The use of voice and movement as a therapeutic and creative tool by ASPASIA MARMARITSAKI

In this practice-based research, I am exploring the co-existence and interaction of voice, breath, and movement in my practice for both healing-therapeutic and artistic-creative purposes. I consider it important because, as humans as well as practitioners, we use both of these tools that are components of our body to perform as a whole, and they have lots of mutual needs but also lots of ways that they inform each other either consciously or subconsciously. This idea started as a way to work on personal concerns but then inspired me to think of it as a methodology that could expand outwards. A set of tools that, after seeing how they can help me connect deeper with my body and improve on challenges I encounter, could apply to other people too; not only with the same or similar concerns, but in general other people who are interested in the organic use of the body, the therapeutic tools that we can create by extracting elements from within our body, and the re-formation of a healthy and respectful approach towards the use of our body which extends, consequently, to the re-finding of awareness and enjoyment while we practice. So, summing up, I am interested in exploring the ways in which voice and movement inform each other, the therapeutic benefits out of this process, and the feedback they can provide for each other in terms of their functional use. The choice of this topic is the result of realizations that my recent injury led me to as far as they way I am using my body is concerned. So, it seems to me like a way to reconnect with my body in a more sensitive and mindful way. I look at it as a natural medicine for my body, mind, soul, and practice. As a way to create a practice for recovery but also for prevention and at the same time a source of inspiration. Starting from the creation of a deeper connection within ourselves and a healthier approach towards our practice, I feel that this process results in more concentration, presence, enjoyment, and relief; elements that can make a significant difference in performance, choreographic process, training, practice, and education. Conscious breath, functional breath, breath that can facilitate the movement, movement that can facilitate the use of voice, and vice versa, are the parameters of the practice that are being explored through improvisational tasks. I am aiming at the development of a set of tasks from and for the practitioner, either this is the researcher or someone else who applies this method on themselves and the essential purpose is to discover what feels right for each body with no attachment to aesthetic parameters nor perfection of any kind. Background knowledge can be a support, but occurring knowledge during the practice is what I am mostly interested in.

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"The use of breath, voice, and movement as a therapeutic and creative tool"

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Introduction:

In this practice-based research, I am exploring the co-existence of and connection between voice, breath, and movement in my practice for both healing-therapeutic and artistic-creative purposes. I consider it important because, as humans as well as practitioners, we use both of these tools that are components of our body to perform as a whole, and they have lots of mutual needs but also lots of ways that they inform each other either consciously or subconsciously. It started as a way to work on personal concerns but then inspired me to think of it as a methodology that could expand outwards. A set of tools that, after seeing how they can help me connect deeper with my body and improve on difficulties I face, could apply to other people too; not only with the same or similar concerns, but in general other people who are interested in the organic use of the body, the therapeutic tools that we can create by extracting elements from within our body, and the re-formation of a healthy and respectful approach towards the use of our body which extends, consequently, to the re-finding of awareness and enjoyment while we practice. So, summing up, I am interested in exploring the ways in which voice and movement inform each other, the therapeutic benefits out of this process, and the feedback they can provide for each other in terms of their functional use, while all these extend to a source of inspiration for creativity as well.

Inspiration

I came up with this idea now, due to some realizations that my recent injury led me to as far as they way I am using my body is concerned. So, it seems to me like a way to reconnect with my body in a more sensitive and mindful way. I look at it as a natural medicine for my body, mind, soul, and practice. As a way to create a practice for recovery, release emotional and physical tension to allow space for enjoyable practice, but also for prevention and at the same time a source of inspiration. I was drawn by an urge to find presence, enjoyment, and relief; elements that can make a significant difference in performance, choreographic process, training, practice, and education. But also, improve my relationship with breathing. I was always getting overwhelmed by trying to breath slow and calm, it seemed impossible, I ended up feeling even more tense, and now it has a major role in my daily life. Because the multiple muscle spasms made me realize how connected the breahing is to the pain and the way of movement, and to the emotional weight. So I got very intrigued to learn how to use this huge affect as a benefit which led me to start looking at conscious breath, functional breath, breath that can facilitate the movement, movement that can facilitate the use of voice, and vice versa, through improvisational tasks.

"FV is a comprehensive approach to voice with equal emphasis on freedom and focus of expression which transgresses performance on stage and in daily life. "

"..an open-ended identity process of curiosity and new discoveries within the process of enhanced embodied and vocal presences. "

" FV practice integrates the physical, emotional and intellectual body. "

(Bruun. 2021)

Questions:

How can movement free the voice and vice versa?
How can vocal improvisation lead a movement improvisation?
How to ensure I am maintaining functional breathing while moving, what can be my constant feedback resource?
How can breath, as a mutual point of focus, bring freedom in body, voice, and mind and allow a healthier and more organic space for practice?

Aim

I am aiming at the development of a method(ology)-set of tasks from and for the practitioner, either this is the researcher or someone else who applies this method on themselves and the essential purpose is to discover what feels right for each body with no attachment to aesthetic results nor perfection of any kind. Background knowledge is a support, but occurring knowledge during the practice is what I am mostly interested in. My intention is, through this journey to allow movement to happen as a result of functional breathing and released tension, extending to a different state of being. Voice is an extra factor to give feedback during this process and enrich the sense of healing and liberation as it is being liberated itself as well.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical part of the research focuses mainly on breathwork and voicework, using Fitzmaurice Voicework as my main theory, and especially its application in dance by Carly Schaub. I find this framework ideal for this exploration because my thought is that if while moving I am not able to breath functionally or even use my voice more often than not, then this is a reflection of non organic perhaps movement or stiffness, or unnecessary tension and it rings a bell for a deeper look into the mechanics of the movement. The same applies if I look at them the other way around. So, those two sources have provide me many interesting tools to work with.

Methodology

Body-centered, intuitional practice-led, and reflective methods are being used while conducting this research.
Creation of improvisational tasks based on my theoritical framework and ideas that occur while I am conducting the theoritical part of the research, revisiting others that I have encountered before and feel suitable within this research, and trying original tasks that are being presented by other practitioners as application of the theories I am using as a base.
Documentation of the practical part through videos and reflective writing.
Analysis of the experience and occuring realizations of the practice through reflective writing using phenomenology.
Watching the documented practice videos for further observations and an outside-eye reflection.

The reflection on each time I practice, adds to the practical component of the next one as it leads to new discoveries, realizations, breakthroughs, and it inspires new ideas on how to coninue.

The practice and reflection within this research are in constant conversation with what feels right for the body.

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