Task 1: Body Mapping 

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My first step in this inquiry was to use body mapping to explore the many layers of my embodied memories. Using the ideas presented in the introduction, I chose to explore how the body could communicate before the mind was fully involved. I started with my eyes closed, still and silent, gradually checking how my body felt from top to bottom, watching for any changes in temperature, sensation, tension and emotions. The arms and the chest were the first areas that needed attention. When I allowed the movements to happen naturally, these regions moved with a gentle, rounded and fluid motion. These actions were not meant to look nice; instead, they happened because certain postures and feelings brought back memories. 

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After the improvisation, I created a body map to highlight the spots where I remembered most. The map was mostly made up of curved lines, which showed the circular nature of the movement. I discovered that memory appeared not in the form of a story but as a rhythm, the breath of the dance and the shape of the dance space, guided by how the movement was remembered. 

This task was guided by Connerton’s concept of incorporated memory and Varela, Thompson and Rosch’s theory of enactive cognition. Through body mapping, I accessed these embedded memories and brought them into conscious exploration, aligning with my broader research aim of understanding how the body remembers and thinks in motion and how improvisation serves as a method for accessing and reshaping embodied knowledge. Specifically, the task provided a concrete way to observe how the body recalls and generates movement based on embodied memory rather than cognitive planning, demonstrating the potential of improvisation as a tool for cognitive and mnemonic engagement.