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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

dance, body movement, Gaga, Ohad Naharin, training method

College

Fine Arts and Communications

Department

Dance

Abstract

Gaga, created by Isreal’s Ohad Naharin, is an innovative movement practice focused on enhancing sensations within the body through movement. It is used both as a training method for dancers, and a movement practice for the general public. Because the emphasis of Gaga is to explore sensation and availability for movement in a completely unique way, it is becoming increasingly popular in the dance world today. Gaga is also unique in that there are no expectations of what your body should look like while doing it. Each person must take the instructor’s cues and interpret them inside their own bodies; opposed to a traditional dance class that focuses on getting all bodies to accomplish the same movement patterning. According to Ohad Naharin, Gaga helps find the connection between effort and pleasure, let go of unnecessary tension, be aware of the friction between flesh and bones, discover the power of our imagination, recognize the importance of energy flow in all directions, explore multi-dimensional movement, connect to the sense of endless possibilities, and change our movement habits by finding new ones. In short, Gaga is about becoming available.1 The Batsheva Dance Company, who is trained solely through Gaga, explains more about the method: “Gaga is an experience of freedom and pleasure. The work improves instinctive movement and connects conscious and unconscious movement, and it allows for an experience of freedom and pleasure in a simple way, in a pleasant space, in comfortable clothes, accompanied by music, each person with himself and others.2” I was interested in Gaga as a training method for dance, and wanted to experience it myself to see if it was effective and applicable to dancers of all genres.

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