DERVISH IN PROGRESS

Aims and Objectives:

This workshop suggests a space for the participants where they can challenge their limits through whirling, stimulate their ability for the thrift of bodily energy, and through these abilities reach their goal movement within their own genre, spending less energy, with a higher level of awareness.

Whirling is not the main objective of this workshop. The greater goal is to improve one’s physical, emotional and mental awareness through whirling and the exercises prior to that. It leads the participants to perceive and accept what is befalling throughout whirling, and reach an innovative movement by means of whirling.

Methodology:

The workshop consists of following steps:

• Warm up: stretching and breathing in order to enhance concentration preparing the body and mind to gain strength to push mental and physical limits.

• Awareness: This step includes floor work, body part & upside down exercises, basic acrobatics and improvisation in various levels. It aims to strength the awareness of senses and systems in preparation for meeting the unknown arrangements to be encountered while whirling.

• Whirling: Further developments of physical, emotional and mental awareness are to be obtained in this step. Whirling first starts at the vertical level. At the further steps repetitive movements are to be experienced at both vertical and horizontal levels. This step helps the participants to feel and record the conditions of their perception of space and body; thus the awareness improves. This is a step where the participants in various aspects confront conditions that are not usual or accustomed. By accepting the unknown, the knowledge concerning awareness and ability for the thrift of bodily energy will expand.

Ziya Azazi shared his experiences and knowledge with public in academic and non-academic settings. He has given workshops in over 20 countries: Vienna (A); Brussels (BE); Balchik (BG); Sao Paolo (BR); Toronto (CA); St. Gallen (CH); Bogotá (COL); Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg (D); Arhus (DK); Quito (ECU); Cairo (EG); Arles, Avignon, Clermont Ferrand, Crolles, Draguignan, Dunkerque, Le Creusot, Paris, Toulon, Aix en Provence, Roubaix, Brive le G, La Roche sY, Bretigny, La Rochelle, Nice (FR); Mondovi, Venice, Terni (IT); Beirut (LB); Klaipeda (LT); Amsterdam, Utrecht (NL); Portimao (PT); Ljubljana (SI); Galica, Manresa (SP); Istanbul, Samsun, Antalya, Mardin (TR); Caracas, Cumana (VEN); London (UK); Harare (ZW); Cape Town (ZA).

Ziya Azazi gave workshops at the International Choreographic Training Programme titled “Choreographic Collision” leaded by Ismael Ivo, within the framework of Venice Dance Biennale and to the students of Modern Dance Department of Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul (TR). He also gave lectures to the postgraduate students of Performance Making Programme at Goldsmiths University, London (UK); in Dvoreca, Balchik (BG) and at Culture University Istanbul (TR).

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REQUIREMENTS

Length of Time:  When it is one day only, it is preferable to keep it minimum 4 hours. It may be extended at some occasions, when applicable, upon the request of the participants and the instructor, this extension does not require extra charges . For more than one day workshop, the suggested length of time is minimum 3 hours. Occasional extensions do not require extra charges, either. These extensions are only for the sake of the effectiveness of the workshop.

Number of Participants: Minimum 10; maximum 25 participants if the space is suitable (please also see the space requirements).

Space Requirements:  Minimum 5 square meters per person. For example for 25 person, the space should be about 125 square meters, which is about 10 m x 12 m. (It can be acceptable if the space is agreeably smaller, unless it’s smaller than 4 square meter per person.) It is crucial not to have obstacles in the room, especially columns.

Dance Floor: Any basis suitable for dance (absorbent soft and even flat/wooden floor, dance linoleum, etc). If there is a dance-linoleum, it should be fixed perfectly, with no possibilities to distract the participants, to cause them losing their balance. There should be no inclinations. The floor should be cleaned and mopped before the workshop (however, it should be absolutely dry). It is important to avoid using any slippery cleaning material.

Music System: Music is a very significant component of the workshop. There is a necessity of a music system relevant to the requirements of the space, in terms of its size, height of the ceiling, echo level, open-air, etc. The musical arrangements will be done through the notebook of the instructor; therefore the music system (an amplifier and speakers) should be connectable to a PC.

Participant Information: Anybody who is willing can attend this workshop, in any age and with any professional background, including professional dancers, choreographers, as well as people with no prior dance experience. However, it is very useful for the instructor to receive the name, date of birth, profession, health conditions, information beforehand. The instructor will be paying individual attention to each person, considering his or her limits, knowledge and interests.