1 Moving to Awareness: Zen and Contact Improvisation by Sarah Joy Stallsmith The practice of Zen Buddhism and the Zen arts, which originated in Asia, has a history many centuries old. The dance form known as Contact Improvisation began in the United States some 35 years ago. These two arts were developed for different reasons and grew into distinct practices. In this paper, the question explored will be whether there can be any significant similarities between Zen Buddhism and Contact Improvisation. In the beginning, some of the central principles in the Zen arts will be explored, including: the distinction between ji 持 (technique) and ri 理 (the principles underlying technique), the integration of posture, breathing and concentration known as zazen 坐禪, and the cultivation of mushin 無心 ( no mind or the integration of mind and body free from distractions) with a focus on kyudo 弓道 or the way of the bow. Then, drawing from Cheryl Pallant s Contact Improvisation and personal experience, the history and practice of Contact Improvisation will be examined. Some of its basic characteristics and techniques will be described, and these will then be compared to those found in the Zen arts. In comparing these two seemingly disparate art forms, it will be shown that despite their differences, Zen and Contact Improvisation enhance one another in both theoretical and practical terms. In theoretical terms, Zen can be elucidated through an analysis of Contact Improvisation, and Contact Improvisation can be elucidated through an analysis of Zen. In practical terms, one can, through the practice of Zen, become more proficient in the Contact Improvisation, and through the 1
2 2 Janua Sophia practice of Contact Improvisation, one can become more proficient in the practice of Zen. (Zen and the Way of the Bow) The term zen 禪 is a Japanese transliteration of the Chinese word chan which in turn is a transliteration of dhyāna a Sanskrit word that means meditation. Dhyāna Buddhism refers generally to those schools of Buddhism which emphasize meditation as their central practice. Most scholars agree that a form of Dhyāna Buddhism made its way from India into China were it developed as Chan Buddhism. Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Chan captured its essence in these words: A special transmission outside the scriptures No dependence on words and letters Direct pointing at the mind of man Seeing into one s own nature and the attainment of Buddhahood. (Kalupahana, 230) After developing in China, Chan made its way into Korea where it became Son Buddhism, and Japan where it flowered as Zen Buddhism. Over time Zen Buddhism came to exert a powerful influence on Japanese art, aesthetics, and culture, while various practices such as calligraphy flower arranging, tea ceremony, and martial arts such as kyudo and aikido became associated with the practice of Zen. The basis of Zen practice is zazen, a discipline involving the integration of posture, breathing and concentration (Kushner 28). According to kyudo teacher Ken Kushner, zazen involves concentration on breath and 2
3 Moving to Awareness 3 posture. In Kushner s words one maintains one's concentration by constant regulation of breathing and posture just as counting one's breath forces one to maintain good posture and breathing (Kushner 39). Kushner notes that, while one can practice a Zen art without zazen, it is this practice that gives the art significance (Kushner 28). In his One Arrow, One Life; Zen, Archery and Enlightenment, Kushner describes kyudo, or the way of the bow, and explores the central concepts related to its practice. The discipline of kyudo is a precise one; the kyudoka (the one practicing kyudo) goes through a specific set of eight steps to shoot an arrow (Kushner 14). While technique is important, it is not the ultimate end of the Zen arts the practice should go much deeper. Kushner makes an important distinction between the two concepts of ri and ji. Ji refers to technique and ri refers to underlying principles (Kushner 15). It is not enough that one masters particular techniques; practice should lead one to an intuitive and inspired (rather than only cognitive) understanding of the principles of the practice, the principles behind the universe (Kushner 15-16). With this understanding, the kyudoka can approach each shot intuitively rather than being tied to the limitations of a particular technique (Kushner 16-17). Zen Buddhism places an emphasis on giving one's complete attention to every moment; life can be brightened and made more satisfying, not by some dramatic breakthrough, but rather by a deepening of each immediate experience (Kupperman 159). In the practice of kyudo and other Zen arts, this goal is associated with a particular state of mind called mushin (Kushner 42). In mushin, one is so focused on the moment that the 3
4 4 Janua Sophia distinction between self and other the ego is lost (Kushner 43). As Soto Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki put it, When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself. (Suzuki, 10) In mushin there is no room for dwelling on thoughts, for thinking of things outside the moment, when one is completely attentive to and involved in the moment (Kushner 43). Kushner emphasizes that this sort of concentration is not like being absorbed in a book to the point of blocking out everything else, but rather involves a heightened awareness of everything around the person (44). This state is vitally important in the practice of Zen arts. In mushin, one understands ri or the principles behind things and can act intuitively and spontaneously at each moment (Kushner 47-48). An understanding of the principles behind things can lead to acting in what Kushner calls the naturally correct way (Kushner 63-64). To explain this, Kushner tells a story of trying to move large rocks on a hill (Kushner 61-62). One day while clearing a field near Chozen-ji, the temple where he practiced, Kushner was attempting to move the rocks by pushing them in the direction he wanted them to go, but was making little progress. In exasperation Kushner s teacher finally explained that he needed to move the rocks in the direction they wanted to go (Kushner 62). The idea here is that, understanding the principles behind things, one can act most effectively when one acts in accordance with them, rather than forcing one s will upon them. This principle of moving in accordance with ri (the naturally correct way) as opposed to muri 無理 (forcing a result), forms the basis of other Zen arts such as Aikido 合氣道 where instead of meeting an attack head on one blends with the direction of the attack. 4
5 Moving to Awareness 5 For the practitioner of Zen archery, the shot will be most successful when it happens naturally (Kushner 70-71). (Contact Improvisation) Having looked at some of the key ideas in the Zen archery, it is time to consider the practice of Contact Improvisation. Contact Improvisation (hereafter referred to as CI ) has its origins in the work of the dancers and artists who were part of the Judson Church Theatre, an experimental group working in New York City in the 1960's. Many in the group incorporated everyday gestures, pedestrian movement and improvisation in their work. Among these dancers was Steve Paxton who, in 1972, created a work called Magnesium with eleven male students at Oberlin College (Pallant 11). The dance consisted of the dancers running at one another and colliding, learning in the process how to deal with impact and falling, and ended with a contrasting five minutes of standing still (Pallant 11). Out of this work sprung many of the ideas behind CI. Paxton decided to experiment with a duet form (Pallant 10). To that time, partnering in dance was very limited, following the legacy of ballet (Pallant 10). Typically, men lifted women in carefully planned ways. Paxton also incorporated improvisation in his work (Pallant 12). Paxton combined these ideas and others in what became CI. He felt, however, that CI was more a composite of already existing forms such as wrestling, jitterbug, Aikido, gymnastics, and modern dance (Pallant 13). We see here, in the beginnings of CI, its first connection with the Zen practice of Aikido, if only on a movement level. The name for CI is fitting: it is an improvised dance, 5
6 6 Janua Sophia never memorized or repeated, in which the only real rule is that contact is maintained between the dancers (Pallant 22). This allows the dance to happen in any number of ways. In fact, Paxton considered copyrighting the dance for some time. However he considered the large potential of this dance form to evolve as greater numbers of people explored it, and he decided this was more important and effective than having control over its teaching and development (Pallant 13-14). Watching footage of early CI, one can see that the form started slowly and carefully, the dancers taking the time to learn how to respond to one another, listen to one another and deal with contact and sharing weight (Paxton and Smith). As they became more experienced, the dance could (but did not always) speed up (Paxton and Smith). Lifting, spinning, sliding down another's body and rolling together are some of the staple movements that occur in CI. The movements happen naturally, so they can occur in countless ways and countless combinations. Today, the practice has gone in many directions. Most frequently, CI is done in what are called jams, which are informal gatherings that usually occur on a regular basis. Some people choose to integrate it into choreography or formal performances. A wide range of people, dancers and non-dancers alike, participate in CI. It can be taught or performed by anyone who feels sufficiently skilled (Pallant14). Although it originated as a way to experiment in duet form, it sometimes happens that more than two people can dance together at the same time expanding the possibilities even further. From personal experience, the way CI looks and feels differs from partner to partner even from dance to dance with the same partner. Many jams use a round-robin 6
7 Moving to Awareness 7 format, where a duet happens in the center of the space, and the others wait their turn in a circle. This allows participants not only to dance with a variety of partners, but also to witness others dancing. (Zen Archery and Contact Improvisation) Looking at the two very different practices of Zen archery and CI, it may seem that they have little in common. What could Zen kyudo have to do with a bunch of people who just seem to roll around on one another a lot? In truth, there are more similarities than are readily apparent. In reading Kushner's text for the first time, some of the concepts he discussed feel familiar, and we can began to see how the two relate. The first of these concepts is the distinction between techniques and principles (ji and ri). CI, varied and changeable as it is, is difficult to teach in terms of specific techniques. A teacher can demonstrate specific lifts and weight-sharing positions as examples to familiarize students with giving and taking weight with a partner. A teacher might also discuss places on the body that are particularly useful for supporting weight (such as shoulders, hips and thighs) and talk about safety issues. Based on personal experience, however, it is more common that students are given exercises not in sets of repeatable movements, but in the form of a concept to explore. For example, students are asked to pair up. One partner is asked to make a stable shape with her body. The other partner then had to figure out how to place herself so that her weight is entirely supported by the first partner. The partners take turns being the base of support. In essence, exercises like this are improvisations 7
8 8 Janua Sophia in themselves, guided in a particular direction by the teacher, so that students are discovering for themselves the principles behind the dance. As in the Zen arts, a dancer can be limited by reliance on a specific technique. If a student memorizes a few lifts he has seen, or becomes familiar with a couple patterns of movement, he or she can try to make them happen during a duet. In CI, this is often unsuccessful and even dangerous, because moving against the natural direction of the dance unnaturally strains the body and can lead to injury. In dance, it is often said that the human body has its own knowledge, and it can take care of itself. By listening to it and trusting in it, one can move in a safe and natural way. This is an intuition developed over time that transcends memorized technique, perhaps as ri transcends ji. Another concept that CI has in common with Zen is the integration of breath, posture and concentration. Unlike Zen, CI does not have a set focus on breathing or a set posture. But from experience as a dancer, focusing on breathing affects and facilitates movement. This greatly helps in CI, but it is something that is more discovered than learned. In this practice, the goal is that breath travels easily through the body, suffering no obstruction (Pallant 36). Similarly, while there is no formal posture, a stance is maintained that is ready for work or contact at any moment: a relaxed yet ready state, prepared to meet and, when need be, recover readily from unpredictable, risky moves (Pallant 36). Breath and posture (or stance) are also related to concentration in CI, in the sense that as breath flows naturally, and when the body is centered and in ready stance, the possibility of a responsive and fluid dance opens up and facilitates open concentration on the 8
9 Moving to Awareness 9 dance. Conversely, when one listens to, or concentrates on, the dance, flowing, supportive breath and a responsive stance occur more naturally. CI also relates to the state of mushin. There must be a full attention to every moment in order to have a safe, successful dance and to enjoy it. Kushner wrote of a loss of the sense of self and other (Kushner 43). In CI, there is potential for this to happen as a mental and physical experience. When a dance flows, it is not that one partner gives a signal and the other follows or that the dancers take turns leading. Instead, we often talk of having the sense that the dance itself leads and that we are the dance, observing the dance. There is also no time to be attached to thoughts there is no time for a thought to be about anything but the present instant. If something amazing happens, dancers are tempted to dwell on it, but if they do, they will miss what could happen next. There is also a temptation to plan ahead, to make something dazzling happen, but this also leads to missing the present dance. Thus, freely flowing consciousness is necessary; dancers must be receptive without clinging. This will allow them to act spontaneously in the dance. A heightened awareness also occurs in CI; an increase in peripheral vision, awareness of space and other dancers often occurs. dancer, A, through touch alone, can sense where another's support is. This is like expanding the peripheral vision of the body. Kushner mentions how life issues can intrude into thoughts and disrupt mushin, but the thoughts most difficult to keep from following when one is shooting are those relating to our performance in kyudo itself (45). The same thing happens in CI. Trying to recover from a fall or unsuccessful dance makes paying attention to the 9
10 10 Janua Sophia next instant more difficult as worry creeps into the mind. Success can also get in the way. A dancer can try to make a movement or position last longer because he wants someone to see it, or the dancer can keep thinking about it, trying to remember how it happened. Both lead to falling out of the flow of the dance and break concentration. The idea of moving in the naturally correct way is a very important aspect of CI. As already mentioned, falling is a common occurrence in CI. The dancer's reflex is often to grab a falling partner to stop the fall. This is when many injuries happen. Instead of grabbing, one should find ways to accommodate the fall, such as widening the base of support. By allowing the fall to happen, dancers let the fall become safe and beautiful. (Conclusion) As shown, Contact Improvisation shares some of the same ideas found in the Zen arts even though the two practices seem completely unrelated. Concepts common to both practices are: the importance of going beyond techniques to understanding principles; the integration of breath, posture and concentration, the level of concentration and awareness of mushin, and an accommodation of the naturally correct way. Through the recognition of these similarities, perhaps a door can be opened. Those who practice CI might deepen their understanding of their own work by looking to the Zen arts, while those who practice Zen may find another Zen art in Contact Improvisation. 10
11 Moving to Awareness 11 Works Cited Kalupahana, David J. A History of Buddhist Philosophy. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1992. Kupperman, Joel. Classic Asian Philosophy. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Kushner, Kenneth. One Arrow, One Life; Zen, Archery and Enlightenment. Boston: Tuttle, 2000. Pallant, Cheryl. Contact Improvisation. Jefferson: McFarland & Company Inc., 2006. Paxton, Steve, and Smith, Nancy Stark. Contact Improvisation. Videocassette. Videoda, 1987. Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner s Mind. New York: Weatherhill, 1980. 11