Improvisation

These workshops are for movement-based practitioners and students, artists from other forms interested in collaborations with movers, as well as for community members who foster a professional approach, interest and desire to exploring the moving body

Workshops

• Return To The Body

  A weekend of movement research – the body as creative resource.
  As movement artists our bodies are our primary creative resource and can be potent starting points for the making of dance and movement based performance work. In this workshop I would like to share some of my current and ongoing movement and performance research. By delving deeper into the vast creative resource of the body, we will source not only movement and sensation, but also meaning and metaphor from the resource of our bodies – keeper of mysteries, memories and magical mobile moments!.

• The Call Of The Wild

  A improvisation workshop exploring movement research based around explorations of the animal within all moving bodies. By delving deeper into the vast creative resource of the body and the deep connection we share with animals, we will source not only movement and sensation, but also meaning and metaphor, exploring gesture, presence, instinct & connectivity with self & other through improvisation.

• Improvisation & The FUNdamentals of the Dancing Body

  Exploring fundamental principles of movement that invite functional alignment and dynamic easeful dancing. Moving from principles that are innate in every body, we will play with solo, duo and group improvisations, to enhance our access to easefull, dynamic dancing. Exploring central and peripheral initiation, momentum, fluidity, power and pleasure in the moving body, we will invite our dancing experience into rich layers of embodiment, spontaneous new pathways and delightfull connections.

• Dancing In & Out of Contact

  Contact Improvisation is a dance form based on a rolling point of contact between 2 or more participants. In this workshop we explore fundamental principles of motion that underpin Contact Improvisation and easeful, embodied dancing. Playing with rolling, reaching, pushing, falling, centering and ex-centering we will unfold into dancing that enhances playfulness, awareness, skill and pleasure in improvisation, contact improvisation and the spaces between.

• The Constant Change

  A chance for participants to explore and develop their skills, both as dancers and as choreographers with Angus Balbernie and Janis Claxton
  These workshops offer participants a chance to explore, extend and investigate the links between dance improvisation and composition. Both can be developed with a clear technical training, and imaginative individual work.
  Each day a morning session is led by Janis Claxton exploring the moving body through technique and improvisations based in fundamental movement principles. Playing with the dynamic pulls of gravity, extension and momentum, partuicipants are guided to expand range and discover new pathways and possibilities of motion.
  The afternoons led by Angus Balbernie take this physical training and movement material into a series of compositional explorations, looking at clear choreographic skills, and compositional techniques. Using articulation and imagery, participants work with physical and imaginative choices, individually, and collectively, to devise, shape, edit and direct.

Upcoming Workshops

1. • Sat 29 Nov '08
   • Return to the Body
   • Bristol Dance Centre
2. • Sun 30 Nov '08
   • Return to the Body
   • Bristol Dance Centre
3. • Sat 06 Dec '08
   • Dancing In & Out of Contact
   • St Stephen's Centre Edinburgh
4. • Sun 07 Dec '08
   • Dancing In & Out of Contact
   • St Stephen's Centre Edinburgh