Breath, Movement and Flow

 

Image: Children trying to capture their experience of different movements and involved emotions. It s in conflict with the usual 'object-focused' drawing they are familiar with, but at some point its evident that they successfully break out from that style into a more abstract kind of expression.

Breath and movement are deeply interconnected. When breath flow, movements also flow. When breath is staggered, body becomes stiff. When breath and body are in sync, movements become harmonious, infused with freedom and self expression.  

We started with exercises that encourage children to explore different kinds of breath, advancing to blowing which includes more power and intention. Blowing ping pong balls, balloons.. and then into movements which incorporated breath. Move like a balloon which is released free into the air, move like ping pong ball that being blown around.. Move like a paper that's being shape shifted etc. Big, free, vulnerable, authentic movements. 

Objects are all around us. Mostly we look at objects from a consumer point of view. However, is there a possibility for a more wholesome view? When we use our body to emulate objects, we connect to them and it also offers a way to explore our body and it's possibilities. 

Children have a tremendous developmental need to move. The constraints imposed on their movements are plenty. "Sit Still!" "Stop Fidgeting!" Salvin shared his experience of being in the judging panel of drama competition in school youth festival and how children were standing stiff and delivering dialogues that has been taught by adults, about themes that probably was not even relevant to their age. By connecting breath, movement and bringing that into everyday expressions, children might connect with one more layer, of this much complex phenomenon that we call "human communication".

We ended the session by gently suggesting that children use  colors to express all the movements that we experienced in the session- flowing, fast and slow, wiggly, weightless.. and the feelings that came with it - feelings of happiness, fun, thrill, exhilaration... what color was happiness? for some it was yellow, for some it was purple, and for some, pink. 

And whoa! they came up with a visual treat!