A description of a DANCE AND IMPROVISATION WORKSHOP

 Towards moving  thinking 

We will start with movement exploration focusing on developmental movement patterns as a way to find yourself as a mover and a help to root  yourself into your own moving and physical imagination. We use movement exploration also as a source to play with weight, time and space and finding different dialogues. 

We´ll be working on solos, duets and trios with different tasks to increase one´s awareness to choreographic, compositional and other choice making while dancing, also finding ways to let go.

How do you articulate the unknown? Watching other people moving and discussing is also part of the workshop.

About the workshop:

TOWARDS MOVING THINKING  is a workshop (and a name for some collected and developed teaching material) I have taught past years to various groups from dance students and professionals to very mixed groups or to people from different backgrounds (other than dance or art).The content of the workshop lives and changes depending on the group. The main idea still staying the same: From movement exploration to moving (dancing) thinking and improvisation.

Some thinking behind:

If I needed to point out 3 things about my teaching (“the thinking behind the teaching”) they would be 

1. Everyone is a mover. Through moving you find yourself more as a mover and by finding yourself as a mover you start to recognize ways you think about bodies and human beings as movers. (And also how we are as human beings). You might also become more aware of your own ideas & ideals of dance and how your dancing, the way you think about dancing is related to the more general idea of dance and dancing in the society you live in. I think dance is always documentary - when I watch dance I like to read the moving through different lenses of cultural/societal/educational/political rules, expectations, sanctions and issues happening in the society.  Things that are told and things that are not told but stay hidden, behind or underneath.

Dancing is an individual act and collective one too. 

I´m very fond of classes where people with very different skills and backgrounds meet dancing. With the help of simple tasks and exercises people  find their own ways to move and engage into moving dialogues in which different kinds of knowledge is spread and shared. I´m often amazed how people learn from each other and about themselves and other people through moving. 

Willingness to be seen and willingness to see others moving.

2. Becoming aware of choices. Practicing exploration and improvisation as a way to increase the awareness of your own choice making in everyday life situations too.    Exploration and play will lead into improvisation (giving attention also to time and other compositional issues). How is one´s chorographical thinking and choicemaking happening in different circumstances?

How do you embody your life? How are you in your moving thinking? Who moves you? What moves you in this world?

Self expression is important but so are the skills to listen (to oneself and others)

3. No to pain - how to find more economy and playfulness  - "brain needs play". I´m influenced by different somatic methods which are feeding movement exploration. Finding ways to have dialogues in moving with others, with space, with different topics. 

Accepting the unknown and living with it (it´s not just freelance artists that are familiar with constant changes and unsure futures)

The reason I mention pain here, goes back to the time I studied dance in Amsterdam at the School for New Dance Development in the years 1991-95. In the autumn 1992 I crushed with my bike in the street (funny or not trying to avoid a dog which I managed to do) and I ended up with a herniated disc, lots of pain and a long sick leave from the studies. Now more than 20 years later I think that having that kind of an injury when being 22 years old lead me more towards somatic methods and finding my own ways to build  “a career” as a dancer, an artist and a teacher.

Of course there are many other influences too. In the last 20 years I have worked as an artist mainly outside theatre buildings and art context and taught dance, improvisation, movement exploration to non-professional dancers. I´m interested in the everyday life and society, the way we embody our thinking (and everything else) and move through our lives and in our environment.

Photos: Annuska Dal Maso