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SESSIONS Falling, Releasing and Post-Judson Dance by Melanie Bales, USA Paper This paper draws on Laban Movement Analysis, selected readings and the author’s experience as a dancer in addressing the ascendancy of certain movement values during and since the Judson era in contemporary American dance. The idea of "orientational metaphors" from Lakoff and Johnson provides a starting off point for a discussion of meaning in movement, which is further examined through the LMA framework. Of particular interest is how those movement values—such as a more relaxed body attitude, softer bodily tone and overt play with gravity—intersected with and influenced technique and training during and since the time of Judson Dance Theatre. "Release technique" is an umbrella term that captures several concepts since the fertile time of experimentation in the 60s when dance reflected on itself as an art form. During the same period, other movement forms were being incorporated freely into dance, and in turn, contributed to the changing aesthetic. Thoughts from dance writers and professional performers on the idea of release are presented and considered in terms of the aesthetic preferences of dance that finds its roots in the work of figures such as Trisha Brown, Steve Paxton, and others. This presentation will derive from a current manuscript on dance training since the Judson era. Besides the Lakoff and Johnson (Metaphors We Live By) and Irmgard Bartenieff’s Coping with the Environment, other sources include the writings of Sally Banes, Deborah Jowitt, Wendy Perron, and various contributors to the New York City Movement Research Performance Journal. It brings several areas into dialogue with one another: movement analysis, history, aesthetics, and issues of dance training. Melanie Bales teaches dance technique and courses in Laban Movement studies to undergraduate and graduate students in The Ohio State University's Department of Dance, where she also choreographs and is chair of graduate studies. She received a BA from Carleton College, an MFA from the University of Illinois and was certified through the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, New York. She performed both classical and operetta repertoire in West Germany and danced principal duet roles with Douglas Nielsen Dance in New York. Professor Bales' research interests have revolved around two main themes: dance style analysis and how contemporary dancers train. She has recently completed a manuscript that addresses selected issues in postmodern dance training.
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