Archive for the 'InterPlay' Category

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Dec 16 2009

Wanna Make F-ing Great Improvisational Art?!

InterPlayPErformanceWordle

For the past two-and-a-half years I’ve been blessed to teach InterPlay with dancer extraordinaire Elizabeth Mendana. Tonight Elizabeth taught her last Tuesday night class (sniff!) and soon I’ll be leading it alone (holy cow!).

For those of you new to the blog, InterPlay is an uncommon, artful global social movement. It incorporates storytelling, movement, and vocal expression with an emphasis on community and play.

So often InterPlay is taught as a personal development tool, but it is also an improvisational performance technique. Four months ago we added a performance emphasis to the Tuesday night class.   Tonight after class, Elizabeth and I went out for dinner and reflection. In the course of our conversation, I asked how InterPlay has made her a better performer.

Eyes shining, she answered that InterPlay has:

  1. Given her access to the full spectrum of expression, especially the fullness of her voice (not an area that usually gets much of a workout for a modern dancer)
  2. Awakened her passion for (and skill with) infusing story into choreography
  3. Helped her embrace silliness on stage, and
  4. Through its affirming community, validated her as a professional artist.

Whew. Talk about gifts…!

And then there’s InterPlay’s uncanny ability to build ensemble. It’s no easy feat to make beautiful art on the spot…but to do it with others, with little-to-no rehearsal as a company…is amazing! And yet the InterPlay company Wing It! (of which Elizabeth and I are members) consistently creates amazing knock-your-socks-off-they’re-so-powerful performances with casts of (gulp!) 15 or more. As an ensemble we’ve learned to listen to each other with a depth, generosity and artfulness that astounds me.

The more Elizabeth and I talked, the more jazzed I got about sharing the InterPlay Performance Technique with other artists! It’s time to be intentional about sharing this hidden gem of a technique with other performers who want to broaden their range.

So get ready, Oakland, California! On Tuesday nights from 6-7:30pm starting January 5th, 2010 we’re gonna bust out some of the meanest, coolest, deepest improv you’ve seen. With an emphasis on storytelling, movement, vocal expression, and ensemble, it’ll be…

Subversive. Surprising. Silly. Sacred. Sexy. Sneaky.

Come make F-ing* good art with us! (And if you can’t join us in person, rest assured: you’ll be able to read all about it — maybe even see some of it — on my blog).

We’ll miss Elizabeth for sure, but we’re in for quite a ride in 2010. I hope you’ll join us.

*A note about the swear word: Tonight at class Elizabeth had us dancing side-by-side solos. At the end of performing for each other, someone explained, “This is F-ing good art!” And so it was. And so it is. Can’t wait to share.

Filed Under InterPlay | 1 Comment
Sep 28 2009

Walk Stop Run

Grand Central Station

This post is part of a project to share reflections about all 28 of the Core Elements of InterPlay.  For background information about InterPlay or this project, read What the Heck is InterPlay?!.

For the longest time, Walk Stop Run was the most challenging activity I experienced in InterPlay.

Which is funny, because in some ways it’s the simplest thing we do.

Here’s how it works: In a group everyone walks in any direction they choose. They play with finding the center of the room, and the edges. They walk in unusual patterns on the floor. They run and stop whenever they feel like it. And if they’re inspired, they play with each other. All with a backdrop of instrumental music.

Need to see it? Unfortunately, I don’t have any straightforward videos of Walk Stop Run. However, if you need an image, here are two:

So — why did I find it so challenging?! What could be easier than walking, stopping, and running in a room with other people?

The thing is, experienced InterPlayers don’t just stick to walking, stopping, and running. They also skip, lean, giggle, hug, push, cavort. In fact, not-sticking-to-the-rules is part of the intention of the exercise. The facilitator’s manual says:

In general, we want participants to learn for themselves that they might stretch the boundaries of what is “permissible” movement. … One of the basic elements, though, of Walk Stop Run is this “bumping up against” what we perceive to be the “rules.” This is one of the ways we learn to make choices for ourselves.

Harumph! You mean, Walk Stop Run is designed for me to practice making choices for myself in the midst of community? But this is exactly why the exercise was so painful for me at first!! I’d watch everyone else leaping, bumping into each other, and swirling — and I’d have this painful chatter in my head:

Oh, I feel so lonely. Look at them all, having so much fun.  They know what they’re doing and I don’t. I wish I knew how to fit in. It’s hard enough to figure out what I want, much less do it when I’m surrounded by other people.  I want to walk right up to someone and lean against them. But what if they don’t want me to interfere?! What if…?

Sheesh. That chatter was exhausting! I didn’t know how to simply relax into my experience. What might it feel like to simply play in the company of other people without worrying, second guessing, and questioning — my own intentions and the intentions of others?

Imagine my delight when — about a year ago — I realized I’d stopped thinking (during Walk Stop Run, at least). It’s now one of my favorite moments during InterPlay. It’s a time to move through the space, responding to other people (if I want) or keeping to myself (if I want).  Sometimes what I want changes from moment to moment, and I allow myself to go with the flow of the present moment.

It’s soooo delightful to have a safe, fun place to practice getting out of my mind. I know I’m more easy going, relaxed and flexible in my daily life because of this practice.

What other experiences do IntePlayers out there have with Walk Stop Run? Do tell!

Filed Under InterPlay | 1 Comment
Sep 14 2009

Babbling: The Best Icebreaker Ever

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOOq2K6nB_A]

This post is part of a project to share reflections about all 28 of the Core Elements of InterPlay.  For background information about InterPlay or this project, read What the Heck is InterPlay?!.

The Best Icebreaker Ever

Recently, my mom forwarded me the following email:

Could I get instructions for the ice breaker Gretchen used at the retreat? It was the best I’ve ever experienced, and I’d like to use it at work.  She was so great!

Awwwww. Nice of this man (I’ll call him Matt) to compliment me and my workshop facilitation. But even nicer that he recognized the power of the InterPlay form of “babbling”.

He’d experienced this unique “icebreaker” during a church retreat (for the ultra cool Covenant Baptist in Houston, Texas), where I’d been invited to teach some sessions on embodied worship.

How to Lead Folks in a Babbling Sequence

Here are the instructions I emailed back to Matt:

  1. Put people in partners
  2. Have them decide who will go first.
  3. Tell them you’re going to give them a topic and they will talk about it for 30 seconds. Tell them you will ding a bell when it is time to switch.
  4. Announce the first topic. Simple ones are best. (For example, have folks describe their car. Or a friend. Maybe their favorite view from a window).
  5. After they have both spoken about the topic, have them thank their partner and find a new one.
  6. Repeat the process two more times.
  7. With the final partner, give them an extra minute to reflect on what it was like for them to talk in these quick bursts about different topics.

If you want to see an example of babbling, watch the video at the top of this post. It’s surprisingly simple!

Babbling Creates Instant Community

I’ll never forget when Phil Porter, one of the cofounders of InterPlay, revealed a discovery of his: community is created when each person in the group hears a personal story from 3 different members of the group.

This advice was a revelation to me, one I have tested out hundreds of times since. And it’s true. So often we think we need fun, unique games to serve as icebreakers. But really, people just want to feel connected to each other. And connection happens through personal stories.

Plus, as I mentioned in the video (above), we can reveal a great deal of information about ourselves in 30 seconds. Just the other day in an InterPlay class, my partner described the view from a window. From this seemingly innocuous topic, I learned:

she used to live in Minnesota, she lives in the second floor apartment, she really likes cats, she knows a lot about trees, she lives with a male significant other, she and her partner enjoy being silly together.

Wow! That’s a lot of stuff crammed into 30 seconds.We’re bound to find something we have in common there. (I like to be silly and I have lived in Minnesota!). The more we find in common with the people in our groups, the more connected we’ll be.

The Mundane Details Contain the Juiciest Nuggets

Another piece of InterPlay wisdom: Profound truths are embedded in mundane, daily details.

So often group facilitators try to get their students to “go deep” by having them share big deal reflections with the rest of the group. What are you most afraid of? What brings you the most joy?

In InterPlay we ease into the deep stuff. Why force people to share their intimate details so overtly? Instead, just have them, for example: describe their kitchen! A gay man might quickly have to choose whether he’ll reveal that his male partner does all the cooking. Or I’ll reveal that I’m still single at the age of 36, living with roommates. And we sometimes share meals.

These seemingly mundane details contain the nuggets of some of our deepest human experiences: loss, love, pain, surrender, courage. All that comes out?! But all I did was ask them to describe their kitchen!

What Should We Babble About?

Babbling is so quick and easy. Anyone can talk for 30 seconds. I’ll end by leaving you with a list of possible topics you can have folks babble about. Enjoy all the stories!

  • Describe the view out a window
  • Describe your desk at work
  • Describe the place you feel most relaxed
  • Describe one of your friends and what you like about them
  • Describe your car
  • Talk about things you did for fun as a child
  • Talk about things you do for fun now
  • Describe in excrutiating detail how you got here today
  • Describe what you ate for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) today
  • Describe two objects in your living room and how they got there
  • Describe the contents of your refridgerator
  • Etc, etc. Add your own ideas by commenting! (The comment link is, strangely, up at the top of the post).
Filed Under InterPlay | 6 Comments
Aug 31 2009

Hand to Hand Contact

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBIaOEsabZk&hl=en&fs=1&]

How often do you giggle these days?

I’m guaranteed a good giggle whenever I stand palm-to-palm with another person in an InterPlay context. There’s something about a partnered hand dance that gets me every time!! Just watch the video, above, and you’ll see what I mean.

The hand dance is one of the most basic InterPlay forms. It builds on the idea of the one hand dance, which I blogged about recently. However, unlike a one-hand dance (which you do by yourself), a hand-to-hand dance is done with another person. As a result, it can be unpredictable. I never know exactly what the other person will do, or how I will  respond.  Talk about being in the moment!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of my life hyper focused on myself (“Am I being a good person?”) or on other people (“How are they responding? Do they like me?”). During a hand dance, these two perspectives soften a bit. Instead, I’m focused on our hands, on the adventure that is unfolding  between the two of us.  And so often, what unfolds is hilarious! And surprising! It makes me laugh out loud! Laughter is such a precious resource; I treasure when it erupts.

I also treasure the opportunity to have safe, affectionate touch with other human bodies. Physical contact is, after all, a minimum requirement for health and happiness. Too often in American culture our needs for physical contact get met only in the context of sexuality. Those of us without a regular romantic partners often get little physical affection, other than an occasional hug or hand shake.  Before InterPlay this used to be true for me, too. But now I have a weekly space where I  am guaranteed  some fun, playful physical connection with others.  It rocks!

Plus, there is something about hand to hand contact that is, quite simply, profound. Amidst my giggles, there are moments of awe, connection, affection, hope. For this reason, I try to build a hand dance into every InterPlay class I teach.  I hope you’ll come play sometime on Mondays in San Francisco or Tuesdays in Oakland. I look forward to the mini adventure that will ensue when our hands meet palm to palm.

Filed Under InterPlay | 7 Comments
Aug 16 2009

Body Data, Body Knowledge, Body Wisdom

Photo: Katherine Kunz

Photo: Katherine Kunz

Listening to my body isn’t hard at all.  But acting on what I’ve heard is.

For example, most mornings my body hurts.  Especially my neck and back. When I’m getting more exercise, they hurt less. When I’m not exercising, they hurt a lot more.

Take this very moment.  It’s 6:55am.  I just got out of the shower. As I was brushing my teeth, the phrase that begins this post sauntered through my mind, swinging her pretty li’l hips.  Ha! I thought.  That’s a perfect line for a blog post about InterPlay philosophy.  I want to go write it right now!!

But then My Body spoke back: Um, Gretchen, don’t you think it would be a good idea to stretch first.  I mean, we’re in pain right now.  And you know how it goes: the minute you open the laptop, you get sucked in for hours.  Pay attention to me first, and then write all you want!

Me: Good point. In fact, what you’re pointing out is a perfect illustration of InterPlay’s distinction between body data, body knowledge, and body wisdom. That’s brilliant!  I want to go write about it right now!!

My Body: Gretchen, dahling. Please pay attention. You notice that our neck hurts pretty badly right now and that our spine is longing to stretch. That’s body data: the little bits and pieces of your experience.

Me: Right! And body knowledge is about collecting those little bits of data over time. Looking for patterns in our experience.

My Body: Yuh huh. And I’ve noticed that pain in the morning is a pattern that doesn’t go away without exercise.  I also notice that it’s a pattern of yours to let excitement for starting the day get in the way of taking care of me. And then I’m in pain for the rest of the day.

***Pause, to let this information sink in. Gretchen is nodding her head, aware that her body is telling nothing but the truth.***

My Body (probing, using her best teacher voice): And…what is body wisdom all about, according to InterPlay?

Gretchen: Body wisdom is about taking action, using the information we’ve gathered about our patterns to make our lives more wonderful.

Body (quietly, almost to herself): And wouldn’t life be more wonderful if we stretched first!

Gretchen: (acquiescing) Yes, yes it would. (but then jolted by another creative urge) But my GOD, this thinking process you just led me through is so wonderful.  It’s a perfect illustration of how important the Body Data-Knowledge-Wisdom thinking process is, and how hard it is as well!  I need to write it down right now or I’ll forget. And I promise ~ I PROMISE ~ I won’t spend more than fifteen minutes on it.

And then we’ll stretch. Pinky swear.

Filed Under InterPlay | 1 Comment
Jul 31 2009

Ecstatic Following

winged-migration

This blog post is a quickkie. I’m technically on retreat, but I couldn’t resist the wireless access in one corner of the dining hall.

You see, I’m infinitely grateful the Wreck This Journal women. And today is the final day of our summer experience. What a wild, zany, luscious, creative, insightful, unconventional group to play with for the summer.

Not the least of which is the power of ecstatic following!

Lately I’ve been thinking that our culture places too much emphasis on leadership. Now, don’t get me wrong — I’m infinitely grateful for Jamie Ridler’s leadership.  Without her vision and initiative, we wouldn’t be here.

But Jamie’s leadership needed a flock of willing followers. Not just willing. Ecstatic!! And we rose to the occasion. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you check out what all the other women have been doing with their journals this summer.

Plus, check out my piece on Ecstatic Following on the Virtual Friday Morning InterPlay Blog.  I’m proud that InterPlay co-founder Cynthia Winton-Henry trusted me with a guest post. And I’m curious whether the idea of “ecstatic following” resonates with the other Wreckers.

Off to the retreat now. Big squishy, messy hugs to all my readers, but especially the Wreck This Journal gals!

Filed Under InterPlay | 11 Comments
Jul 20 2009

One-Hand Dance

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKnSFdNUIxA]

This post is part of a project to share reflections about all 28 of the Core Elements of InterPlay.  For background information about InterPlay or this project, read What the Heck is InterPlay?!.

What’s a One-Hand Dance?

A one-hand dance is exactly that — a dance in which only the hand moves (well, I guess the arm moves, too; it’s attached to the hand, after all).

Experience it for yourself by watching the video (above).  I’m giving the instructions while Dorothy does a hand dance. Follow along if you like.

OK. So you dance with your hand, Gretchen.  Big deal. What’s the point!?

A one-hand dance is strangely satisfying. Totally relaxing. Plus, I’m frequently surprised by all the different ways I can move my hand. If there’s that much expression in one hand — just imagine how much there is in a whole body!

Here are some other good reasons:

Stress Relief

A hand dance is great for stress relief, too. When I’m feeling too overloaded, taking 30 seconds to shake, punch, and zoom my hand above my computer can work wonders. (In InterPlay we call this exformation).

Prayer*

One-hand dances are lovely for remembering people we care about. For example, lately I’ve been waking up with specific people on my mind. Right there in bed, I’ll do a one-hand dance on behalf of the person I was thinking about.  Usually it lasts under a minute, and I always feel more connected to that person after wards.

Discernment

But I’ve saved the BEST reason for LAST. The one-hand dance is a remarkable tool for discernment. I know, that sounds wierd. How do you discern something by dancing!? Here’s what the facilitation manual says on the subject:

Have each person think of a question they have for/about themselves. Then have them take the question directly out of their “focusers” and let it float out in the space. … Do a one-hand dance, then afterwards notice with a partner about anything that came up.

I’m constantly astounded by the ideas that “show up” when I move. When I was writing my thesis, I often used movement to “discern” what the next steps in my research should be. You can read more about that here.

But why does it work!? Why does movement sometimes free up our ability to think innovatively about something? Maybe because the brain stops thinking so hard. It’s often in this “letting go” place that inspiration strikes. More about this in a fabulous New Yorker article on eureka moments.

It might also because the movement of the hand distracts us from our inner chatter. Since we’re focusing on the movement of our arms, we’re less likely to spend time listening to all our judgments, worries, fantasies, etc etc etc. Freed up from our habitual thinking, were more likely to notice new ideas that pop into our minds.

I’m sure there are other reasons, too, related to the neuroscience of how movement changes our thought processes.   The body-mind connection is fascinating!

Now What?!

So, I’m curious: did you try doing a hand-dance along with the video? If so, what was it like for you?

Please don’t think you had to have a “aha!” moment in order to comment. All experiences are totally legit.

(If you want to comment, the link is actually up under the heading to the blog post; sorry it’s so hard to find!)

*P.S. I hemmed and hawed about whether to use the word “prayer” in this post. It’s such a loaded term in our culture, and I think some people are turned off by it. Here I refer to prayer as a way of sending good thoughts in the direction of people I care about. It does not have to be specifically religious or spiritual, although it can be.

Filed Under InterPlay | 2 Comments
Jul 15 2009

Danger! InterPlay Now in San Francisco

Gretchen Wegner and Randy Newsanger

Gretchen Wegner and Randy Newsanger

Next month my new InterPlay class with Randy debuts in San Francisco. Heed this warning:

InterPlay is designed to unlock the wisdom of the body.

But unlocking the wisdom of the body is DANGEROUS!

Why? Because if you uncover what you really know, if you trust it, and then if you act on it: it will CHANGE your life.

Of course, life transformation doesn’t happen all at once. Thank goodness. Change sneaks up over time. That’s why we call the processes “sneaky deep.”

What we really do in InterPlay is have a lot of fun together. We tell stories, move our bodies, free our voices, play with physical contact, and share stillness.

And somehow all that fun, connection, and reflection turns into — gasp! drum roll please!! — personal transformation. At whatever level is perfect for you. For example, I found more boldness and freedom to be myself.  Others discovered:

  • More comfort in public speaking and self expression.
  • A recovered sense of play in daily life.
  • Greater ability to embrace spontaneity
  • More ease connecting with others
  • Permission to relax & reflect
  • Practical tools to deal with overwhelm and stress

InterPlay is hard to describe, but easy to do. It’s not for everybody. But it might just be for you. Try it and see! For more information about the new San Francisco class starting Monday, August 10th, go to www.interplaysanfrancisco.org

To read others’ perspectives on how this subversive practice changes lives, here are a few additional resources:

P.S. Big thanks to Dorothy for the tweet that inspired this blog entry.

P.P.S. The delightful-and-dangerous Randy Newswanger is my partner-in-crime. Come to InterPlay in SanFrancisco and you’ll get to play with the two of us.

Filed Under InterPlay | 2 Comments
Jul 13 2009

Dance on Behalf Of

indiagroupreach

“There are many things that cannot be held by one individual alone
if we are to have health.  When others play with our prayers,
concerns, questions, hopes or dreams, …  surprises and relief can come.”
~Phil Porter and Cynthia Winton-Henry

The Bachlorette Party

Last week at my Wing It! rehearsal, we improvised a bachlorette party for a fellow performer. There was raucous laughter as we offered bad relationship advice and danced a mock strip tease.

But when Phil (our artistic director) suggested a “Dance On Behalf Of,” I was touched beyond words.  A soft piece of music was put on, and six dancers twirled and glided in support of the bride-to-be’s deepest wishes for her new marriage.

What’s a Dance on Behalf Of?

A “Dance on Behalf Of” is a nonverbal way of paying attention to, or sending energy towards, a person, place, or situation that we are carrying in our hearts. The mover(s) can dance on behalf of the person who is witnessing (as we did with the bride-to-be).  It is also possible to move on behalf of a person, place, or situation that is not present.

Having An Easy Focus

Sometimes at the Tuesday night InterPlay class, we’ll have participants tell stories about someone who is on their minds. I often  talk about my nephew Sebastian, who lives achingly far away from me. Or a client who is really struggling at school.

Then we’ll put on a piece of music and invite folks to simply remember that person while they move. Often I get so caught up in my dance that I forget all about the person I’m dancing on behalf of. And that’s OK, too. Easy focus is the name of the game!

Try It Yourself

Do you have someone or something on your heart right now? Try your own mini Dance On Behalf Of.

  • If you like, put on a piece of music that moves you (‘tho music is not necessary).
  • Take a moment to remember that person or situation.
  • Then, let your focus soften so you’re not thinking too hard.
  • Allow your body to move. This might look as simply as swaying back and forth or walking mindfully. Perhaps it’s more energetic, with full out dancing. Move in whatever way feels enjoyable for you.
  • When you’re finished –after 30 seconds or 3 minutes — take one more moment to remember the person or situation.
  • Notice whatever sensations you’re experiencing in your body.
  • Then, shake it all out!

Although there is much that I am grateful for about the InterPlay practice, the “Dance On Behalf Of” form is one of its sweetest gifts to the world. I hope you enjoy it, too.

(The picture, by the way, was taken by Katherine Kunz on a trip we took to India last year. We had just finished participating in a workshop with Cynthia Winton-Henry, and these women are saying thank you to us with their own Dance On Behalf Of.)

Filed Under InterPlay | 4 Comments
Jul 06 2009

The Art of Noticing

noticing

This post is part of a project to share reflections about all 28 of the Core Elements of InterPlay.  For background information about InterPlay or this project, read What the Heck is InterPlay?!.

Ack! Get Me Out of My Head!

Before a recent InterPlay class, I was chatting with a participant.  He revealed that over the last few weeks, he’d had a hard time getting into the warm-up.  “I’ve been so in my head,” he said, “judging myself and my experience. Incapable of relaxing.”

His experience was so unpleasant that he would have walked out, only he didn’t have his car with him. Out of desperation, he discovered something quite profound:

I told myself to really let my body feel what we were doing, to see if I can drop down from my spinning mind into my still body.  It turns out that I really enjoyed the class after that.

How cool! He exercised his power to turn his own experience around — simply by inviting his body to notice what it was feeling.

I asked whether there was anything I, as leader,  could have done to help him to drop into his body sooner.  He thought for a moment, then added:

No, I don’t think so.  Or, even if there was, I like that I discovered it myself.  It felt satisfying to notice what was happening — all by myself! — and to make a choice that changed my experience for the better.

Sigh. I have to admit slight disappointment. My ego wants to be the Provider of Rich Experiences for others. But here my student showed me that he can take care of himself! His power to notice, and act on what he notices, is his biggest ally.

We Do Stuff…and Then Notice

This story is a lovely example of the InterPlay concept of “noticing.” My facilitator’s manual says that the simplest way to explain an InterPlay class is this:  “We do stuff and then notice.”

So, after we do an improvisational exercise — storytelling, for example — the teacher will probably ask,”What did you notice about that?”

I used to be really annoyed by this question. It’s so general!  You see, I’ve been trained in several conversation methods, most of which are highly structured, guiding the participant’s reflection intentionally through specific questions.  InterPlay’s broad “What did you notice” seemed loosey goosey to me at first.

But now I really get why it’s often useful to stay general. It allows people to tap into their own experience and say whatever is helpful for them.  Participants can enter the reflection at whatever place is comfortable to them.

Notice Your Own Experience

Whatever you notice is exactly right. Well, that’s not exactly true.  In InterPlay we do encourage participants to notice their own information — not anybody else’s.  This is actually quite challenging.

It’s so easy to watch someone leaping around the room ecstatically and say, “You were having a great time out there!” Even if I actually have no idea what that person was feeling while dancing.

Instead, staying connected to my own experience, “I noticed you did a lot of leaping, and I imagined that you were really enjoying yourself.” Or, “Watching you leap made me want to leap too.”

In the story  my student told me, he was so proud of himself because he was able to NOTICE some information about his experience: judging thoughts, the inability to relax, feeling really “top heavy.”

Once he NOTICED this information, he had the freedom to make a choice about it.

And that choice ended up changing his experience for the better.

Yay for noticing!

What do you notice?

Filed Under InterPlay | 3 Comments