Soft ground - Professional Training Class

This class combines elements of Release technique, contact and Forsythe improvisation methods.

During the warm-up we strive to acknowledge and learn to trust the ground as the main support of the body’s weight and motions. Often class will begin on the floor, in the form of an improvisation. As we challenge known movement patterns by discovering varying points and ideas of initiation, we will focus on using our breathing in a way that facilitates dynamic changes.  

Class continues with either set exercises or improv tasks meant to increase range of motion, our awareness of the space and of the connection with people around us.

A movement sequence or group improvisation at the end of class will give room for experiencing the pure pleasure of moving together, simultaneously applying and exploring even further the discoveries made throughout class.

Trying, failing and not-knowing are highly encouraged.

Forsythe Improvisation Workshop

Body, effort, shape and space as components of the Laban BESS model serve as the point of departure for this Forsythe improvisation workshop. Dancers will familiarize themselves with the endless possibilities of re-combining the elements of the model, and the role of decision making regarding these elements within the Forsythe Improvisation Technologies. Playing with varying points and ideas of initiating movement, dancers will be encouraged to explore new movement qualities and to expand on what they already know, continuously exploring what else it could be.

The workshop is open to dancers from various dance backgrounds. We’ll spend time on individual exploration as well as on partnering and group work, geared towards developing a deeper understanding of the physical organization of the moving body, and of the various intentions we can use as a starting point for generating movement.

The aim of this workshop is to create a supportive environment for continuous trial and error, and for a growing awareness of the individual as well as the collective moving body in time and space. 

Image header: Matthias Gruner