… how these arts, especially Tai Ji, may be of value to those whose movement is motivated most by the love of Dance.
Understanding the intricacy of movement is essential to dance, and mastering the ability to move as you choose is essential to its performance. Anywhere in the world where dance is performed, the one thing that stays constant — as style, history and motivation vary — is the need to learn, to practice, and to understand movement.
But that’s not unique to dance. There is another world of art where movement, often even more intricate than that of dance, is rigorously studied, and practiced for lifetimes. It’s a world that you hear of more and more in dance instruction, and even in dance theory. It’s the world of the Internal and Martial Arts, where balance and precision, the same as dancers learn, are practiced rigorously. Here, centuries upon centuries of understanding can be woven into a single practice.
Alan Sims has practiced several of these arts, and has done so for decades; he has also written extensively for a number of Internal and Martial Arts publications. Based on years of study, he has more recently been developing an improvisational approach to his movement which he calls “The Dao of Movement”, and you can see a demonstration of it in a video at the french Martial Arts magazine Sifumag.com.
DancerMusic co-editor Johnny Nevin, whose own understanding of movement also begins with a lifelong practice of these arts, asked Alan how these arts, especially Tai Ji, may be of value to those whose movement is motivated most by the love of Dance. Here’s what Alan told us:
… Single footed balance, the whole body moving as one unit, and a nimble upper body and stable lower part just to name a few.
Johnny Nevin: Tai Ji is a Chinese practice that combines martial arts based movement with physical health practices. Much of the practice of Tai Ji is done in the repetition of what is a called “A Form”, which is a very carefully designed — in essence, choreographed — series of movement. Can you tell us a little more about what a Form is in Tai Ji, and why they are practiced?
Alan Sims: Forms in Taijiquan are choreographed sets of movements that are practiced for various reasons. There are not only different forms in Taijiquan but different styles as well.
Some people practice the art to recover from serious health conditions. Others for self-defense and even martial arts tournaments where form competitions are held. Many such as myself, had no intention of studying “Shadow Boxing” which it is sometimes called, but came to it through other martial arts. There are also cultural reasons, and also those who may view Taijiquan as a fad.
If you want to dance, play sports, defend yourself, or perform in a way to express yourself, you have to move.
Johnny: You have studied a number of different schools of martial arts. From purely a movement perspective, how have these differed in the terms that dancers might relate to, like balance, focus, and relationship between different parts of the body in movement?
Alan: I originally studied Goju Karate for a very short period of time before learning Ving Tsun Kung Fu. While Karate can be implemented in dance to an extent, I see absolutely no correlation between Ving Tsun Kung Fu and dance. Ving Tsun is purely and only for contact fighting, although I did feel that in some ways it lead me towards Taiji.
The Taiji Classics are the best source for the outlined principles of movement. Single footed balance, the whole body moving as one unit, and a nimble upper body and stable lower part just to name a few.
There are however variations when it comes to forms (sets, routines). Some are slow and soft, others are sometimes slow and sometimes soft, others have skips, leaps, horizontal leaps, etc.
Johnny: With Tai Ji being so formal in its movement design, what do you think inspired you to explore the improvisation that you practice in what you call “The Dao of Movement”?
Alan: When I first began sparring with my former Taijiquan instructor Larry Banks, his footwork was far more sophisticated than mine. We would practice slow-motion (and sometimes not so slow) freestyle sparring. After studying with Larry and also with Master Jou Tsung Hwa (Larry’s Taijiquan instructor) I practiced mainly on my own for years concentrating on form practice. I initially wanted to be able to move with or against all types of people. I developed a way of doing so but I haven’t concluded it.
If you want to dance, play sports, defend yourself, or perform in a way to express yourself, you have to move.
Johnny: With your experience studying movement, what do you think is most valuable about studying the Asian internal and martial arts for others, especially dancers, for whom movement and health are important?
Alan: This is a question that like other questions not only varies from person to person, but it varies from the same person over a matter of time.
For some, it is the flow of internal energy, for others the continuity of movement. It is an accomplishment to be able to mentally retain even the sequence of one form, not to mention three or four. These forms have themselves been changed over time (I am not referring to short versions). What is most valuable about studying the internal martial arts is whatever gets one to start and stay with it in the first place.
Even though a person may feel that they have outgrown a previous practice or discipline, if one can obtain the essence of that practice, you can evolve to a higher level.
Johnny: How did you get started studying these arts? What would you suggest to others as the best way to find a school, a teacher, or a particular art that they would like to study?
Alan: I wanted to get into weights when I was very young (in my teens) and then I saw a book on Judo and my interest changed at that point. Bruce Lee and Chinese cinema increased my interest and meeting my karate instructor and friend James Eaton jr started me on the path.
Whereas I seemed to have stumbled into my practices, I think that one should investigate and research what one is drawn to, and that which just comes one’s way. Even though a person may feel that they have outgrown a previous practice or discipline, if one can obtain the essence of that practice, you can evolve to a higher level.
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PHOTOS: All photos by Jack Griffin. Alan Sims, in stills from the video The Dao of Movement, filmed by Jack Griffin
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You can contact Alan Sims at mr.alansims@gmail.com and Jack Griffin at artofactsproductions@gmail.com
