Dance Therapy

http://www.oxford-dance.com/entry.html?entry=t171.e0448

Antithesis:Alternative:Process:Repetition

According to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and his successors like Kant:
"To each thesis there must exist an antithesis or antinemy - a proposition that every valid thought must have an idea. An idea is an antithesis (e.g. rainy day [which could be thesis]) and not rainy day ([which is a possible opposite, its negation... antithesis of "rainy day"]) - fact of the weather. ([Fact is synthesis - resulting process, a conflict that arises between thesis and antithesis. No thesis can exist without an antithesis. Existence and non-existence results in actuality... of history. So, history is synthesis of existence and non-existence... Each stage in this process, the synthesis, the cycle of dialectical change becomes a new thesis... and so the process goes.) Every idea or thought has its opposite. All valid propositions or ideas contain their own negations... Key of the dialectics... - every idea, a state of affairs, contains its own opposites."

- THE DIALECTICAL METHOD OF REASONING: September 23, 2010 (an online lecture "GWF HEGEL (3): THE DIALECTICAL METHOD OF REASONING": )

Research: water

Link to a documentary on water:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/water-great-mystery/

Precedent #4: Fred Astaire

- "I am not sending messages with my feet... All I ever wanted was to not come up empty. I did it for the dough and the old applause" (Fred Astaire).

Don River regeneration proposal

http://www.thestar.com/videozone/829955

"There are big changes in store near the mouth of the Don River. The Keating Channel - a functional but unattractive waterway - is slated for transformation. The Star's Christopher Hume says it's got great potential, providing it's done right. Video by Randy Risling." (May 15, 2010)

Extra: "Study on Art Today: Emotion to Dance"

Concept: Each One of Us is a Diamond

Basic Environs: Toronto map

Thesis Statement + 12 Point Agenda

THESIS STATEMENT
I believe in the possibility of healing through dancing with architecture that charges healing processes and accommodates dance practices.

12 POINTS AGENDA: dance, energy, expression, healing, health, strength, belief in self, sounds, emotion, light, hydration/dehydration (perspiration/urination), water

1) DANCE
- Dance is an essence of life. Practicing dance in any form empowers, fills one with positive energy, allows to get rid of negative hidden emotions and simply makes one happy and appreciative of life.

2) ENERGY
- Dance is energy in expression. Energy has been associated with fire – a symbol for change. Once one decides that he or she is on the path for healing one realizes the cosmic dance of ever flowing and changing energy that is around. A dancer realizes that he or she is a mass of energized particles forever moving and changing. When dancing we also are aware of interaction that our bodies have with space and other people around us. Dance is filled with moments of constant realizations and understandings.

3) EXPRESSION
- Dance is evident though the expression of emotions. Whenever we move we express a certain emotion. Every word we say may express an emotion. In fact our lives comprise of layers of emotions. We constantly feel either ecstatic or in grief, vigilant or full of amazement, annoyed or apprehensive, joyous or sad, pensive or serene... Music expresses emotions through sounds. A dancer expresses him or herself with movements. Some dancers even incorporate their voices into the production which only adds to the effect of the performance. Some people decide to incorporate art practice into their performance. In whatever way one wants to express a personal internal world he or she may do so by the means of dance.

4) HEALING
- Illness is a bunch of hidden emotions. By expressing your emotions you get rid of your deep internal problems. Pain allows one to know where the “knot” is hidden. Therapeutic healing by massage professionals is an essential part of healing. Having acupuncture done after massage too restores the balance of internal flow of energy. Also, after dancing a person’s body aches where oxygen together with other healing chemicals found in our blood is required. Breathing restores the flow of blood and allows clear out the paths that connect our body and brain. So when proper breathing techniques are taught to people undergoing healing the healing process accelerates as the person heals both in body and spirit. Additionally, the support of family members and friends is required when one is on a health adventure. Family provides the comfort. Friends are there to provide a remote support. I think that both family and friends of those who are healing are also in need of some sort of emotional response to the person they know is healing. A record of some sort is what other people need in order to help in a way they can. For example, for friends who are far away and regardless of the fact that they are physically far, they still want to respond. So a communication must be established in order for the person who is healing to receive that support which might just be a couple of words sent over the internet. So, I propose to also incorporate a communication centre into the Program of my thesis project. This centre will establish the network of health professionals who can help the person asking for help remotely. This centre must be designed using universal design principles.

5) HEALTH
- Some people are born healthy; some are born with a certain illness and some acquire health problems. Sometime a person even lives without an awareness of his or her physical impairment. Once one decides to live healthier way he or she tries to find ways to achieve that. With the building that I want to design I propose an inspirational institution that will support people on their healing or “healthying” paths.

6) STRENGTH
- Building up the physical and mental strength of one person healing is important in order to make the healing path as painless and side-effect free as possible. That is why believing in oneself is the next point in my Agenda. Such practices as Yoga and Thai Chi provide movements that help one figure out which part of body and/or mind is in need for an immediate attention while the practice itself allows to simultaneously strengthen the entire being. Martial arts aim for peace of mind achieved by strengthening the body. In the facility that I want to provide for dance practices I intend to incorporate a space where Yoga, Thai Chi and Martial Arts can be practiced regardless of the time of day or night.

7) BELIEF IN SELF
- One must believe in his or ability to get better physically as we realizing that we all do possess that power. Believing in self provides the base for future discoveries and possibilities with which come achievement and the build up of self-esteem.

8) SOUND
- “Music comes to the rescue” (Jamie Lidell).
- Essential for my thesis project is sound dynamism. Acoustics are crucial to the success of live events and powerful musical and dance performances. For the audience to fully intake the experience an expression piece performed live the space must fulfill the requirements that adhere to proper sound wave distribution throughout the venue.

9) EMOTION
(See Point 2 of the Agenda)

10) LIGHT
- “To recognize beauty is to see light...” that fills darkness with beautiful reflections. In my project I want people’s energy become expressive by the means of Light. The warping of the environmental dimension by the presence of human beings must become evident. For example, I want to use human movement and haptic effect in order to vitalize and enliven the environment visually. To help may arrive interactive surfaces and materials for exterior and interior cladding as well as flooring and ceiling accommodations that respond to the interactions created by the people moving in space.

11) HYDRATION / DEHYDRATION (PERSPIRATION / URINATION)
- Dehydration helps the body get rid of toxins. So, urination is substantial to healing. Drinking water gives you energy. That is why I want to design a substructural bioremedification system fused with the program of spaces in my thesis project.

12) WATER
- Water circulation on site (See Point 11 in the Agenda).
- Add a facility to CELEBRATE water.

Secondary Program of Requirements: Systems

Primary Program of Requirements (1)

Primary Program of Requirements

Statement of Intent: Performance Space, Core, Bioremedification

The Performance Space will partially occupy the existing structure of the Silos and present an entertainment area where people will gather to enjoy Toronto's leading performance productions. The space will accommodate a gathering of people in numbers between 200 - 500, have room for any type and kind of production that deals with performance and be a space that celebrates sound dynamism as an attribute of any successful entertainment piece.

There will be a convertible seating arrangement in order for the staff and organizers to promptly be able to change the space into a party space where people will be able to mingle and dance.

A raised platform will be provided for when the production incorporates a show of live music. Another raised level will be provided for those who prefer to look at the happening from above down.

The Core Heal-through-Dance Environment is connected to the Performance Space but is unique in that it is highly advanced technologically and serves as the main visual communicator of the entire site. This space represents the dialogue the user has the minute he or she steps into the room. The floor responds to the amount of pressure that is applied to it and reflects it using light. Apart from the pressure the floor will indicate the amount or level of activity that the user is having within the space. For example, if the user's actions come out from within the core of the body, the floor will light up the corresponding colour. So the floor will "understand" where the action is coming from. Simultaneously the same reflection will be found on the spherical walls of the space. The entire space will be a sphere where the walls and the ceiling merge into one surrounding surface that "speaks" directly with the user. The sphere also is a transparent one so anyone observing the action from the outside is able to see how much energy is produces by the people inside.

As the water is part of the dancing and healing processes and is a key in the design of the Water Lounge a Bioremedification System will be installed throughout the site which will serve as a connective path between the spaces that deal with the circulation of water. The system will filter out the human "gold" and turn the minerals into the nutrients for the plant life of the development. The filtered water in turn will be available for reuse on site for such purposes as cleaning and watering the plants.

Statement of Intent: Water Lounge

"Toronto's site was created by water. The action of water formed the city's protected harbour, and water routes connected hinterland resources to the town. From the city's earliest beginnings as a settlement, water was sought from springs and wells for domestic use and to quench the thirst of the citizens" ("Formed and shaped by water: Toronto's early landspace" by Ed Freeman from "HTO Toronto's Water from Lake Iroquois to Lost Rivers to Low-flow Toilets" edited by Wayne Reeves & Christina Palassio).

The site of Victory Soya Mills Silos provides an outdoor environment where the building of Water Lounge will be situated to facilitate such activities as water digustation and hydro massage. The site of Toronto's Harbourfront speaks of the opportunity to create a building that will reflect Canada's water heritage and provide the space where people will gather to celebrate and appreciate the value and resourcefulness of water.

At the Lounge people will be able to taste water delivered from Canadian spring and glacier sources as well as water from around the world. There are currently over 70 domestic companies around Canada that provide and distribute water and the industry is growing. At the Lounge people will be able to taste different types and kinds of water, record and exchange their opinions as well as have an opportunity to purchase bottled water in any desired quantity. There will be a storage facility that will accommodate the requirements of preservation of delivered water. The space for communication and relaxation at the Water Lounge will have a sense of respect and dignity derived from the knowledge of how important water is to human survival. The bioremedification system installed on site will serve as a connective path that will lead people from the indoor space of the Silos to the building of the Water Lounge.

Outdoors will serve as a patio space paired with the space provided for hydro massage. The area where people will be treated with massage therapy will have a relaxing and soothing atmosphere with views out to the Lake Ontario and surroundings full of the plant life that is supported by the same bioremedification system. Out on the patio there will be plenty of seating space as well as an area convertible to an outdoor party space for when the weather is plausible.

The Water Lounge will be a more quiet environment to balance from the loud and energetic performance space located inside the historic structure of the remaining Victory Soya Mills.

Precedent #3: The Toronto Music Garden

The Toronto Music Garden was designed by a landscape designer Julie Messervy who worked in collaboration with landscape architects from the city's Parks, Forestry and Recreation Department. The design of the park was inspired by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Suites for Unaccompanied Cello. "The garden design interprets in nature Bach’s First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, with each dance movement within the suite corresponding to a different section in the garden" (1). The garden incorporates the works of two Canadian artists. Architectural blacksmith Tom Tollefson fabricated the Music Pavilion and Anne Roberts of Feir Mill Design Inc. designed the Maypole.



Prelude
This first movement of the Suite imparts the feeling of a flowing river through which the visitor can stroll. Granite boulders from the southern edge of the Canadian Shield are placed to represent a streambed with low-growing plants softening its banks. The whole is overtopped by an alley of native Hackberry trees whose straight trunks and regular spacing suggest measures of music.





Allemande
The Allemande is an ancient German dance. Interpreted here as a birch forest, the movement invites the visitor to swirl inward to various contemplative sitting areas, that move higher and higher up the hillside, culminating in a rocky vantage point that looks over the Harbour through a circle of Dawn Redwood trees.



Courante
Originally an Italian and French dance form, the Courante is an exuberant movement that is interpreted here as a huge, upward-spiralling swirl through a lush field of grasses and brightly-coloured perennials that attract birds and butterflies. At the top, a Maypole spins in the wind.



Sarabande
This movement is based on an ancient Spanish dance form. Its contemplative quality is interpreted here as an inward-arcing circle that is enclosed by tall needle-leaf evergreen trees. Envisioned as a poet's corner, the garden's centerpiece is a huge stone that acts as a stage for readings, and holds a small pool with water that reflects the sky.



Menuett
This French dance was contemporary to Bach's time. Its formality and grace are reflected in the symmetry and geometry of this movement's design. Hand-crafted with ornamental steel, a circular pavilion is designed to shelter small musical ensembles or dance groups.





Gigue
The Gigue, or "jig" is an English dance, whose jaunty, rollicking music is interpreted here as a series of giant grass steps that offer views onto the Harbour. The steps form a curved amphitheatre that focus on a stone stage set under a weeping willow tree; a place for informal performances. Shrubs and perennials act as large, enclosing arms, framing views out onto the Harbour.





(1) http://www.toronto.ca/parks/music_index.htm
(2) The images are taken from http://cherishtoronto.blogspot.com/2009/08/visit-to-toronto-music-garden.html

Precedent #2: Anishnawbe Health Toronto

I chose the Anishnawbe Health Centre in Toronto, ON to be the second precedent for my thesis project. This building represents the place for healing and community support for native as well as non-native residents of Toronto.

The building has a rectangular form with large windows facing Queen Street East and smaller windows facing South. The structure also features the skylight built in the approximate middle of the roof. The sun shines down into the interior of the building allowing the daylight create the atmosphere for healing and recuperation.



There is a mosaic representing the four directions of the Earth placed on the floor below the skylight (1).



The building features an interior structure that creates separate units for the health practitioners and their patients. The units are organized on the ground level leaving about 8' open space above. There is an upper level that has additional offices and a porch (an outdoor open space). The spiral staircase leads down into the basement level where there are more offices and rooms.








(1) The pictures with green border are borrowed from www.aht.ca website with permission from the Management Department at the Anishnawbe Health Centre.

Inspirational Precedent #1: White City

For the first precedent I have chosen the "White City" that was built as part of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1983 and held in Chicago, Illionis, US. The exposition celebrated 400 years since Columbus' arrival to North America and attracted participants from 46 countries. Nearly 25 million visitors attended the fair to look at the most recent wonders in science, industry, art and architecture. The buildings were designed using the principles of European Classical Architecture: symmetry and balance. "The fair had a profound effect on architecture, the arts, Chicago's self-image, and American industrial optimism"(1).


The White City, also established as the Court of Honor, featured new ideas of electricity being brought forward in front of the public by physicists, scientists and innovators of the time. One of the main guests in the "White City" fair was Nikola Tesla, by then world-famous inventor in electricity.


Tesla demonstrated his high frequency equipment and had tables presenting glowing phosphorescent tubes and lamps. The inventor was blowing glass right at the event and created tubular signs such as "Welcome electrologists!" (2) Day after day Tesla was surprising the guests of the fair by illustrating the work of alternating currents which he discovered. He also presented the public with the first ever synchronized electrical watch. He was also shocking his public when he would turn himself into the shaft of light that was created as a result of electrostatically excited molecules. Such demonstrations attracted the people of medical practices and talks were held about using electrical currents in therapies. Other countries, France, for example, were exploring such possibilities as well with studies and application of electrical currents in diathermy, the leading method in electro-treatments. However, it was Tesla who in 1891 established the fact that the formation of heat as a result of targeting the tissues by high frequency alternating currents could be medically applied in treating arthritis and other illnesses. Consequently, technologies known as hypothermia have been widely used around the world to treat people up to this day (2).



(1) Wikipedia
(2) Cheney, Margaret. "Tesla: the Man from the Future" (1981)

Thesis Statement

I believe in the possibility of healing through dancing with architecture that charges healing processes and accommodates dance practices.

Collages to Inspire

Poem

Ephemeral structure calls for novice,

Flows, exists freely,

Bravely changing rhythms.

Inhaling sensibly in blissful accumulation

The sights of timeless flawlessness

I reach passionately

For the embraces of music.

Luminato Festival: Silos Projection

- New York-based conceptual artist, Jenny Holzer created an installation projected onto the Victory Soya Mills Silos during 2008's Luminato Festival.

- Words included texts with ideas on conflict and peace from several international poets:
- Yehuda Amichai (Israel)
- Wislawa Szymborska (Poland)
- Fadhil Al-Azzawi (Iraq)
- Mahmoud Darwish (Palestine)

- "Light spilled from the truck in a widening beam that scrolled elongated words along the landscape. As they continued upwards, the words slid into proportion, becoming readable as they hit the face of the monolithic block of silos". (International Contemporary Art magazine, March 22, 2008)

A tower out of books

Topics proposals

1) Dance
2) Healing

Envirometic silo

- Designed* to store cement, silica, plaster, sand, flour, ground clay, dry powders etc.

*Taken from: http://www.tyldenequipment.com.au/silos.php?id=3