If the idea of integrating improvisation into your studio sounds like a new way to spruce up curriculum, but you aren't sure how to go about it, this month you're in luck. The incorporation of structured improvisation is a fantastic addition to any technique class. More and more, studio dancers that do go into the higher-education arena or even straight into auditioning, are finding that choreographers and program directors are requiring skilled improvers; alongside superior technique. Usually, the younger we are the more uninhibited we are and sometimes if this is not a skill introduced to our dancers at an early age, the tendency will be, (as we get into the formidable teenage years) to become self conscious and over-think what we are doing rather than following a given directive to the score and letting the body take over.

Introducing improvisation is really fun with basic exercises; which you will then find have infinite variations on a theme, in which to progress. The following are some of my favorite which I have found work wonderfully to inspire original, creative movement with my own students! Good luck!

1.      'Statues': Statues is a great introductory improvisation exercise where dancers pair up. One dancer is the sculptor and one is the clay. As the music goes the sculptor molds the dancer into shapes until they are satisfied with one they like best (or a music pause cues them to stop). Dancers are then given the cue when to switch roles. Molding shapes is a wonderful way to explore levels, size, dimension, etc. With a group, an alternative to this exercise is to have everyone take a shape as the statue and one or two dancers are to travel and improv with a locomotor movement. Once they find a statue whose shape they would like to take, those 'statues' then become the dancers and begin to travel through the space; repeating the same thing.

2.      'Negative-Positive': With this improv score, dancers learn the concept of negative and positive space. Begin with duets. One dancer takes a shape and the other dancer moves through their negative or 'empty' space to replace their shape with their own new shape. Repeat. For a progression use trios, then quartets. Build to the whole class moving at once (in slow motion) for a beautiful spontaneous moving picture.

3.      'Energy Pass': This score is fantastic to break the ice and make dancers feel really comfortable with one another; especially as a first improvisational introduction. Stand in a circle. Use fluid movement with your 'energy ball' in your hands to pass it on to the next dancer without 'dropping it' or stopping. For progression:

·         Make two consecutive, continuous passes around the circle; keeping the rhythm and flow of the pass.

·         Quicken the tempo each time you go around the circle getting faster and faster and then conversely going slower and slower.

·         Specify body part initiation for one's 'pass.'

4.      'Mirror Mirror': Start in duets. Moving very, very slowly and beginning stationary, (on the floor for beginners) a 'follow the leader' approach to improving is done here to see how in unison the dancers can move and how to precisely replicate movement. To progress, let dancers go from sitting to standing and stationary to traveling through the space. Add dancers to make larger groupings for a more advanced exercise and change tempo.

5.      Trust: Another great, 'get to know each other score.' Dancers are paired up. One must close their eyes and let their partner be the ‘navigator' moving them however they want and traveling with them wherever they want in the room and at any level. The key here is to remind students about respecting their partner who is trusting them, moving slowly and staying within the comfort zone of their partner who communicates to them. Changing music is a great cue for dancers to know when to switch roles.

6.      'Paintbrush':  A fantastic way to teach students how to initiate movement with different body parts. Explain to dancers that whichever body part they use will be their paintbrush; painting the canvas of their space with their movement. Start stationary on a low level; continuously cueing dancers to change the body part. Then take it into space for progression and add multiple body parts to alternate the initiation of movement.

7.      'Opposites': One of my favorites; a great way to begin to explore dynamic qualities and choreographic devices and concepts. Split the room in half. For example, One-half of the room will be 'fast movement' and the other 'slow movement.' Every time a dancer moves into the designated half, their movement must reflect that. Change the halves to reflect other ideas including: sharp/fluid, high level/low level, expand/contract, big/small, etc, etc. You can also include conceptual ideas like winter/spring, happy/sad, strong/week, hot/cold, rain/wind, etc. For progression, split the room into quadrants and have dancers have to change four times during the exercise!