Here are some ideas for moving your body and connecting to it away from your flute as well as with your flute.
Remember your body is your primary instrument!
1. Mindfull Movement:
Move your whole body with awareness, play and curiosity. Educate yourself about habit vs. natural and develop more awareness.This will help you to make mindful choices that are inclusive and free.
2. Circle It & 6 Balance Points:
Make small and large circles with your body. You can begin at your ankles, or at the top joints of your head and spine or anywhere you like. Find, know and move at the 6 balance points in your body. A-O, Arm Structure, Spine, Hip joints, Knee joints, Ankle joints.
3. Breathing:
Whole body breathing! Start with the Breath of Joy! You can find it on the internet if you do not know it. Gathering and lengthening breath, 3 part breath, Sensing breath in ribs, back, chest…Energizing breath, Yoga breathing, Swinging Ahh breath, Sss, and fuh breaths, Winding on hand, Finger breaths, Sigh breaths, Nose breaths, Breathing bag and Breathing tube, Straws, Paper on the wall, fold over (monkey), lips together, let go/slow exhale and Breath of joy.
4. Monkey/ Semi-Squat:
Monkey creates an ease and movability in your joints and whole body. It is not a position but a way of moving with ease. Try playing while in a
Monkey/Semi-Squat:
Head light and easy on top of your spine.
Knees bend, releasing forward
Hip joints, move back
Arms hang freely
Ankles bend
Heels release into floor/ground.
5. Release Neck, A.O. & Eyes:
Play with this subtle way of cueing your body to release your neck, your A.O. joint and your eyes. What happens to the movement at these points and to your whole body as you allow for space, freedom, release of tension, movement or stillness...?
6. Feet - Legs, Balance and Step:
Get to know your wonderful feet and legs! How are you balanced on each one and both of them?
Balance on one leg and the other. Discover if you put more weight on one, or in your hip joints?
Take a step as you are playing. Can you? are you stuck or able to move freely by your own choice?
7. Arm Movement:
Arms overhead- drain - palms together - extended
Nerve Stretch . Whole arms structure movements
Eagle Arms
Shoulder Joints
Meade”s Arms
8. Hand Movement:
Sitting, palms on thighs, hand and individual finger connection and circles.
Make up some of your own hand, finger, wrist, joint, arm movements . Rotate all finger joints and massage facia between each of the joints.
Baby fists - make a gentle fist as a boy does for gathering and release and for warmth.
9. Free Movement & Dance:
Move freely in a way your body speaks to you. You may want to do this with music, or rhythm or in silence. This can free your body, get to know it, move with more awareness, learn something new about how your body responds to the music you are playing, explore rhythm, movement and energy.
10. Ball, Trampoline & Jump:
Use an exercise ball or small trampoline before, during or after your practice. This kind of gentle bouncing has many benefits. What do you notice? And, it usually gives us that playful, happy feeling too! JUMP up and land lightly, bounce playfully.
11. Where do you feel it?
Play the where do you feel it game. When you are playing, where do you feel the sound resonating in your body? Notice this and try to expand your ability to be aware of sound and resonance. You can also do this for becoming more aware of your body by selecting a part of your body to be mindful of each day, while still being inclusive of the whole.
12. Yoga:
There are many ways to expand your body, mind, soul/spirit connection. Yoga is that union. Try some yoga classes and see if this too can be a way of growth and union for you and your musical self too. It is also very helpful for preventing injury as it develops and refines your mind, body and spirit connection.
Here are a few poses or asanas for you to try. You can all them up on the internet if you do not know them.
Two of my favorites are Yoga with Adrienne &
Practice Room Yoga with Claire.
Poses:
Mountain
Chair
Tree
Down & Up Dog
Cobra
Plank
Triangle
Bridge
Warrior I,II, III
Goddess
Table Top
Childs
Savasana