Charles Weidman - Technique

Technique

Weidman's movement vocabulary was based on gravity. In concentrating on this element, the "fall was rediscovered." The idea was to explore how giving into gravity makes one fall, while balancing your body against gravity could create movement as well. In addition, he emphasized the movements that occurred before and after falling. From these ideas came suspension, or the "body's resistance to gravity"; and succession, or the "progressive unfolding of the body as an impulse flows from joint to joint". This created a whole new phrase of movements, which includes a lot of floor work, a lot of jumping and a lot of falling. In addition to his unique new way of moving, Weidman brought a personal element to the dance world: his dramatic abilities. "Arguably, no one has dramatic skill equal to Weidman". His choreography was very expressive and usually very emotional. His range of emotion went from comedy to seriousness—yet the expression is always important and always present in his choreography.

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