Instead of approaching movement seeking transformation, Melancholy Pilates is a class to stay with how you feel and feel it more. How can we move with feelings of sadness and melancholy? This class asks the student to practice finding action, even when the body might feel stagnant, leaden, or difficult to motivate.
We will utilize a lot of horizontal positions to build length and strength in our muscles, while trying our best to remain present with all our sensations, including emotions like sadness. This class will begin and end with guided meditations, visualizations, and breathing exercises to attune our consciousness to how we truly feel. The bulk of the class will offer repetitive movements in the style of pilates (though this is not a formal pilates class).
No pilates experience necessary. Sadness at some point in your life is a prerequisite.
Learning Outcomes:
-Deepen understanding of the student’s internal emotional landscape through dedicated practice and self-study
-Improve movement coordination that supports the body’s unique and individual structure
-Learning somatic tools for self-regulation of the nervous system
-Integrate emotional expression with functional movement patterns
-Notice sensation without reactivity or urgency
-Confidence to execute movement patterns independently and follow curiosity
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Corequisites: Dance or Drama Lab Assignment if students are registered for 4 or more credits in designated dance courses.
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 2
T/F 8:30AM - 10:20AM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 20
Course Frequency: Once a year
Categories: 2000 , All courses , Dance , Fully In-Person , Two Credit
Tags: anatomy , dance technique , movement practice , somatic practice