ABSTRACT
Both human babies and chimpanzees learn to perform the dynamic-structure, continuous-rotation. This is a Third Generation Structure arising out of both differentiation and fusion of earlier generations of, side-to-side and push-pulling oscillations. In whole-body play it entails spinning on the spot, essentially using one’s own spinal column as a central axis. In close-up, fi eld-of-view play in human childhood the rotation is minimised with the use of hand or fi ngers (and perhaps with a handheld tool or toy). When empty-handed, it consists of invisible traces made in empty space, whilst in drawing it manifests itself as visible, elliptical tracings of pigment on a surface. This begins with the child ‘opening up’, as it were, what were originally highly condensed push-pull and arcing movements into elliptical movements so that empty spaces are gradually left in between elongated closures. Congo the chimpanzee does this too in his painting (see Figure 1.1). Gradually, both child and painting chimpanzee make rotations which are more circular in shape. There are a couple of such very roughly circular closures in Congo’s painting. We will look at whole-body rotational play fi rst of all. When continuous-rotation starts to emerge in human infancy, it is noteworthy that the child becomes interested in all that spins and moves in ellipses and circles. The rotating child might become interested in the rotation of clothes in a washing machine, of electric fans, helicopters, lion-dances or even hurricanes seen on TV. The child also sees older siblings or friends performing elliptical movements and tries to emulate these. First attempts at continuous-rotation may lead to giddiness and falling over.
