An Online Contemplative Movement Score

Barbara Dilley developed a shared dance/meditation practice called Contemplative Dance Practice – CDP, a "dancer's meditation hall". I've been exploring an adaptation of this score for online sharing. The aim is to share meditation and movement across the gap of social distancing.

Barbara Dilley developed a shared dance/meditation practice called Contemplative Dance Practice – CDP, a "dancer's meditation hall". I've been exploring adaptation of this score for online sharing. The aim is to share meditation and movement across the gap of social distancing. (See below the score description for online meeting logistics and further info about the practices.)

(This framing of this score has developed gradually. Revision information is at the bottom.)

Score Description

  1. Opening Circle: Time for brief introductions / check-ins and to review the outline of the score (essentially, the bold headers below).
  2. Meditation: 15 minutes for stillness.
    In the original score the participants share sitting meditation. We invite whatever meditation method works for you. I specifically include the Small Dance, as framed by Steve Paxton, as an option – in essence, standing without unnecessary effort in so far as you are able, taking time to tune in.
  3. Personal Awareness Practice: 15 minutes for individual exploration to bring meditation into movement.
    Let small movements or stretches ease you into this transition, focusing on your own immediate experience and curiosity to guide you. This is a time for self-care, research, and to invite the unexpected. Explore the present moment...
  4. Shared Movement Practice: 20 minutes to observe and share movement.
    We start together witnessing each other and ourselves. When someone is ready to move they do so, informed by the prior sections and by the knowledge that their movement is being seen by the others. Gradually, others may also start to move or they may continue to observe. At any point those who have been moving can return to observing, and vice versa. As a observe you might be spurred to move based on something you are seeing, or just by internal initiative. It is up to each person how and when they change between moving and observing roles, with the understanding that if you appreciate being seen you will also do some seeing. This supports a mindful practice and connection between us.
  5. A few minutes to settle and sit together as a group.
  6. Sharing: This is an opportunity to reflect on and share what you experienced. To provide the opportunity for everyone to share we ask to keep cross-talk to a minimum, focusing on speaking from your experience.

Meeting Logistics

Connection info for the online meeting is shared with participants before the event. To streamline meeting logistics we all need to get acquainted with the meeting software before the meeting. Currently we use Zoom. If you haven't used Zoom, please have it installed (or learn to use it via the meeting URL and browser, instead of installing the software) and be ready to use it – go through the Zoom Join a Meeting tutorial, if you haven't joined a meeting before.

While we're aiming to be present visually and audibly for each other, participants have the option to attend with their camera off, and can change between having it on and off at any point.
We're no longer holding regular Online Contemplative Movement sessions.

I welcome suggestions about the score and organization of the session. Visit my contact page for ways to reach me.

Background Info

Document Revisions

  • Sunday, January 24, 2021: Changing the amount of time in the shared movement section to 20 minutes, from 30. We wound up trying 20 out of necessity one time and liked it.
  • Monday, October 5, 2020: Copying from my weblog to my website, as part of an Online Movement Collaboration topic.
  • Wednesday, July 8, 2020: Experience with and feedback from the last session leads me to like the prospect of 15 minutes for meditation / 15 minutes for personal movement / 30 minutes for shared movement. (-:
  • Thursday, June 25, 2020: Experience with NossaJam suggests that 40 minutes for shared space will be fine. As at a regular jam, it can be ok if people's participation ebbs, they can rest and some may reengage if given time to do so.
  • Friday, June 19, 2020: Allot more time for the Shared Space. As the practice has developed some participants have requested this. I have the sense that it fits, and more might be warranted.
  • Wednesday, May 6, 2020: Revised description of the Shared Space section to be more clear about witnessing and moving roles, and opportunities to shift between them.
  • Saturday, May 2, 2020: I've reframed the movement section in a more general way:
    • Not using the Contact Improv round robin structure to describe it, because some practitioners don't come from CI
    • Not starting with focus on a solo mover, because almost every time we've done it someone joined the solo mover in movement. This seems to be a more natural progression for this score, and wise to accept it.
  • Sunday, April 12, 2020: We did the version as revised on Friday, and I was very happy to be part of it. Section 4 felt particularly engaging. The open movement of the new section 5 felt a little superfluous. We got suggestions to instead sit together quietly for a few minutes after section 4, and have made that change to try it next time.]
  • Friday, April 10, 2020: Revised section 4 to be more like a CI Round Robin, and added new section 5 "open space".