Rosen Method Movement Music | The Health Culture

A Rosen Method Movement class takes students through a sequence of movements. The sequence prepares the body to move with ease across the dance floor. All movements are done to music, but not just any music.
The songs used in a class need to have a tempo that’s not too fast and not too slow. A tempo that allows moving in both single and double time (“let’s do that twice as fast”) is ideal, but not a deal-breaker.
Selecting music always brings up a number of subjective issues for me. I avoid religion and politics, for example. I don’t use rap because some students find it offensive, I try to strike a balance between music that students would clearly enjoy (standards, familiar songs), music that’s more of a stretch, and my personal favorites at the moment.

Between the flow …

I’ve always admired teachers who select their music spontaneously during class. It embodies the whole idea of being relaxed and going with the flow. I find I’m not there yet. I very carefully plan my music in advance.
When I started teaching, I used CDs. I would put my CD player on “repeat song.” We’d move to that song until I felt we’d done enough of the movements appropriate to that music. Then I’d walk over to the CD player, change the CD, and begin something else.
When I started using a computer, and then an MP3 player, I did the same thing. I’d make a playlist and put the device on “repeat song.” When I was ready, I’d walk over to my Sansa e200 and advance to the next track. I now do it differently.

… And the pause

A public education administrator — assigned to observe my class – told me I shouldn’t leave the circle to change songs. I dismissed this with the thought “That’s not how it’s done, and I don’t have a remote control.”
About four months later I tried making 60-minute playlists and letting the music run without leaving the circle. I like this much better. It caters to my weaknesses, admittedly. I like to have things under control, and I’m a bit hyper.
I know that demonstrating and experiencing a “pause” is important. We live in a culture that’s all about pressure, deadlines, and never having enough time. Experiencing pauses through the body is a subversive but legitimate way to slow down the mind and habitual behaviors.
A continuous playlist has some advantages, however. I never have to look at the clock, which can convey time-consciousness to students. I don’t change the music in the middle of a song like I used to, which means there’s always a sense of completion. The continuous music has a flow all its own, like listening to a good album. And I can stay in the circle and demonstrate patient pausing between songs.

Music to dance to

I plan to start posting music here tomorrow, both songs I use in class and songs I don’t use in class even though they’re my favorites. Please feel free to comment and to contribute your own music suggestions. Movement teachers are always looking for that next great irresistible rhythm that makes every body want to move.
Related posts:
Rosen Method Movement teachers
Dance for joy: Rosen Method Movement and a Minnesota wedding