Posture and Expression

The difference (okay, one of the many, many differences) between where I’m at with aerial arts and where the real pros are is in their ability to use their bodies not just to do the neat tricks, but to express emotion and exhibit fluid motion. I can work on making my moves flow together smoothly, but it takes another level of strength and competence with those moves to use them to really express what you want to show. It’s a literacy all its own that requires facility with the parts, much like poetry or great prose requires automaticity with grammar and vocabulary. One thing I’ve noticed from watching the pros is that they can use posture to make moves look more fluid, or use body positioning to emote without even being able to see their face:

I am working with a very limited vocabulary, and a basic grasp of the grammar of dance and movement. I can’t expect poetry to come out yet, but here are a few things I’m working on right now to push my expression a bit:

Photo by AerialShowgirls on Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Slow it down and lean in

A pop of a hip, a roll of an elbow, or an arch of the back can add drama and emotion to a move. the photo above would look way less appealing or intense if the performer’s head was not thrown back, or if her shoulder wasn’t cocked. You can do a lot with the difference between a flexed or pointed foot, a bent or straight knee, etc. At my level, this means I need to slow down and do every move REALLY hard, like I mean it, instead of trying to flow through them quickly, which makes it look sloppier and less deliberate.

Posture counts

In the video above  featuring my favourite aerial artist on YouTube, you can see how she arches her back to pull up into the hoop, straightens her back to show balance, and sometimes even hunches forward for almost a springboard effect, when she’s about to do something really impressive. I like this idea, and as I work on my back flexibility I’m always trying to be aware of what my posture is doing.

I’ll be doing my final video recording this weekend for a few weeks, so wish me luck!!