The empathy and the structuring sharing modes of movement sequences in the improvisation of contemporary dance

Abstract

Dance, an activity endowed with intentional expressivity and intrinsic affectivity, has been the target of neuroscientific research since the last decade of the 20th century. We can make several inferences about the cognitive and motor aspects in dance based on this research. The main goal of the present study is to raise questions about how communication takes place among dancers during dance improvisation. This work is based on a systematic review of the literature. In this paper we approach the cognition and motivity in dance improvisation from the embodied cognition theory. This theory involves several concepts, including motor cognition, situated cognition and social cognition. It can also be inferred that mirror neurons constitute the neurobiological basis of perception and action processes present in these cognitive modes. It is suggested that this type of neural mechanism is also related to empathy, a procedure which enables a person to understand the intentions and emotions of another person without verbal language. We suggest the idea of empathic choreography for temporary structuring of movements which take place in contemporary dance improvisation. When dancers improvise, they understand each other's motor intentions and emotions. Thus, the dancers share decision making and build an ephemeral movement structure that characterises dance improvisation.

Practical implications of the non-linear pedagogy in future physical Education Teachers Training during a body expression session: towards the edge of chaos (Implicaciones prácticas de la pedagogía no-lineal en la formación del Profesorado de Educación F

“…Selforganisation is something that show up better in the limit between order and chaos; therefore, a task can follow a mechanical order without any other answer possibility but it does not necessarily have to follow an order, and the other way round. The sensorial perception of the performance depends on how the body feels and works, what it desires, does and suffers (Hristovski et al, 2011;Schuterman, 1999;Ribeiro and Fonseca, 2011).…”

“…As inspiration is autocatalysed by the artist's response to the excitement of creativity, the non-linearity of the situation increases (Kelso, 1997;Zausner, 1996). In the case of dance, improvisation requires the cognition and relationship with one's partner and space (Ribeiro and Fonseca, 2011). The body's response may be conditioned by elements such as experiences, values, tastes, desires and technique (Blom and Chaplin, 1988).…”

“…Emotions modulate perceptions, intentions and consequently actions, affecting movements in their sensory perceptive essence (Ribeiro and Fonseca, 2011). Dance, as a physical activity, has technical and creative components, as well as an emotional dimension that is closely related to the dancer's movements (Torrents, Mateu, Planas, and Dinusova, 2011).…”

Let’s Improv It: The Embodied Investigation of Social Collaboration

“…Consequently, they must rely on other senses such as hearing, touch, and kinesthesia, in order to develop social connections with others, while having little to no knowledge of 'who' that person is, nor what one's socially prescribed relationship with that other person is (Gallese, 2003;Hertenstein, Keltner, App, Bulleit, & Jaskolka, 2006;Ribeiro & Fonseca, 2011;Verstegen 2005, p.22). Sensing another's presence can guide one to move closer or further; feeling another's touch can cause one's body to react with new movement.…”

“…Due to the mostly non-verbal character of the practice, it allows greater focus on embodied means of communication. Ribeiro and Fonseca (2011) suggested that collaboration and communication between improvisers are mediated by 'kinaesthetic empathy.' This they define as the ability to understand others' actions and emotions through embodied feelings, which tend to match others' states.…”