MOVEMENT:disordered
A
dance for film by Dana Kotler
Music by Aaron Kotler
Filmed by Evanthia Roussos in the parking garage of the Albert Einstein College
of Medicine
July 2008
MOVEMENT:disordered began as a project for the neurology clerkship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The piece explores a group of neurological diseases and syndromes that affect the ability to produce and control movement. Though it may seem effortless, normal movement requires a complex system of control, which when disrupted, can produce movements that are too weak, too forceful, uncoordinated, or too poorly controlled to be functional. Unwanted movements may occur at rest and intentional movement may become impossible. The piece looks at six disorders in particular: tremor, dystonia, chorea, hemiballismus, myoclonus, and Parkinsonism. The qualities of these disorders, repetitive and rhythmic, contorted, irregular, violent and flinging, jerky, unpredictable, rigid and constrained, are the basis for this piece. The dance was created specifically for film, using editing to further exemplify the disturbance of movement within these disorders. It is presented in tribute to the courageous people who live with these disorders.