder, on May 7th.

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Matthew Pennycook The Labour Party

For all the talent and drive among your generation, we live in a country where it is now almost taken for granted that life will be harder for you than it was for your parents. Young people now leave university saddled with unprecedented amounts of debt, most have

given up on the dream of ever owning their own home and many are unable even to find stable and well-paying jobs.

The decision by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition to increase tuition fees from 3,000 to 9,000 has seen graduate debts double from an average of 20,000 in 2010 to 43,500 today. Thats bad for students but its also bad for the taxpayer because almost three quarters of students will never pay their loan back in full, leaving the cost of writing it off to be met by the Government.

For the sake of our whole country, we need to do better for our young people. Labour will reform the current tuition fee regime by reducing tuition fees from 9,000 to 6,000 from September 2016. We will also help the most hard-pressed students by increasing student grants by 400 paid for by asking graduates that earn over 41,000 to pay a little more interest on their student loan.

Accommodation is another issue that students often raise with me and Labour will take tough action to protect tenants. Well tackle rogue landlords, with a national landlord register, and well ban rip-off letting agent fees, as well as guaranteeing longer tenancies with predictable rents for those who want them.

However, students are not concerned solely with student issues. You also care deeply about the future direction of our country. Labour want to build a country where hard work and talent are fairly rewarded, where everyone has the same opportunity to succeed irrespective of their background and where the next generation does better than the last.

There are big differences between the parties in this election and a big choice for you to make. If, like me, you want to see a fairer Britain that works for everyone, not just a privileged few then I urge you to vote Labour on Thursday 7 May.

Abbey Akinoushun The Green Party

I wasnt a member of the Green Party at the last election I actually contested it as an independent in a nearby constituency having recently resigned from Labour but Im not alone in that. Our membership has grown almost fivefold since the last General Election. That makes us the

third-largest party in England and Wales. This Green Surge has energised and excited tens of thousands of people. They have discovered that politics doesnt have to be confined to the same old parties running the country in the interests of big business and pandering to the bankers whose irresponsibility and greed has caused misery to millions.We believe in the common good. Established politicians rarely talk about happiness and wellbeing, but thats what a good society is all about. When we talk about creating jobs, we mean good, fulfilling ones that give people a decent quality of life not the McJobs, unpaid internships and zero-hours contracts that your generation is fobbed off with.Seventy percent of people in this country believe the railways should be back in public ownership, yet we are the only party promising to do it. We are the only ones who oppose PFI, the rip-off system of finance devised by Labour and the Tories which was designed to make fat cats richer by making future generations pay many times over for desperately needed schools and hospitals. And you dont need me to tell you that previous generations have despoiled the planet, with the worst culprits not caring because they wont be around to suffer the consequences. We are the only party serious about the environment, which is why our popularity has soared among young people. We now poll equal first among 18-24s. Under the present unfair voting system, its virtually impossible for us to win a majority. Thats why Labour and the Tories conspired to prevent electoral reform. But if we have a good result at this election we will punch above our weight and put a Green wedge into British politics. Tactical voting is part of the tired old system. I beg you to vote with your beliefs and your heart.

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Lynne Chamberlain Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

We must stop paying for the bankers crisis. There is no need for any cuts or austerity. The rich have got richer while working people have become poorer over the last 5 years. As hospital cuts were announced MPs voted for Trident missiles renewal costing 100 billion. With 100 billion we could pay for 150,000

new nursesand teachersevery year for30 years, or create 180,000 new jobs in construction launching a much needed council house building programme. But it wasnt just the Tories! The vast majority of Labour MPs either stayed away or voted with the government. 100 billion for war but not for the NHS! Labour lined up with the rich and the powerful again. I am campaigning against the 24% government cuts to adult education. If this happens Greenwich Community College will disappear

Student tuition fees should never have been introduced. As a mature student I graduated from Thames Polytechnic (now Greenwich University) and had a full grant. I could not have graduated without that grant. I became a specialist teacher of blind people. It should be the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. I would restore student grants and bring back the Education Maintenance Allowance that helped young people to progress to university. I am campaigning for an alternative to the Tories and Labours austerity policies. For years I have campaigned in defence of the NHS, against racism, against the bedroom tax,supporting bus drivers striking for fair pay, firefighters pension rights, campaigning for a minimum wage of 10 an hour. Labour say they will up the minimum wage to 8 by 2020. 2020?! UKIP scapegoats migrants and is ramping up racism - butits not migrant workers who are destroying the NHS theyre staffing and defending it. Its not migrants who are taking our young peoples future its the Tories. If elected TUSC will reverse every single cut. If you hate the Tories, and have no faith in Miliband, vote Lynne Chamberlain, Vote TUSC.

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All articles have been printed exactly as they were sent to the TL Review.

The UK Independence Party, whilst standing in Greenwich and Woolwich did not provide an article by the deadline.


Notes for the Archive Jane Fowler

Readers might be interested in this scarf donated to the Laban Archive by an alumnus of the Art of Movement Studio (now the Dance Faculty) who studied there in 1962.

The interestingly-shaped logo was also replicated on the cover of the prospectus from the early years of the Studios existence. It first opened its doors to the public in 1946.

We need to do some research into who designed the logo, but think its possible that it might have been Mr Rudolf Laban himself.

If you would like to see the scarf or anything else in the archive, contact the Archivist on [email protected]. You can have a look at what else we hold by searching the Laban Archive catalogue at http://calm.trinitylaban.ac.uk/calmview/

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Gravity: The Constant Accompanist Alun Thomas (Continued from Page one) Well, today Id like to look at such a secret agent for change - a constant, hidden (though fundamental), surprisingly generous companion, accompanying all our journeys, long, short, down, up, fore, aft. For some a fierce combatant, a cardboard tiger, for others a true and loyal servant. This travel-mate, unremitting guide and, rather un-heroically benign character is of course the force of gravity (FoG). As a species, not to mention particular skilled cohorts such as artisans, large, and small muscle athletes, we are hugely indebted to the FoG! Let's see if it might be possible to tease out an acceptable practical understanding of this force (or energy) in order to shed some light on the possibility that we could all 'do' much less - make far less effort, muscularly, (and therefore musically and choreographically) and make life way easier for ourselves, and learn to enjoy less wear and tear on our bodies into the bargain. Learning to make friends with gravity is the sin qua non of skilled movers in every sphere. The better friends we become, the better we will move, and, if you dont believe me when I say this, just take a look at Fred Astaire, one of lifes most famous movers.if you have a moment, Id recommend a YouTube viewing of him - with the sound turned off. Its an education in the art of freedom!

Ask yourself if you have ever really considered this special relationship with gravity. Is it more like that dim connection you may have with a distant cousin, or a disinherited stepchild, one thats not really occupied much of your time? Perhaps this is due for review, for we are, of course, all seconded into this special, if not always profitable co-habitation, whether we like it or not: if gravity was less, or more, strong, for example, we would simply not be here at all on earth. We would float away or be crushed! It is often the case that anything that is omnipresent, (think fish, imagine water) gets rather 'tuned out' of our awareness - we often give our attention to relatively more important stimuli, drowning out (to continue the analogy) generalities at the expense of the particular. Quite where we put our attention, or at the very least, choose not to, can make a dramatic difference to all our artistic endeavours. If you are a musician, for example, you might be seen to consider almost exclusively - and to great cost in actual fact, your arms and fingers (the business end) at the expense of the background support upon which they depend. Very often, it seems, we give the least attention to actions that are well-known, well-practised, (however well executed) or, as we say, habitual. We therefore take it for granted that, in terms of the FoG we will not, if prior experience is to be trusted, float off the surface of the

earth - like Peter Pan - or subsist in a folded foetal crouch as in conditions of zero gravity. Even less likely, we will not get drawn, like Jules Vernes journey recounts, down through the surface towards its own centre. Gravity is, of course, that force which pulls us toward the earth's centre. We, also, exert an equal 'pull' on the earth though whilst this has very little effect on such a huge mass as earth, it is also true that the force of the earths pulling and the equal and opposite reaction of our bodies balances out to zero. We are stopped from being drawn into the material of the earth by the so-called 'ground reaction force'; the earth, being hard, resists our weight, with a very slight give in the structure of its surface. The heavier the weight of a body' on the surface, the more equal and opposite will be this ground reaction force. This reactive up-thrust, as I like to think of it, and our skilled, steered, embodied response to it, forms, in large part, our ability to access proper freedom in movement. Heres a question that I sometimes consider over a beer or two, the answer to which finds plenty of prisoners amongst the least sober: if gravity promises, at least in potential, to do such a very good job of keeping us upright and opened out, why do so many of us make such a great deal of further effort to keep ourselves upright, fail to enjoy less-than-efficient breathing and move

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with less skill than the average six year old? Its like the demented or overzealous car mechanic who, not trusting the support from the hydraulic platform on which the car sits prior to a service, continues trying to lift by pulling it up from the top. All our moving yes, bowing and fingering, banging and blowing, singing and shouting, are all under the direct impress of the so-called 'weak FoG. Atmospheric pressure, along with gravity, (yet another free gift!), helping the effortless filling of our lungs with air. Our atmosphere, of course, is also kept in place by gravitational attraction, a double-enabler for anything breathing on the surface of the earth: gravity then, if we let it do its work, helps to extend the body and open it out: the ribs, upward and outward and the skeleton and spine informed by gravity to provide a wonderful spacer, ensuring a free flow of movement possibility, including air and liquids, inside an elastic double-spiralled, muscular wetsuit. One of the joys of the Alexander Technique' is that we can enlist our intentional thought in helping maximise gravitys gift and generate a coordinated expansion of the whole self. When we are even partially successful at dong this it feels good, besides anything else! Lightness in body translating, more or less, directly into lightness of spirit. If, as often seems to be the case, we do anything that jeopardises the free flow of the FoGs uprighting information tightening and

clenching our bodies, not taking care to free our necks (remember gravity also acts on individual parts of us - the head, for example being heavy and forwardly imbalanced, is a primary element in the maintenance of psychophysical' poise) or, forget to enlist our constructive attention ensuring a nice free balance on our feets well-known tripartite platform (and so on up the free legs and into the lovely lengthening spine). or if, in our striving, we start to offer up a little too much help by way of muscular effort - trying too hard in other words - then we may find that we have stared a gift horse in the face and will suffer the consequences. These might include shallow breathing and stiff movement, not to mention the psychological aspects of feeling down or uptight; that leaden' feeling, being on edge, unbalanced or out of breath Our bodies are well-evolved to be upright effortlessly. Weve had a long time for such an evolution and it is no fault of nature that we have allowed ourselves to become heavy and burdened in our dealings with movement on the surface of the planet. It does seem that many people want to go lower than the surface of the planet. We over-tighten our arms in order to play (gravity-assisted chords), we gasp for air in order to sing or blow a phrase, when a more profitable response would be to lengthen, open out and allow the elastic recoil of the ribs to start forming the vacuum into which air will go, all helped by gravitys constant push. We constrict our chests and deprive

ourselves of the gift of atmospheric pressure. What makes matters worse is enlisting breathing exercises to overcome what is essentially the lack of a good relationship with - yes, youve guessed it - GRAVITY! We are simply, perfectly adapted for 'being breathed', by virtue of atmospheric pressure. Some things to try: Whilst walking, playing or dancing, say to yourself from time to time: 'I am free / my feet are free to receive support from the ground 'My neck is not tight, so gravity can help my head move forward and up a little, and gravity can help generate my movement. Or ask yourself a question: Am I receiving the support of the earth; am I tensing my body, supporting myself with undue muscular bracing or trying to breathe in? If you find that you are doing any of these things, then return to the idea of being free to breathe freely, free to receive the support of the ground and free to move. Locating your centre of gravity - a couple of inches below your navel and towards your bodys centre, explore the idea of moving using this point as a guide. Of course, all this is much easier with the help of a good Alexander teacher. Free lessons are available in college with Alun Thomas (Student Services).

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CO MOTION INCLUSIVE YOUTH DANCE PLATFORM AN OUTSTANDING EVENING OF CREATIVE WORK Nick Kyprianou Co Motion Inclusive Youth Dance Platform is a biannual event, which started in 2009. It is a fantastic opportunity for mixed-ability dance groups, including those with learning and physical disabilities, to perform on the Laban Theatre stage. Co Motion is the only platform of its kind in the whole of the UK and is presented in partnership by the Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban partnership. This year saw eight groups perform, including a collaboration between the Trinity Laban Youth Dance Company and Cando2. The piece was choreographed by Trinity Labans very own Jamieson Dryburgh, a tutor and contemporary dance teacher, part of the Dance Faculty. The running order also included a dance film and two pieces from the Trinity Laban Dance Ability groups, which I have the opportunity to assist in the delivery of the classes. Part of the Youth Dance Programme, Dance Ability is a creative dance class in which disabled children and their siblings can experience, explore and create movement together in a fully inclusive and sensory environment. Last term I worked with the two Dance Ability groups towards the creation of a film called Favourite Things, by Roswitha Chesher, with animation from Tom Lockwood. In this film the children were able to express their favourite things, from goblins and fairies to bubbles and superheroes! Dance Ability was able to watch the film ahead of the evening performance in the dress rehearsal. The childrens faces simply lit up when they saw themselves projected large for everyone to see. This term was spent creating two very different dance pieces for each Dance Ability group, ready for Co Motion. Group A started off by listening to the BBCs 10

Pieces of inspirational classical music, deciding upon Mozarts Horn Concerto No.4 (3rd Movement). We asked the group to story-board their ideas from the music and how it made them feel. They came up with different ways to travel, images of fairy princesses and dodging ducks Adventures with Mozart was born. It was great to hear their thoughts and see it translated into movement. The group were able to choreograph most of the piece and the Dance Ability Team guided and crafted the material. Dance Ability B started their choreographic process looking at Wassily Kandinksys pictures of shapes. Shape Shakers was then moulded out of the groups response to moving through various shapes. Both groups are a pleasure to be a part of, working with such enthusiastic children! It was clear to see how happy and excited they were to perform on the stage, and they were astounded by the lights and sheer support from the audience. Co-ordinating the event, I felt a great sense of achievement in seeing all of the groups smiling and performing their work with confidence and pride. I have already received positive messages from those involved in the performance telling me what an enjoyable evening it was.

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This article first appeared on the Trinity Laban Blog www.trinitylaban.wordpress.com

Photo Courtesy of jk-photography


Thief strikes at King Charles Court

After the recent thefts of students bags from the recital room at Blackheath Halls during a concert, students have been more security-conscious over the last few months. The recent theft of a students tablet from a brass room in KCC however, has left students questioning the security arrangements in the music faculty. After leaving the practice room for a second, the 4th year student returned to his room to find the intruder, who was startled and left. It was only a few moments after that the student realised his tablet had been stolen. The police were called and House services checked the building thoroughly, but the culprit had made it out. Clive Howells, Head of Estates and Facilities at TL said that he was ensuring that people without passes were confronted and he has now re-implemented checks to TL systems and processes. Hopefully these new systems will stop something like this happening again.

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SAVE THE DATE!

TRINITY LABAN S.U SUMMER BALL SUNDAY 28TH JUNE

IN THE PAINTED HALLTICKET INFORMATION COMING SOON

Students Union Nominations CLOSE 22ND APRIL!

Keen to be involved in the direction of the institution? Excited by the thought of being the voice for the students? Got ideas about how to improve the student experience?

Interested in working as part of a team and widening your skill set?

Then the STUDENTS UNION could be for you!


Trinity Laban Netball Society Lucy Bray Here at Trinity Laban we are all-consumed by our disciplines, music and dance. How about something a little different but still with like-minded friends? Netball Society meets once a week for an hour at Deptford Lounge where we play on an open roof-top court. We do a bit of fitness, practise key skills, and then spend the majority of the time playing matches against each other. Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players, each assigned specific positions which define their roles within the team and restrict their movement to certain areas of the court.

During game play, a player with the ball can hold onto it for only 3 seconds before passing or shooting. This means that netball is fun, fast, and furious! It makes no difference whether or not you have played before - we play for fun! Netball is open to everyone; although typically considered a womans sport, netball is being increasingly played by men too and we already have several men attending Netball Society! We welcome anyone who might be interested and look forward to seeing some new faces soon!

Summer is upon us, and compared to the conditions we played in last term, the weather could now be considered tropical. What could be better after a day in the practice room or studio to get outside in the fresh air and the sun for some exercise with friends? Search Facebook for our group - Trinity Laban Netball Society to keep up to-date with all information and future practice sessions. Alternatively, email me at [email protected] if you have any questions

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Trinity Laban Netball Society at a recent trading session

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The TL REVIEW is the student-led newspaper for Trinity LabanAll views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writers alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views

or opinions of any institution they may belong to.

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THE TL REVIEW APRIL 15