Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique by Jennifer Salk is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
“ Jen Salk’s Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique is an essential resource for dance and somatic educators. The online version is clear, correct, and easy to follow. Flowing movement phrases demonstrating the anatomical material presented will help students embody the scientific information. Additional pedagogical material gives even more depth to this invaluable resource.”
-Anne Green Gilbert, Author/Educator
Brain-Compatible Dance Education
ABOUT
Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique was originally published as a DVD in 2010 by Human Kinetics. During the 2000s I developed this methodology, and wrote an article for the Journal of Dance Education. I have taught the methodology at workshops, dance festivals, and conferences all over the country as well as in Istanbul, Turkey, and Sorrento, Italy. DVDs are obsolete at this point. I felt it was time to make the content easily available, and free, on my website. I hope you enjoy it.
Incorporation of an experiential anatomy component into any technique class educates students about the body in a way that permanently and positively impacts how they move. While I come from a modern and post-modern background I believe it is our responsibility as dance educators, to teach students how to care for their bodies and make informed choices about how to move with efficiency no matter the dance style or idiom. My initial goal was to help students at all skill levels learn anatomy, while simultaneously learning more about their individual bodies. What I didn’t anticipate, is that developing this methodology pushed me into completely new movement territory. Movement phrases poured out of me. I was not repeating my patterns, or my own previous instructors’ movements. I found a new voice. In this case, focusing a specific body part allowed me to find initiations and pathways previously unfamiliar to me.
Students gain a deep understanding of their individual differences and how their body works best by exploring a new body part each week. Their dynamic range expands and they learn to self-correct. Teachers and students who have never taught or taken anatomy will appreciate the non-threatening approach to the subject. For those who have studied anatomy or kinesiology, this approach will hopefully offer new ways for you to teach and experiment with the information. I have had colleagues in the field tell me students borrow their DVD often to watch it on their own, or learn the movement. I hope you will find it useful. While the material was made a long time ago, I think it stands the test of time.
A note about ways to navigate this content:
I strongly suggest you look at the article for step-by-step directions on how to build classes using this methodology.
You can randomly pop around by returning to the lesson main menu.
You can follow each plan, in order by hitting the “next” button or use the “previous” button to go back in order.
You can just watch all of the experiential phrase work that starts the class.
You can learn the movement material as is or use it as inspiration for your own material. If you use it as is, please credit me.
You will find the “Floor Phrase” under each lesson because the attention can transfer to a specific part for each lesson. For example, one week, the students may have their “minds eye” in the hip socket as they navigate the floor material, which they know well since they have been doing variations on it for a while. Then, the next week, they might have their attention in/on their scapula for the bulk of the floor phrase. How does it feel to focus on the scapula in a high plank position that prepares them for upside-down work on their hands?
I credit people for their material and inspiration. You will see their name under the film if there is a credit. Click on that and it will take you to the complete source.
By https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69889914
lessons
“The clear expertise and exploratory approach taken in Jen Salk’s Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique videos has helped to ground my teaching more directly in anatomy, its principles and applications, informing how I approach alignment, technique, and artistry in my technique class. This well-crafted set of experiential tools is an essential one for all dance educators and should be incorporated into teacher training programs.”
Rebecca Gose, Associate Professor
Department of Dance, University of Georgia, Athens
Author of A Quest for an Ecosomatic Approach to Dance Technique and Motor Learning in the Dance Technique Class
rEsources and credits
Click either link for a downloadable article or reading list.
Bio
Available here
“Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique created by Jennifer Salk is an excellent resource for dance educators and students of dance. It firmly connects content knowledge to practical experience through dance movement. Salk provides a platform that integrates both clear elucidation of conceptual information with visual performance of those concepts moving through space.”
Elin E. Lobel, Professor,
Department of Kinesiology, Towson University,
Co-author of Dance and Somatics (2012) and
co-editor of Multiple Literacies for Dance, Physical Education and Sports (2023).
references and resources
Bartenieff, Irmgard, and Dottie Lewis. Body Movement: Coping with the Environment. New York: Gordon and Breach. 1980.
Birch, Beryl Bender. Power Yoga. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Clarkson Priscilla M., and Margaret Skrinar. Science of Dance Training. Champaign,IL: Human Kinetics. 1988.
Cohen, Bonnie Bainbridge: Sensing, Feeling and Action. Northampton, MA: Contact Editions, 1993.
Donnelly, Joseph E. Living Anatomy. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 1990.
Dowd, Irene. Taking Root To Fly. New York: B & H SOHO, Inc. 1995.
Fitt, Sally S. Dance Kinesiology. New York, NY: Schirmer Books, 1996.
Franklin, Eric. Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 1996.
Franklin Eric. Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 1996.
Gallwey, Timothy. The Inner Game of Tennis. New York: Random House. 1976.
Hackney, Peggy. Making Connections: Total Body Integration through Bartenieff Fundamentals. New York: Gordon and Breach. 1998.
Kapit, Wynn, and Lawrence M. Elson. The Anatomy Coloring Book. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc.. 2014.
Olsen, A: BodyStories: A Guide To Experiential Anatomy. Barrytown, New York: Station Hill Press. 1991.
Todd, Mabel E. The Thinking Body. New York: Princeton Books. 1937.
credits from DVD:
Editor and DVD Designer: Jeff Curtis
Dancers: Kesa Huey, Chalie Livingston
Choreography and methodology by Jennifer Salk
This DVD has been made possible by generous support from The University of Washington, College of Arts & Sciences, Deans Discretionary Fund Grant
In Kind Donations:
University of Washington, Dance Program: Dance Studios, Digital Camera, Skeleton
Special thanks to:
Elizabeth Cooper, Dance Program Director, University of Washington
Chalie Livingston
Jeff Curtis
Matt Jorgenson
Kesa Huey
Andrea Olson
Gwen Welliver
Elizabeth Van Volkenburgh, Professor of Biology, Divisional Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences
Gail S. Dykstra, Software Technology Manager, UW TechTransfer Digital Ventures
Copyright (c) 2008-2011 University of Washington.
All Rights Reserved. Published and distributed under license from the University of Washington by Human Kinetics, Inc.
“Experiential Anatomy in Dance Technique: Eight Skeletal Explorations” is the creation of Professor Jennifer Salk, University of Washington, Department of Dance.