“Yes. We practiced communicating without words,” Ms Sheaff said. The girls remembered the 80-20 principal also.

“Eighty percent of focus is on…,” she started.

“Self,” the girls replied.

“And 20 percent on others,” Ms Sheaff finished. “The ‘Me-We Principle’ is that you have to be you, an individual, and also work as a whole group.”

Another recollection included getting stuck in a pose.

“You were working on being still — that’s one of the hardest things to do!” Ms Sheaff said.

Describing her goals during a three-day Pilobolus workshop — imaginative athletic exploration and creative collaboration in the world of dance and movement — hosted at The Graceful Planet in Sandy Hook, Ms Sheaf’s objectives were clear: “Work on creative ways to work together, make dances, look for something new.”

Pilobolus Dance Theater is based in Washington (Conn.). The Pilobolus Institute, which offered the workshop at the Sandy Hook moving arts center February 2-4, is the educational arm of Pilobolus Dance Theater.

Friday’s workshop began with group activities.

“Walk quietly with your eyes up off the ground,” she instructed. “We’re warming up our muscles, getting our blood flowing. Try to be quiet on your feet. Walk faster.”

Girls wound through the room and passed one another, wound outward, and turned back to the center again.

“Walk faster,” Ms Sheaff said. “Focus. Get close and get low.” Twisting their shoulders lower as they brushed past one another in a tangle, the girls giggled.

“Faster!” Ms Sheaff said. “Stay calm.”

“Slow, go back to walking … now get on the ground.” Girls scrambled and crawled, still giggling. “Try something new. Roll.”

As the girls stood again, Ms Sheaff instructed: “Walk backwards, it is the same as forward, but you just have to be a little more aware.”

She asked the girls to come closer together. “Walk through each other.” They also soon huddled together. “Be aware,” Ms Sheaff said. “Be still.”

Graceful Planet Director Grace Barton Harvey said the workshops “help keep it interesting. [They] help students become better dancers, become more self-confident with all they do, not just dance.”