In the "Thinking physically with ..." series the teachers of the TTP project were asked to reflect upon the projects topic and their experience with the group.
In todays episode you can read what Deborah has to say. She taught Kung Fu to the TTP participants and is co-creating the final performance with the group.
Deborah Smith-Wicke is the founder and school director of SOZO visions in motion and the curator of the "Thinking together physically" project. She was born in the UK and studied at the Royal Ballett School in London where she graduated. Since then she has danced in Opera houses and state theatres for 14 years in Germany and abroad. Three years after opening the school she founded her own dance-theater company.
Deborah is a teacher at her own school, teaching ballet, contemporary dance and Kung Fu amongst other things. She is also an entrepreneur, a choreographer, a performer and holds a black belt in Kung Fu.
So Deborah...
This project is called “TTP – Thinking Together Physically“
What do you understand by “thinking physically“ ?
I look at this from a dancer’s point of view. Since I was 16, I have been in full time dance training, performing, teaching and doing these things in different genres and I realize how quick our/my body is to find solutions fast when something doesn’t flow. Or in other cases be willing to train for years with much repetition to make good and fundamental changes. Even if one is inspired by a thought to change something or find the answer to a problem, it is done by the body… maybe we can say a “thinking body”
How did you plan to approach this idea in your classes?
I plan to set up some conversation like situations for the group and use some tools from Kung fu /Martial arts. Often, we think either we are right, and others are wrong in a conflict or when we are attacked that we only have one choice or NO CHOICE. We always have a choice and this choice never needs to be taking the “victim role”. Also, it doesn’t need to mean we WIN or we LOOSE. All the exercises we do will be researching this in partners to leave this rigid stance and approach the conflicting situations with curiosity. To leave the place of thinking there are no other options to finding out that we can always assume that other options exist. Conflict and differences between us are always the place of possibilities.
The professional dance world can be a competitive and hierarchical place.
What do you think a Kung Fu class has to offer to create a feeling of “togetherness”? Which aspects of this genre/field could challenge this feeling of “togetherness”?
A Kung fu class as I have learnt myself should bring each one to the point that they learn about themselves more through thinking with other bodies in conflict, but also in giving up the ego to be one with others too such as in “form work”. It’s about having the generosity to lead and the humbleness to follow, all at the same time. No one wins a fight! A good fight always relies on two people who mutually offer a time, space and action to challenge the partner to grow. Never to break them. Never to allow them to stay in the comfort zone. I have always experienced myself that many martial arts teachers don’t speak so much and one learns through the body and experience/instinct, and less through correction from an outside eye.
