After and during the movement class, I had different thoughts and observations on movements and meaning. For example, when we were told to make different movements in crossing the room exercise. I noticed that my movements were repetitive. I was just using my legs to make a movement. However, when we closed our eyes and started to make our own movements, I tried to use my hands and hips to make a move. However, this felt unnatural to me. One question that stuck into my mind is “why did I feel these movements are unnatural to me?”. This might be because I am trying to break the pattern by trying to add a new movement. When attempting to do different movements, I was unconsciously thinking on how to do it and then, understand the meaning of the movement. This way of thinking might be one of the reasons behind the feeling of being odd and unnatural. For example, even when we were practicing Trajal’s voguing which was simply walking, I felt the same way. The feeling of oddness might be because these simple movements are done at low speed and in real life, we do these movements(such as walking, jumping, and etc) without focusing on how it is actually done.

I was really surprised by Trajal’s statement that dancing is independent of music. I always had this thought that dancing is always associated with music. So when you dance, music should always be played on. However, when Trajal introduced “phrasing“, I got the notion of dancing as an independent tool. When I was watching my peer’s accumulation of movements, I was only observing the accumulation of the movements rather than interpreting the intended feelings or messages they are trying to convey. So, basically, I had a new way of observing the subject. So what was new to me is that unconsciously, the subject became the movements and not the person. By adding music, I believe the focus will shift from the movements to the person. This might be because music provides this sense of feelings and impressions. Thus, I feel by adding music, the performer’s intended feelings and messages will be understandable. However, the usage of “phrasing” produce a sense of music by following the repetition and pattern of the movements.

When I first read the play “Medea”, I was confused about how this play relates to dancing and choreography. However, today’s discussion about “Post Dramatic Theatre”, provided me with a new way of thinking on how dancing and movements intersect with texts. I am so excited to know how Trajal will use this play to produce his work, and how will he critically express the complex themes and imageries in Medea using movements. I am interested in the “how” of O’Medea and not the “what“. We already know what it is about but I am curious about how Trajal will translate the text into movements. What would be some of the modifications done and why? Hope the interview will give me an answer or a clue to my questions.