Props to You

Use props. Explore, manipulate, discover. When props come into play, exciting and unique movement is easier to find. Props provide a fun and challenging new way to find a whole new idea. When you are forced to create a movement sequence while keeping one hand and the opposite foot somehow within a hula hoop, some pretty interesting ideas are going to come out of it. And the amount of commitment that the movement requires is so much more than just simply moving through space. When you are committed to dancing around, with, and through a prop, the energy is focused beyond yourself and out. Once you have some ideas, you can remove the prop as long as you still dance as if you were still working with it. It's just an new way to play around and find some new movement.

Prop ideas:

• hula hoops
• elastic (thera) bands
• sheets of paper (try dancing across the floor with a sheet laid flat against your hand and notice the amount of adjustment and commitment it takes to keep it there . . .)
• rubber balls
• chairs
• streamers
• water (yes, water. bowls of water, hoses, shallow pools . . . amazing movement can come out of the idea of playing in and with water)
• strings of beads (long necklaces)
• bouncy balls
• pillows
• big straw hats
• huge beach balls
• parachute
• jump ropes
• ladders
• mats

Be creative! Random ideas often provide the best and most exciting movement!