This essay traces the author's embodied practices toward the creation of an evening-length, spontaneously composed solo. Specifically, the author focuses on her work to release superficial and deep abdominal musculature to discover a new movement vocabulary, and greater access to the mobility of the pelvis/belly, ribs, and spine. The author…

This qualitative study explored the use of metaphor within a somatic context as a means to bridge the divide between technique and expression in two undergraduate advanced intermediate ballet classes. Data included surveys, classroom observations, student journal responses and student work, as well as surveys and journal responses, one year after…