balance

Mechanischer Körperfächer (body fan 2) - rebecca horn

"the fan suits my body -- i carry it and i balance it on my shoulders so that head and shoulders constitute the central axis of the two semi-circles -- starting position -- the two semi-circles of the fan close over my head -- when i move my body's balance, the two semi-circles change their horizontal starting position and begin to turn -- one semicircle turns in fron of my body, the other one behind it, so that my body becomes the fixed axis for the semicircles -- when the rotation is slow,  just sections of my body can be seen by turn -- when the two semicircles rotate fast, they close in a transparent circle."

  -- Rebecca Horn

via flash art n. 46-47, june 1974

Saturday Cartoon

Saturday Cartoon

Searching for Stability

"We tend to become tense and stiff when we feel unstable but this is unhelpful - rigid structures topple more easily than responsive ones. The principle concern in balances is to develop poses slowly, steadily and with quiet stability."

-- Peter Blackaby Intelligent Yoga

Balance Face

Brilliant photo via  orbityoga
from South Dakota, 1959.

Do you have a concentration face?

Nice little exercise in awareness, notice which bits of your body get involved unnecessarily when you are trying to complete a new task. For example when trying to wiggle just your left big toe, does your right big toe try and join the party? When balancing do you stick your tongue out or clench your jaw?

Your body is one big conversation. When something is challenging or new sometimes your methods of communication misfire or get their wires crossed. The more you practice the new movement the better at communicating you will become.

Wild Women

I went to the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the Union Chapel this weekend and loved this film! For California-based Faith Dickey mastering the fine art of slacklining and highlining is a passion.

She set the women’s world record for highlining length (a full 345 feet of pure balance and fear mastery) in Moab, Utah. She also set a record for highlining height at 4,000 feet up from the valley bottom in the Swiss Alps. Faith also has accomplished 30 free solos (highlining without an attached safety leash), the longest of which was just over 91 feet.
Can you imagine?

I've been dabbling with this (at very low heights!) and it has to be one of the best balance tools i've ever tried.  Balance is so dynamic and there is no getting away from that on one of these. I like this one...gibbon-slacklines

Here's a clip of Faith in action from polishedproject.

He could use the bridge, but no. I like his style.
Lesson learnt: You have to choose to vary your movement!

“Don't confuse symmetry with balance.”

― Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Balance Beam

solid moves and good music to boot...Enjoy!

Balance Beam Basics

Found at goldlionaz

Found here

When well grounded we may be still but the slightest impulse can initiate movement and breathing can adjust appropriately. Any unhelpful tension will stiffen us, fix the breath and take away the potential for free movement away.

Work on finding that connection with the parts of you that meet the ground. Keep yourself in motion, keep working—this practice won’t give up anything easily, but it will reward your work and your curiosity and your commitment.

(gif found here)

HAPPY NEW YEAR

From me and Clyde the Dog. Looking forward to the year ahead!

This!

The Body Is Not an Apology

'Movement increases endorphin's in our bodies. Endorphin's are the chemical that make us feel good! The road to radical self love is paved with doing things that make us feel good! So get out and move today! Your body will thank you for it, RADICALLY!'

Found here.

Beautiful. Thanks Carly for the tip!

Margaret Morris Movement

Archive images from the International Institute of the
The Margaret Morris Movement

 
"Dance is for everyone who loves to express themselves through
creative movement.
MMM gives an understanding of how correct breathing can increase stamina and range of movement, how working on posture can improve health and vitality, how using the body’s natural opposition can strengthen muscles, all this as well as balance, agility and co-ordination leading to being able to free the body to dance and the mind to be creative.
MMM gives the technique to improve skills and the encouragement to be creative."

Sounds familiar ; )

William Wegman

William Wegman
1. He Lost His Balance, 1973
2. Eek a Crab, 1974

Derek Paul Boyle

Derek Paul Boyle

Always nice to have a helping hand... Joseph Janney Steinmetz - Acrobats rehearsing at the Ringling Circus, 1940’s.
Found via Gold Lion Healing Arts