842  Music: a Structure of Feeling

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Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2002 20:07:34 -0800
From: Jonathan Thornton <jnt@NOYAU.COM>
Subject: Music: a Structure of Feeling

Emotional states are time structured experiences in the body/brain. Art
uses structures to create emotional expressions. Looking at music, its'
structure in time is one of notes of different pitch, volume, and duration
quantities/qualities changing in time in reference to a repeating pulse
structure, the beat.

One or two folks on this list have mentioned that often the use of the
term "feeling" the music is used in some sense of "either you get it or
you don't." I think though by directing attention to the way music
develops and modulates through the melodic phrases it becomes possible to
see how the feeling in the music can be felt and danced. "Feeling" is not
just what your response is, it is rather a performance that the dancer
does to express the music. In the same way a poet or actor must translate
the written word into a felt vocal performance, or indeed a musician
transforms the notes in the sheet music into a moving performance, a
dancer transforms the music into bodily expression in moving synchronicity
with the music that is playing.

This is a music centric view of dance. Instead of defining the dance as a
syllabus of steps and moves that are selected and linked together in time
to music, I am saying dancing is using those steps and movements to
express the feeling in the music as it flows through out that performance
in time. This means the dancer must listen to the music and check their
kinesthetic feelings against their auditory experience to see if it is a
fitting match or not. Over and above leading a step or following with the
correct step is the communication of how you are expressing the feeling
you hear in the music at it unfolds.

I don't see how one can arrive at musicality in dancing without a deep
appreciation of the music one is dancing to. This is my clearest attempt
thus far at putting into words my sense of musicality in dancing. Doesn't
mean this is a clear expression, of course, just my best attempt. How does
this strike you? Feedback welcomed.

Thanks,

Jonathan Thornton




Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2002 11:52:47 -0900
From: Dan Boccia <redfox@ALASKA.NET>
Subject: Re: Music: a Structure of Feeling

> Instead of defining the dance as a
> syllabus of steps and moves that are selected and linked together in

time

> to music, I am saying dancing is using those steps and movements to
> express the feeling in the music as it flows through out that

performance

> in time.


YES!!! Now we're dancing!


This means the dancer must listen to the music and check their

> kinesthetic feelings against their auditory experience to see if it is

a

> fitting match or not. Over and above leading a step or following with

the

> correct step is the communication of how you are expressing the

feeling

> you hear in the music at it unfolds.
>
> I don't see how one can arrive at musicality in dancing without a deep
> appreciation of the music one is dancing to.


Jonathon, thank you for your wonderfully illustrative post. For me, the
music is absolutely central to the dance. Some steps, figures, and
vocabulary, combined with lead/follow and other technical skills can
enhance our ability to interpret the music and transmit/receive musical
interpretation with our partners. But the life and soul of dance
resides in the dancers' interpretation of music.

Dan


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