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MOVING WorcesterMOVE, a popular new dance movement brings people together at Clark A new type of dance community has come alive in Worcester thanks to Amy Mosher, a grad student at Clark University. Mosher trained in classical ballet and gymnastics, but at 22, wanted something freer and more intense. She says she was "ready for a kind of movement based in dance, but less structured or choreographed." Feeling restricted by her classical training, Mosher says she wanted to "have fun with dance instead of being scared." She became part of a dance movement forming in different communities around the world. "Contact improvisation" is a form of dance in which individuals coordinate improvised movements in order to physically connect with other people, whether through supporting one another's weight or through merely touching each other's hands. This kind of movement, like any improvisational art, can be extremely liberating, providing a sense of connection and intimacy. The dancers really learn to "trust a stranger," as Mosher says. This dance trend has caught on quickly, and since its onset, people worldwide have formed communities, workshops, and classes built on contact improvisation. Earthdance, a retreat center for improvisation, was first formed in the woods of western Massachusetts, while Boston began offering contact classes, workshops, and "jams" at various locations. Worcester didn't catch on to the trend until Mosher decided to take matters into her own hands. This September, Mosher put up flyers announcing a free dance class on the Clark University campus. "MOVE! is a new creation of a safe and comfortable space that welcomes people of all shapes, ages, and dance backgrounds to relieve stress through movement," the flyers read. "This is a grassroots effort run by the people intended to celebrate the miracle of motion and our freedom of expression, build confidence in ourselves, and build confidence within and amongst our communities." The class was open to the Worcester community. To Mosher's excitement, a large group of enthusiastic participants from all over showed up for the first class. The people were of widely varying ages and backgrounds, and each brought unique ideas and techniques to share with the group. Mosher couldn't have hoped for more. "I really want this group to go wherever the people want it to go," she says. "I originally wanted it to be specific to improvisation, but I didn't want to deter anyone who had different ideas, so it's really a place where people can bring any kind of dance." The participants in Mosher's group bring with them backgrounds in such dance styles as ballet, tap, hip-hop, yoga, and country line dancing. During most classes, group members step forward and teach the group these different techniques, and for most classes, participants are invited to bring their own music for dancing. There has even been talk of dancers bringing in their own musical instruments and drums to add to the creative environment. When Mosher steps forward to lead the group during each class, she shares her experiences with contact improvisation and leads the group in various improv exercises. In Mosher's experience, most people are a bit hesitant or scared of trying improvisation at first. The key, she says, is to "not let yourself be limited by the kinds of movement you are comfortable with. It's all about comfort level." Once you get comfortable with your own body and the kind of movement it is capable of, Mosher says, improvisation can be about "dancing your emotions- whatever you feel at the time." "Why do we place limits on physical movement in a public place, when, fortunately, most of us are capable of doing so much more with our bodies?" Mosher asks, going on to say, "It's nice to have a community that understands the absurdity of that." Mosher says she enjoys participating in the contact improv groups in eastern and western Massachusetts. At the weekend improv "jams" she travels to, she meets dancers from all over the country. She feels that Worcester would benefit from these kinds of gatherings. Her current class is called MOVE!, but she hopes to eventually expand and form a Worcester Contact Improvisation Project, with classes located at the YMCA or somewhere more community-based. For now, Mosher hopes that the class at Clark will be a way to "Use dance and art to bridge campus and community. We can break down hostilities if we open up different events that are available to everyone," she says. The class also is important for the campus community because, Mosher claims, "in an academic environment, you almost forget how important it is to move your body instead of just moving your fingers across a computer keyboard... When we're overwhelmed with schoolwork or work work, or the general state of the world, I feel movement and laughter are key to staying sane. If we can have fun together once a week, that's even better." |