Release Technique & Floorwork

Release Technique & Floorwork

Mondays 6:30-8:00 PM

Instructor: Tamar Gutherz

Class dates: May 12th, May 19th (no class May 26th), June 2nd, June 9th, June 16th, June 23rd

Class Description:

This intermediate level movement class will explore our relationship to gravity, muscular effort, and form.

We’ll begin with some guided imagery and then transition down to the floor–folding, sliding, rolling, falling, pouring, pushing, spiralling, expanding.  We’ll explore different ways of moving in & out of the floor through the lens of a simple warm-up phrase.  Using our weight as inspiration and dropping the weight as an impetus for movement.  I’m interested in Figure 8 patterns that naturally exist in our bodies.  How can we recycle this energy to spiral in and out of the floor, and move effortlessly through space? We will try to spread effort evenly and find an elastic, catlike quality in our muscles.  What is the right amount of tone needed to protect ourselves from the floor and recycle our momentum?   

We’ll investigate the relationship between our core and extremities.  Where does my center stop and start? How is my breath related to that?  We’ll explore falling in various ways—size, speed, direction—and notice the trails we leave behind us as we move.  We’ll do some conditioning work to strengthen our upper bodies and fire up our centers.  We’ll experiment with off balances, riding waves of momentum, and visit some light inversions. 

Expect long, juicy Floorwork phrases, plies, leg swings, big weight shifts, standing leg strengthening, and a dynamic flow with expansive movement across the floor and jumps.