La danse libre de La danse libre de MALKOVSKYMALKOVSKY

( 1889- 1982 ) ( 1889- 1982 )

BY BY

Anne – Marie JAEGER – CABOTAnne – Marie JAEGER – CABOT

THIS CONFERENCE:THIS CONFERENCE:

The goal of this conference is to present the dancer François Malkovsky, to locate him in the time frame and to explain what are the principles he pointed in his work.To finish, we will evoque the current situation in Europe.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, several dancers At the beginning of the twentieth century, several dancers called into question the principles of the academism and called into question the principles of the academism and the ballet dance, based on the work of François Delsarte, the ballet dance, based on the work of François Delsarte, who despite not being a dancer , sought a logical and who despite not being a dancer , sought a logical and harmonious way to move. We can evoque Ted and harmonious way to move. We can evoque Ted and Dennis Shawn, Mary Wigman and the well known in Dennis Shawn, Mary Wigman and the well known in Greece Isadora Duncan. This one looks in the antiquities Greece Isadora Duncan. This one looks in the antiquities and in the greek sculptures, in order to find an esthetic and in the greek sculptures, in order to find an esthetic order of beauty. She rejected which develope the artifice order of beauty. She rejected which develope the artifice and the ego.and the ego.

Robert Charroux, an art critic, wrote in 1937:Robert Charroux, an art critic, wrote in 1937:“ It seems like there are two men in Malkovsky ...The “ It seems like there are two men in Malkovsky ...The philosoph is an harmonious artist and the dancer is a free philosoph is an harmonious artist and the dancer is a free thinker, strong and honest” .thinker, strong and honest” .

MALKOVSKYMALKOVSKY

Was born in Bohemia in 1889 Was born in Bohemia in 1889 and came in Paris in 1910 and came in Paris in 1910 where he continued to study where he continued to study music, singing and philosophymusic, singing and philosophy

He met Raymond and Isadora He met Raymond and Isadora DUNCAN between 1912 and DUNCAN between 1912 and 1925. These contacts deeply 1925. These contacts deeply influence his approach of an art influence his approach of an art of movement. of movement.

WHAT DID MALKOVSKY TEACH?WHAT DID MALKOVSKY TEACH?

• A dance which connects us to the major ,universal laws A dance which connects us to the major ,universal laws of the Cosmos and nature.of the Cosmos and nature.A dance which makes the music visible and conveys the A dance which makes the music visible and conveys the feelings, spontaneous dance which expresses the feelings, spontaneous dance which expresses the emotions of a sensitive heart, joy, lightnes, love, emotions of a sensitive heart, joy, lightnes, love, loneliness...loneliness...He performed his choreographies from 1922 to 1948. In He performed his choreographies from 1922 to 1948. In 1950 the dancer became educator until 1982, at the age 1950 the dancer became educator until 1982, at the age of 92, when he died at Laon, in France.of 92, when he died at Laon, in France.He teached through his basic movements and his He teached through his basic movements and his choreographies a dynamic free body, a "free dance" or choreographies a dynamic free body, a "free dance" or "danse libre", that is used to call an "art of living" or "art "danse libre", that is used to call an "art of living" or "art de vivre".de vivre".

WHAT HE SAYS :WHAT HE SAYS :

““TO DANCE, You must have ridden of mists and TO DANCE, You must have ridden of mists and being under the sun, feeling your own sap being under the sun, feeling your own sap ascending and the joy of being alive.ascending and the joy of being alive.To dance, to live, you must be yourself. To be To dance, to live, you must be yourself. To be yourself is to reject convention, to renounce yourself is to reject convention, to renounce common principles, to let your inspiration and common principles, to let your inspiration and your instinct being your guide, to be consistent your instinct being your guide, to be consistent with all things and with yourself, to be in peace with all things and with yourself, to be in peace with your conscience.with your conscience.To dance is to live, but more over, it is to live To dance is to live, but more over, it is to live better, is to express live.”better, is to express live.”MalkovskyMalkovsky

WHAT IS DANSE LIBRE?WHAT IS DANSE LIBRE?

• ““how to dance in physical, mental, how to dance in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes....”emotional and spiritual planes....”

• By calling his dance “DANSE By calling his dance “DANSE LIBRE,François Malkovsky both LIBRE,François Malkovsky both expresses his vision of dance and his expresses his vision of dance and his belonging to a major art trend which belonging to a major art trend which characterizes the beginnings of characterizes the beginnings of modern dance.modern dance.

• Danse libre attemps to lay bare the Danse libre attemps to lay bare the surge of life from a global, dynamic surge of life from a global, dynamic conception of the human being.conception of the human being.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

• The style of free dance is The style of free dance is characterized most of the time characterized most of the time by an movement uncurling little by an movement uncurling little by little from the mobile spine. by little from the mobile spine. The search for a natural The search for a natural movement is organised around movement is organised around work on coordination and work on coordination and fundamental gestures as fundamental gestures as walking, taking, throwing, walking, taking, throwing, swinging, gathering...This work swinging, gathering...This work favouring flowing plasticity and favouring flowing plasticity and fluidity.fluidity.

Malkovsky built a technique, teached his basic Malkovsky built a technique, teached his basic mouvements and choreographics, using poetic and mouvements and choreographics, using poetic and metaphoric language.metaphoric language.

• This work favouring flowing plasticity and fluidity.This work favouring flowing plasticity and fluidity.

• Isadora Duncan declared she has founded a Isadora Duncan declared she has founded a school of life, not a dance school. Following this school of life, not a dance school. Following this example, Malkovsky’s project was à project of example, Malkovsky’s project was à project of being, with simplicity of heart and body.being, with simplicity of heart and body.

““It may not be necessary to analyze beauty but beauty It may not be necessary to analyze beauty but beauty nevertheless stand up to analysis”nevertheless stand up to analysis”Malkovsky.Malkovsky.

• Malkovsky believed that “ the most wonderful languages, Malkovsky believed that “ the most wonderful languages, the most subtile and powerful, the language that speaks the most subtile and powerful, the language that speaks to every mankind and every latitude, is human to every mankind and every latitude, is human movement in all its harmony.movement in all its harmony.

• Such a movement must have some qualities :Such a movement must have some qualities :• It’s logic makes it truthful,It’s logic makes it truthful,• It’s presence makes it true,It’s presence makes it true,• It’s simplicity makes it universal.It’s simplicity makes it universal.

• Malkovsky’s work on movement is the result of animal Malkovsky’s work on movement is the result of animal observation, people’s gesture when they work, nature observation, people’s gesture when they work, nature visible movements.visible movements.

• The first principles on which Malkovsky based his dance The first principles on which Malkovsky based his dance is is walking.walking.

• “ “ The basis of all human movement is walking, a The basis of all human movement is walking, a continuous falling quickened or slowed at each step by continuous falling quickened or slowed at each step by alternated displacement of gravity center.”alternated displacement of gravity center.”

• As your shoulders imperceptibly describe a double wheel, As your shoulders imperceptibly describe a double wheel, they make our arms and legs being in the opposite they make our arms and legs being in the opposite direction and make our spinal column undulate freely. “direction and make our spinal column undulate freely. “

• Malkovsky quote Nietzsche:Malkovsky quote Nietzsche:

• ““one sees with somebody’s walk if he found his road. The one sees with somebody’s walk if he found his road. The man who approaches the goal does not walk any more, man who approaches the goal does not walk any more, he dances.”he dances.”

MAIN PRINCIPLES:MAIN PRINCIPLES:

All the principles are overlaped. They cannot be dissociated All the principles are overlaped. They cannot be dissociated from other axes in the analysis of movement.from other axes in the analysis of movement.

PRINCIPLE OF PLAYPRINCIPLE OF PLAY

• play like children playing... joy exists”play like children playing... joy exists” • In the lesson, they are a lot of cases In the lesson, they are a lot of cases

where we have to play by pairs, with our where we have to play by pairs, with our body weight.body weight.

• We usually play with balls, like a We usually play with balls, like a musician practising scales.musician practising scales.

• Throw and catch the ball (always with Throw and catch the ball (always with same hand / changing hands)same hand / changing hands)

• With a half turnWith a half turn• In pairsIn pairs• Ball games are a challenge, they Ball games are a challenge, they

require the exercises to be transformed require the exercises to be transformed into a game, and pupils should relaxed into a game, and pupils should relaxed even at the risk of losing the ball.even at the risk of losing the ball.

““THE BALL IS A PART OF YOU.”THE BALL IS A PART OF YOU.”• Malkovsky was trying to reduce the impact of analysis Malkovsky was trying to reduce the impact of analysis

and intellect.and intellect.• The aim is to learn a specific control of movement, The aim is to learn a specific control of movement,

involving the different parts of the body in it’s totality, involving the different parts of the body in it’s totality, through movements in rhythm with the impact of the ball through movements in rhythm with the impact of the ball bouncing on the floor.bouncing on the floor.

• The ball is bounced off the floor with total commitment. The ball is bounced off the floor with total commitment. What matters is the osmosis between the bouncing ball What matters is the osmosis between the bouncing ball and our own interior surge, reveales by the fluidity of the and our own interior surge, reveales by the fluidity of the spine.spine.

“ “Be the bounce, be the surge “Be the bounce, be the surge “• The movement is initiated in the back, not with the The movement is initiated in the back, not with the

strenght of the arm or of the hand holding the ballstrenght of the arm or of the hand holding the ball• Before each throw, there’s a period of accumulation Before each throw, there’s a period of accumulation

linked to a slight shift in the pelvis, followed by the linked to a slight shift in the pelvis, followed by the impact of the ball, which should correspond to the music impact of the ball, which should correspond to the music downbeat.downbeat.

PRINCIPLE OF CAUSALITY:PRINCIPLE OF CAUSALITY:

• Question- answerQuestion- answer• Cause – effectCause – effect• Sound – echoSound – echo• This is primordial, each transfer is motivated by a This is primordial, each transfer is motivated by a

shift in the center of gravity.shift in the center of gravity.• For Malkovsky, it was essential that each person find For Malkovsky, it was essential that each person find

his central locus which interconnects the unity of the his central locus which interconnects the unity of the upper body and the lower.upper body and the lower.

• In this way, the flux could traverse the body, irradiate In this way, the flux could traverse the body, irradiate it and radiate outwards in a three dimensional it and radiate outwards in a three dimensional movementmovement..

• A consequence of these causality principles is “effort A consequence of these causality principles is “effort saving”, meaning maximum efficiency without saving”, meaning maximum efficiency without excessive tension.excessive tension.

OTHERS PRINCIPLES :OTHERS PRINCIPLES : Pattern of totality in successionPattern of totality in succession“ “ Hand – body – hand”Hand – body – hand”Sower / bells / paddles / lasso / skipping rope / bird in Sower / bells / paddles / lasso / skipping rope / bird in the hand / grand tourthe hand / grand tour

Pattern of scattering and gatheringPattern of scattering and gatheringEverything expands and contractsEverything expands and contractsSilk thread / Seagull / Petals / Conductor / Bird on a Silk thread / Seagull / Petals / Conductor / Bird on a tree / Tennis / Bacchanaliatree / Tennis / Bacchanalia

Pattern of alternating lateralityPattern of alternating lateralityThe double wheel The double wheel Circles with the arms / Grand tour / Sparrows / Sending Circles with the arms / Grand tour / Sparrows / Sending waves.waves.

LETS TRY NOW!!!LETS TRY NOW!!!

• Currently, many adults and some children continue to Currently, many adults and some children continue to practise the Malkovsky dance in Europe. It exist a practise the Malkovsky dance in Europe. It exist a European federation, of free dance in France which European federation, of free dance in France which gathers several associations of this form of dance, in gathers several associations of this form of dance, in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, switzerland, Italy.France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, switzerland, Italy.

• Some of them try to have a contemporary approach but Some of them try to have a contemporary approach but continue to apply the principles of moving of continue to apply the principles of moving of MALKOVSKY. There are sometimes spectacles in MALKOVSKY. There are sometimes spectacles in France but they are rare.France but they are rare.

If I decided to make this text it is because it If I decided to make this text it is because it seems to me that this technique of dance, seems to me that this technique of dance, which considers the human in its totality : which considers the human in its totality : Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual is of a Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual is of a major interest.major interest.

 The message is fundamental when the topicality is The message is fundamental when the topicality is brutally organized to destroy the individual, in a brutally organized to destroy the individual, in a company which has more than ever need to company which has more than ever need to remember what is the human being. Malkovsky remember what is the human being. Malkovsky quoted Gandhi: “The machine conquered the Man, quoted Gandhi: “The machine conquered the Man, the Man became the machine. It functions but did not the Man became the machine. It functions but did not live any more. ” This is why I tested the pressing need live any more. ” This is why I tested the pressing need to make this personal text, to try to explain what I to make this personal text, to try to explain what I believe to have understood of Malkovsky to all those believe to have understood of Malkovsky to all those with which I speak about it and which answers me with which I speak about it and which answers me

““Malkovsky, it is what? ”.Malkovsky, it is what? ”.