Movement as Jewish Expression: A Dance Series

200 North San Pedro Road,San Rafael CA 94903

12 April, 2023

Description

Most think about Jewish prayer as a intellectual and word-based activity, but prayer is an embodied act. We rise, bow and sway in a regular prayer services, we use our hands to clap and our voices to sing. And in fact, our whole bodies participate in prayer. Through movement, we can express so much of what is not otherwise able to be expressed in words alone, offering an opportunity to connect to yourself, to community and to something greater. Through this four-part Jewish movement series, we are going to use different modalities of dance to explore and express our Jewish past, present and future. By participating in dances that have been performed for generations, in dances that are new and in dance that has never been done before, these workshops will show participants what it means to bring in your whole self in movement through Jewish embodied movement. These classes are open and designed for all skill levels. Series Schedule: Every other Wednesday at 4pm April 12 // Gaga Modern Freeform Dance April 26 // Ecstatic Dance May 10 // Israeli Folk Dance May 24 // Embodied Dance First Workshop: Gaga Gaga is a new movement modality created by the famed choreographer of Batsheva Dance Company, Ohad Naharin. This modality: ….opens blocked passageways ….grows our senses and connect them to physical movement ….connects us to our strength and power ….helps us heal from injuries ….enables us to become more aware of how we move and our habits Gaga classes are guided movement experiences with no prescribed movements but instead offers prompts such as images, concepts and directions. Movement is maintained for the entire class. We work at our own volume, so whether you rarely move or move every day, Gaga is an accessible exercise. All are welcome! Lead by James Graham: James Graham is a San Francisco based choreographer, performer, and educator. In 2007, Graham first went to Israel to study Gaga, made possible by the Kathryn Karipides Scholarship in Modern Dance. He was chosen by Ohad Naharin (Batsheva Dance Company) to be a Certified Gaga Instructor and to take part in his pilot training program of international Gaga teachers. He has taught Gaga extensively on the West Coast, in the Midwest, as well as in France, Canada, South Korea, Germany, Sweden, Thailand, Greece, Mexico, and Israel. He is currently on faculty in the Department of Theater, Dance, & Performance Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and Dominican University of California/LINES BFA Program, and teaches open Gaga classes. Graham teaches Choreography, Performance, and Gaga Workshops around the world throughout the year.