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Lecture: ‘A Dancer-Centric Journey’ - In pursuit of an interdisciplinary approach to training, healthcare and performance (Clare Guss-West)This presentation is aimed at healthcare practitioners and dance educators interested in the application of research findings as practical cueing and coaching tools.
Dancers accumulate feedback from multiple sources throughout their training and findings[1]show they frequently mix incongruous information simultaneously in performance. For some dancers this fragmented attentional focus and information overload has the counterproductive effect of impeding progress. ‘More is not more’– far from enhancing performance it can lead, at worst case to a global movement dysfunction. Strategies for a cohesive multidisciplinary approach are presented as implemented within a professional company, to align focus and support a ‘dancer-centric’ journey: The systematic application of ‘external’attentional foci across the disciplines, the filtering of extraneous professional information, the flexing of communication and the choice of ‘enabling’ vocabulary, accumulatively[2]unite the intention of the team to support the dancer in the global demands of the discipline – powerful, efficient movement at the service of an external artistic intention. Simple modifications to the wording of instructions and cueing produce immediate physiologically benefits[3]in movement effectiveness (balance, precision, speed, consistency), efficiency (movement quality, minimized muscular activity, optimized force production and cardio-vascular response) and lasting effects on performance results. Secondary benefits such as an increased capacity to multi-task, to listen and to manage performance under stressful conditions are particularly pertinent to dance. These benefits apply across diverse contexts, impacting not only movement skills but enhancing transpersonal communication and team skills. The presentation will review relevant research findings and present the practical application and implications for training and healthcare. |
Clare Guss-West |
Clare Guss-West, Baum, MA is a former professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, holistic health practitioner and author, specializing in alternative strategies for professional dance training and enhanced artistic performance. Switzerland & USA
Clare’s innovative work integrating holistic health principals to the training of classical ballet, ‘holistic ballet’® translates the ‘inner’ focus & energy work of the martial arts, supported by the latest knowledge from sports science to manage energy in motion and optimize effort for enhanced performance, reduced injury, promoting a sustainable technique. She delivers this work for professional dancers, trainers, artistic staff and ballet masters of The Royal Ballet, Houston Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Ballet de L’Opèra du Rhin and Opèra de Paris-Opèra Université. Her teaching methodology dancing longevity’® focuses on dance practice for Older Adults and is recognized as a DU (University Diploma) of the University Côte d'Azur, France integrating dance teachers, PTs, physiotherapists and therapists. The method is also certified as Continuing Education, l’Ecole Superieure de Danse, Cannes et Marseille and certified international CPD for The Royal Academy of Dance. Co-founder of the European Dance & Creative Wellness’ Foundation, Clare aims to bring awareness to the potential role of dance in innovative preventative health and wellness solutions. |