Authentic Movement -Tenzin

Authentic Movement analysis seems like a very interesting concept but difficult at practice, especially when one is trying to criticize without any judgment. When I took my first dance class with Andrea Olsen, I did this activity with a peer to help us both with our choreography for the next project. When we first began the mover and the witness method, it was very hard to focus both as a mover and a witness. while dancing, even when I closed my eyes to avoid distraction, my thoughts would take over me and my movements. Thoughts to look like a professional dancer, look cool, not to too graceful, feminine, look strong and more. Therefore, I never achieved my authentic movements. At the same time, as a witness, I could not stop but judge my partner's lack of coordination, uncoolness, stiffy and very poor body vocabulary. And during our conversation, I would lie and make up things on the spur not to offend or be mean to my partner. As we did this activity more often in class, I was slowly progressing to attaining my authentic movements and learning to internalize the mover's movement with out judgment. It was a tough process because to understand this method, I sought to meditation. To make my mind pure with no chain of thoughts. Therefore, I started spending lone time in the dance studios especially on weekend nights sitting in the middle of the floor with my eyes closed trying to avoid the chain of thoughts. And this process itself was another tough nut to crack, however, i found myself moving more freely, with less thoughts and observing the mover through their own movement vocabulary and not judging.
Because authentic movement is ones movement being authentic to oneself. Like Adrea Olsen tells in the article that the dancer is the expertise in their own movement, through simple meditation, I was able to eliminate my judgment of partner through my body vocabulary instead through his because he is the expert in his own movements. Therefore, even though a difficult process, when one can internalize the true movement experience and move with it, it can be a very compelling experience through which not only choreography could be created but through which one can also learn and explore oneself.