We are helping people of all backgrounds–dancers and non-dancers– to increase or regain their natural sense of rhythm. The result of our work here is fluidity, ease and wholeness and lightness of movement; a way of moving that is akin to the vitality and freedom of all nature. It feels like a return to the grace and spontaneity you had as a child, but has the clarity of maturity and discipline of our adult convictions.
To see movement on rhythm, look at televised pictures of animals, or look at sports or look at nature. To some extent you will also see rhythm in other forms of movement such as ballet and modern dance. But with most dancers this is their own native rhythm which has not been lost rather than rhythm as a result of their training. Preparation for moving on rhythm is perfect coordination; but moving on rhythm is a matter of instinct. Preparation for moving on rhythm is balance; but moving on rhythm is repetitive loss of balance. Preparation for moving on rhythm is intense concentration; but moving on rhythm is both concentration and liberation.
The strength that is behind this kind of movement is the same strength that flows through all growing things, elastic not brittle, over flowing and generous, not personal, full of vitality and restrained energy utterly different from the usual tense, muscular strength. Tense strength comes through the will, this strength comes through feeling the tremendous resistance of nature forces, and therefore not exhausting but life-giving.
Our techniques makes this possible, giving strength and
relaxation. Physically, the dance strengthens the feet, relaxes stiff backs, necks and shoulders and improves the posture. It does more than this because it is a joyous thing to do: it opens the mind to the rhythms of nature. It makes unselfconciousness a pleasure.
The Noyes sytem is an effective aid in personal development. Noyes dancers have given many public performances since the early part of the twentieth century. The main emphasis of the Noyes work, however, is on spontanaiety and relaxation, which releases the integrity and authenticity of each individual’s movement.
