Presenter: Doug Johnson
The goal of Body-Mapping is Self-Knowledge achieved through an anatomically accurate and fully embodied understanding of one’s own body. This physical self-knowledge is directly relevant to the health and success of performing artists (also teachers and health care providers). As musicians and dancers, the quality of the motions that we make directly corresponds to the quality of our awareness, i.e., our self-knowledge. When we have an accurate body schema or body-map our movement will become more efficient and effective. By clarifying and refining the accuracy of our Body-Map and our perception of our structure, our function improves.
In this webinar participants will likely experience paradigm shifts in how they conceive of and experience their own bodies. We will consider “tensegrity,” an excellent model for understanding our physical structure as an integrated whole. We will examine common misconceptions or “mis-mappings,” that can lead to inefficient motion, and ultimately chronic pain and injuries. The role of balance in patterns of tension and integrated motion will be discussed. Elements of our arm structure will be presented as they relate instrument specific issues.
Doug Johnson is Professor of Piano at the Berklee College of Music and taught jazz piano at Wellesley College for over ten years. As a pianist, Doug has performed throughout Europe and the US at major venues and Jazz Festivals, including Ronnie Scott’s in London, Porgy and Bess in Vienna and Birdland in New York City. Doug has performed with Phil Woods, Esperanza Spalding, Luciana Souza, Jerry Bergonzi, Grace Kelly and Terry Lynne Carrington.
As an educator and expert in the area of Musician’s Health, Doug has presented at major conferences including multiple PAMA (Performing Arts Medicine Association) conferences. Recently Doug has been in residence performing and teaching at the University of Graz, Austria; the University of Brasilia, Brazil and has also taught intensive courses in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Doug is the recipient of the 2015 Berklee College, Newbury Comics Faculty Fellowship Grant. This award is being used to carry out biomechanical research to help understand the causes of musician’s injuries. This research has lead to the development of Kinematic Integration, a new modality for treating the pain that many musicians have as a result of playing their instruments.
His trio CD March of Time was released in Vienna. His most recent release is The Doug Johnson Trio, Live at the Royal Garden.