WEEK 3 // 02.07-08.07
02.07-06.07 // Body. Love. Movement! Queer dance class!
TRAINING
With: Mzamo Jama
Dates: 02.07-06.07 Mon - Fri
Time: 10AM-12PM
Participation fee: 7€-11€ *sliding scale
POCs to the front but all queers welcome!
With: Mzamo Jama
Dates: 02.07-06.07 Mon - Fri
Time: 10AM-12PM
Participation fee: 7€-11€ *sliding scale
POCs to the front but all queers welcome!
"This is a workshop class where we use movement to explore different possibilities and challenge our limitation through physicality and imagination. We will explore elements such as the voice, theatricality, movement and emotions as empowering tools. Let us take a moment to meet, to free the body of its own limitation. Let us go through a journey to discover new hidden gems using our bodies. Open all your senses, discover how the smell changes, how your vision elevates your fantasy, how dense the taste of your thoughts is. This is an experiment. There are no mistakes but only 'what ifs'."
02.07-06.07 // Process of materialisation of fiction
WORKSHOP
With : Pavle Heidler
Dates: 02.07-06.07 Mon - Fri
Time: 1pm-5pm
Participation fee: 150€-200€ *sliding scale
With : Pavle Heidler
Dates: 02.07-06.07 Mon - Fri
Time: 1pm-5pm
Participation fee: 150€-200€ *sliding scale
The Process of Materialisation of Fiction is: a developing answer to a continual questioning – and is: a self-reflective dance practice. This practice suggests a way in which to study the ability of the individual’s nervous system to translate information (back and forth) between the “felt,” “sensed,” “imagined,” “immaterial” and the “materialised,” “physicalised,” “moved,” “spoken,” “performed.”
In as much as the “felt” and “sensed” etc. is “inwardly oriented,” and so functioning in the realm of the invisible: the “intimate” or the realm of “internal dialogue;” so is the “materialised” and “physicalised” “outwardly oriented” i.e. “performed,” visible to the scrutinising gaze of the public eye. How these two worlds relate to one another is, in my experience, not always given. This practice is developing to look at the specific relationships formed between internal motivators and equivalent performatives in an attempt to understand the relation between: the intimate and the public; or between: the intended and the communicated – always within a specific context. Given consent, studied will be examples drawn from individual participant’s personal experiences.
The aim of this workshop is to tackle the following questions:
1. How does one affirm their internal monologue as real, as sane, and argue it as work within the context of object- and objectivity, prescribed-value-oriented western culture of contemporary and experimental dancing, choreography, and art?
2. How does one begin to articulate strategies for guiding attention and creating the circumstances within which to manage a precise exchange of meaning, successfully; especially when working with abstract or otherwise non-obvious mediums [such is dancing]?
This work is intended for those who have to work quickly, and transition frequently between aesthetic environments and organisational power structures. This work is intended to be rewarding for queers looking to articulate strategies that are to help maintain spaces of heightened or specific attention for as long as necessary; folk working to hold spaces of fluid but persistent non-violent resistance. It is also intended for those who love a good challenge or are interested in nuanced articulation and precise execution of movement, sound, dance, and word.
Some of the topics that will be encountered during the work week are: gender theory and theory of performativity / language, communication and the production of meaning / systems of valorisation (oppression + order/chaos) / relationality (history-present, reality-fiction) / the notion of scale, in psycho-somatic and socio-political terms / the importance of thinking contextually / psychology of responsibility and consequence / redefining the workings and the purpose of the inner judge / and reconstructing the mind-body split into a functioning body-mind; a thinking, feeling, and sensing organism capable of elemental transformation.
In as much as the “felt” and “sensed” etc. is “inwardly oriented,” and so functioning in the realm of the invisible: the “intimate” or the realm of “internal dialogue;” so is the “materialised” and “physicalised” “outwardly oriented” i.e. “performed,” visible to the scrutinising gaze of the public eye. How these two worlds relate to one another is, in my experience, not always given. This practice is developing to look at the specific relationships formed between internal motivators and equivalent performatives in an attempt to understand the relation between: the intimate and the public; or between: the intended and the communicated – always within a specific context. Given consent, studied will be examples drawn from individual participant’s personal experiences.
The aim of this workshop is to tackle the following questions:
1. How does one affirm their internal monologue as real, as sane, and argue it as work within the context of object- and objectivity, prescribed-value-oriented western culture of contemporary and experimental dancing, choreography, and art?
2. How does one begin to articulate strategies for guiding attention and creating the circumstances within which to manage a precise exchange of meaning, successfully; especially when working with abstract or otherwise non-obvious mediums [such is dancing]?
This work is intended for those who have to work quickly, and transition frequently between aesthetic environments and organisational power structures. This work is intended to be rewarding for queers looking to articulate strategies that are to help maintain spaces of heightened or specific attention for as long as necessary; folk working to hold spaces of fluid but persistent non-violent resistance. It is also intended for those who love a good challenge or are interested in nuanced articulation and precise execution of movement, sound, dance, and word.
Some of the topics that will be encountered during the work week are: gender theory and theory of performativity / language, communication and the production of meaning / systems of valorisation (oppression + order/chaos) / relationality (history-present, reality-fiction) / the notion of scale, in psycho-somatic and socio-political terms / the importance of thinking contextually / psychology of responsibility and consequence / redefining the workings and the purpose of the inner judge / and reconstructing the mind-body split into a functioning body-mind; a thinking, feeling, and sensing organism capable of elemental transformation.
02.07- 06.07 // Queer Self Defense or babes' bodies as weaponized healing against the state
With: Eroca Nicols & Summer *Eroca and Summer will alternate teaching days
Dates: 02.07 -06.07
Time: 6PM-8PM
Participation fee: 7-11€
EROCA NICOLS'S CLASS
BB WHAT?! Ongoing queer Investigation into martial arts practice centering women and queers. How might martial arts practices be generative for thinking about queer resistance within the dance community and beyond?
When I say weaponize, I mean building our bodies, queer bodies, women's bodies, poc bodies, into physicalized resistance to state domination. A body that can shut down violence being acted upon it is a subversive body, a body generative of narrative beyond victimhood, a weapon of self care against the state. My Friendsei (alternative word for mestre or master that my teacher and I have come up with,) Fernando Rebelo, told me Brazilian jiu-jitsu is “a practice of meeting your death every day.” Bjj practitioners know that anyone on the mat with more skills can kill them. This is heavy but it is also what it is like moving through the world in a queer body, a woman's body or a poc body under white supremacist heteropatriarchy. To come to the mat is to reckon with trauma and mortality, directly, in an embodied way. And this, in my experience, can be terrifying. Many barriers to training for queer and gender non-conforming folks exist. For this reason, the practice and development of queer pedagogy in martial arts and making accessible spaces for this work is a priority. Skills from Brazilian jiu jitsu, Muay Thai as well as contemporary dance and strength training will be employed.
SUMMER' S CLASS
Mon 18th, Wed 20th, Fri 22nd, Tues 26th, Thurs, 28th (from 6-8pm)
Hi!
For my class i’ll be teaching beginners and mixed levels Muay Thai. Translated as 'the art of 8 limbs’, MT is the national sport of Thailand - similar to kickboxing but incorporating the use of knee and elbow strikes. It’s super hardcore and super fun and my desire is to share it in a way that is queer n trans centric, bodi posi and anti racist/ anti fascist. Personally, MT has helped me feel more comfortable in my body, one that deals with addiction and depression and wants to just feel stronger in general. It’s also great for self defence (although I am teaching it as a sport), weaponizing and building our bodies as Eroca says.
Ok, so classes will be around 2hrs long with breaks and no pressure to do all the things.
A class might something look like this:
Warm up and stretch. Fundamentals explained -how to throw a punch or kick someone in the head;) Partnered exercises where we can practice those techniques with gloves and pads. Basics of defending yourself & some light sparring exercises for anyone interested. Conditioning (this will happen at the end so ppl can easily opt out have a rest or continue with working on technique for example)
At the end we'll warm down/stretch and chat about how the class went. If you have any specific needs or questions email Summer at: comedowntous(at)riseup(dot)net
Dates: 02.07 -06.07
Time: 6PM-8PM
Participation fee: 7-11€
EROCA NICOLS'S CLASS
BB WHAT?! Ongoing queer Investigation into martial arts practice centering women and queers. How might martial arts practices be generative for thinking about queer resistance within the dance community and beyond?
When I say weaponize, I mean building our bodies, queer bodies, women's bodies, poc bodies, into physicalized resistance to state domination. A body that can shut down violence being acted upon it is a subversive body, a body generative of narrative beyond victimhood, a weapon of self care against the state. My Friendsei (alternative word for mestre or master that my teacher and I have come up with,) Fernando Rebelo, told me Brazilian jiu-jitsu is “a practice of meeting your death every day.” Bjj practitioners know that anyone on the mat with more skills can kill them. This is heavy but it is also what it is like moving through the world in a queer body, a woman's body or a poc body under white supremacist heteropatriarchy. To come to the mat is to reckon with trauma and mortality, directly, in an embodied way. And this, in my experience, can be terrifying. Many barriers to training for queer and gender non-conforming folks exist. For this reason, the practice and development of queer pedagogy in martial arts and making accessible spaces for this work is a priority. Skills from Brazilian jiu jitsu, Muay Thai as well as contemporary dance and strength training will be employed.
SUMMER' S CLASS
Mon 18th, Wed 20th, Fri 22nd, Tues 26th, Thurs, 28th (from 6-8pm)
Hi!
For my class i’ll be teaching beginners and mixed levels Muay Thai. Translated as 'the art of 8 limbs’, MT is the national sport of Thailand - similar to kickboxing but incorporating the use of knee and elbow strikes. It’s super hardcore and super fun and my desire is to share it in a way that is queer n trans centric, bodi posi and anti racist/ anti fascist. Personally, MT has helped me feel more comfortable in my body, one that deals with addiction and depression and wants to just feel stronger in general. It’s also great for self defence (although I am teaching it as a sport), weaponizing and building our bodies as Eroca says.
Ok, so classes will be around 2hrs long with breaks and no pressure to do all the things.
A class might something look like this:
Warm up and stretch. Fundamentals explained -how to throw a punch or kick someone in the head;) Partnered exercises where we can practice those techniques with gloves and pads. Basics of defending yourself & some light sparring exercises for anyone interested. Conditioning (this will happen at the end so ppl can easily opt out have a rest or continue with working on technique for example)
At the end we'll warm down/stretch and chat about how the class went. If you have any specific needs or questions email Summer at: comedowntous(at)riseup(dot)net
06.07.2018 // TALK TALK: FEMMEDITATION
TALK TALK
With: Eroca Nicols, pavleheidler, Undine Sommer, Ismail al Bahar, Mzamo Jama, Charlie Laban
Dates: 6.07.2018
Time: 8pm
Participation fee: 3-5€ sliding scale
With: Eroca Nicols, pavleheidler, Undine Sommer, Ismail al Bahar, Mzamo Jama, Charlie Laban
Dates: 6.07.2018
Time: 8pm
Participation fee: 3-5€ sliding scale
Femmeditation is a practice I have developed (with the input and joyous aid of many femmes around the planet) based in rituals of feminized adornment, self-care and emotional labour that can be cultivated one-on-one or in groups. Through manicures, nail-art, the reading aloud of shared texts and other body-based self and other care, we create a social space where being together and honouring the feminine becomes centred, prioritized. Generating a low stakes non-competitive aesthetic environment leaves space for support and emotional labour to emerge without the pressure of organized or demanded sharing of feelings. (Note: honouring the feminine is NOT to the exclusion of masculine presenting people. It is an acknowledgement of the place of feminized care and adornment that exists in a lineage as subordinate to the dominant heterosexual white supremacist patriarchy. Self-identified dudes are welcome as are all genders.)
Femmeditation is a backdrop for discussing hard shit like DEATH, GENDER, RACISM, CLASSISM, etc. or just chilling the fuck out and taking a break from trying to be tough in the fight against global patriarchy and domination.
Femmeditation is a backdrop for discussing hard shit like DEATH, GENDER, RACISM, CLASSISM, etc. or just chilling the fuck out and taking a break from trying to be tough in the fight against global patriarchy and domination.
06.07.2018 // BABES with Maque Pereyra
Time: 10pm
If you know it, you know it. If you don't, just come and find out.
If you know it, you know it. If you don't, just come and find out.
07.07.2018 // Aggressive Snuggling
WORKSHOP
With: Eroca Nicols
Dates: 7.07.2018
Time: 11am-6pm
Participation fee: 40€-90€ *sliding scale
With: Eroca Nicols
Dates: 7.07.2018
Time: 11am-6pm
Participation fee: 40€-90€ *sliding scale
I have recently I started studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I see many parallels to contact. Like CI, in BJJ it is absolutely necessary to commit all my attention to the task at hand because of real physical risk. One of the aspects I love about BJJ and where I see a very real difference from CI, is the incredible clarity of boundaries. When a person "taps out" a little tap on the shoulder or leg or really anywhere that can be reached, means: stop doing what you are doing, let go, physically come apart and start again. Also, before engaging in any touch, there is a customary high five then fist bump. The cues are not a suggestion of agreement, these cues are clear; yes, I agree to engage and; no, I longer agree and we are now stopping.
Often boundaries are muddy in contact improvisation and there are many reasons for this including systemic hetero-patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialist ideas of "freedom" and ableism. CI culture can include clear boundaries but in my experience it does not and this excludes many people particularly many women and femme presenting folks, queer folks, gender fluid folks, people of color and folks of different abilities. I want CI to be a place I can invite my community but it is currently not. Perhaps by adopting some of the explicit consent codes of BJJ, we can address some of the issues around consent and boundaries that exist inside the CI community. And do so with care and openness.
I want to stress the importance and the place for the politics of touch to precede the poetics of touch. I believe that we can begin to work on this and at the same time have a good time learning some fun skills from another partnered movement practice (BJJ.)
Here's a list of some of the things we will definitely do:
-Ask for and receive consent before touching anyone!
-Develop and practice both a physical and a verbal start and stop signal.
-Practice saying yes and saying no and meaning it.
-Practice hearing yes and hearing no and responding to it.
More skills we will work on:
-play with different levels of compression and weight
-extreme squeezing, how do we dial up and down our tone?
-improvising from BJJ "positions"
- mount, guard, half guard, side guard.
I will introduce the specific physical consent strategies practiced in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We will work on techniques for application of pressure on another body as well as several submissions, specifically an arm lock and a blood choke from multiple angles.
Things we will do:
-Ask for and receive consent before touching anyone!
-Learn and practice a physical and a verbal start and stop signal.
-Practice saying yes and saying no and meaning it.
-Practice hearing yes and hearing no and responding to it.
More skills we will work on:
-play with different levels of compression and weight
-extreme squeezing, how do we dial up and down our tone?