Hashtags: #FYFchallenge
LAUNCHED: FEB 1, 2013
THE PROMPT:
Simple concept, really. How much movement can you find without the added pressure of traveling from one spot? It really gives you time to focus on EVERYTHING we forget about: the direction of our head/eyes, what our hands and feet are doing, our own breathing, changing levels, and more. Tell yourself, “I’m gonna see everything I can play with, and what can move without any required tricks, spins, etc.” This hopefully will expand the fine details… and allow you to “mess around” with your movement, to really hear and enjoy the music in your dance, and do it all with less stress and expectation.
This exercise can truly give you new freestyle ideas; what to move, and how to be as you fill in those “dead spots” (pauses) when you are taking a break between tricks, catching your breath, or maybe even thinking about what to do next up the pole. These moments are important. Don’t disregard how beautiful the little moments can be. They can be huge!!! I say in my class a lot, “Make the small moves BIG”.
This stationary exercise has the added benefits of growing your own natural movement vocabulary without a lot of pre-conditioning, increase your body awareness and movement sensitivity, and warm-up your body safely as well!