Don’t ask me why; I cannot explain it - but I’ve been thinking about ‘gait’ a great deal, these days.
Perhaps it has to do with our proximity to the streetscape - a wall of windows overlooking our main avenue and a park across the way, give one leisure (if time is not an issue) to observe the human animal as it moves within its ‘natural’ environment.
Take, for instance, this afternoon. As I sat, briefly (40 minutes?), observing the passersby in all their various shapes and sizes, what stood out more than the variety of body types, was the way in which they moved through space; that each one of them had a unique pattern of movement, in part, determined by time and the proximity of their next commitment, or lack thereof.
Of course, much of it falls to nature’s design of the collection of bones that lie beneath each person’s flesh - but still, there are common denominators that allow us to apply general terms to describe the ‘type’ of gait one sees when observing someone who is in a hurry, or feeling low, or that which reflects determination; all these attributes can be applied to the gait one has.
When one ‘marches’ straight for us - we understand, in our minds, what that action looks like.
Or if one ‘strides’ through a crowd - we can picture, perhaps, the arrogance that may accompany such a gait.
When one is ‘motoring’, it presents another image altogether.
And are there certain gaits that we find more attractive than others?
Has anyone ever asked that question?
I know that many questions have been asked about the gait in general and the study of such movement has become a science in itself.
You don’t believe me?
Well, let me just say that the observation of ‘gait’ has been around for ages but was only brought to the fore by such renowned individuals as Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey who photographed or 'took' what basically amounted to movies, of various gaits, thus shining a spotlight into a dark corner, regarding movement.
But it was a fellow named Milton Hildebrand who really got the whole ball rolling(or walking...) for he began to classify gaits and recorded the patterns of how they were made, truly creating a science around it.
It seems rather complicated but it really isn’t - we’re all human, we all move, and we all have a certain way of moving - and some of that may very well be hereditary.
What I definitely know at this present moment - is that I must sprint to bed!
Imagine, if you will (if you must) - and then forget it.
Just gallop off at your own pace to see what awaits you.
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