A few words on ‘a movement practice’

What is ‘a movement practice?’

A movement practice can be anything. There are many specialized practices out there to engage in, but the title in this context is to be understood as “a holistic approach to physical activity.” The problem with concepts such as ‘holistic’ is that they can often be misunderstood. For example I experience that ‘holistic’ is often interpreted with connotations of something mystic or superstitious. Here it is not. It is a very concrete definition: Holistic means: “a system, where the individual parts of the system are valued in relation to the whole that it functions within.” The main object we’re working with in ‘a movement practice’ is our body, expanding to our surroundings and other people that is obvious parts of the relation our body functions within. Also the practice can sometimes reach even further to our history, incorporating both the individual and the common aspects of our history.

In more practical terms: This concept determines our approach to our body as a whole, and also includes interaction with other people and the environment. A whole approach is built around this in both theory and practice, and it rarely disappoints anyone who engages in it.

To be even more clear: We’re trying to develop an appropriate base with ourselves in order to be able to move around in a “sound way”; in our everyday life or with whatever we’re passionate about. The practice is also being inspired by disciplines that have developed techniques and methods. The following disciplines are the ones that might be most aligned with the holistic concept that as a principle guides ‘a movement practice’. These are disciplines such as calisthenics, contemporary dance, ultimate fighting, bouldering, parkour, soft acrobatics and swimming. These disciplines are in themselves perfecting certain human qualities that we - somehow - have inherent in us. Therefore we value and pull inspiration from them.

Even if we do strength, flexibility and mobility training we’re not so interested in any special level of strength or perfecting any of the above mentioned disciplines, nor in making world records. It is not part of our vision. instead we use strength and flexibility to gain more possibilities for movement, mobility and to be able to connect to the world around us. We’re not trying to be a special human in that sense - just human. It’s enough. 

In this process, we often find an existential layer under the surface of our practice. The read thread guiding us is not setting any clear goals or standards. Therefore there’s often the question of what, how and why present and therefore we reflect on ourselves and find out different stuff during the practice. The body that we live is not given by nature only. The forces of culture work very effectively towards - and in - our body, and in the movement practice we find out that the narratives that we stick to - and the state of - our bodies, are not something that we have chosen for ourselves.

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All the best,
Kasper