Tjersland, Hanne

The dancing body is a body that is continuously in movement, and with this, continuously in potential for creative transformation. As the dancer allows her and his body to follow different movements, encounter different rhythms, and experience different sensations, emotions and thoughts, she and he are through the process deeply engaged in movements of creativity. Especially in this regard if the body is engaged as a living whole where sensory, emotional, mental, intuitive and relational intelligence are all included and engaged together.

In this paper, the author discusses how the dancing body is engaged creatively in the conscious dance and movement practice Open Floor especially. She explores creativity as a dynamic process that unfolds out of a dancing body that is understood 1) holistically, 2) relationally and 3) always in movement. In particular, the author engages with the principle Move and Include from the Open Floor curriculum, exploring how this principle invites creativity out of both unconditionally embracing what is already present and visible (Include) and exploring/moving into what is maybe not-yet-there or perhaps available on deeper layers (Move). The author herself is a certified teacher of Open Floor, as well as a PhD candidate in peace studies, and thus explores Open Floor and creativity from both a practitioners and a peace researcher’s lens in this paper.

Hanne Tjersland is a PhD candidate in International Studies in Peace, Conflict and Development at Universidad Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain. Her main research focus is on embodied and arts-based approaches to peace and conflict transformation, especially related to dance as a resource for peace. She is additionally an internationally certified teacher of the conscious dance and movement practice Open Floor, and combines in her doctorate research practical and theoretical knowledge related to both peace and Open Floor. She also teaches Open Floor with a special focus on peace in different places, mostly in Europe. Her doctoral research topic is ‘Open Floor as a Resource for Peace’. Hanne’s latest article ‘The dancing body in peace education’ was published in the Journal of Peace Education in December 2019. Webpage: www.peaceinmovement.com

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