Jump Rhythm Technique 1 (161-0-21)
Instructors
Billy Siegenfeld
847/491-3147
10 Arts Circle Drive
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, noon-2:00pm and by appointment
Meeting Info
Wirtz Center SOUTH: Tues, Thurs 1:00PM - 2:50PM
Overview of class
Jump Rhythm® focuses on using the syncopated rhythms of jazz, funk, and/or rap music to generate emotion-rich, time-precise, rhythmic expression in both body and voice.
In its classes we accompany all exercises, improvisations, and partnered movement with jazz-based scat-singing. We also use scat-singing's percussive quality to "play" the words of songs that accompany the exercises and compositions we do. TO NOTE: The prominent rhythmic use of the personal voice turns Jump Rhythm into an energy-charged, acting-singing-driven movement class.
About that phrase "energy-charged." Jump Rhythm focuses on articulating the physical and emotional energy we feel coursing through the inside of our bodies rather than on articulating the space - the way we shape our head and arms and legs - on the outside of our bodies.
That is, this class may not be like what you may have experienced in traditionally-taught, ballet-based or street-based dance techniques. In the latter much of the learning depends on using a mirror to help you rearrange the positions of your body so that they can conform to a pre-established "shape" As well, in these techniques, there is also a continuous emphasis placed on the legs - working them hard through over-contraction and placing them in non-natural positions to refashion them into engines of gymnastic virtuosity.
Differently, Jump Rhythm focuses on expressing energy through our 2 eyes, 2 hands, and voice. We call these our 5 primary physical and emotional articulators. Actors and singers are of course familiar with using the voice since they use it to deliver the words of a play or a song. Given that Jump Rhythm is a both music-driven and acting-driven class, we team up these small but mighty articulators to express clear rhythmic accents.
That is, speaking in metaphor, we use eyes-hands-voice as drumbeaters to strike sharp or explosive accents against the drumheads of the space with, as best we can, pinpoint accurate timing.
These drumheads include the imaginary spaces that surround the body; the actual surfaces of the body we tap hands against and use like beatbox; and that very real drumhead loved by all tap and step dancers, the floor.
In addition to the fact that we focus on expressing ENERGY, not SHAPE, and in addition to the fact that we rhythmically vocalize all the movement we do, Jump Rhythm is also different from a typical ballet-based dance classes in one more way: it is built upon the foundation of a holistic approach to mind-body health called Standing Down Straight®.
Standing Down Straight®, or SDS.
In Jump Rhythm, we do not explore movement or sing music using either an uplifted posture ("standing up straight") or core strength (over-contracted abdominal muscles). Differently, we explore all movements and vocalization by giving in to the downward pull of gravity and standing down straight (SDS).
SDS is a less-is-more pedagogy. With it, we explore learning how to use less muscular tension when driving force through the body and voice. In this way we honor the animal in us - to the extent that we wish to emulate how our animal cousins know how to get what they want with ease, economy, fluency, and power.
Inspired by this model, we explore how to work from a base of anatomically fact-based, gravity-directed relaxation.
Registration Requirements
Theatre dept students only during pre-reg
Email siggy[at]northwestern[dot]edu to request a permission number
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Registration is reserved for Theatre Majors only.
Add Consent: Instructor Consent Required