| Summary
of a lecture
The Dancing Violins were born after a 2-year long course at the Jaques-Dalcroze Rythmic Institute in Geneva from 1998 to 1999. After playing the viola for many years, I thought I was able to coordinate my movements. But at this course, as I had to practise rhythmic exercises : I realised how difficult they were. There was a problem somewhere ... So I began to think. To guarantee the independence of every isolated movement, Dalcroze exercises them simultaneously with other parts of the body in contrasting tempos or directions. The purpose of this technique is to eliminate the influence of instinctive reactions. While practicing our instrument we exercise the independence of every movement and learn not to let them have an influence on each another. For violin players, both sides of the body have a very different and contrasted function. (Left side for the melody and right side for the creation of the sound) The mouvements are very contrasted too. We can notice that when we play the violin, it's mainly the upper part of our body that is used. The specific difficulties of our instrument focus our mind on specific movements and actions, often creating tensions and negative feelings. I therefore bet that if we add the legs (which are the inferior part of the body) as contrasting movements to these complexities, the learning will become sounder and more conscious. By focusing the mind on other resistances, the tensions related to the difficulties of the instrument tend to disappear. On the other hand, to use the whole body, physiologically and neurologically, seemed obvious to me. It is a very good way to develop the global expression of the child as well as his personality. After 8 years of developing the « Dancing Violins » with my pupils, by seeing the children evolve and by taking into account the observation of colleagues and the public, we can say that the pupils who began the violin with the contribution of dance have developed certain assets: - They are confortable with the bow, the movements are wide and are not limited by the dimension of the bow, the surrounding space is also invested - They have a good attitude and body movements adapted to the playing and to expressiveness - A good intonation and fast correction - An access to the vibrato very early in learning - A good sense of the pulse - and moreover, a lot of pleasure to play and communicate this pleasure... We can also notice that the technical result is fast and effective. By a global use of his/her body and his/her mind, the pupil invests his technical work and can thus incorporate this learning into a more general movement. It seems to me that this approach goes in the direction of every musician's quest: To make one’s instrument part of oneself... |