LISTENING – 12 Hr Intensive workshop

When immersing oneself in Contact Improvisation, it is revealed very quickly and with great clarity
how multifaceted and complex this dance form is. The most different layers of the human being are
addressed and accordingly diverse are the skills that are required from the dancers. This can
sometimes lead to overwhelming demands, but most of the time one feels deeply and entirely
nourished after a contact jam – physically, emotionally and also socially.
For me, the physicality of the body-to-body encounter forms the basis of the entire happening. This
includes sensing one's own body beforehand, being in contact with the floor and the space, and
finally the differentiated listening to the other body. The word "listening" emphasizes that the
dancers take an observing distance to what they sense and thus have more freedom in finding their
own movements. The dancers' own history and any possible preconceptions recede into the
background and new and often surprising pathways open up for their encounters with the others.
The basis for the perception is decidedly physical – but as all layers of humanity are always in
resonance, the dances turn into something so fulfilling, rich and personal.
This workshop is all about perception and the resulting movement qualities and encounters.
Dynamics and powerfulness should also come into play. It may therefore be an intention to go
beyond the slow, mindful encounters to create wild and technically challenging dances that emerge
from a differentiated listening maintained over the entire duration. In the phases of free jamming,
the participants have the opportunity to follow the quality of the moment and to find their way into
dances full of grace and liveliness.