Improvisation Thursday evenings, 7-8:30pm

Dance Maker labs Friday mornings, 10am-12

 

A new series of guest teacher classes for experienced movers & makers of all kinds

April 20th-21st Amy Voris

April 27th-28th Laura Doehler

May 4th-5th Hannah Buckley

May 11th-12th Akeim Toussaint Buck

May 18th-19th Andrea Buckley & Paula Hampson

May 25th-26th Mor Demer

June 1-2 Eleanor Sikorski

 

 

Book online at: https://bookwhen.com/mpearsonater

 

 

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Amy Voris

Improvisation Session

This session will be informed by experiential anatomy and contemporary dance improvisation practices which draw on the materiality of the body as a poetic resource. The session will begin with a brief introduction to the day’s anatomical theme, followed by experiential explorations and gentle prompts for solo and collective improvisation. The last portion of the session will be accompanied by sound and offer space for integration.

My approach to facilitating experiential anatomy is deeply influenced by the work of Linda Hartley, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Andrea Olsen, Caryn McHose, Miranda Tufnell, Fabiano Culora and Janet Kaylo.

 

Dance Maker’s Lab

Informed by experiential anatomy and the improvisational values of Authentic Movement (also known as the ‘mover-witness dyad’), this session will begin with open structures for moving which gradually overlap with gentle prompts for generating movement material. In the latter part of the session, we will explore the process of returning to (self-selected) movement material as an invitation to grow and deepen the relationship with it. The overall intention is to cultivate sensitivity to the emergence and quality of movement alongside an imaginative and atmospheric pleasure in solo-dancing. Time for reflection will be embedded within the session and individualised responses are welcome throughout.

 

 

Hannah Buckley

Hannah’s class is all about tuning into bodily sensations as a way to generate movement. The intention of the class is to focus on what is present in the body, to develop our ‘noticing’ and to let our bodies lead us into movement.

 

 

Akeim Toussaint Buck

Beatmotion is a practice of voice/vocality and movement that I started developing in 2015. It started off as a practice of simply merging beatboxing/singing with dance and has further developed into a sophisticated, fun tool for choreography and character exploration. Deconstructing words into syllabic forms, creating improv compositions with vocal scores and seeking a deeper understanding of movement dynamics whilst communicating with vocal sound. This leads into creating accompaniment and sound effects for our dance, learning the: motor, counter, interlocker game and more. Inviting an acute listening and connecting with fellow performers to create orchestral musicality in both our dance and sound, unearthing new dynamics to play with.

This is all explored using practices created with a combination of singing and movement improvisation ideas. It is always a joy and liberation to share this practice as it invites us to be open minded and challenge what our artistic expression can look like, sound like and feel like.

 

 

Laura Doehler

Improvisation Session: Breathing spirals

Working with anatomy in resourceful ways by perceiving how spirals as energetic and changing form grow from and out of our body into space, encountering other bodies and pathways. In addition, we will integrate breath to support the subtle ebb and flow, the growth and inward foldings of spirals to remind us how all movement has already begun and to catch the ride for its continuation.

Dance Makers Lab: Co-existence and Encounters

Language as a means of communication is both embodied as well as spoken. We will be looking at two contracts that spoken language implies: ‘when addressed one has to listen’ and ‘when speaking we edit content and manner as we consider the one who is listening’ to then ask how we can actively involve the body as part of the conversation to lessen or increase the pressure these constellations come with. Underlying this research is the question of how we can allow for a co-existence to emerge that offers all participants the freedom to be themselves yet allow encounters to be regenerative; weaving choreographic with social research.