Collective Breath’s Guidelines for Expressive Movement
- Everybody has a body
- And every BODY has a place / pathway for expressive movement
- Expressive movement can be mental, physical, spatial, and/or emotional (MIND, BODY, SPACE, & SPIRIT)
- Setting your own boundaries on your own terms is incredibly important to any collaborative process, in any collaborative space
- There are no set expectations for how your own body should or shouldn’t react to or engage with expressive moment
- There are no right or wrong answers - only what feels comfortable and accessible to YOU as you build a collaborative relationship with your own body in space
Accessing Comfortability & Accessibility
- Where is your current comfortability / accessibility in regards to expressive movement?
- What elements of your body are you currently comfortable / able to safely engage with moving and in what capacity?
Identifying “triggers that animate vs triggers that traumatize” & “uncomfortability that leads to growth vs uncomfortability that leads to harm”:
- Are there any forms of movement that you would like/need to avoid / are there any forms of movement you would like/need to connect on specific flexible pathways for?
- Are there any elements of the material or space being engaged with that you do not feel comfortable actively participating with / exploring at this time?
We “speak in draft”*, so this is subject to change AT ANY POINT of the process and should be able to be openly communicated to the designated Creative Team through both verbal and nonverbal pathways utilizing the Session Agreement “tap in when you can / tap out when you need to”**:
- Verbal: Addressing a tap out or collaborative adjustment*** by discussing before a session, in the moment during a session, or after a session. If discussing before/after you may connect with a member of the Creative Team in person, through phone, through email, or through the designated Cast Deputy.
- Non Verbal: Tapping out by utilizing the designated zones:
- Designated zone to observe but stay connected/engaged in the conversation and activity
- Designated zone to observe but from a distance - requiring time to process and observe solo
- Designated zone outside of the space to entirely disconnect - you may raise your hand into the air if you are exiting the space and would like/require a member of the creative team to meet you outside to assist and/or connect.
- If one should engage initially with Non Verbal cues, the Creative Team will follow up on the outcome of the tap out, discussing desired pathways moving forward.
NOTE: If a harm occurs that requires a more specific or extensive conversation and accountability pathway, The Creative Team may engage with the outlined “harm reduction” & “relationship repair” pathways provided.
*Speak in Draft refers to the ongoing ability to express ourselves in a fluid and flexible capacity with the understanding that what we offer into space is always able to be adjusted, built upon, and/or changed entirely.
**Tap in when you can / Tap out when you need to refers to the process of recognizing, communicating, and implementing pathways regarding comfortability, accessibility, and overall capacity - mental, physical, spatial, and emotional.
***Collaborative Adjustment is categorized as an open conversation outlining the new or discovered circumstances at hand, working together to find a safe and common ground rooted in comfortability and accessibility.
Defining Autonomy / Bodily Autonomy & Consent
AUTONOMY / BODILY AUTONOMY
- Autonomy / Bodily autonomy is the right for a person to govern their own decisions / what happens to their body without external influence or coercion.
CONSENT
- Consent means permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
There are a few central tenets of consent that must be upheld for consent to be truly possible.
The FRIES acronym (originating from Planned Parenthood) is a helpful resource.
Consent must be:
- Freely Given
- Reversible
- Informed
- Enthusiastic/Engaged/Embodied
- Specific
Q&A
- Where is your current comfortability / accessibility in regards to expressive movement?
- What elements of your body are you currently comfortable / able to safely engage with moving and in what capacity?
- Are there any forms of movement that you would like to avoid / are there any forms of movement you would like to connect on specific flexible pathways for?
- Are there any elements of the material or space being engaged with that you do not feel comfortable actively participating with / exploring at this time?
- Is there any additional information or access needs you would like to connect on at this time?