The Micro-Genesis of Interpersonal Synergy. Insights from Improvised Dance Duets

Abstract

This article introduces a micro-phenomenological method for interpersonal synergy research, which operates on a sub-second timescale or slightly higher. This is illustrated by two short sequences of joint creativity from Contact Improvisation (CI), a dance where duets produce spontaneous interaction patterns in constant flow and with deep connection of their bodies–their synergies stretch across body boundaries. My aim was to systematically take stock of components of these synergies, to describe sharing patterns, and to reconstruct how joint functionalities such as acrobatic lifts may spontaneously emerge. One focus concerns synergy dynamics, from micro-scale processes of interactive synergy build-up to transitions and larger “flows” in which one synergy evolves into another. A complementary focus concerns how a duet structurally organizes its “collective physics” (weight sharing, skeletal alignment, inter-body muscle chains, etc.) and adjusts them for regulation purposes. The proposed method strikes a balance between subjective meanings and biomechanic descriptiveness, thus providing applied benefits (e.g., for trainers), scholarly benefits (e.g., for modeling improvised synergies), and benefits for interdisciplinary discourse.