Class description Countertechnique:

Countertechnique® provides tools for body and mind to deal with the demanding dance practice of the 21st century. It is a movement system to help the dancer understand the dancing body, focusing on the process of incorporating information into action. Within a clear structure of exercises, the Countertechnique® class thoroughly prepares the body for rehearsal and performance. It enables dancers to move bigger, more fluidly and more spatially, while becoming stronger and more flexible. Dancers are encouraged to be proactive in discovering connections and solutions, to be less concerned with judging themselves, and to work in a healthy way with regard to both body and mind. Countertechnique® makes daily training a valuable investment in the dancer’s own development, as well as interesting personal research. Countertechnique® was created and developed by Dutch choreographer, dancer and teacher Anouk van Dijk, former artistic director of Australian dance company Chunky Move.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

The Countertechnique® class is a contemporary dance technique class. It stretches, coordinates and strengthens the body, making dancers sweat, build stamina and really move. The class starts with a recurring set of exercises, allowing dancers to investigate the Countertechnique® principles in detail. The second half of the class consists of varied components, working towards luscious movement combinations, and sometimes including jumping at the end. The Countertechnique® class results in dancers using more efficient energy, losing their fear of taking risks and gaining speed in both level and directional changes.

THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES

By continuously and sequentially directing and counter directing parts of the body through space, Countertechnique® enables dancers to work with an ever-changing dynamic balance. This dynamic balance reduces pressure on the overall body structure and can be changed at any given moment. The consistent use of the counter direction in all movements is key to the technique; both the awareness and application of this principle are trained throughout the Countertechnique® class. The Countertechnique® theory is organized around two guiding concepts: the ‘toolbox’ and ‘scanning’. The toolbox is the systematically organized collection of tools for body and mind with which Countertechnique® works, often visualized as a virtual map that dancers carry with them. Scanning is the process in which dancers continuously and actively observe their mindset and body in order to choose the most appropriate tool(s) from the toolbox for their situation. Scanning allows dancers to actively use the toolbox in their daily practice of training, rehearsing, and performing. In Countertechnique® classes, dancers are introduced step-by-step to the various tools — making sure, however, that the priority always lies with experiencing and enjoying the difference in moving, rather than first having to understand the tools intellectually. Classes are therefore very accessible and can be taught to participants of all levels. Even so, gaining a full understanding of the different tools and being able to apply them in complex movement, instantaneously and often simultaneously, involves a learning process of several years, even for professional dancers. Throughout this process, dancers increasingly become their own teachers, allowing them to practice and progress even at times when a teacher is not available. Countertechnique® encourages dancers to take control of their own training and accept full responsibility for their personal development. The Countertechnique® system offers the tools to do so, enabling dancers to get the maximum out of their career, while — equally important — continuing to enjoy it to the full!