Finger Painting

One of the most fascinating activities I have ever done was one that opened the gates to a flow of creativity. We turned on music and listened to four different songs - different in style, in mood, in tempo and beat. After taking just a few moments to get the feel of the music, we began to explore on paper with finger paints, chalk and colored pencils. We were told to find colors in the music - to experience with lines, thick and thin, round, jagged, dots and smudges. I'm not an artist in that way, but the images that were taking form on the paper were fascinating. For a full hour and a half we concentrated on nothing but the colors and lines of what we heard in the music. If nothing else, the exercise was extremely relaxing and interesting. But here is where is began to make such a difference for me. The next day, we were then asked to dance what we saw on the paper. How do you dance a thick line? How do you put a smattering of spots into movement? How does a black zigzag become an action? And even further still - how does blue differ from blue? What does robin egg's blue feel like? What happens with deep ocean blue?

Suddenly, I was dancing a symphony of colors and lines and feelings and moods. I was so much more fully invested in my movement because I was seeing a distinct image and working to translate it in my body. It was an amazing experience. I would like to suggest that anybody struggling with choreographic blocks, movement impediments, or any such difficulties should take a moment to slow down, stop to listen, and spend some time fingerpainting.