The world of movement and dance is full of a variety of methods and options for artists, whether it be a formal ballet piece or an energetic dance break during a musical theatre song. Friday, Oct. 15, saw the emergence of an exciting and visceral kind of movement for the Muhlenberg campus with the Movement Improvisation Jam #1 for the fall semester. The event took place from 2:30-4 p.m. and was filled with over 15 participants, including the wonderful Loren Groenendaal and Andy Thierauf. Groenendaal is an adjunct professor of dance and is currently teaching Movement Workshop for students this semester. Thierauf is an adjunct professor of percussion at Kutztown University. Participants of Movement Workshop are required to attend the jam, but the event is open to all members of the theatre and dance department.
Students first met up in the space of the Dance Studio Theatre and were invited to “arrive to their bodies” by whichever means students felt was appropriate. The members then gathered in a circle and were allowed to express their names and comfort levels with touch and other areas of the jam. Before the full movement started, Groenendaal outlined, “A jam session is an informal event in which participants improvise solos, duets and group dances similar to the way a group of jazz musicians might vamp on melodies and chord progressions. There is no set choreography to do. All levels are welcome. Each individual works in their own way with the group.”
“A jam session is an informal event in which participants improvise solos, duets and group dances similar to the way a group of jazz musicians might vamp on melodies and chord progressions.”
– Loren Groenendaal
Students continued to “arrive to their bodies” and then were allowed to partner in duets or trios, or perform solo. The performance then expanded to allow for everyone in the group to work together freely in the space. Groenendaal did not force any means of expression onto the participants and all of their statements were an invitation for participants.
The exciting event included a wonderful percussion and instrumental element as well thanks to Thierauf, an experienced musician based out of Philadelphia, who graced the jam with his musical talents. Thierauf utilized the piano in the space as well as other instruments and even opened these vehicles of sound to members of the jam as well. Students were free to play with them and incorporate them in their ideas of movement. “It was great. I really enjoyed it. I thought everyone was really interesting. There was a lot of interesting movement happening, but I was able to pull from and I feel people were taking cues really well. They were listening to what I was doing and I thought it was a lot of fun and a lot of excitement happening,” stated Thierauf.
“The improv jam was so surprising to me,” stated Isabelle Peters ‘24. “I’m not usually comfortable with improvisation, so I was nervous about whether or not I would be able to do it. By the end, I couldn’t believe how fast the hour and a half flew by. It was so cool to be surrounded by other students, all letting themselves freely feel the music. I would highly recommend trying it, especially if you just like to move.”
“I think it was excellent,” Groenendaal continued. “Students were engaged. They were playful; they were relating to the music and each other; they were sharing the space, they were doing things I’ve taught them in class and going beyond class. There were people who were not my students who came and they added novelty and diversity and I really like that because it pushes the group that feels a little bit like it was starting to build a feeling of community in the class and now we must extend an envelope more. Expand and integrate new people into this temporary community and that’s a really beautiful feeling for me.”
The in-person experience was new for both students and Groenendaal. Groenendaal did host two jam experiences in the spring semester, but they utilized Zoom with an in-person component and vice versa. “This is the first fully in-person jam at Muhlenberg that I have hosted. I have not heard of a movement jam at Muhlenberg prior to starting here.”
“It was so cool to be surrounded by other students, all letting themselves freely feel the music. I would highly recommend trying it, especially if you just like to move.”
– Isabelle Peters ’24
Shelby Mejia ‘24 mentioned, “The jam session was such a blast! It was my first time going to one so I didn’t know what to expect. The experience was very positive. It was so exciting to get to collaborate with people that I haven’t danced with before because we take different classes. One thing I really appreciated was our live accompanist Thierauf who provided inspiration in everyone’s movements by varying the music between an assortment of genres.”
The jam allows for people to share in their experiences and also with space to open up to the group and be safe within your own boundaries. The next movement jam is on Friday, Dec. 3, from 4-5:30 p.m.
Gianna Carnevalino ‘23 mentioned, “It was a lot of fun and I’m very glad that [Groenendaal] requires it, but I’m very glad that they also open it up to everyone else to come and collaborate. I’m glad that there is going to be another one in December. I am very excited to do more of that kind of openness and to collaborate with other people.”
