Resources and Publications
These pages are a living archive of Nancy’s work– if you see something she’s written that we’ve missed, please reach out!
If you have something that you think belongs in the list, please email us.
Associations
International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA®)
Publications by Nancy Topf
Topf, Nancy. “The Anatomy of Center: An introduction to the Topf Technique® and Dynamic Anatomy (Excerpts), with a History of Release Technique and Writings by Barbara Clarke, Marsha Paludan, Melinda Buckwalter, and Jen Harmon.” CQ Chapbook 3/37, no.2 (summer/fall 2012).
“Between Contact and Release.” Contact Quarterly 23, no. 1 (Winter/Spring 1998): 63–64.
“Dartington Document.” New Dance 22 (1982): 5–6.
“Freely Floating, Grass Grows through Concrete: Twenty Years with Movement Research.” Movement Research Performance Journal no. 17 (Fall/Winter 1998/1999): 5.
“Game Structures, A Performance.” Contact Quarterly 5, no. 3/4 (Spring/Summer 1980): 20–22.
“One Day, a Dance.” Contact Quarterly 9, no.1 (Fall 1983): 10–13.
Topf, N., and J. Gibson. Nancy Topf Papers (1946–2012), Archival Material, Fales Collection, New York University, Bobst Library.
Topf, N., M. Paludan, J. van Eijden, and C Svane. “John Rolland Remembered.” Contact Quarterly 19, no. 2 (Summer/Fall 1994): 13–18.
Books
Bernard, Andre, Wolfgang Steinmuller, and Ursula Stricker. Ideokinesis: A Creative Approach to Human Movement and Body Alignment. Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books, 2006.
Buckwalter, Melinda. Composing While Dancing: An Improviser’s Companion. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2010.
Dowd, Irene. Taking Root to Fly: Seven Articles on Functional Anatomy. Northampton, Mass.: Contact Collaborations, 1981.
Eddy, Martha. Mindful Movement: The Evolution of the Somatic Arts and Conscious Action. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017.
Matt, Pamela. A Kinesthetic Legacy: The Life and Works of Barbara Clark. Tempe, Ariz.: CMT, 1993.
Rolland, John. Inside Motion: An Ideokinetic Basis for Movement Education. N.p.: Rolland String Research Associates, 1987.
Todd, Mabel. The Thinking Body. Dance Horizons, 1937.
Dissertations
Cho, Eun-sook. “Integration of Body and Mind through Kinesthetic Imagery: Nancy Topf’s Repatterning Technique in Dance Training and Creative Process.” NYU Program in Dance Education, Department of Music and Performing Arts and Pro- fessions, 1998.
Films
Corfield, Loraine. The Thinking Body: The Legacy of Mabel Todd Explained, the Ideas and Practice of a Pioneer in the Mind-Body Connection, featuring Nancy Topf, Andre Bernard, and Sally Swift. 1999.
Journal Articles
Eddy, Martha. “A Brief History of Somatic Practices and Dance: Historical Development of the Field of Somatic Education and Its Relationship to Dance.” Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices 1, no. 1 (2009). doi: 10.1386/jdsp.1.1.5/1
Journals
Contact Quarterly:
Numerous articles were written by and about Nancy Topf
Release— a Mystery: by Melinda Buckwalter
The Anatomy of Center—excerpt: by Nancy Topf
The Intervention of Topf Technique®: by Hetty King
Websites
Thinking Body Institute:
Online archive for Mabel Todd, Lulu Sweigard, Andre Bernard, and Barbara Clark