Music for Mentastics Classes
Music for Mentastics® Classes
As a Trager Instructor, and before that as a dance teacher, I found it very useful to have music to support students in exploring movement. Music has been my most trusted assistant, energizing the room, filling it with a safe, camouflaging sound texture, keeping the class all focused on one idea and moving together. On rare occasions, I was able to have live musicians in the classroom to accompany our movement exercises. This was ideal, but impractical most of the time. So I have relied on the ever-growing, and easily available body of recorded music.
On following pages are some of my favorite pieces. When choosing music for class, there are a few things that are important to me:
● No words, since the presence of words stimulates a different part of the brain than the part used for sensation, movement, feeling, rhythm, etc. Words tend to take us into thoughts rather than feelings, and may even dictate a particular meaning.
● An obvious feeling quality and simple rhythmic structure that the body can easily understand is better than complex or heady rhythms or tonalities. But I still look for a musical quality or orchestration that invites multiple ways of responding.
● I must explore my own movement to this music several times to understand in my own bodymind the variety of responses the music may evoke.
● I want it to support inner inquiry, movement exploration, body awareness, and eventually, the feeling state that Milton Trager called “Hook-up”. So enough length and repetitiveness for participants to get deeply into the feeling is helpful.
Hope you have a great time exploring.
Roger Tolle
Artist: Gabrielle Roth
Album: Luna
Track: # 2
Track Length: 6:36 min
Track Title: Persephone’s Song
Rhythm/Tempo: Slow 3/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion,Violin,Viola
Musical Qualities: Laid back, smooth, heavy bass, drifting melodies
Movement Qualities: Weighted, swinging, sinking, oozing, fluid, full bodied
LessonGoals/Intentions: Warmingupslowly;Goingdeeper within; Expanding repertoire of locomotion
Artist: Gabrielle Roth
Album: Ritual
Track: # 4
Track Length: 7:25min
Track Title: Prairie Ruins
Rhythm/Tempo: Very Slow 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion,Voice
Musical Qualities: Deep, Powerful, Tribal
Movement Qualities: Gutsy, big, weighted
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Taking up more space; Moving with more weight; Being Big; Locomotion; Power in the Voice
Artist: David Darling Album: Eight String Religion Track: # 1 Track Length: 5:23min Track Title: Soft Light Rhythm/Tempo: Slow and Fluid
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Piano, Cello Musical Qualities: Lyrical, Wandering, Wondering, Easy going
Movement Qualities: Hanging out, exploring, questioning, settling in,
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Transition from social awareness to inner awareness; Arriving in Sensation; Minding the simple, ordinary movements;
Artist: Steve Roach Album: Dreamtime Return Track: # 1 Track Length: 7:10 min
Track Title: Dreamtime Return Rhythm/Tempo: Quick 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Synthesizer,Percussion
Musical Qualities: Quickening and soaring
Movement Qualities: Bubbling, flowing, stretching, investigating
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Intro to body directed inquiry; Finding possibilities; Diving in to sensation
Artist: Gabrielle Roth Album: Initiation Track: # 6 Track Length: 15:31 min Track Title: Body Jazz Rhythm/Tempo: Steady 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion, Voice, Flute
Musical Qualities: Mysterious, Tribal, Repetitive
Movement Qualities: Rhythmic, bounce, swing, rock
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Exploring body’s relationship to rhythm; what movement does my body want? Movement transitions; broadening body expression
Artist: Tigger Benford
Album: Noise of Choice Track: # 1 Track Length: 6:50 min Track Title: The Blue Cruise
Rhythm/Tempo: Quick 4/4 walking tempo
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Marimba
Musical Qualities: Light, repetitive, bubbly
Movement Qualities: Shaking, Shimmering, Wobbling, Loosening up
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Lightness in walking; Coming gently out of quiet; Awakening life energy
Artist: Tigger Benford
Album: Noise of Choice Track: # 6 Track Length: 4:36 min Track Title: Crazy Eight Rhythm/Tempo: Fast 7/8 Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion,voice Musical Qualities: Energetic, repetitive, spoken and clapped
Movement Qualities: Shaking, Vibrating, Bouncing, Energizing
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Awakening life energy; Shaking off tension; Enlivening
Artist: Dana Cunningham
Album: Dancing at the Gate
Track: # 4
Track Length: 2:52min
Track Title: Welcome to the World
Rhythm/Tempo: Very Slow 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Piano
Musical Qualities; Melodic, ebb and flow
Movement Qualities: Soft, easy, contemplative
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Arriving; Softening into Presence;
Artist: Raphael
Album: Music to Disappear In II
Track: # 2
Track Length: 9:16min
Track Title: Healing Dance
Rhythm/Tempo: Slow 2/4 Orchestration/Instrumentation: Violin, Piano, Percussion
Musical Qualities: Plaintive, Lush, Passionate, Sustained
Movement Qualities: Fluid, Heart-full, Elegant, Caressing
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Opening to the Heart’s Desire; Soothing the edges; Expanding expressiveness; Sculpting for self-care; Elegant arms
Artist: Scott Fitzgerald
Album: All One Tribe
Track: # 1
Track Length: 4:47min
Track Title: Dawn Dance
Rhythm/Tempo: Lively 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion, keyboard, clapping, panflutes Musical Qualities: Bouncy, happy, strong down beat
Movement Qualities: Wild dancing, joyous, loose limbs, interactive
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Celebration; Expanding expressiveness; Connecting with the community
Artist: Brent Lewis
Album: Pulse
Track: # 2
Track Length: 4:56min
Track Title: Drums on the Nile
Rhythm/Tempo: Lively 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion, violin
Musical Qualities: Bouncy, flowing, middle-eastern
Movement Qualities: Wild dancing, sinuous, snaky, circular, interactive
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Expanding expressiveness; Connecting with others in movement; Exploring smooth, circular movement in the joints
Artist: Coyote Oldman
Album: In Medicine River
Track: # 1
Track Length: 5:58min
Track Title: Dawn Procession
Rhythm/Tempo: Slow 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion, flutes
Musical Qualities: Sparse, repetitive, ritual Movement Qualities: Solitary, simple, curious, task-oriented
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Entering the space; Entering the body landscape; beginning a sacred process
Artist: Aeoliah
Album: Angel Love
Track: # 1
Track Length: 23:44min
Track Title: Devotion
Rhythm/Tempo: Spacious, non-rhythmic
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Synthesizer
Musical Qualities: Lush, evolving chords Movement Qualities: Slow motion, elastic, expansive, hovering near stillness
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Deep inner listening to details of sensation; hovering the body weight; safe, continuous, stretching, suspending and taking out the slack; Practicing holding space for a partner with a loving gaze
Artist: Brent Lewis
Album: Earth Tribe Rhythms
Track: # 2
Track Length: 5:06min
Track Title: Ode to Buckwheat
Rhythm/Tempo: Lively 6/8
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion
Musical Qualities: Bouncy, quirky, happy Movement Qualities: Wild dancing, loose limbed, interactive
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Expanding expressiveness; Building energy; Connecting with others in movement
Artist: Brent Lewis
Album: Earth Tribe Rhythms
Track: # 6
Track Length: 4:12min
Track Title: Caribbean Sea
Rhythm/Tempo: Lively 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion
Musical Qualities: Bouncy, quirky, happy Movement Qualities: Wild dancing, loose limbed, interactive
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Expanding expressiveness; Connecting with others in movement; Exploring bones as drum sticks playing inside the body
Artist: Gary Green
Album: Surrounded
Track: # 1
Track Length: 2:09min
Track Title: Cat and Mockingbird
Rhythm/Tempo: Steady, strong 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Harmonica, Guitar, Percussion Musical Qualities: Raunchy, quirky, happy
Movement Qualities: Strutting, swaggering, celebratory
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Expanding inner feeling and outer expressiveness; Celebrating a completion
Artist: Baka Beyond
Album: Baka Beyond
Track: # 2
Track Length: 6:08min
Track Title: The Man Who Danced Too Slow
Rhythm/Tempo: Lively 8/8
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Percussion, voices, violin
Musical Qualities: Bouncy, repetitive, happy, thickly layered
Movement Qualities: Light, quick, joyous, interactive
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Building energy and quickness; Dancing into body parts; Connecting with others in movement
Artist: Sheila Chandra
Album: Roots and Wings
Track: # 1
Track Length: 4:40min
Track Title: One
Rhythm/Tempo: Even 4/4 Orchestration/Instrumentation: Voices layered, synthesizer
Musical Qualities: Light, airy, elegant Movement Qualities: Open, easy, floating, delicate
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Transition from tablework to walking; Flowing with resonant sensations after vigorous movement
Artist: Rodolfe Raffalli
Album: Gypsy Swing Guitar
Track: # 2
Track Length: 4:23min
Track Title: Alfonsina y el mar
Rhythm/Tempo: Latin 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Violin, Guitar
Musical Qualities: Light, passionate, elegant, expressive
Movement Qualities: Open, sensuous, fluid, dynamic
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Expressing inner passion and sensuality; Fluid spine
Artist: Govi
Album: Sky High
Track: # 1
Track Length: 7:00min
Track Title: Dance with Me
Rhythm/Tempo: Easy 4/4
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Guitars, Percussion
Musical Qualities: Light, floating, casual, dancing
Movement Qualities: Open, light-hearted, twirling, social
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Transition from talking into movement; connecting and disconnecting; sharing easy sweetness
Artist: Michael Vetter
Album: Overtones
Track: # 1
Track Length: 45:21min
Track Title: Tambura Meditation
Rhythm/Tempo: Quick fluid 4/8
Orchestration/Instrumentation: Tambura
Musical Qualities: Hypnotic, repetitive, smooth, continuous
Movement Qualities: Slow, internally focused fluid motion,
meditative
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Head/tail connection; Fluid spine; Stillness in movement
Artist: Raphael
Album: Music to Disappear In
Track: # 1
Track Length: 8:49min
Track Title: Disappearing into You
Rhythm/Tempo: Slow4/4 Orchestration/Instrumentation: Piano, Strings, Synthesizer
Musical Qualities: Lush, emotional, smooth, continuous
Movement Qualities: Slow, expansive, evocative and fluid arm and torso motion,
Lesson Goals/Intentions: Arms connecting out and with others; Fluid spine; Suspended weight; Floating in Hook-up