Conscious Dance Practices/Authentic Movement/sl

Authentic Movement je kontemplativna gibalna praksa, osredotočena na utelešeno zavedanje, notranje poslušanje in relacijsko pričevanje. Zanjo je značilno spontano gibanje, ki izhaja iz notranjega impulza in se izvaja znotraj jasno definirane vsebine, ki vključuje vlogi gibalca in priče.

Authentic Movement se izvaja mednarodno v terapevtskih, izobraževalnih, umetniških in kontemplativnih kontekstih. Pogosto je opisan kot disciplina in ne kot plesna oblika, ki poudarja zavedanje, prisotnost in ustvarjanje pomena pred izvedbo ali estetskim izidom.

Izvor

Authentic Movement se je pojavil sredi 20. stoletja z delom Mary Starks Whitehouse, plesalke in jungovske analitičarke. Whitehouse je črpala vplive iz sodobnega plesa, globinske psihologije in aktivne domišljije ter razvila prakso, ki je povezovala nezavedni material, gibanje in zavestno zavedanje.

Njeno delo so nadalje razvili in posredovali kasnejši praktiki, vključno z Janet Adler, ki je Authentic Movement opredelila kot formalno disciplino z etičnimi temelji, jasnim jezikom in dolgoročnimi potmi usposabljanja.

Temeljna načela

Authentic Movement temelji na več temeljnih načelih:

• Notranji impulz – gibanje izhaja iz občutka, podobe, čustva ali impulza, ki ga zaznavamo notranje.
• Prisotnost – trajna pozornost do žive izkušnje v trenutku.
• Pričevanje – neobsojajoča, dovzetna prisotnost, ki opazuje gibanje brez interpretacije.
• Diferenciacija – gojenje zavedanja o mejah med jazom in drugim, gibalcem in pričevalcem.
• Integracija – refleksija o izkušnji skozi jezik in pomen po gibanju.

Praksa daje prednost neposredni izkušnji in refleksiji pred poukom ali tehniko.

Vaja

Tipična Authentic Movement seja vključuje:

• enega ali več gibalcev, ki zaprejo oči in sledijo notranjim impulzom v gibanje,
• eno ali več prič, ki ohranjajo prizemljeno, pozorno prisotnost,
• obdobje verbalne refleksije po fazi gibanja.

Movers do not plan or choreograph movement. Instead, they attend to bodily sensations, emotions, memories, and imagery as they arise. Witnesses observe with restraint, cultivating awareness of their own responses while refraining from interpretation or intervention.

Sessions may be practiced one-to-one, in small groups, or within long-term practice groups.

The role of the witness

The role of the witness is central to Authentic Movement. Witnessing involves:

• tracking the mover without judgement,
• maintaining awareness of one’s own sensations and projections,
• supporting safety, containment, and clarity of the practice space.

Over time, practitioners may develop the capacity to witness both others and themselves simultaneously, sometimes described as the inner witness.

Language and reflection

Following movement, participants often engage in spoken reflection. Language is used carefully and intentionally, typically emphasising:

• first-person statements,
• descriptions of direct experience,
• differentiation between observation, feeling, and interpretation.

This reflective phase supports integration of embodied experience into conscious awareness.

Training and transmission

Authentic Movement is transmitted through long-term study rather than standardised certification. Training pathways may include:

• sustained personal practice,
• supervised practice groups,
• mentorship and apprenticeship,
• study of ethics, boundaries, and psychological awareness.

Some organisations and teachers describe Authentic Movement explicitly as a discipline, emphasising responsibility, containment, and ethical clarity.

Applications

Authentic Movement is used in a range of contexts, including:

• psychotherapy and counselling,
• dance and movement education,
• somatic and expressive arts practice,
• contemplative and spiritual inquiry,
• creative and performance research.

Relationship to conscious dance

Authentic Movement is closely related to the conscious dance field through its emphasis on awareness, embodiment, and non-judgement. It differs from many conscious dance practices in its minimal use of music, absence of group dance structures, and strong focus on witnessing and reflection.

It has significantly influenced later movement meditation practices, somatic psychology, and embodied contemplative disciplines.

External links

• Discipline of Authentic Movement: https://disciplineofauthenticmovement.com/