THE Y IN AXIS

I have been teaching contemporary dance for almost ten years now.

At first I wasn’t sure to be cut out for teaching so I had to question myself quite early about my motivation.

Apart from my passion for dancing, I came to realize that as far as I am concerned

the origin of my desire to teach lies in the act of rejoicing through sharing.

I do believe we all have “natural born teacher” inside us.

Already as children, as soon as we come across something that sparkles our soul

we do understand quickly, that the best way to enjoy it fully is to spread it out, pass it on, to share.

That moment of joy and honesty where you dare to expose “what u got,”

is somehow always gratified by an answer, and no matter if that answer

presents the qualities of an echo, a resistance, a complementarity or even an opposition u somehow connect and grab the opportunity to travel together.

The light in the eyes of people at the very moment where they begin to exchange defines to me one of the privileges that makes being human a thrill.

That phenomenon somehow pushes me to go hunt for some other gifts to unwrap,

enhance my curiosity, and ultimately, keeps me moving.

That hunger for gathering and sharing pieces of awareness

is obviously vivid among the A.S. community and suggest in me the urge to participate.

Two years ago, when I first entered Baris’s class, I had never heard of the Axis technique. Nevertheless, as soon as I stepped in I sensed this day was going to be different, significant. Firstly, it appeared to me that we were all coming from an amazing diversity of backgrounds and body training. This in itself was already unusual and exhilarating for a morning class, but the unfolding of the course was the real treasure.

The next striking point to me was how Baris managed to include everyone and doing so create the context for an experience of togetherness and emulation. As I questioned myself about what allowed this little miracle to happen, I found out that it was not only because of the teacher’s generosity and enthusiasm but also because of his accurate knowledge of the material which allowed him to remain available and advise each of the participants according to their own path and rhythm.

Finally, it was quite obvious that our guide was making a clear choice in not imposing an arbitrary movement vocabulary wrapped in cloudy justifications on us. Instead, he was truly involved in a teaching process of shedding light on helpful principles as well as showing us how to use some wonderful tools arising from a real technique.

Meeting a teacher practicing such an artful pedagogy where veracity and creativity

smoothly enhance each other provided me with the desire to reevaluate, rise up to the occasion, revise my own ways , in the hope to later be able to pass along such an inspiring and uplifting invitation.

For all these reasons I started following the regular evening classes and soon after

found myself eager to meet Frey Faust and all the other A.S. teachers.

My joy keeps on growing as I witness how they all dare taking things at heart this is to me one of the key to live in harmony.

As I started to learn more about the resources gathered under the A.S. banner, and as I began applying the fundamentals, a second life opened up for me as a mover.

The first gift I got to enjoy while reconnecting to subtle movements as breathing rippling through the spine and the micro waves traveling through the body, was actually to agree at last to unfold my full amplitude and to welcome my stature as a legitimate phenomenon, compatible with movement, rather than a cumbersome characteristic that I was to compensate for through willpower and to control with higher muscular strength. Where previously, I had conquered and tamed my height, the AS would allow me to begin a respectful and much more prolific dialogue with my body.

That ability of “powering through” that you will find among most dancers can be an asset at times but also becomes a weakness when it is the only functioning mode. Practicing the A.S. has helped me to recognize I had come to that point and offers me the means to untangle myself from this habit, master the art of reading opportunities as well as letting go of constantly making things happen.

The next defining present was for me the axis terminology. As we were learning about the landing /launching pads, I was surprised how much naming, visualizing, counting and organizing the different body parts under those terms did actually reassure me and allow me to give myself even deeper into the movement. I, of course as most of us, had landed many times on those body elements before that, but taking them for granted, not recognizing them and the function they were gracefully fulfilling. Labeling them got me to test, to become fully aware again of available supports that I was using until then but neglecting to recognize consciously.

I dare say I was demanding but ungrateful with my body to a certain extent.

I found that getting familiar with any part of the A.S. classification helps me

to assert my choices, and respond to my need to structure my surrounding and at the same time frees my actions, helps me to gain that last bit of trust and to dive joyfully into the journey.

All of the above got me to channelize my energy where truly needed, the time and ardor spared permit me now to savor the welcoming space, to dash deeper into creativity and ultimately to connect and share with the other movers on a much more playful scale. That constitutes a wonderful rippling effect I would feel privileged to induce through teaching.

Further than this I do feel grateful for the way Axis does reunite each and everyone gently with healthy flexible methodology. I particularly enjoy the integrity with which the teachers do lead us to the core of nuances and intricacy, encouraging us to get specific and always reminding us to then bring back the detail to the whole structure of the body as well as its environment. Methodological approach is something in which schooling has often failed us by imposing what is taught repressively.

The A.S. provides an adaptable structure that does not show us the way to go about

but does invite us to step in and create, design our adventure according to our personal needs while helping us remaining clear and lucid about what is tangible. I affirm that practicing the A.S. this last year has able me to take on or to get deeper into other challenges in my life and benefit from opportunities that may have seemed unmanageable before.

I am still in the process of finding out what I can bring to the community apart from my enthusiasm and profound commitment. I do sense that I may fall “madknee in love”, partially because that joint has been challenging me lately, but mostly because I have always been amazed on how paradoxically inflexible and unfairly demanding dancers tend to show themselves towards that articulation. Another of my interest would clearly be investing time to open axis to children and teenagers. My personal path has got me to become conscious that I do show skills to encourage them to be both creative and consistent. I am deeply touched on a daily base by how they get merry when they reckon being trusted with the truth and I experience great joy into searching the right words and angle to enhance their thirst for knowledge and self awareness. Besides I do dream about a transgenerational gathering in movement may it be in a course or even a play.

I do believe I was searching for something new when I came across A.S...

Axis syllabus and its community offered me something far more precious.

It got me to recognize and to fully profit from what had always been there…

Carole Frères.