AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS & LAboratories

Workshops of movement research inspired by or supporting the practice of Contact Improvisation. Facilitated laboratories to continue to the research, group and individual investigation, and share a space for curiosity and development.

Additional formats include the Underscore jam, new comers support group, feed-backing sessions, and focused jamming.

2019 workshop descriptions below.

Svetta Bird – Traveling masses

Constant impermanence

I’m fascinated to go deeper into observations of the mass shifts in our bodies’ and what lies beyond; the constant traveling centers of masses, even perceivable in stillness. The process of redistributing, and following the way of mass shifts while in physical movement seems never ending. We will build our journey by practicing concrete movements of our masses through abstract mental approaches to enrich our dance skills and maybe even make a little glance at some metaphysical aspects of moving. And just to enjoy Contact Improvisation – one of the best ways to express the dance of the universe.

DANIEL DRAGOESCU

HOLISTIC DANCE – THE FREEDOM OF LIMITATION

Working with predetermined body frames to breathe more creativity into motion and allow the emergence of new ways in our movement and dance; By adopting certain motion (and not only) principles we’ll explore and develop a conscious flow within imposed physical restrictions and beyond the usual personal patterns. We ask physical questions then find and share together dancing answers. Absorbing Ground – Building and collapsing structures from a shift in the relationship with the ground – using bone frames in individual and partner work (non-muscular approach in groundwork) and expanding into a common collective structure. Working with and through layers and levels of interaction – resistance, surrender and proposal.

IGOR HALIZEV

Dynamic supports and lifting in contact improvisation and partnering

Dynamic, inertial, and flying supports in contact improvisation require a special mutual alignment and cohesion of the partners’ movement, as well as an understanding of the mechanics of the movement of a two-body structure. This is why, in studying them, the details and development of certain joint movement skills are necessary. In this class we will study how momentum and dynamics allow you to control your own weight and the weight of the partner and how to use this in support at different levels. We study several different support options at three levels. Also, we will learn how easy it is to be on the partner’s shoulder and how comfortable it can be to stay there. As a warm-up and preparation for flights, we will use the Inertial-Wave Motion – an exercise set developed on the basis of the Axis Syllabus system. All you wanted to know about support. Detailed analysis of flights.

Virginia Negru & Catalin Diaconu

The flow of opposites

Movement happens because of contrasting forces. There is gravity pull and there is the opposing reaction of the materials that do not let our body simply melt into the center of the earth. There is also friction, and there is inertia, both containing opposition in their functioning. Commonly opposition is seen as something undesirable, but actually this is what creates change, movement redirection and newness. So when we look closer we discover that contrasting forces are at the same time complementary forces. We want to work in our class with the analogy of water and stone, as an example of contrast that generates movement. This metaphorical view on movement and CI principles will lead us to practical understanding and organic embodiment of technicalities of Contact. It will help those that practice CI to rediscover, deepen and refresh their improvisation by revisiting movement patterns that became mechanical. And for those that come for the first time, or feel beginner, the class will offer an organic way to learn the CI basic principles of sharing the weight, rolling the point of contact, reaching, pouring, lifting, falling. ‘Same thing, new eyes’ or ‘Newness of the simple’.

IRINA TRIPPEl

AUTHENTIC RELATING IN CONTACT IMPROVISATION

Authentic Relating Games are a collection of experiences that give dancers a hands-on taste of both the joy and skills of interpersonal connection. The Workshop will take you through a series of interactions that are designed to:

Highlight and train body awareness. Create a sense of connection. Boost empathy
Strengthen community and a sense of belonging & to have fun!

I invite you to listen and reflect in realtime, to share your emotional state, to notice and reach into your desire, and to become self-aware within connection. We will put this practice then into our contact dance and see how it shapes our experience of the dance..

DANIELE SARDELLA

FLUID ACROBATICS INTO CI

“Increasing the vocabulary in order to enjoy more speaking”. The acrobatic movements shared in this class are considered as instruments to increase the possibilities to adapt to the partner’s movement and maintain the flow of the dance. We will work on the possibilities opened by giving all our weight to our partner, on facing the fears of back bending and of being upside down with the weight on the hands. We will explore these topics with a somatic approach (metodo BioTransazionale) that take care of the health of our bodies avoiding the risks of overcome our joints limits. The result is a richer dance in a healthier body. Suitable for people who has some experience in CI.

SARANTOULA SARANTAKI

Can you fall with me?

In this CI basics class we study one of the aspect that makes the dance exciting, the moment of fall. Can we allow ourselves to fall alone or with a partner? How the fall can contribute to the continuity of our dance? Through touch and improvisation tasks we will look closer to these question and eventually share and fall into dance.