Monday, April 13, 2009

African Lion: Like a Cat in the Sun, Modernity, Bodymind Contra-dance Bliss



Like a cat in the sun, I fell asleep so comfortably in ever~so~warm sun on the Harbin sleeping deck Sunday morning around 9:00, for an hour or so, after spending around an hour in the pools before that. I was so relaxed, and a little sleepy from sleeping on the deck the previous two nights. Our ancestors (homo sapiens) in Africa probably slept when they wanted and, at times for multiple generations, lived a very relaxed life, naturally, in abundant parkland or forest. {In Congo-like forests?}

~ Morphing into a comfort zone ... in modernity (vis-a-vis 'The Enlightenment' and the industrial revolutions forward, loosely) ...


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From contra-dance music to classical, chamber music and back & forth. ... I'd love to hear a very skilled contra-dance band cum classical chamber music group play seemlessly, and in richly imaginative ways, between the two forms, weaving them together ... :)))

And I'd love to dance this, as well. ... And to develop a musical form from this ...


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For bliss ...

In a contra-dance,
follow a line of music
{a single, musical instrument's voice}
in your bodymind ...
Let go with this ...
Focus {receive} fully, and in a very relaxed way ...
Feel the music ...
Spin on the side of the line ...
Give weight, look your partner in the eye,
and smile at each other when swinging ...
Grow warmth and affection in the dance ...
Pick great contra-bands to listen
and dance to ...
like "The Figments."
Develop a conversation between musicians and dancers ...
And develop your ears for this ...
The benefits of joyous movement with contra-dance ...
the vigor
{important:} of bodymind movement,
with the joy of the music
can transmute niggling discontent,
{omega-3s ~ flax seed oil
, -
1000 milligrams, 3-4 times a day, can also help},
and grow loving bliss neurophysiology,
leading to healthy well-being.

For me, contra-dance is as close as it gets to being a technology for bliss {a kind of 'flow' experience}, but not loving bliss as much. And lots of people were beaming yesterday evening; this contra dance seemed to be a group experience of 'bliss' for many.

~

This band was great last night in Marin:
Special Dance: The Figments, fresh from Dance Awakening (a contra-weekend at Harbin Hot Springs). Special Day/Time. $10 members/$12 non-members

Caller:
Lynn Ackerson

Band:
The Figments
Ethan Hazzard-Watkins (fiddle)
Anna Patton (clarinet)
Owen Morrison (guitar, foot)
Will Patton (bass, mandolin)



The Figments

https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/1066212428361285632



https://twitter.com/WorldUnivAndSch/status/1066212079026270208


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How would one study contra-dance 'bliss' neurophysiology scientifically and rigorously, in terms of affective euphoria?


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To Contact Improv this evening ...






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