Have you ever had the experience of wondering “what is it about that guy”? It’s the kind of wondering that takes place when someone rubs you the wrong way but you just can’t put your finger on why that is.
I had that experience some years ago when my son was in grade school. He had a teacher, who by all reports was brilliant, but during communications with this man I had the regular experience of feeling very put-off. It’s not that the meetings were full of bad news; in fact this teacher gave a mostly positive reports on my son. So what was it that was bothering me?
At the same time I was puzzling over this, I was teaching a course in Laban Movement Analysis at Alverno College in Milwaukee. It was at a point during the semester when we were delving into effort and effort phrasing, and this turned out to be the key to answering my question. The troublesome teacher turned out to be an excellent example of impulsive phrasing!
He would consistently begin his sentences with sudden, rather strong emphases that were mostly evident in his voice, but also to a certain degree in his body. I realized that it was his manner of “front-loading” his phrasing that caused me to feel uncomfortable… a very valuable insight given that this was a teacher my son would have for several more years, and with whom I needed to have a productive relationship.
Effort phrasing in all its richness, will be part of our exploration of dynamics in the Tetra seminar. Maybe it will answer some questions about “that guy” for you. Register by March 1 for the early registration discount.