Building Bodies With A Soft Spine. Gaga

MA European Theatre
Dissertation Project (MA-T) - DR995

Module Convenor: Professor Robert Shaughnessy
Dissertation project supervisor: Professor Peter Boenisch
BUILDING BODIES WITH A SOFT SPINE

Gaga: Ohad Naharins invention in practice,
its roots in Feldenkrais and the vision of a pedagogy
Dissertation Project for a Master of Arts Degree in European Theatre

by Diane J Gittings BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies, Cert Ed. PCET
submitted in September 2013
Ohad Naharin (ballet.dance.lv 2012)
Diane J Gittings
1
MA European Theatre Dissertation (MA-T) DR995 2 September 2013
MA European Theatre
Dissertation Project (MA-T) - DR995
Module Convenor: Professor Robert Shaughnessy
Dissertation project supervisor: Professor Peter Boenisch

Dissertation Project for a Master of Arts Degree in European Theatre

by Diane J Gittings BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies, Cert Ed. PCET
submitted in September 2013
10,705 words
Diane J Gittings
2

by
Diane J Gittings
Abstract
Ohad Naharin, Artistic Director of the Batsheva Company, has had the greatest influence
on Israeli contemporary dance since Martha Graham through the impact of his invention,
Gaga, a unique movement language that is both exhilarating to watch and liberating to
perform. His influence is spreading, creating a style that has been branded, Israeli, said
by many to be a psychological response to the Middle East conflict, which Naharin
strongly denies. Gaga is the defining component of Israeli contemporary dance today.
Naharin declines formally to publish his philosophy and method, therefore blogs and
journal articles by class participants, Batsheva company dancers and interviews with
Naharin himself have been analysed, piecing together the ethos, how Gaga works in
practice and how it transfers from studio to stage. These anecdotes uncover a structured
framework, which uses the imagination to develop awareness of the possibilities of
movement, hitherto untapped by codified dance forms which underpin their earlier
training.
After acknowledging the possible influence of several other key practices,
including Pilates, Laban and Viewpoints, Naharins philosophy is examined through the
lens of Feldenkrais.
This reveals striking similarities and concludes that Gaga is a
development of a this static system of dynamic alignment.
Finally, as Gaga spreads
worldwide, slowly divorcing itself from the hegemony of Israeli-ness, I present a vision
of an enduring
pedagogy that will epitomise twenty-first century contemporary dance
style.
Diane J Gittings
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Table of Contents
Page
Introduction .........................................................
GAGA TODAY
1.1
The Ethos of Gaga ...............................................
1.2
Gaga Vocabulary ..................................................
10
1.3
The Absence of Mirrors .......................................
15
1.4
Gaga Class Structure ............................................
16
1.5
Gaga on View .......................................................
20
FELDENKRAIS COMPARED
24
2.1
Echoes of other Practitioners ...............................
24
2.2
Gaga Through the Lens of Feldenkrais ...............
26
THE FUTURE OF GAGA
34
3.1
Gagas Appeal to the 21st Century Dancer ..........
34
3.2
A Pedagogy in the making ...................................
39
Bibliography ........................................................
42
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
Index to Illustrations
Page
Cover picture
Ohad Naharin at the Stockholm Dance Conference 2012
fig. 1
Martha Graham Letter to the World (Morgan 1940) Courtesy

Bruce Silverstein Gallery, New York; showing comparison to
Naharins choreography Untitled (Gaga People 2012)
fig. 2
Ohad Naharin in rehearsal with dancers from Cedar Lake

Contemporary Ballet from the Tomer Heymann documentary
Out of Focus (2007) (Photograph by Paul B Goode 2007)
fig. 3
Ohad Naharin works on Quaking with a Gaga.people class.

(Gaga People 2011b)
14
fig. 4
Gaga Intensive Winter Course in Tel Aviv showing

professional dance students at the beginning of a session,
standing in a circle around Ohad Naharin (Gaga People
2011a)
17
Batsheva Dance Company and Lumanato perform Sadeh21 in

Toronto (Mooney on Theatre 2012) and an untitled studio shot
illustrating Cedar Lake dancers practicing loss of balance and
distortion (Photograph by Pal B Goode 2007)
22
Feldenkrais mat work at the Feldenkrais Institute (2013)

showing similar body shapes to Naharins choreography in
Mamootot, performed by The Batsheva Company (Riverside
Studios PR 2008)
26
An ATM session in progress showing static mat work in class

- untitled (Feldenkrais Institute 2013)
33
fig. 5
fig. 6
fig. 7
Diane J Gittings
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Introduction
We are body builders with a soft spine.

Ohad Naharin (Gaga people.dancers 2013).
Since 1990 Ohad Naharin has been Artistic Director of The Batsheva Company, Israels
flagship contemporary dance company established by Martha Graham in 1964. It is based
in the Suzanne Dellal Centre in Tel Aviv together with its junior section, The Batsheva
Ensemble (Batsheva Dance Company 2011a, 2011b). Naharin invented Gaga, a
framework of body-mind movement driven by imagery which he introduced into the
Batshevas training programme some fifteen years ago. Its success has led Naharin to
privilege his method above Martha Grahams techniques. According to Deborah FriedesGalili, who studies and writes extensively about Gaga as editor of the online magazine
Dance in Israel, this change of policy has transformed Batsheva from a poorly cloned
version of Martha Grahams New York company into the most exciting contemporary
dance company of the twenty-first century (Friedes 2009b). In 2003 he abandoned
classical ballet training entirely and Gaga now forms the basis of all Batsheva's training
(Heymann 2007). This is the latest step in Naharins development of The Batsheva which
he began at a time when Israeli performing arts was moving towards a more experimental
style, leaving behind old notions of place in the establishment of a nation and entering into
a space oriented urbanised view of Western-world culture (Aldor 2011). Naharin pushed
the boundaries with the Israeli audiences, building on the foundations of his strong Graham
technique, learned as a Batsheva company member in the 1970s, and as a dancer with the
Martha Graham Company of New York in the 1980s. By the time he returned to The
Batsheva in 1990 he was already renowned for his, mesmerising signature fluidity in the
spine and limbs (Friedes 2009b), that has come to characterise his unique style. Naharin
Diane J Gittings
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does not forget Batshevas roots entirely. His mischievous sense of humour spills out in an
occasional fond homage to to Grahams wrist to forehead signature motif (see fig. 1 ).
Martha Graham Letter to the World

(Morgan 1940) Courtesy Bruce Silverstein
Gallery, New York
Naharins choreography Untitled

(Gaga People 2012)
fig. 1
Regular Gaga sessions are taught to professional dancers who flock to the Suzanne Dellal
Centre to experience GagaDancer classes, as do thousands more non-dancers who learn a
simplified version known as GagaPeople. Once a month Naharin takes a class at which up
to two hundred and fifty enthusiasts enjoy the electrifying atmosphere of his session (Galili
2009). Naharin trains his company members as teachers, many of whom are now running
classes in cities overseas, including London and New York (Gaga people.dancers 2013).
Naharin recruits dancers who are already proficient in a codified dance technique (FriedesGalili 2012), usually classical or contemporary ballet, plus Laban, a complex analytical
study of kinetics which employs imagery to create somatic awareness and embodiment of
emotions which can be directly applied to performance. Typically a dancers prior training
also includes static exercise classes designed to keep the body strong and injury-free. This
may be yoga, Alexander Technique, Pilates, or Feldenkrais, which aligns the body through
imagery (Royal Ballet School 2012, London Contemporary Dance School 2013).
Permutations of these long-established systems combine to form the dancers professional
development, which begins in dance school and continues throughout the tough daily grind
of classes, rehearsals, touring and performance. Such is the life of the professional dancer.
Diane J Gittings
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The internet is buzzing with news of Gagas amazing benefits and Naharins regular
intensive courses in Tel Aviv are a magnet for young international dancers. When visiting
dancers encounter Gaga they experience an epiphany and become convinced that
something vital is lacking in their usual training regime. When they return to their regular
companies many seek out privately run GagaDancer classes in their home cities to
supplement their existing training (Hoyland 2009). Numerous dance bloggers and online
journalists tell us that Gaga has reinvigorated their love of dance, informed the expressive
quality of their movement and instilled a sense of ownership of their body and mind as a
dancer. One such example is New Zealander, Sarah Foster Sproull who reported that the,
fire inside had been re-kindled (Stevenson 2012), and that she had acquired a new
understanding of how, structures of choreographic material can be transformed (ibid).
This enthusiasm is pervading the contemporary dance world and several notable dance
companies are converting to Gaga as their preferred method of core training, including the
Hofesh Shechter Company (Hoyland 2009), Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (n.d.) and
Nederlands Dans Theater (2013).
The success of Batshevas new training regime prompted me to question whether Gaga has
the potential to replace traditional systems in other companies. In making some early
comparisons to other methods, I was particularly struck by the similarity of Gagas
philosophy and terminology to that of Feldenkrais. I discovered that Naharin practiced
Feldenkrais during his rehabilitation programme, following a serious back injury (Heyman
2007). He had also tried other, methods, including Pilates, Laban and possibly Viewpoints
(ibid.), all of which I discuss briefly to illustrate that they may have had some influence on
Naharins development of Gaga. However, the marked correlation to Feldenkrais intrigues
me most of all, not least because both men are Israeli and practice(d) in Tel Aviv. Here I
propose Gagas ethos and practice as a development of Feldenkrais static exercises
converted into a complete movement framework, which I suggest will come to dominate
the twenty-first century dance world.
Diane J Gittings
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Chapter 1: GAGA TODAY
1.1 The Ethos of Gaga
With Gaga we discover our movement patterns, and we become attuned to our weaknesses and to
the places of atrophy in our bodies. We become more efficient in our movement and it allows us to
go beyond familiar movements. We connect to our joy of dance and to our explosive power. The
dancers become really great interpreters and also inventors of movement.
Ohad Naharin, (Perron 2006).
Ohad Naharin spent a prolonged period experimenting with a range of improvised

exercises to keep fit and flexible, until he was well enough to attend dance class again. He
allowed himself to favour certain movements to suit his mood, improving health and inner
intention. Unfettered by the need to look aesthetically perfect, he could lose himself inside
the way his body moved. He soon found that his muscles were energised rather than tired,
in spite of putting himself through a strenuous work out. In the process he re-discovered
the joy of uninhibited movement (IsRealli 2007). When he realised the potential value of
this exercise framework he introduced it to the Batsheva dancers who embraced his new
ideas. Privately he had referred to it as kaka, roughly translated as crap in Hebrew, but
once it began to be taken seriously it deserved a proper name that was as simple to say as
the concept, and he was determined it should not become eponymous. He chose Gaga
because it sounds like the gibberish noises a baby makes, prior to forming meaningful
words, just as Gaga movements come before any conscious meaning is placed on them.
This equates to the unselfconscious way a child moves before their behaviour becomes
socially and culturally conditioned (Heymann 2007).
There is no wrong way to do Gaga, provided one is focussed and open to listening to
oneself. The disciplined ballet dancer is released from the rigors of codified training and
can connect with their inner child-like self. Initially this is a disorienting experience for
Diane J Gittings
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most dancers, who are accustomed to a regimented daily routine of stretching, barre work,
and floor exercises (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance 2011). Michael Morris is a
dancer and performance critic who studied Gaga while working towards his PhD in Dance
at Ohio State University, USA. He publishes regular blogs and academic reviews in which
he explains the dancers need to maintain an unnatural turn out, to overcorrect the spines
natural lordosis and extend the neck to create the correct line for performance of a
classical choreography. It places long-term stress on the musculo-skeletal structure but
eventually this posture becomes an integral part of the dancers habit (Morris 2010).
Dancers are self-critical, comparing themselves in the mirror to notions of the perfect
shape while maintaining an external impression of grace and defiance of gravity, which
does not relate to the emotional part of the brain. Gaga bans mirrors which frees the
dancer from making external comparisons. They can experiment with the bodys range of
movement through verbal prompts rather than visual demonstrations, finding an inner
expressiveness and emotional depth which transfers into their performance. In 2007
Naharin gave the world a rare insight into his rehearsal process when he allowed Tomer
Heymann to film a documentary of his time with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (see fig.
2).
Ohad Naharin and Cedar Lake Dancers (Goode 2007)
Diane J Gittings
fig. 2
9
During a break in rehearsal a dancer explains that, without mirrors, she has to investigate
her body, to feel it ... without restricting myself by getting locked into how it looks ... now
I have more of an understanding, where, if I saw it, I really wouldnt understand how I got
there (Heymann 2007).
Through spoken cues which engage the imagination, dancers develop a deeper awareness
of physical sensations, widen their range of movement options and learn how to husband
their energy, using it in varying degrees, including episodes of explosive power and great
delicacy which, in turn, improves the quality and texturing of their movements (Friedes
2009a). I am reminded of Eugenio Barbas physical theatre training, in which energy is
channelled to create a bridge between to the consciousness, and to differentiate between,
states of intensity and states of consciousness (Christofferson 1993, p. 79). Each Gaga
instruction builds upon the last so that a simple movement becomes layered and more
complex as the class progresses. Ori Lekinski is a regular writer for Dance Magazine who
attended Gaga classes in New York. He explains how the instructions initiate a journey of
active research as participants discover how their bodies interpret and perform the tasks.
This creative framework facilitates increasing physical awareness, flexibility and stamina,
refuelling the dancers joy of movement in a socially positive environment (Lekinski
2012).
1.2. Gaga Vocabulary
Imagine a box ... the size of your chest ... now let the box disappear ...
There is nothing in you, except for movement ... your bones are floating.
Ohad Naharin (Heymann 2007).
Diane J Gittings
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Naharin refuses to publish the framework of Gaga, stating that it would become a
prescriptive handbook, which is contradictory to his philosophy (Heymann 2007).
Nonetheless, evidence of his practice can be gleaned from anecdotal articles by class
participants and from members of the Company, together with interviews given by Naharin
himself. They corroborate the existence of a common vocabulary and consistent lesson
plan which has evolved into a structured framework. Rachael Osborne, who joined
Batsheva in 2001, puts a mark on the timeline of Gagas development stating that, when
she arrived, Naharin had not standardised the key words and phrases that are part of Gaga
today. Words including thick, soft, and horizontal forces have become shorthand to
describe a whole sensation or a series of movements that the dancer puts together. Having
worked with him for twelve years she only needs to hear these single words to understand
what he is asking (Friedes-Galili 2012).
In GagaDancer classes for professional students, the terminology builds on, the specific
vocabulary and skills that are part and parcel of a dancers [prior] knowledge (FriedesGalili 2008b). Abstract linguistic concepts provide a universally understood platform from
which to develop imaginative ideas in movement. The evocative and descriptive terms and
images in Gaga instructions include:
float;
shake;
draw circles with different body parts;
imagine the floor is getting very hot;
become a string of spaghetti in a pot of boiling water;
connect to pleasure;
feel like you are kneading dough with your hands;
imagine little explosions going off inside your body;
sense and explore the space behind your neck (or other body part);
quake as if there is an earthquake beneath you;
move as if your flesh has melted off and you are just bones;
imagine a point within your chin (or other body part); where can you put that point?
(Morris 2010)
Diane J Gittings
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Rebecca Crystal, a regular blogger for Art in Motion, found that Gaga terms are mostly
spoken in Hebrew, although some can be translated into English and other languages as
required, for example Latzoof, meaning to float (Crystal 2009). In a tantalizingly brief
demonstration, with two of his dancers at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Naharin
gives an insight into his passion for Gaga and his amazing flexibility as he explains Gagas
terminology (Ohad Naharin talks about ... n.d.). The dancers demonstrate Lena; a place
that exists between our navel and our groin ... a source of energy, ... up through our body
in the direction of something coming from the centre in the shape of a ball ... we ride this
direction to create movement (ibid.). As they move tentatively, yet with great fluidity, I
observe elements of Naharins original Martha Graham training (Horosko 2002). His
reference to the site of Lena in the abdomen is reminiscent of Grahams, house of the
pelvic truth (Bannerman 2010), the root of all Graham movement. Grahams concern that
men did not possess the necessary anatomy to feel themselves pulling up internally is, I
suggest, negated by Naharins use of de-gendered imagery.
Naharin then describes Biba as a stretch to take, your knees, your shoulders, your ribs,
your head ... away from your seat bones (Ohad Naharin talks about ... n.d.). Naharin
undulates in the chair, transferring ripples of movement through his right arm, extending
forward towards the audience until he is showing them the palm of his hand. As he
appears to expand his whole body to occupy more space I note a core tenet of German
Expressionist dancer and physiotherapist Irmgard Bartenieffs Fundamentals, a
development of Laban Movement Analysis, in which she explains physical connectedness
as, Core-Distal connectivity and Head/Tail connectivity (Penfield and Steel 2005, p. 8).
Biba is Gagas version of this concept, encouraging dancers to think about their
relationship to space in terms of their inner attitude towards an external form.
The Lunae are, the moons [at] the base of our fingers, ... those little heels, five of them on
each hand and five of them on each feet ... inside of our hands and the inside of our
Diane J Gittings
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feet (Ohan Naharin talks about ... n.d.), explains Naharin as he begins sensitively to
manipulate his fingers and wrists. He emphasises the importance of the wrists and hands
as conduits for delicate movements which are essential in the development of our mental
wellbeing and physical health. The dancers show Oba, the concept of movement travelling
through the body. He asks them, can you make your body a little bit thick and then allow
soft stuff to travel in your thick body? (ibid.). Their legs move fluidly over the balls of
their feet which are flat on the floor. He tells them, put it also inside your form
more (ibid.), and the undulation extends to all four limbs. Both feet are now free to leave
the floor and the flow seems to exit through their pointed toes and relaxed fingertips. One
dancer sinks into a deep pli then flicks her pelvis from side to side as if bouncing a wave
of energy up the leg, across, and down the other. Naharin comments that the exercise
works groups of muscles that dancers do not normally use, but its effectiveness, is not to
do with muscle strength, it has to do with longevity and balance and health (ibid.). This
comment reveals a philosophical bent to his work, reminiscent of Feldenkrais holistic
view that mental well-being stems from a controlled body (Feldenkrais Guild UK 2010).
Naharin himself demonstrates Ashi, moving his pelvis and knees by keeping his weight on
the outside of his feet. He rotates the whole of his body from the ankles in a seemingly
impossible contraflow of circular motions as he explains, Group[s of] muscles echo into
the rest of our body and our spine, that is very important for strengthening and for creating
new movement habits (Ohad Naharin talks about ... n.d.). His bones appear to be made of
rubber as he demonstrates Tashi, which mobilises his whole body. While his feet remain
glued to the floor, his whole body moves by pivoting his weight round on his ankles and
heels. Although it is difficult to see the difference between Ashi and Tashi he assures the
audience that each element involves a different group of muscles to create strength and
freedom in the joints (ibid.).
Shane Scopatz wrote of her experience of Gaga class for the Dance Major Journal, when
she was researching cognitive approaches to contemporary dance at the University of
Diane J Gittings
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California, USA. Quaking (see fig. 3), has a specific meaning in Gaga not to be confused
with shaking which , lacks an awareness of their limbs ... something that you do to your
body while quaking is something that happens to you (Scopatz 2011).
Naharin works on Quaking with Gaga.people class. (Gaga People 2011b)

fig. 3
Students practice Floating by imagining themselves suspended in the air, recognising the
space under and around their bodies, visualising the air as a substance that can support
their weight under the arms, behind the back and under the feet. Then they imagine how it
feel if the body was filled with air, supporting the heart and other organs including the eyes
so that everything, inside and out is floating. Floating is an underscore to other
instructions which adds texture to the dynamics of movements. An example offered by
Evan Namerow, a dance critic and regular blogger on Dancing Perfectly Free, who took a
one-off class in New York in 2008 was her experience of Floating in the upper body while
walking with speed and intention (Namerow 2008).
Naharin frequently uses the verb to Groove, which is described by students as a highly
pleasurable and communicative way to transmit the flow of energy through the body and
channel it to others (Gaga training and groove n.d.). Grooving is a long improvisation
Diane J Gittings
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session stimulated by verbal suggestions from the teacher. Students use combinations of
Gaga movements, allowing themselves free rein until they are moving without conscious
thought, sensitising the body through an awareness of soft flesh [and] sensitive
hands (Gaga people.dancers 2013), and by the students connection to their inner rhythm.
Grooving can also involve giving and receiving energy from a partner at a distance across
the room. I posit that the ability to connect to each others Groove is at the heart of the
empathic response that makes Gaga class so satisfying. Friedes-Galili enthused, we
laughed out loud while Grooving and then let the memory of that laughter guide our own
personal dances (Friedes-Galili 2008a).
1.3. The Absence of mirrors
Abolish mirrors; break your mirrors in all studios. They spoil the soul and prevent you
from getting in touch with the elements and multi-dimensional movements and abstract
thinking, and knowing where you are at all times without looking at yourself. Dance is
about sensations, not about an image of yourself.
Ohad Naharin (Perron 2006).
Naharin began work on his movement technique at home where he had no mirror, which
gave him a sense of liberation from the tyranny of his reflection. When he brought his new
ideas into the studio, the banishment of mirrors became a fundamental rule of Gagas
teaching and philosophy which now extends into Batshevas rehearsal process (Ohad
Naharin discusses ... n.d.). He believes the exclusive diet of codified technique classes in a
companys training creates dancers who are constrained by highly engaged bodies while
their minds become disengaged from genuine emotions. A Cedar Lake dancer remarks,
[ballet] is less fun ... someone giving you an exercise and you do it and thats
it (Heymann 2007). At first dancers may be disoriented, anxious to know if they are
doing it right but, as they become more reassured that it is impossible to be wrong,
provided the mind is fully engaged in a process of looking inward, they gain the
Diane J Gittings
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confidence to explore what their bodies can do. As Etienne Decroux said to his pupil Anne
Dennis, everything is right as long as you do it on purpose (Dennis 2007, p. 50).
Naharins dancers metaphorically look inside themselves and, since Gaga does not concern
itself with the outer aesthetic, the impulse to move emanates from deep within the dancer,
creating an expressiveness that he believes is often absent in the trained dancer (Heymann
2007). Galili reports that new recruits to Gaga are surprised at how much they enjoy the
ability, to move without a sense of judgement [by the] ... frequently scary wall-length
mirror (Friedes-Galili 2008a). Without mirrors dancers must find other spatial references,
using all their senses to gain awareness of their bodies in space and of the internal
relationship between flesh and bones, and their own multidimensional movement quality
(Namerow 2008).
1.4. Gaga Class Structure
Breaking boundaries is an everyday matter ...

tomorrow that wont be enough and I will search on.
Decroux believed that being master of technique made the actor the owner of his body and
thus liberated the artist to express himself (Leabhart 2007). Barba describes an actor
without rules as more of a prisoner than one who adheres to a system which would provide
a solid platform from which to leap into free expression (Barba 2002). Both sentiments
imply the need for a twofold method of technical training coupled with the means to
express it. Naharin takes dancers who have already received a solid grounding in
traditional dance technique and selects those who, have the leftover baby in their bodies being without self-consciousness ... untamed and available (Friedes-Galili 2012).
Lekinski believes that, [Gaga] encourages the dancers to forgo the strict lines of ballet in
Diane J Gittings
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favour of finding pleasurable, free, and authentic movement ... highly trained dancers step
out of prescribed moves and offer gutsier, groovier, more exposed sides of
themselves (Lekinski 2012).
Dancers who are entrenched in their expectations of imposed discipline could mistake
Gagas offer to own their movement choices for an absence of structure in Gaga teaching
(Namerow 2008). However, the consistent way in which classes are described by
numerous students indicates a standardised format. Julia Allisson Cost, an American
Scripps Senior, is just one of many dance scholars who tell us that students begin by
standing in concentric circles around the teacher (see fig.4), first rocking, then shifting
their weight from side to side, improvising with their fingers and connecting with the light
in the room and the breathing of other participants, all the time being prompted by verbal
cues (Cost 2009).
Gaga Intensive Winter Course in Tel Aviv (Gaga People 2011a)

fig. 4
Movements spread to the arms, head, back, hips, legs and feet which then become jumping
and travelling until the whole body is making circular motions (Namerow 2008). Each
motion is methodically layered onto the previous one, building up to changes of level, and
Diane J Gittings
17
eventually to locomotion through space. Students shape and season their movement with
specificity as a teacher guides them through ideas to embody, most of which is done as a
personal improvisation (Crystal 2009). Mood music plays as a complimentary background
to the instructions and talking is forbidden except for occasional requests to count an
action to its peak for ten or more seconds. Sometimes students are encouraged to find
noises that empathise with the bodys movements, but these are sounds not words, and
become an integral part of the movement the student is creating. Namerow recalls an
exercise that involved stretching the face and mouth while making empathic noises and
doing silly dances with a partner, using high and low levels (Namerow 2008). This
description highlights the lighthearted atmosphere that pervades Gaga sessions. The Gaga
website promises that, through vocal and physical interaction, participants will experience
feelings of emotional well-being. (Gaga people.dancers 2013). This accords with the
eminent Laban practitioner, Jean Newloves belief that extreme emotions usually give rise
to sound and, if they dont, then another, more powerful emotion is at work to suppress the
sound. Her explorations of sound and gesture accompany Labans effort activities,
liberating the dancers voices in training which, she asserts, improves their movement
quality and eases emotional problems which may have nothing to do with their dancing
careers (Newlove 1993, p. 99).
Students inform their own movements by observing fellow classmates and, fill the
negative space (Friedes-Galili 2008a), around a partner, gently touching points on each
others skin to heighten awareness of a certain body part and influence its movements. The
teacher asks them to feel their bones move inside their flesh, turning on the volume of
listening to our body [in order to] appreciate small gestures, ... the texture of our flesh and
skin (Gaga people.dancers 2013). There is an invitation to, be silly ... seeing, measuring,
playing with the texture of our flesh ... decorating our inside (ibid.), with the intention of
laughing at ourselves through playfulness and a child-like passion for movement.
Diane J Gittings
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The emphasis is on quality and sensitivity rather than effort or intensity of movement.
Provided it is pleasurable to execute, a movement will be pain-free, positive and
awakening even when it takes the body to the limits of its range (Scopatz 2011).
Naharins dancers become acutely aware of their own bodies on the inside, avoiding injury
during his demanding rehearsal process because Naharin states that damage is only done
when, the ambition is not in synch with the feelings (Heymann 2007). When the dancer
is able to link their movements to an instinct and, in turn, to the pleasure of the
movement ,the body will protect itself. The scientific reason for this mind-over-matter
phenomenon is uncovered in my examination of Feldenkrais in chapter 2.2.
Teachers push students to the point of near exhaustion and do not allow them to rest until
the end of the class, asking them to connect pain to pleasure, using the mind to, control
how you think about pain or fatigue. ... [which] strengthens and shapes the intention of the
movement (Crystal 2009). Through learning to, love our sweat (Gaga people.dancers
2013), and to couple the passion to move with the enjoyment of effort, we unlock, both
the animal we are and the power of our imagination (ibid.).
Bobbi Smith, a Batsheva company dancer and key member of Naharins teaching team
instructs students to, turn on the lights behind your eyes (Cost 2009), to breathe more
deeply, open the eyes wider, and become more present in the space. This helps to free the
mind of the clutter of daily life, to be present in the moment, and to establish links between
unconscious and subconscious movement. Verbal suggestions from the teacher are
assimilated, without resistance nor with a concerted effort to follow them ... they seep into
me through the air (Friedes-Galili 2008b). The conscious brain is by-passed and the
information goes directly into the muscles, engaging the mind and body harmoniously.
The intense inner focus and the energy in the room transport the dancers to an almost
trance-like state as the words enter the brain subliminally (Scopatz 2011). Crystal
identifies the core values of Gaga on an almost spiritual level, understanding the body as
Diane J Gittings
19
a natural source of energy, power, and a positive life force (Crystal 2009), reminding her
why she finds movement and dance deeply life-affirming (ibid.).
Naharin explains that unnecessary tension is stored in the body which can be released by
filling the spaces previously occupied by tension with life and efficient movement.
Regular participation in Gaga class, raises awareness of physical weaknesses,... and
exposes physical fixations, and offers ways for their elimination (Gaga people.dancers
2013). This correction arises, not by analysing the faults, but by waking up all of the
muscle groups to new ways of moving and thinking about how the body can move, rather
than what it cannot do. Bad habits no longer dominate because they become only one
aspect of a multi-dimensional movement range that offers endless possibilities. Increased
awareness of the bodys improving strength, flexibility and stamina enables the student to
experiment with movement he/she might previously have been avoided for fear of
aggravating old injuries or incurring new ones (Friedes-Galili 2008a).
1.5. Gaga on View
I give them the source. Like a virus. I infect them. ... but their interpretation ... reflects
their strength, their Groove, their madness, their sexuality, their disabilities. And the further
it grows from me, still behaving like the virus I gave them, the more interesting it becomes.
Naharins choreography demands total mastery of the body. Its key features are incredibly
supple spines, india rubber limbs and an energy flow that belies the effort involved as the
dancers connect unpredictable and juxtaposed movements. Moments of stillness contrast
with eruptions of speed and power, often veering off on an unexpected trajectory. (Murphy
2007). Naharin deems it impossible to master the expressive qualities of his choreography
without Gaga training. Any company wishing to incorporate Naharins pieces in their
Diane J Gittings
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repertoire is required to practice Gaga, prior to receiving the rights to perform his work.
His choreography, and by default Gaga training, is now part of the repertoires of Hubbard
Street Dance Chicago, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Nederlands Dans Theater II,
and Barcelonas IT Dansa (Lekinski 2012), Ballet Frankfurt, Lyon Opera Ballet, Compaa
Nacional de Danza in Spain, Cullbert Ballet of Sweden, the Finnish National Ballet, Bal
da Cidade de So Paulo, Les Grand Ballets Canadiens de Montral (Naharin 2010), and
Cedar Lake Contemporary Dance (Heymann 2007).
Naharin trusts only his own Batsheva Gaga-trained dancers to collaborate with him when
creating new works, stating that working with them is akin to, a commitment made
between life partners (Friedes-Galili 2012). They already have Gaga inscribed in their
bodies and a shorthand vocabulary that enables them to make movements through
improvisation which is says Naharin, rich, intelligent, and the kind of movement I could
never do (Perron 2006). There is an underlying sense of fun in Naharins choreography
that the Batsheva dancers capture in performance. (Murphy 2007) Naharin criticises the
Cedar Lake dancers for taking themselves too seriously, You only have some commitment
to your art ... youre just very ambitious ... dont try to dance your heart out ... dont be
judgmental (Heymann 2007).
Naharin experiments with loss of balance and recovery, disregarding the conventional
aesthetics of dance, creating asymmetric shapes and exaggerations. Each impulse is acted
upon as a spontaneous muscular response, which creates a sense of danger and
unpredictability that is exciting to watch (see fig. 5). Gaga shows the dancer the endless
possibilities of expression through every part of the body. When dance critic Wendy
Perron interviewed Naharin for Dance Magazine in 2006 she commented that his dancers
sometimes looked awkward and out of alignment in performance (Perron 2006). Naharin
rebuked her for judging awkwardness by traditional standards, considering symmetrical
elegance to be, stiff and boring (ibid.). He emphatically denies that his dancers are
Diane J Gittings
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misaligned; they are creating beautiful movement with, a sense of distortion (ibid.).
However this distortion is carefully controlled, emanating from a clear source and the
exaggeration will only be correct if the dancers can feel the source.
Batsheva Dance Company and Lumanato

perform Sadeh21 in Toronto
(Mooney on Theatre 2012)
Untitled studio shot illustrating Cedar Lake

dancers practicing loss of balance and distortion
(Goode 2007)
fig. 5
Friedes-Galili relates her previous Gaga class work to Batshevas rehearsal process in her
report of a one-week intensive Gaga workshop for professional dancers at the Suzanne
Dellal Centre in 2008, where she worked on extracts from Naharins choreography,
exploring the movements in minute detail. Dissecting a tight section of hand gestures from
Max (2007), the teacher gave more qualitative instructions about specific movements than
in a Gaga class, pick[ing] apart certain motions [and giving] precise instructions about
our dynamics, focus and intent (Friedes 2009a). Friedes-Galili was particularly impressed
with unison work, during which they practiced tight formation by watching and sensing
each other in the space. Naharin himself took a class in which they explored the physical
difference between joy and pleasure, and investigated the ability to feel there was, plenty
of time even while moving at an every-increasing speed (ibid.). Unlike normal class they
worked as a whole group, learning how to pick up on each others movements and interpret
them while simultaneously keeping the sense of unison.
Diane J Gittings
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Naharins rehearsal of Deca Dance with Cedar Lake shows him working on a predetermined choreography and brings to life Friedes-Galilis report (Heymann 2007). It
clearly demonstrates that Gaga is more than a training method; it has graduated from the
studio to the stage, and this movement language now forms the backbone of Naharins
choreography, which can only be performed competently by a Gaga-trained dancer.
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CHAPTER 2: FELDENKRAIS COMPARED
2.1. Echoes of other Practitioners
With exercises you dont have creators but carriers

(McCaw 2001, p. ix).
During Naharins long association with dance he will have, undoubtedly, encountered
many movement systems which may have influenced his professional development,
thinking and practice. Some significant examples of other methods and pedagogues with
analogous elements in their philosophies and practices to Gaga are noted here. They
include Joseph Pilates who created Contrology, in 1934, after an injury in World War I. He
collaborated with Rudolph Laban to develop it into an exercise programme for dancers and
athletes. His 34 poses, bearing romantic names such as the rainbow, exercise all the
muscles, avoiding overdevelopment, thereby maintaining grace and suppleness which
accounts for its practice in many ballet companies. Contrology also reconditions the heart
and lungs and improves circulation. to benefit all the tissues. (Pilates and Miller 2012).
Equally well-respected in the dance world is Rudolph Laban, a German Jew, who was
Director of Meisterwerkstattin fr Tanz in Berlin in the 1930s before he fled to England
during WWII as a guest of Kurt Jooss whose Ballets Jooss was based at Dartington Hall in
Devon. The fundamental principle of his Art of Movement is the interdependence of body,
mind and spirit and that modern man has lost his ability to move, placing strong emphasis
on the emotional and empathic context (Newlove and Dalby 2004). Laban believed that
movement is a neglected language, through which the human body could communicate by
giving and receiving messages (Newlove 1993, p. 11). He speaks of joy in expressive
Diane J Gittings
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movement, of the need to move in response to moods, rhythm and other stimuli that free
the soul, revealing a spiritual quality to his thinking.
In more recent times Anne Bogart and Tina Landau have developed Mary Overlies
Viewpoints which came out of the Judson Church Theatre movement in the USA as a
method of structuring dance improvisation (Bogart and Landau 2005). Naharins concepts
have many echoes of their philosophy. They take the six Viewpoints of space, shape,
time, emotion, movement and story and ascribe, degrees of consciousness and
emphasis (ibid. p. 7), to the movements these ideas inspire. Viewpoints instills the
courage to surrender to the imagination, trusting that the empty, creative space will hold
something if it is allowed to occur rather than contriving to make it happen. The source of
this action and invention comes from both the individual and others around them.
Similarly, Gagas Groove is about allowing the imagination to direct the body, not resisting
the impulse to move, and to feed off each others Groove. Viewpoints is not a world of
right and wrong but one of choices and possibilities and freedom. Awareness leads to
choice, which leads to freedom. Overlies technique aimed to bypass the frontal lobe of
the brain, the conscious part, so to rely upon instinct and intuition, without an idea of the
result (Bogart and Landau 2005, p.33).
Pilates, Laban and Viewpoints are three examples among a plethora of systems that will
inform my understanding of Gagas efficacy. I aim to investigate them in depth as I pursue
my PhD. However, using this MA dissertation as a starting point, I have chosen to employ
a proven dynamic alignment theory, Feldenkrais, as a lens through which to examine Gaga,
because Naharin cites it as the primary aid to his recovery from injury (Heymann 2007).
The extent to which Naharin was consciously drawing on Feldenkrais when he invented
Gaga is immaterial, since the object of this investigation is not to expose plagiarism nor to
undermine Naharins innovation. Furthermore, practical knowledge is largely passed on
by word of mouth and in many cases the origins of exercises taught in workshops are
Diane J Gittings
25
unascribed to their original author, often because the teacher cannot remember where they
learned them, so their roots eventually become undiscoverable (McCaw 2001, p. ix). Each
teacher adapts exercises they have learned elsewhere but the new student assumes the idea
originated with the practitioner they are working with at that moment (see. fig. 6). As
Clive Barker notes, Whoever takes the work from me immediately makes it his own ... He
is also entitled to the full credit for whatever use he can make of it (Barker 1977, p. 217).
Feldenkrais Matwork
(Feldenkrais Institute 2013)
Mamootot Batsheva Dance Company

(Riverside Studios PR 2008)
fig. 6.
2.2. Gaga through the lens of Feldenkrais
The reception of abstract mental impressions remains a mere mechanical process

unless time is allowed to let the individual become aware ... Without this, the
impression will remain a mere recording ... without its becoming an integrated part
of the personality.
Moshe Feldenkrais (1990, p.132).
Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984) was a Russian Jew who fled to Palestine during the
Pogroms. He then spent some time in France where he became a scientist, during which
time he created his system to cure his own knee injury. Having escaped the Nazis during
WWII, he wrote his first book about Awareness-Through-Movement in 1949. When he
returned to the newly created State of Israel in 1951, he developed his system scientifically
Diane J Gittings
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as a means to improve health and and self-image and to heighten sensory awareness in
people from all walks of life. This was disseminated throughout the world, especially in
the United States (Feldenkrais Guild UK 2010). ATM is about self-observation and
efficiency of movement, advocating minimum effort for maximum result. With practice
the student will make choices about their movements unconsciously rather than through
willpower, improving posture, vision, imagination and personal awareness. Feldenkrais
philosophy was that freedom of choice was the cornerstone of human dignity. By taking
control of how to respond physically to verbal stimuli, thoughts and feelings, the individual
is empowered to make personal choices through movement (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 40). His
scientific bent prompted detailed explanations of the proximity of the motor cortex to the
emotional centres of the brain. The Rhinic system creates responses to hunger, thirst and
so on, which communicates with the Lymbic system that deals with movement in relation
to gravity and offers a response to the Rhinic needs for food and water. These are
inherited, instinctive systems, common to all animals. Humans have a third structure, the
Supralymbic system, which is subject to individual experience and will. Here lies mans
ability to differentiate fine motor skills, to consciously manipulate the muscles in
gradations of movement and to make his body respond in time to music, rhythm, to draw
and write, to sing, and speak many languages (Feldenkrais 1990, pp. 40-48).
According to Feldenkrais, mans self-image is governed by three elements in our biological

and psychological make-up:
that which we have imposed upon us by society and education ;
that which we create ourselves through self-education; and
the way in which we manipulate received education by deceiving ourselves that
we have done enough to be the best we can be (Feldenkrais 1990).
This deceit hides an underlying psychological dissatisfaction that accounts for our
generally poor physical posture and health. What Feldenkrais found, as Naharin has found
Diane J Gittings
27
in Gaga, albeit without evidence of psychoanalysis on his part, is that by moving outside of
that comfortable range of self-deceit we rediscover the freedom of movement we had as
babies. This unselfconsciousness, prior to our awareness of how we appear to the rest of
the world, is the basis of Gagas disavowal of mirrors or spectators in class and, in turn,
Naharins reasoning for the simple name and his encouragement of uninhibited, joyful
movement. The newborn has full potential, but when certain functions are never brought
into play, they become lost or lie dormant within us (Feldenkrais 1990, pp. 18-19). When
we have learned sufficient skills to achieve our aims and be accepted in society, we stop
adding to our portfolio of movements and close down the possibilities and potential that
our bodies have to explore the world through uninhibited movement. Feldenkrais wishes
to wake up our potential, as does Gaga in relation to the contemporary ballet dancer
constrained by codified technique. Feldenkrais draws no distinction between mind and
body, finding a functional unity between the mental and the motor process so that feeling
and thought are inseparable. Action cannot be divorced from feeling, sensing, thinking;
they are, for Feldenkrais, one and the same thing (Callery 2001, p. 39).
When we make sense of what is happening to us in the world, we think in terms of our
educational and social framework which is an abstraction process by which we manipulate
and control our self-image and apply conscious, motor control over our physical actions
(Feldenkrais 1990, p. 50). Feldenkrais strips away these abstractions, allowing students
room to be creative in their use of emotions and senses. They tap into feelings of joy,
grief, anger, self-respect, inferiority, supersensitivity and other conscious and unconscious
emotions rather than concepts of good and bad, left and right, right and wrong and other
rules that govern the intellectual process (ibid. pp. 31-2). Feldenkrais expands on the five
recognised senses of smell, touch, hearing, sight and taste, adding kinesthetic sense
[comprising] pain, orientation in space, the passage of time and rhythm (ibid. p. 31). Our
senses, emotions and creative abilities manifest themselves in involuntary muscles, over
which we have little control (ibid. p. 50).
Diane J Gittings
28
Feldenkrais aims to help students gain awareness of their bodies and the attitude of mind
that initiates movement. He talks about becoming aware of the, means used to organise
an expression [by finding] the stimulus that set it all off ... we recognise the stimulus for an
action, or the cause for a response, when we become sufficiently aware of the organisation
of the muscles of the body for the action concerned (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 37). It is
impossible to repair or replace the faulty parts of a persons physical structure or alter it by
force. His exercises make the person aware of their defects and offer ways to adapt and
rebalance their bodies, eliminating, over time, those aspects which can be removed and
maximising the potential of what is irreversibly damaged.
On initial reading this suggests a conflict in his philosophy. On one hand Feldenkrais
posits that human abstraction estranges us from our feelings, senses and movements,
maintaining that, Creative, spontaneous thought must maintain a link with the early brain
structures (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 52). For example our left and right abstraction places us
at the centre of the space rather than being at one with the space. On the other hand,
Feldenkrais also requires a student to become aware of their compulsions and habits and to
discipline the will to let go of them through systematic repetition of set exercises, pointing
out faults, implying underlying notions of right and wrong, which is in itself an
abstraction. The potential conflict in his theory is reconciled once it becomes clear that he
sees a difference between using the will to improve ability and expending effort for its own
sake. When the expert makes a skill look easy, his abstract awareness is less engaged and
he has reverted to his more basic consciousness. If we never get in touch with that more
primal level we never achieve the effortlessness and economy of exertion. Feldenkrais
believes that excess force generated in the body finds its way to joints and muscles where
it causes physical damage (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 58). The use of energy by an untrained
body is wasteful, even destructive If neuromuscular energy is not controlled and
expended in a movement that has quality and efficiency, the explosion of power has no
Diane J Gittings
29
expression. Naharin clearly agrees with Feldenkrais when tells the Cedar Lake dancers,
You put so much energy to it, instead of ... is just about efficiency ... go under, and cool ...
You have to catch an energy, a molecule (Heymann 2007).
Feldenkrais students reflect on the way their bodies feel after repeated movements and
build a mental impression of their body in space. Gaga also allows time for reflection and
repetition of a movement or gesture, which the student must feel in detail, so that he can
replicate it. However, there is a danger that a performer can become stale or stop thinking
if they master the movements but forget the motivation that caused the physical response.
Therefore it is, not a question of repeating, but of constant refinding (Dennis 2007, p.
41). This greater awareness facilitates delicacy, accuracy and emotional nuances which
replace pure copying, since the movements have been generated through emotional or
thought-based stimuli. Feldenkrais, like Naharin, considers that taking note of the way the
body feels is the only pathway to improvement. Feldenkrais principles are sound and their
application in performance is clear. First, students must develop sensitivity to the
harmonious integration of muscle movement. Next, they identify and eliminate points of
superfluous effort and, finally, they fine tune these actions until the action appears
effortless to the spectator (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 87). Applied holistically rather than as a
progression, this statement could summarise Gagas ethos.
No amount of repetition will help the student who performs a movement poorly but who
does not listen or observe (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 137). Feldenkrais applies the words
listen and observe in the same vein as Naharin, meaning that the senses are turned on
inside the body. Yoshi Oida, the Japanese actor and director who worked closely with Peter
Brook, concurs, asserting that mechanical repetition of exercises is exhausting but when
physical actors use imagery they have a focus for inner concentration which overrides the
labour. Consequently the exercises become fluid and effortless. This is a personal and
organic learning process on the part of the physical actor, rather than a mental exercise,
Diane J Gittings
30
using kinaesthetic sense to know when a movement feels right for their own bodies (Oida
and Marshall 1997 p. 18).
Naharin asserts that Gaga dancers sustain fewer injuries despite contorting their bodies and
stretching their joints far beyond the movement range of most trained dancers because they
have learned to eliminate tension at the extreme limit of capacity (Heymann 2007). Eric
Franklin, an ex-dancer and author of Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery (1996), draws
on Joan Skinner for his explanation of imagery as an aid to injury prevention. Skinner, at
one time a dancer with both Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham, created a
Releasing technique, which builds on the dancers existing knowledge of their own body
and then immerses the student in imagery, facilitating a flow of energy that overcomes
biomechanical tension. This further suggests that injury prevention is largely an issue of
mind over matter (Franklin 1996, pp. 9-10).
Professional dancers know how to use the muscles of the pelvis, buttocks and thighs to
channel energy through the arms and legs without losing power. This transfer of power
seems effortless, reaching the fingertips and toes with delicacy and refinement to finish
balanced, symmetrical body lines which typify the classical repertoire. Naharin believes
that most dancers do not know how to sustain asymmetric or distorted movement without
damaging the spine and muscles. Injuries, especially back injuries, occur when a body line
is broken, be it accidentally or while attempting a contorted shape and pulls muscles when
the movement stalls. The power released by the muscles cannot find an exit point and is
absorbed back into the body where it damages the muscles and inhibits breathing because
they cannot release their tension (Feldenkrais 1990). There are two parts to Gagas affect
on the dancer. First, it instills belief that all movement is possible, using imagery to
overlay a flow or Groove, which convinces the dancer that every movement, no matter
how contorted, is easy, natural and effortless. Second, Gaga shows the dancer how to
release the energy not just through the fingertips or toes but through any part of the body.
Diane J Gittings
31
Thus, in distorted movements, they can allow tension to escape at the point of least
resistance, which feels natural and therefore looks aesthetically right, giving Gaga
dancers their unique fluidity. Although Feldenkrais, Franklin, Skinner, and Naharin all
offer an image-based recipe for injury prevention that borders on the mystical, I posit a
simple, scientific explanation for its success, the clue to which is in Feldenkrais remark
that breathing is the key. Lactic acid builds up in the working muscles which is disbursed
by oxygenated blood flowing through the tissues. If a dancer is tense she tends to hold her
breath, thus restricting the oxygen to the muscles and allowing lactic acid to pool in the
tissues. By using imagery to aid relaxation, the dancer continues to breathe freely and the
muscles are not starved of oxygenated blood (Roberts 1986, pp. 107-110).
While there are many parallels to Feldenkrais, Gaga adopts a more flexible approach due
to the absence of set exercises and by using the imagination rather than analysing
movements, the Gaga student finds kinesthetic sense by immersing him/herself in
Grooving. Imagination is, of course, an intellectual process but it is devoid of the concrete
rules that Feldenkrais imposes. Feldenkrais undoubtedly put the biology behind his
method, as outlined above, and for Naharin to explain his process through science would
defeat the object of his invention. Gaga is focussed on the benefits to creativity and
emotional expression in dance and negates left/right and right/wrong abstraction by
removing the dancers need to think about external aesthetics, or of being in a particular
place in spatial terms.
My brief analysis of Feldenkrais method creates the impression of a rigid science-based

system, which may do him an injustice, since he criticises teaching methods that reduce the
value of movements to a mechanical action (Feldenkrais 1990, p. 132). This suggests that a
prescriptive system was never his intention and I posit that a written account of any
method is reductive. This is further justification for Naharins refusal to set Gaga down on
paper. Furthermore, Feldenkrais dated writing style and medical terminology may simply
Diane J Gittings
32
be a reflection of the period coupled with a desire for his method to be taken seriously. If
Feldenkrais were to start again tomorrow, he might well adopt a more relaxed approach
and write something less dictatorial in its exposition.
I conclude that my comparison of Gaga to Feldenkrais supports McCaw and Barkers view
that systems can be adapted and re-branded by successive generations. Naharin stands
ATM on its feet and sets it in motion, using all the levels of the dancers kinesphere,
whereas an ATM session is static mat work where the body does not have the dual
muscular tension of defying gravity at the same time as working on the stimuli (see fig. 7).
Naharin has effected his twenty-first century upgrade of Feldenkrais by applying a modern
teaching style that does not encumber the student with the science or psychology behind it.
Whether this rejuvenation was deliberate remains a matter of conjecture, but I believe there
is sufficient evidence here to point to the fact, if not the intent.
An ATM session in progress - untitled (Feldenkrais Institute 2013)

fig. 7.
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CHAPTER 3: THE FUTURE OF GAGA
3.1. Gagas Appeal to the 21st Century Dancer
Its interesting for us to teach each other, so its not just my movement. ...
But I dont have this desire to dance with my dancers onstage. I dance with
them in the studio because I teach Gaga. It means more to me now.
Ohad Naharin (Perron 2006).
When a new way of moving and thinking about movement is innovative, distinctive to
watch, and breaks into the scene at a time of cultural or political flux it has the potential to
make a lasting impact in the dance world. In our global society of sound-bites and quickfixes the modern attention span is short and, given the human capacity for boredom,
students demand constant variety and stimulation through activities that can be mastered
with minimum theory and maximum activity. I believe that professional students find
Gaga invigorating because it is more in line with post-millennium teaching methods, both
in general secondary education (Prosser and Trigwell 1999), and higher education, where
teachers adopt an holistic approach, encouraging learning by self-directed exploration
(Patel 2003). Entry into dance academy catapults the aspiring professional dancer into a
rigorous training regime that has remained rooted in the last century, because the school,
quite rightly, believes it instills self-discipline over the mind and body and has characterbuilding qualities which create the docile bodies that Foucault describes (Foucault 1995).
Only the most dedicated pupil survives, but by the time they enter the world of work their
bodies are finely tuned instruments governed by motivated mentalities, dedicated to
maintaining their fitness and technique to survive in this competitive market.
If it is true that Gaga is a development of Feldenkrais then Naharin may well have given it
a new lease of life, because I do not believe Feldenkrais will survive another century in its
present form. Feldenkrais imposes a systematic process of error recognition and
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corrections to restore natural balance and posture by exerting mental will over the body.
Each exercise must be learned by rote, repeated 25 times at a certain time of the day, every
day, slowly gaining awareness of how the muscles are supporting the body and controlling
the flow of energy through the body. Exercises are not a, recipe for success (McCaw
2001, p. x); they must be open structures to make psycho-physical connections within
ourselves. Exercise routines that must be repeated until they are mastered negates any
emotional experience and the student becomes, involved in a dogged and deadly
repetition (ibid. p. x). Many dance companies use Feldenkrais as part of their training
regime and, placed alongside the monotony of daily ballet class, it is little wonder that
many dancers become bored with these prescriptive methods. Gaga dancers relish every
session because it achieves its aims without recourse to analytical discussion or mindless
repetition. However, Gaga could never become the sole means of training at a professional
level. Naharin relies on his dancers previous codified training to underpin his work at
Batsheva and he freely acknowledges the need for a prior grounding in a more technical
dance form. Gaga doesnt go against ballet, it just supports the ballet we already
know (Heymann 2007).
I believe Gaga will have a lasting influence on the professional dance world, not least
because of its mesmerising and powerful performance aesthetic. Anne Dennis states, In
the process of creating theatre, [the actor] will need a well-tuned, articulate
instrument (Dennis 2007, p. 18). The words creating and articulate merit closer
consideration. First, the process of creating a performance has changed now that
choreography is becoming collaborative and dancers no longer rely solely on the artistic
directors ability to think up a range of movements. Many dance ensembles devise new
works from scratch based on a given stimulus. One example is Israeli-born, ex-Kibbutz
Dance Company member turned choreographer, Jasmin Vardimon. Her company uses
Gaga in its training and creates new work collaboratively, as I learned in her post-show
discussion after a performance of Freedom (2012) at Sadlers Wells (Vardimon 2012).
Diane J Gittings
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Dennis uses the word articulate to describe the way in which the body speaks. She
explains that there is nothing more inconsequential than the actor who moves simply
because the director blocked him to do so; likewise there is nothing more lifeless than the
dancer who moves because it is set in the choreography (Dennis 2007, p. 24). Decroux
advised Dennis, A body must not mime a text; but move inside and with it (ibid. p. 31).
It is the same for choreography; the articulate dancer brings technique to life, giving it
meaning and expression which establishes a kinesthetic empathy with his audience. Gaga
has enabled Naharin to develop articulate bodies by working with dancers who are already
at a physical peak and who understand how their bodies work, within the confines of their
existing training. He then looks for them to make their bodies, available (Gaga
people.dancers 2013), to receive his layer of training which will free them from the chains
of this early training.
Batsheva dancers seem to respond to an impulse to move as if they are by-passing their
conscious thoughts. The instinct to move is fused with the action, which Sergei
Eisenstein, the pioneering Russian film director and theorist, believed was the key
principle of an actors dynamic performance (Taylor 2010). In dancers trained only in
codified techniques the preparation phase is often visible; for example that backward lean
before a leap forward, which robs the movement of its spontaneity. Naharin seeks to
eliminate that hesitation from his dancers execution of his choreography so that the
spectator sees a series of gestures or movements that appear unrehearsed and heart-felt
(Heymann 2007). Eisensteins one-time teacher, Vsevolod Meyerhold developed his
system of Biomechanics nearly a century ago to teach his actors this inner rhythm (Gordon
and Law 1996). The seamless execution of, Otkas-Posil-Tochka (Pitches 2003, p. 55),
which roughly translates as prepare-act-conclude, should, with practice, become so
embedded in the body of the actor that it eventually becomes second nature, at which point
true creativity begins. Jaques Lecoq is among the mid-twentieth century generation of
practitioners whose concept of inner rhythm was less rigid than Meyerholds. Lecoq
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believed that by observing and imitating rhythms found in nature, his actors could tune in
to their own body rhythms. This identification (Lecoq 2000, pp. 42-45), stresses the
importance of corporeal impression over corporeal expression, aligning both body and
mind, venturing beyond literal imitation or mime into the dynamic inner rhythm of the
natural materials such as air, water, fire and earth, which Lecoq used as the basis of his
imagery. The correlation between Meyerhold, Eisenstein and Lecoqs actor training and
Naharins dancer training suggests that Gaga is bringing dance closer to physical theatre in
its training ethos. DV8 was the first contemporary dance company to use the words
Physical Theatre in their name (About DV8 n.d.). Its director, Lloyd Newson,
acknowledges that the term comes from Grotowski, who is considered to be a founding
father of physical theatre practice (Grotowski 1991). Newson believes that the visceral
power of movement is pre-expressive, working backwards in response to an original
abstract stimulus, to a point where verbal abstractions are swallowed up by an instinctive
need to move in a near trance-like state, independent of conscious thought (Callery 2001,
pp. 6-7).
Callery asserts that the process of creating ideas is the same for actors and dancers since
both practices begin, by searching for the somatic impulse (Callery 2001, p. 8).
Contemporary dance performance is evolving, dancers are using dialogue, everyday
movement, props and multi-media in performance, to a point where the distinction
between dance and physical theatre is defined only by its framing. Recent examples I have
witnessed are Akram Khans scripted dance drama, iTMOi (Khan 2013), Hofesh Shechters
Survivor, a multi-media fusion of audio-visuals, dance, art and live music in collaboration
with Anthony Gormley (Shechter and Gormley 2012), and Complicites physical theatre
adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakovs The Master and Margarita (McBurney 2012). Dancers,
like actors, are devising their own work, indicating the need to create more rounded
performers. Mixing autocratic codified dance training systems of the past with more
modern methods such as Gaga addresses the requirement for a new style of expressive,
Diane J Gittings
37
collaborative dancer. Watching the Batsheva Ensemble in performance reveals subtle

variations between dancers in unison sections, illustrating their freedom to interpret the
choreography (Murphy 2007). Naharin, has encouraged a more intuitive dialogue with his
company members, bringing about a dramatic change in Batsheva from the old Graham
days. However, Rachael Osborne sets a limit on the extent to which Naharin invites his
dancers to collaborate or become the creators of Batshevas choreography, stating that they
are given a base set of movements, with clear parameters within which they may embellish
his movements. Batsheva dancer, Doug Letheren explains that the dancers do not have to
replicate precise images but work from the sensation, energy or the drive of the movements
(Friedes-Galili 2012). I predict that Batsheva will not experience total collaboration
between dancer and choreographer in Naharins working lifetime with the company, but he
is equipping his dancers with the tools to take Batsheva forward after his has gone, just as
Graham developed the company to the point where he could introduce Gaga.
Twenty-first century choreography requires dancers to have a greater sense of their own,
energy and power, the ability to conjure life from movement, and the struggle to
persevere (Crystal 2009). As increasing numbers of contemporary dance companies are
turning to Gaga as their preferred training scheme and Gaga-trained dancers set up their
own companies around the globe, Naharin is, in many ways, the father of the next
generation of company directors, not just in Israel but world-wide. The highly trained
dancer needs room for discovery and a nurturing environment in which to change their
attitude from a self-critique of what is right or wrong to an exploration of what works and
what doesnt. Gaga is a revelation to most dancers, informing their choreography in
performance to give a liveness, vibrancy, truth and depth to the expression they bring to the
choreography. As such, it is a tool to be used rather than a choreography or system in
itself.
Diane J Gittings
38
3.2. A Pedagogy in the Making
I think that we at Batsheva and me in particular are trying to create a very

human situation, not because of some egalitarian motto but because of the
understanding that it can promote people and eventually promote my work.
Ohad Naharin (Out of Focus 2007).
Naharin has placed Israel at the centre of international dance with his innovative style and,
through the dissemination of Gaga, has foregrounded contemporary dance in Israeli
culture. However, he is testy with overseas commentators who read too much into
everything that comes out of Israel. Lekinskis assertion that, His dances provided a
window into the turmoil of daily life, inspiring his Israeli peers to match his
candidness (Lekinski 2012), is at odds with Nahrins categoric denial that Gaga expresses
the national psyche. He admonished Wendy Perron who suggested that the intensity of his
dancers performance was due to the fact that Israelis have had to fight for their lives
(Perron 2006):
I dont like people who think Israel: war, guns, army. ... No, this is only because you
know that were from Israel. ... Israel does not have exclusivity on drama, on
aggression, on fear, and on fighting for our lives. ... This doesnt colour who we are ...
and how much in common we have with people from other countries. ...[dance is
about] experiencing life from a different place, not through prejudice, or religious,
national, or ethnic connotation (Perron 2006).
Dance historians frequently link the reasons for the birth of a methodology to the political
or cultural circumstances that prevailed at the time of their inception. The nineteenth
century Russian ballet was a commentary on class structure (Guest 1988), Copeaus mime
of the artisan in early twentieth century France reflected concerns about industrialisation
(Evans 2006), Mary Wigmans German Ausdruckstanz was a reaction to the First World
War (Manning 2006), Butoh is an expression of the trauma in Japan following the nuclear
holocaust at the end of World War II (Nanako 2000), and Cunninghams early work with
the Judson Church in the 1960s echoed the social and cultural revolution in America
Diane J Gittings
39
(Craine & Mackrell 2010, pp. 245-246). I suspect dance anthropologists will contextualise
Naharins contribution to the world of contemporary dance in terms of the world he lived
in, but in everyday practice these factors are irrelevant. The roots of a pedagogues system
may be of academic interest, as I find in the relationship between Feldenkrais and Gaga,
but when it disseminates into general practice its effectiveness in training and performance
becomes the only factor of importance to the dancer and his art.
Even if Naharins creativity is a psychological reaction to the trauma, sectarianism and

conflict that surrounds Israel (Aldor 2003), there is evidence that Gaga is separating itself
from this hegemony as it disseminates around the world. The Gaga, revolution is
changing the way that dancers warm up in New York, particularly at Mark Morris Dance
Centre, The Ailey Extension and Peridance Capezio Centre. It is also entering performing
arts schools and universities including Juilliard and Harvard in America, and in the UK at
the Laban Institute and the London Contemporary Dance School (Lekinski 2012).
Gaga technique is also becoming apparent in the works of international choreographers,

separating Naharin from his invention. Not only can it be found in the work of former
Batsheva dancers Inbal Pinto (Tel Aviv), Hofesh Shechter (London), and Andrea Miller
(Gallim Dance/New York) (Lekinski 2012), Gaga is also filtering down to graduates of
dance academies outside Israel. Last September I watched an emerging young British
artist, Jos Arnott, perform his solo Origin (2012), (Arnott 2012). His shoulder blades
seemed to dislocate inside his skin, driving energy through his undulating torso and
flowing out of his fingers in hand movements that reminded me of Naharins
demonstration at the Guggenheim. Afterwards, I interviewed Jos and asked if he used
Gaga in his training. He enthused he had been inspired by the Gaga classes he took as a
student at the London Contemporary Dance School. A further example is Julia Allisson
Cost who writes that Bobbi Smith had a profound influence on her work. Gaga inspired
the choreography for her BA thesis performance, In Passing (2009), which she argued,
Diane J Gittings
40
can only be completed successfully and safely if my dancers bodies and minds are fully
present (Cost 2009). It is interesting to note that these two dancers are already making
Gaga movements their own, and in the case of Cost, teaching the Gaga philosophy to
others under her own auspices. Furthermore, neither Arnott nor Cost mention Gaga in
relation to Israeli culture or politics, nor do they refer to Naharin himself, which suggests
that the next generation of dancers will use referents from their own culture.
All of this should please Naharin who says he wishes to separate his name from his
invention, commenting that he named it Gaga because, I wanted to detach it from me. I
didnt want it to be Ohad Naharins language of dance. Its just Gaga (Heyman 2007). I
predict that Gaga will survive long after its creator and believe we are witnessing the
genesis of the first great dance pedagogy of this century but I cannot entirely believe the
altruism he implies. Given the huge commercial value of the worldwide enterprise that is
GagaPeople.Dancer, and the tight control he exerts over The Batsheva as artistic director, I
think it unlikely that he will financially or emotionally divorce himself from his invention.
Furthermore, I am convinced that in, say, fifty years from now, academics and dance
specialists will be reminding the world that Gaga was synonymous with Ohad Naharin, the
Israeli choreographer who revolutionised the Batsheva, placed Israeli contemporary dance
centre stage and, the man who dominated contemporary dance in the early part of the third
millennium with his innovative training methods and unique performance style.
Diane J Gittings
41
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Building Bodies With A Soft Spine. Gaga

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MA European Theatre

Dissertation Project (MA-T) - DR995

BUILDING BODIES WITH A SOFT SPINE

Dissertation Project for a Master of Arts Degree in European Theatre

Ohad Naharin (ballet.dance.lv 2012)

BUILDING BODIES WITH A SOFT SPINE

Dissertation Project for a Master of Arts Degree in European Theatre

BUILDING BODIES WITH A SOFT SPINE

After acknowledging the possible influence of several other key practices,

This reveals striking similarities and concludes that Gaga is a

development of a this static system of dynamic alignment.

Finally, as Gaga spreads

pedagogy that will epitomise twenty-first century contemporary dance

The Ethos of Gaga ...............................................

Gaga Vocabulary ..................................................

The Absence of Mirrors .......................................

Gaga Class Structure ............................................

Gaga on View .......................................................

Echoes of other Practitioners ...............................

Gaga Through the Lens of Feldenkrais ...............

THE FUTURE OF GAGA

Gagas Appeal to the 21st Century Dancer ..........

A Pedagogy in the making ...................................

Ohad Naharin at the Stockholm Dance Conference 2012

Martha Graham Letter to the World (Morgan 1940) Courtesy

Ohad Naharin in rehearsal with dancers from Cedar Lake

Ohad Naharin works on Quaking with a Gaga.people class.

Gaga Intensive Winter Course in Tel Aviv showing

Batsheva Dance Company and Lumanato perform Sadeh21 in

Feldenkrais mat work at the Feldenkrais Institute (2013)

An ATM session in progress showing static mat work in class

We are body builders with a soft spine.

Martha Graham Letter to the World

Naharins choreography Untitled

Chapter 1: GAGA TODAY

1.1 The Ethos of Gaga

Ohad Naharin spent a prolonged period experimenting with a range of improvised

Ohad Naharin and Cedar Lake Dancers (Goode 2007)

1.2. Gaga Vocabulary

draw circles with different body parts;

imagine the floor is getting very hot;

become a string of spaghetti in a pot of boiling water;

feel like you are kneading dough with your hands;

imagine little explosions going off inside your body;

quake as if there is an earthquake beneath you;

Naharin works on Quaking with Gaga.people class. (Gaga People 2011b)

1.3. The Absence of mirrors

1.4. Gaga Class Structure

Breaking boundaries is an everyday matter ...

Gaga Intensive Winter Course in Tel Aviv (Gaga People 2011a)

1.5. Gaga on View

Batsheva Dance Company and Lumanato

Untitled studio shot illustrating Cedar Lake

CHAPTER 2: FELDENKRAIS COMPARED

2.1. Echoes of other Practitioners

With exercises you dont have creators but carriers

Mamootot Batsheva Dance Company

2.2. Gaga through the lens of Feldenkrais

The reception of abstract mental impressions remains a mere mechanical process

According to Feldenkrais, mans self-image is governed by three elements in our biological

My brief analysis of Feldenkrais method creates the impression of a rigid science-based

An ATM session in progress - untitled (Feldenkrais Institute 2013)

CHAPTER 3: THE FUTURE OF GAGA