Authentic Movement

Authentic Movement je kontemplatívna pohybová prax zameraná na stelesnené uvedomenie, vnútorné počúvanie a vzťahové svedectvo. Vyznačuje sa spontánnym pohybom vyplývajúcim z vnútorného impulzu, praktizovaným v jasne definovanom priestore, ktorý zahŕňa úlohy hýbateľa a svedka.

Authentic Movement sa praktizuje medzinárodne v terapeutickom, vzdelávacom, umeleckom a kontemplatívnom kontexte. Často sa opisuje skôr ako disciplína než ako tanečná forma, ktorá kladie dôraz na uvedomenie si, prítomnosť a tvorbu významu pred výkonom alebo estetickým výsledkom.

Počiatky

Authentic Movement sa objavil v polovici 20. storočia vďaka práci Mary Starks Whitehouse, tanečnice a jungovskej analytičky. Whitehouse čerpala z vplyvov moderného tanca, hĺbkovej psychológie a aktívnej predstavivosti a vyvinula prax, ktorá prepájala nevedomý materiál, pohyb a vedomé uvedomenie.

Jej prácu ďalej rozvíjali a odovzdávali neskorší odborníci vrátane Janet Adler, ktorá sformulovala Authentic Movement ako formálnu disciplínu s etickými základmi, jasným jazykom a dlhodobými vzdelávacími cestami.

Základné princípy

Authentic Movement je založený na niekoľkých základných princípoch:

• Vnútorný impulz – pohyb vzniká z pocitu, obrazu, emócie alebo impulzu vnímaného vnútorne.
• Prítomnosť – trvalá pozornosť venovaná prežívanej skúsenosti v danom okamihu.
• Svedčenie – nesúdiaca, vnímavá prítomnosť, ktorá pozoruje pohyb bez interpretácie.
• Diferenciácia – pestovanie uvedomenia si hraníc medzi sebou a iným, hýbateľom a svedkom.
• Integrácia – reflexia zážitku prostredníctvom jazyka a významu po pohybe.

The practice prioritises direct experience and reflection over instruction or technique.

Practice

A typical Authentic Movement session involves:

• one or more movers who close their eyes and follow internal impulses into movement,
• one or more witnesses who maintain a grounded, attentive presence,
• a period of verbal reflection following the movement phase.

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/