The Body Factor

Theme 1

Posture/Alinement/Line of Gravity/Body Axis

The upright posture of the human body is a result of muscular force against gravity and the nervous system. The different parts of the body are aligned around a vertical axis, even there is no bone in the body that is completely vertical. In an upright body posture, the body weight is placed over the supports, the feet. The muscular force places the different parts towards the verticality, so that economy of energy is achieved.
If there is weight falling out of the vertical line, more energy is necessary to keep the body in balance.

In Modern Dance Technique:
The body posture has a weight feeling of the pelvis (the centre of gravity), means a down relation, and a soft pull against gravity from the chest (the centre of lightness) an up relation.
While the body axis with its vertical alignment, is slightly inclined towards the front, (This is because, in an upright parallel position one doesn’t stand on the hills but more towards the metatarsal) the Line of Gravity falls completely vertical .
The weight is distributed over the entire food. The feet relate to the floor and take contact, like roots.
The knees are soft, ready to move, not looked.
The arms are hanging from the shoulders.
The neck pulls softly upwards.