Janet Panetta’s work involves the deconstruction of movement into technical basics that dancers from varied backgrounds can understand. We work from bottom up, from foundation to anatomically solid movement. We explore the specifics of how one learns, how to analyse movement with the tools of weight, shape, space, rhythm, and time. It is the investigation of working from the inside out, from bone placement that allows muscles to function effortlessly and efficiently, thus discouraging muscular overuse. We remove all artificial affectations, leaving just the core technique and the physical architecture of the body. The ultimate goal of this study is to appreciate function as beauty, to understand, for example, that legs and feet working correctly become beautiful, and not to strive for beauty from an outside source. This is a practical, technical workshop, not a theory lesson. Everything discussed gets reconstructed back into movement.
Janet Panetta †
