Random thoughts on playing games

I love playing. It’s so natural and fun. There is so much creativity to it too. Experimentation and expression.

There are 3 types of playing: for something, against something or with something.

2 types of games: Finite and infinite games - Games to win and games to stay in the game.

Among others, two types of players: performers and creators - illusionists vs artists - people who think they know and people with true experience.

I love the idea from Twyla Tharp who expressed as she goes into the studio and she sees it as a blank canvas - endless possibilities of what to create.

What we create is an expression of lived experience. Just taking it that one step further. Each iteration a new step, a new try. It’s expansion and growth all happening before your eyes. Also in the physical body.

So in the dance creation process, there is the time to explore. This is the creative game the one where we are here to stay in the game. To keep creating, playing, finding new ideas. Working out the possibilities, trying new versions. No goals, just exploration.

Then we come to the second game with a goal - the output. A performance or a showing. An event dictated by time and expectations. It draws energy and focus together to express the learned information.

Yet a dance piece is a constant creation where playing with the movement is part of the game. It is always alive otherwise we could just put on the video.

Perfect doesn’t exist, but better than the last one does. Keep going, there is always a new improved version to make. Small steps and then large.

Even if the new one isn’t better, I now know the difference (or what doesn’t work)!