Gaga, a “movement language,” that is practiced by the internationally acclaimed, Batsheva Dance Company was possible thanks to Ohad Fishof and Noa Zuk who were giving classes at The Ohio State University.
This experience was for me refreshing. To be sincere I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the experience or not. Why? Well… because I wasn’t sure if gaga was going to prepare my body in the way that I needed in order to perform. I wasn’t sure if a class without the structure of a sequence of plies, tendues, etc…would warm my body or actually be able to keep my body strong. But my body reacted positively. With gaga I felt complete, my body was working deeply every second of the class. I felt warm and stronger after each class. Moreover, I felt secure that I could do anything after that. And guess what? The plies, tendues were there but in a way that I wasn’t thinking about “the exercise” but about the feeling and sensation. For me this is important. I believe one of my weaknesses as a dancer is my capacity to learn a sequence in class. I will do it for sure….but thinking about learning the sequence disconnects my body from the actual movement. Trying to make the sequence right it doesn’t allow me to focus on my body in the way I want to. Doing gaga I felt complete from the beginning to the end, I used my body as a whole – I felt my body as a whole.
These are some of the important things from the class. First, I have to mention our center, which was the “lena.” Situated between the navel and groin, the “lena” is an energetic source, which can drive movement. It is our center, our point of departure that connects with the body-movement. Second, the way they directed the class made my body feel connected with sensations from my toes to my head. Simple images such as: “start floating,” “feel the groove,” “separate your bones from your flesh” and others made a huge difference in my approach to movement. Third, YOU NEVER STOP MOVING!! What a pleasure being able to enjoy a class without having to stop to: repeat the sequence, make clarifications, and “talk” about the movement. All the things I needed to have pointed out was done while we were dancing, without stopping. I loved it.
Also Noa Zuk former member of Batsheva Dance Company set Minus 16 for dancers in the OSU department of dance. I always loved this piece, and being part of it was incredible. The energy, the precision and detail of the piece were outstanding. There were clear guidelines for each movement quality…it wasn’t about shape but about the sensation. You could feel it in your bones, flesh, and limbs.
To conclude, I should mention that being part of this experience was important for me not only as a performer, but also as a teacher and choreographer as well.
