Intensive Workshop with Daniel Lepkoff

for performers, dancers, actors, movers, teachers

4-7 June 2012 Nowina village (1 hour from Wrocław)

FOUNDATIONS FOR IMPROVISATION: MOVING THE ENVIRONMENT

This work is a technical approach to improvised dancing that studies the function of the mind and body together with the forces of nature. We look at movement as an intelligent, magical, and functionally creative physical dialogue with the environment; and consider the form and composition of these interactions as

a language for making dances.

The Movement of our Attention: Ordinarily we are unconscious of the movement of our attention, how we constantly scan our environment, with all of our senses, for information. This facility is often under utilized. Through practice we can cultivate and strengthen our innate ability to observation and access

new perceptions and physical understanding of where we are and where we can go. For a dancer it is a key to movement invention and research.

We work with a combination of stillness and movement to research and delve into the details of how the mind composes physical images, movement desires, and ultimately organizes our body to move.

Aspects of stillness can be found within movement and inside of a stillness one finds a moving state. We work specifically with the constructive rest position in connection with deeply reflex basic patterns of movement (walking, rolling, crawling, running), breath, the spine, body waves, pushing, and pulling.

Gradually we building a clear and visceral link between energetic action and deep seamless observation.

Moving the Environment - The visible boundaries of our body are transparent to the force of gravity. The forces that we feel within our body, (compression or stretch) do not know the difference between what is us and what is our environment. We move ourselves by extending our energy into the environment.

The environment answers. We move it and it moves us. This duality offers an extended dimension to our awareness and understanding of what is happening in our dancing as we navigate through time and space. We will work both with objects (both large and small) and each other to explore extending our architecture and expressing force and intention into the environment.

Composition - The work forms a base for a shared physical language and and supports creating spontaneous compositions in solo, duet, or group.

Daniel Lepkoff's work looks at all of our movement as a finely tuned physical dialogue with the environment and explores the form and composition of these interactions. He played a central role in the development of Release Technique with Mary Fulkerson and Contact Improvisation with Steve Paxton since the early '70's. As a performer and teacher he is known for composing dances that arises from the process of living movement, a vision a living in the body in a physical dialogue with the natural environment. He is one of the founders of Movement Research in NYC.

For more information on Daniel's work go to: www.daniellepkoff.com

Price of the workshop (food included): 350 PLN/ 85 EUR

Accommodation: 15 PLN/ 4 EUR per night

For more information about the requirements and registration contact:

Olga Gawlik (+48) 691 967 697 o.gawlik@gmail.com

Aga Rybak (+48) 530 716 044 a.rybak@poczta.onet.eu