Thursday a.m. Idea Post 2/26

I googled the word "balance" and a laundry list of phrases appeared in the browser. Starting with balance sheet, balance scorecard, balanced diet, balance of payments, balance transfer to balance board, balance of power, balance of trade, and balance beam. Balance plays a particularly popular role in the lives of humans today on many different levels. Because balance is so key to each of my performances, I am particularly interested in the science of our abilities to maintain our center of gravity; literally and metaphorically speaking.
An ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway scientifically explains balance. A human's vestibular system, eyesight, perception of pressure from the somata sensory system are mentioned as key players in one's ability to maintain balance for periods of time. The vestibular system helps contribute to our spatital awareness and is very much interconnected with cochlea and auditory system. Each person has a different limit to their stability and each person has a different limit of balance figuratively speaking. Our breaking points or our points of falling over after our limit of stability has expired very much describe what kind of person we are and how we function in amongst others in the world.
When comprehending the word balance literally, I think of how challenging it is for me to balance on my left leg with my right foot off the floor. However, when I switch to balancing on my right leg, all my issues I have with maintaining balance for a period of time disappear. My most recent performance occurred three days ago and it involved me balancing on my left leg on a rickety wooden ladder while peeling off layers upon layers of clothing and also holding all the disrobed layers in my arms. This performance became a true testament to the importance of internal and external balance in my performances. Frustration overcame me quickly into the start of the performance and containing myself became part of the challenge and struggle of visualizing these layers of clothing as layers of a struggle that I am keeping close in my arms and staying fully aware of.

Balance
Childhood Balance
Vestibular System