Self-Portrait: Embodying Awareness and Re-Integration

I
 
Check In
 
 
II
 
Unit: Re-integration 

Theme: Self-Portrait
 

Introduction
 
The self portrait ritual symbolizes the re-integration of all the different parts of self and one's story with renewed insight, vitality and visions for change. These ritual-performances, illustrated in the video below, are enacted with the group and teachers witnessing in the final week of the Tamalpa Level 1 training program.
 

III
 
Learning Objectives
 
  • Understand the meaning of the self-portrait in the re-integration process
  •  Explain the importance of the metaphoric associations to body parts
  •  Gain an awareness of the relationship between "dancing images" and "personal metaphors"Experience the therapeutic benefits of the self-portrait 
  • Experience the embodiment of awareness and personal metaphors


IV

Main Lesson

1

Video
 

Tamalpa Self Portrait Performance

 Self Portrait


Question 1

After seeing the process used by the dancer with her portrait in this video, write your reflection.

---------------------------
  
2
 
Dancing images from the body may arise from metaphoric association to body parts, areas and functions or directly from anatomical form, and sometimes these starting points are combined. Self-Portrait emphasizes areas and functions of the body related to emotional and metaphorical life themes (Hayes 63).

LINK:

Question 2

Read the statement above and explain it in your own words.

----------------------------- 
 
 3

 "Personal metaphors" about the body can be found in images that a person develops about her own body, like someone having ‘dirty hands,’ or someone feeling ‘mellow’ in the bones, or feeling the body as ‘permeable as a veil.’ These personal images can have a benign or a malign connotation, which obviously makes a difference in the use we make of them in a therapy situation (Samaritter 35).

LINK:
The use of metaphors in dance movement therapy by Rosemarie Samaritter
 
 

Question 3

Based on the two statements above; what is the relationship between "dancing images" and "personal metaphors?"
------------------------------------ 
 
V

A Note to Remember

Personal metaphors allow clients to inform movement expression that makes possible the re-integration of body parts into their emotional and metaphoric life themes.

 

VI

 Case Study

 

Linda Edkins Wyatt

 



TEXT

Mixed-Media Self-Portraits 

Coulacos Prato, C. (2013). Therapeutic Self-Portraits Linda Edkins Wyatt. Its All About You: The Importance of the Artist's Self-Portrait. Mixed Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration and Techniques. F + W Media 

 

Question 4

 

 Go to the link above. Click on Chapter 1 /  It is All About You: The Importance of the Artist's Self-portrait. Scroll down to subtitle "The Benefits of Creating Self-Portraits," and summarize the main ideas about self-portraiture expressed by the author.

 

VII

 

ACTIVITIES

  Students who are making up, follow the process below, record and post your work on Discussion Board. 

1

One Step Further

Self-Portrait: Embodying Awareness & Re-Integration

  1. Draw your own self-portrait 
  2. Describe in writing what you see in the portrait.
  3. Express in movement what you see.
  4. Go back to your drawing and add details that may have come to mind/body through your dance
  5. Describe what you see now.
  6. Go back to dance and express what you saw this time
  7. Write about it.
  8. Go back to dance and choose from your movement exploration, eight moves that represent your portrait. 
  9. Give it a title. What is it about. what metaphors did you discover? What is your life theme?
  10. Dance in front of your drawing your dance.  
  11. Write about it and post your reflection about the exercise, along with your self-portrait (a photograph of it will do) on our Discussion Board.
  12. Bring your portrait to our next class.

 

2

Sharing

Share your dance with a partner (witness).
Exchange feedback
Write about it.
Come back to the circle and share your portrait with the group.

Share your motif with the group and explain what it means (the groups repeats the movement).

Without words, share your motive and have the class repeat it with you.

Re-create the myth with the whole group and link everyone's message with the group's myth.
Summarize your whole experience on Discussion Board

 

 VIII

Journaling

 

IX

Glossary

 dancing images

personal metaphors

X

Sources

 

XI

Students' Work

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