CURRENT PRACTICES
3.1 Dancing to the Beat of More Than One Drum
3.3.4 Rhythmic Instruments
3.3.4.2 Rhythmic Ecologies
When we study our body, we are also studying part of the cosmos (Núñez, 1996a, p.xviii).
In looking to the sacred traditions of Mexico and Tibet the TRW discovered that these ancient cultures revealed a particular quality of “ecological thinking” based around structures seen as connecting the individual to the rhythms of the cosmos (Núñez, 1996b). This ecological “worldview” underpins the TRW’s work in what is known collectively as “Anthropocosmic Theatre”.
From this perspective, the rhythmic principles described here can be seen as having
13 Turner offers a detailed examination of the phases involved in ritual practices and their role in bringing about individual transformation and communitas (Turner, 1969).
14 Most dynamics are led by Núñez, but in some the leadership role is given to various experienced
members of the group, who either lead in sequence (one after the other as seen in Citlalmina) or simultaneously (as in Huracán).
two key “functions”. The first is that of encountering the self; a process involving the cultivation of greater self-awareness and the deprogramming of habitual patterns of behaviour, and the second role is (re)integration into the cosmos; the individual realising themselves as part of rather than separate from their immediate and extended environment. Núñez indicates the relationship between these two functions when he states:
The primary function of acting systems is to qualify the human being to master his instrument, which in this case happens to be his own organism, with all its states, internal and external. This, by any reckoning, is a principle of development and knowledge; to get to be self-regulated is to take the appropriate steps towards evolution; to discover that every single part of our body and our emotions is connected to, or rather interplaying with, the cosmos, is to realise that when we study our body we are also studying part of the cosmos (Núñez, 1996a, p.40).
From an “anthropocosmic” understanding these functions are intrinsically linked (both philosophically and practically). As such, in the TRW’s dynamics all work on the “self” takes place within the context of the “group”(Núñez, 1996a, p.66), a concept that corresponds with Britton’s principle of “self-with-others” (3.1.1). These ecological principles are often communicated by Núñez through allegories and metaphors. Examples of these include the body as an “echo box of the cosmos” (Núñez, 1996a, p.xvii), and the act of becoming a “perforated mirror” through which we can read both our own body and the stars within a single vision (Núñez, 1996a, p.69). There are also instances where cosmic symbolism is applied directly to individual actions and the movements and formations of the group. At times these forms are described as reflecting or embodying the nature of the sun, the planets, or basic elements such as earth, air, fire and water.
Eliade suggests that forms of “anthropocosmic” symbolism such as these “…make it possible for man to move freely from one level of reality to another” (Eliade, 1996, p.455). In the act of embodying such symbolic metaphors:
Man no longer feels himself to be an “air-tight” fragment, but a living cosmos open to all the other living cosmoses by which he is surrounded. The experiences of the world at large are no longer something outside of him and therefore ultimately “foreign” and “objective”; they do not alienate him from himself but, on the contrary, lead him towards himself, and reveal to him his own experience and his own destiny (Eliade, 1996, p.455).
of fundamental rhythmic principles and forms (i.e. alternation, pulsation, rhythmic cycles and rhythmic actions/dynamics) across a wide range of scales within Núñez’s work. In this sense, such principles act as a continuum, from rhythms rooted in the biology of the body itself, extending out to the scale of cosmic activity.
On a molecular, chemical and biological scale, rhythm is encountered in this work through the vibratory singing of the voice and the use of instruments such as conchs, drums and rattles, activating the body at a vibrational and energetic level. At slower frequencies we can observe the rhythmic pulsation and alternation of the cardiovascular systems and the use of dynamic alternations of the contraction and expansion of muscles that dominate many of the movement patterns used in training, often accompanied by the pulsation of a drum or rattle. Extending these time-frames, we can note the use rhythmic patterns reflected in the cycles and alternation of actions and sequences as observed in the compositional structures of the Mexican “Conchero” and Tibetan “Monastic” dance forms used by Núñez. Further, cycles involving working to a twenty-four hour rhythm15, and cycles that span an entire year16, constitute some of the more extended durational work undertaken by the company. (For an example of rhythm operating across a range of scales in the work of TRW see graphic scores of Citlalmina in Appendix 7.4).
Figure 12:
Figure 1: Nested rhythms in an anthropocosmic ecology
Energy Vibration Pulsation
Alternating and cyclic actions and sequences
24 hour Cycles Weekly Cycles Monthly Cycles
Yearly Cycles
Nested rhythms in an anthropocosmic ecology
Operating within a rhythmic ecology, participants in this work are afforded a means of encountering themselves as part of, rather than separate from the universe they inhabit.
15 Nictémero is the name given to a dynamic that took place at the Sculpture Space at the National
University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1982. Participants actively occupied this space for twenty-four hours. This name comes from the Greek term nychthémeron, meaning a period of twenty-four hours (Núñez, 1996a, p.73). 16 In 2000 TRW ran a year-long project titled “The Flight of Quetzalcoatl”, in which activities were sustained from January through to December on the site of Teotihuacan.
Here such forms of integration are not simply conceptual, rather they are realised practically through the psychophysical tools, instruments, and techniques adopted by the TRW.
3.3.5 Summary
This section has explored the application of sacred rhythmic forms and principles within actor training, examining the relationships between rhythm and states of ecstasy. The use of such rhythmic technologies within Núñez’s work can be understood as operating in two distinct yet interconnected ways: one being as a support structure that helps to guide and consolidate the group’s energy, forming perceptual and emotional bonds between its members. In this sense, as with the work of Meyerhold (2.3) and Britton (3.2), rhythm offers a means of shaping the use of attention and perception of time and action. The second principle seen here is rhythm as a means of forward momentum that can drive, provoke, and at times disrupt the energy of the group. Here these two aspects of rhythm have been described as providing a framework of support and a catalyst for change. Rhythm both drives and subdues the energetics of the group, disorientating, “deautomatizating” and “deprogramming” the participants, as well as grounding and integrating them into a wider field of activity and encouraging a sense of connection with the cosmos.
Such rhythmic structures and dynamic actions along with the neurobiological and socio-cultural aspects that are associated with them are seen to provide a means of entering, sustaining, navigating, and leaving altered states of consciousness within these training dynamics. Yet, as we have seen here, there is more at play in these practices than a linear equation of cause and effect (rhythm=ecstasy). There is a multitude of aspects involved in these processes, including the individual’s own cultivated knowledge and psychophysical capacity to shape and sustain attention and to guide intentions. While rhythm may be at the heart of such “techniques of ecstasy”, the ecstatic “journey” involves aspects that would appear to extend beyond the field of rhythm.
As with the work of Grotowski and Stanislavski, it appears that the actor/shaman needs to not only engage with the rhythmic structures and formal aesthetics, but also
consciously work on the cultivation of an inner quality of intention and attention as a means of “re-actualizing” these rhythms in the present moment. These dynamics take place at the interface between the ritual forms that have been sustained through tradition, and a personal and spontaneous encounter being realised in the “here and now”. Rhythm exists at once as a form of “traditional knowledge” located in the “body alphabets” and the “objective” forms that make up these practices, while also being highly personal, emerging from an individual’s own rhythmic dynamics as these subjectively fluctuate and change in the moment. It is in the meeting of these two aspects that this work happens, the participant at once surrendering to a rhythm greater than themselves, while remaining vigilantly present in this encounter.
Here, “anthropocosmic” integration approaches a description of ecstasy: a “cosmic verticality” through which individuals become “transparent” and pervious to the rhythms existing inside and outside of their bodies. Remaining attentive and present in the flow of this work, the participants look to hold themselves (in the words of Grotowski) “… taut between organicity and the awareness” (Grotowski, 1995, p.125). At once remaining concentrated and tied to the “here and now” of each moment, while also surrendering the vital momentum of the dynamic.
The application of traditional knowledge and forms within a secular context will be explored further in the following section in which Reinhard Flatischler’s TaKeTiNa practices will form the basis of an examination of the relationship between the individual and emergent rhythmic phenomena.
“I and It” in the TaKeTiNa practices of Reinhard Flatischler Rhythm teaches you at the metalevel – not in an environment
that is coloured by daily habits and emotional reactions (Flatischler and Flatischler, 2010).
As an actor working with rhythm, there are times when I am acutely aware that I am directing my own actions; I place my foot down on a particular beat, I intentionally pause between speaking two syllables, I coordinate an action so that it corresponds with the duration of my outward breath or a musical phrase. There are other times however, when I have a sense that my actions take place without me directly initiating or controlling them. For example: while running alongside others I have the sense of being carried forward by a shared tempo, I find that I have reached to catch a ball flying towards me microseconds before I was conscious of its presence, or the external sounds of musical rhythm affect the qualities of my actions giving me the sense of forward momentum, connectivity and fluidity.
Rhythm practitioners Reinhard and Cornelia Flatischler refer to these two aspects in terms of “the ‘I’ and the ‘It’” (Flatischler and Flatischler, 2008), and explore this dynamic relationship through polyrhythm within their “TaKeTiNa” practices. In contrast to the other practices discussed in this thesis, TaKeTiNa has not been developed primarily as a form of actor training. Rather, it finds application within a wide range of contexts including personal development practices, the training of musicians, management training, clinical practices and medical research1 (Flatischler and Flatischler, 2010). Although this work is not strictly located within the category of actor training, many of its principles and structures are clearly applicable to this field and demonstrate significant value at a number
1 Areas of medical research using TaKeTiNa include cardiovascular research into “heart rate variability”, as well as EEG research looking into “neuro-vegetative rhythmicity”, and research exploring applications in pain therapy for individuals suffering from chronic pain (Flatischler and Flatischler, 2012).
of levels.2 The high degree of research and development that has gone into these rhythm practices also offers this investigation further insight into the potentials of rhythm within actor training. This section will outline some of the key mechanisms found in TaKeTiNa and propose a number of ways in which these are applicable to acting practices.
3.4.1 Background
In 1996 I attended a seminar on the theme of archetypal rhythm, given by Reinhard and Cornelia Flatischler during their visit to Melbourne, Australia. As a young actor and musician, this presentation revealed a perspective on rhythm that I had not previously encountered. Up until then rhythm had been taught to me as a specialist skill, something that I had to work on and perfect. In my studies and training the emphasis had generally been placed on achieving speed, accuracy and a consistency of rhythm. In contrast, the Flatischlers presented rhythm as a lived experience, inherent in the physiology of our bodies and our encounters in daily life, and through which we could access new ways of experiencing and transforming our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. Many of the experiences and ideas presented that evening resonated strongly with me and continued to play on my mind and the work that I undertook in the fields of music and acting, contributing significantly to my current research.
The practices of TaKeTiNa emerged from Reinhard Flatischler’s detailed studies of percussion and rhythmic practices in various traditional contexts around the world, including Korean Shamanism, Indian Tabla music, and Afro-Caribbean music from Brazil and Cuba. Through his encounters with these musical and philosophical traditions, Flatischler formed an understanding that despite obvious cultural differences and distinct instrumentations, “…the underlying principles of how rhythm affects our mind and body are the same in all cultures”
(
Flatischler, 1996, p.343). Flatischler’s work was also informed by his earlier classical training as a pianist, and in many ways TaKeTiNa can be seen as a bridge joining these seemingly distinct approaches to rhythm. Flatischler explains:2 TaKeTiNa teachers including Henning Von Vangerow, Fabian Bautz and Tania Bosak have applied
In classical tradition, we first comprehend the structures intellectually and then transfer that to the body and playing. In non-European cultures, however, the bodily experience comes first so that with subsequent reflection the rhythmic structure, already understood by the body, becomes clear. Both ways can be used to advantage if we develop their possibilities and incorporate them in the exercises so they complement each other (Flatischler, 1992, p.17).
The incorporation of “bodily experience” into “European” music education is an ethos that can also be found in earlier practices such as those of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865- 1950) and Zoltán Kodály (1982-1967) who approached the study of musical rhythm primarily through movement and the speaking of mnemonic syllables. What Flatischler brings to this field of musical pedagogy is a broad experience and comprehension of musical rhythms from around the world and a detailed understanding of the science behind these processes. Through this, Flatischler is able to combine a diverse array of practices into a unified approach capable of operating at what he describes as an “archetypal level” of rhythmic principles and structure. TaKeTiNa looks to apply these aspects in a contemporary “Western” context that is accessible to both musicians and non-musicians alike. As with the actor training work of Núñez (3.3), TaKeTiNa draws on many traditional sources of rhythmic knowledge and practice. Through the processes of re-exploration and “re-actualization” such practices can be seen, in Núñez’s terms, as a way to“…bring these tools up to date” (Núñez, 1996a, p.97). It is in these ways that the practices of TaKeTiNa have been refined, developed and disseminated to teachers and students throughout Europe, North America and Australia over the last forty years. 3.4.2 TaKeTiNa Process
…the brain that engages with music is changed by this engagement (Thaut, 2008, p.62).
Most commonly, a TaKeTiNa process will take the form of a circle of participants formed around a drummer and a leader. Sessions generally last between one and two hours and are often built up from participants speaking simple rhythmic syllables in unison (such as Ta-Ki, or Ga-Ma-La, or Ta-Ke-Ti-Na, or a number of combination of these), which are
then embodied through simple stepping patterns. Once these movements are established within the group, a new set of vocal syllables is introduced creating a polyrhythmic relationship between the stepping pattern and the voice. Here the feet might be stepping a slow pattern based on a cycle of Ga-Ma-La, while the voice, over the same duration might take up a pattern at twice this speed such as ta-ki-ta-ki-ta-ki, or ga-ma-la-ga-ma- la (see Table 3). Eventually this is followed by the gradual introduction of hand-claps (or accents marked on caxixi rattle) corresponding with the pattern created by these new spoken syllables. Through these three layers (steps, voice and claps), a rhythmic cycle is formed, over which the leader can then introduce the process of call and response.
Table 3:
Original
Syllables Ta Ki Ta Ki Ta Ki
Steps right Left right Left right Left
Change of Syllables Ga Ma La Ga Ma La 2nd Change of Syllables ga Ma La ga ma la ga ma la ga ma la Claps X X Call and Response
go doom bah doo go doom bah Doo
(Example of a lead call) (Group response)
An illustration of simultaneous rhythmic elements in ‘TaKeTiNa’
The leader will often break down these phases of the process, reverting back to earlier phases and building up the sequence a number of times over the course of a session. Throughout this process, participants are also offered the possibility of stopping and lying down in the middle of the circle or walking freely around the outside, at any moment they choose. This flexible structure allows for participants with diverse levels of experience to share in a complex rhythmic process in which they can freely modulate their own engagement with these practices while remaining part of a structured collective process (footage of TaKeTiNa can be seen at: http://youtu.be/Inr0coWTYlA and http://youtu.be/ jzhtW7zSn-U).