Movement Experience

Physically experimenting with the possibilities inherent in stepping will help you to better understand the notation of the action. We encourage you to get up and play with the level, direction, size, and timing of your steps.

Sound file of music with words [mov] to guide your movement experience.

Sound file of music without words [mov].

Below is a transcript of the voice-over. Have a friend, teacher or classmate read it to you as you move.

Movement experience transcript


Begin by walking in your space. Walk as though you are going somewhere with a purpose, but are not rushed.

Notice the length of your steps. Find a comfortable, natural feeling stride.

Try making your steps longer... now try making them shorter.

Come back to your natural stride.

Now lower your steps by bending you knees and letting your weight drop. Sense what happens to the length of your steps. (They may be a little longer than before.)

Now rise onto half-toe, lifting your weight and again sense the length of your steps. (They may be a little shorter than before.)

Now return to normal walking (a middle level) and find your natural stride again.

Change the direction of your steps to backwards or sideways.

Try to keep the same length of step as you travel backwards.

Notice what happens when you travel sideways. You either have to step across, like a grapevine, or you have to do a "step- together, step-together"

Try a grapevine, changing levels from low to high.

Now try walking forward and try a "triplet". Step with bent legs and when you lower, sense the drop in weight. Then step on half-toe. Lift up when you rise. Try it backward.

Return to normal walking, once again finding your natural stride: purposeful, as if you were going somewhere, but not rushing.


[mov] - Some links on this page are to Quicktime .mov files requiring the use of Apple Quicktime Player. If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact marion.8@osu.edu.