LittleBig Waves: Hip Switches, Part 1

LittleBig Waves is a reflection on years of dance training.
LittleBig waves try to demonstrate how a technique emerges - like a small wave which gradually grows and then disappears again, not anymore separated from the ocean.
I pause and try to understand what it is that I am doing.
As time goes by I know that reflection is just as important as constant learning. Without a moment of asking the right questions about my process I will not gain anything from accumulating experiences and integration will not happen within my art. Without reflection I will be taught by my experiences but actually not learn from them.
And while reflecting on my dance training questions about technique keep on rising.
And what is technique anyways?
Dancers, Martial Artists. Circus Artists and Acrobats sometimes refer to technique as something rigid, shiny and external. This leads to the idea that Technique and Expression are two completely different things which can be connected only through effort. Expression is the self and Technique is the gold which decorates it.
I realized that thinking in this way leads to strong duality which doesn't work for me.
Bruce lee was a big pioneer on making the practice personal and he said that style is crystallization and the best style is 'no style' or 'formless form'.
His argument was that fixed forms differentiate people and becomes laws and doctrines which separates people.
His argument was that this separation conflicts his strategy of learning from whatever is useful for him, it cuts his continuous growth.
I learned that even though I aspire for continues growth by taking the technique for granted I actually do something counter-productive.
So I asked myself, what if technique can be approached differently?
I understood that I do have an alternative, but of course I will have to work for it.
My idea is that technique can be a result of confronting personal goals and creating solutions.
The creation usually involves connecting different fields of information and using different skill sets.
It will also involve specific focus and letting go of patterns which are not relevant for the chosen problem.
Since the goals are always personal, and that the choice of fields is based on each one's life experience, the technique is also a form of expression.
So the techniques are not tools for the art, they are art by themselves!
LittleBig waves try to demonstrate how a technique emerges - like a small wave which gradually grows and then disappears again, not anymore separated from the ocean.
And even though I practice and work with dance and movement, I believe this can go further to more forms.
(Further reading on this idea, especially in the context of martial arts can be found in the highly recommended blog of Sam Yang www.musttriump...)
This is the 3rd version of LittleBig Waves and it will focus on Hip Switches, A very relevant topic to the way I dance and maybe move in other forms.
2nd part will be uploaded soon!
You can check out the two prior videos of LittleBig Waves here:
• LittleBig Waves
• LittleBig Waves: Macaco
Huge thanks for The Yoga and Movement Sanctuary in Philadelphia for hosting me and collaborating on the production of this video.
Make sure to check out their website for great classes and workshops:
www.ymsphilly.com/
Camera: Lily Kind
Music:
Thomash & Projeto Mujique - Cosmosamba
Déjala venir - Nicola C and Diego Jiménez
Stay tuned for part 2!
Huge thanks for The Yoga and Movement Sanctuary in Philadelphia for hosting me and collaborating on the production of this video.
Make sure to check out their website for great classes and workshops:
www.ymsphilly.com/
Camera: Lily Kind
Music:
Thomash & Projeto Mujique - Cosmosamba
Déjala venir - Nicola C and Diego Jiménez
Stay tuned for part 2!

[@_brady_heath]

I'm not seeing video 2 for this series with '1/2 helicopter' for deeper dive into this concept. Can you share the link or did you ever get to posting that video by chance? Loved this one! Thank you!

[@JoeShowCheek]

Tom, this was amazing. Content like this is highly appreciated. Watching you do awesome things is great. But when you break it down it's even better for all the people with no contemporary (or whatever) dancing experience. Thank you so much for this.

[@tomweksler]

Hey Joe! you are very welcome. I believe dance should be accessible to all and sharing my pedagogy is my small contribution. !I will try to upload more of this type of content in the future

[@saedmnmn]

Amazing :) Do more videos like this please :) Can't find much content like this.

[@movewithmellisa]

Oh this is wonderful! Beautiful! I loved the video but even more so your thoughts on technique and tools. Thank you for sharing!

[@adrianomarramirez]

Power & Beauty, congratulations! And thanks for sharing

[@pronatewithnate]

Amazing. And you've got the Tribe Called Quest shirt on! :)

[@naskiamoran4685]

Dónde puedo ver los próximos talleres que darás?

[@Linda-Love]

Wow! This is Great! Thanks! 😍🤗

[@Figuring-Things-Out]

Gold!

[@chiquitocontreras]

welcome tom

[@nikolaybagdasaryan720]

Thank you, Tom! Looking forward to seeing new tutorials!

[@tomweksler]

Coming up soon Nikolay :) Stay tuned!

[@BBoyEdRocBSC]

Awesome

[@lucasakiray]

Where is the part 2? :,(

[@tomweksler]

Thank you for interest! Never finished it 😅 I guess I will to have to make it 🔥

[@lucasakiray]

@@tomweksler Pleeeease! 🙏 Gold Gold Gold! 👊👊👊

[@eschurma]

@@tomweksler here’s another vote! I spent an hour of solo practice today with this video. I’d love a part 2! I discovered your work a few weeks ago and it’s been transformative for me. Your breakdowns have enabled me to do some moves I’ve been trying for figure out for two years. And the focus on flow and continuity changes provides the framework for making them not “moves”, but simply part of flowing movement.

[@lu2507]

Thank you!

[@carmine_black]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing