Pure Ecstatic: Contact Improv Workshop/Jam

3620 Bee Caves Road,Austin TX 78746

29 March, 2023

Description

Hey Dancers, Have you seen people at dance in contact, rolling around together and wondered what that's all about? Have you always wanted to learn contact improv but you weren’t sure how? Well Takuma will be leading an hour workshop where he’ll be taking beginners from start to flow. The workshop will contain: Warm-up exercisesSolo practice (dropping into body, falling in place, spacial awareness)Partner practice (filling space left behind, single point vs moving point of connection, basic lifts, etc) Open jam (time for 1 on 1 practice with Cole and myself for tailored instruction) The Experience: Through guided exercises and open improvisation, participants will learn to trust their instincts and intuition, and to let go of preconceived ideas about movement. This workshop is suitable for dancers and non-dancers alike, and is open to all levels of experience. Come join us as we delve into the art of Contact Improvisation and discover the beauty of moving in harmony with others. In this workshop we'll create a safe space to explore connection from a place of slowing down and tuning in. We'll cover common challenges new dancers typically encounter and how to flow through them. By the end of the workshop you'll feel ready to jump into an open jam and flow with others! Our pricing: We're switching to RSVP now and pay at the door ($20 - $30 sliding scale). We take CC, Venmo, and cash! Pure Ecstatic is dance made by the community for the community, and we offer a sliding scale to make this event as accessible as possible. If you are called to helping us build this community and have the means necessary, please contribute to our cause by purchasing the 'supporter' ticket. Meet the facilitator: Meet Takuma, a seasoned performer and teacher of Contact Improvisation. He has practiced and taught in many dance hubs around the world including Austin, Atlanta, Hawaii, Lisbon, and Guatemala. With over 5 years of experience in the dance form, Takuma brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for movement to their workshop. During the workshop, Takuma will lead participants through a series of exercises and improvisational scores, fostering a sense of trust, play, and physical connection with others. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to Contact Improvisation, Takuma's workshop is open to all levels and will leave you feeling energized and empowered. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field! History of contact improv: Contact improvisation is a form of improvised partner dancing that has been developing internationally since 1972. It involves the exploration of one's body in relationship to others by using the fundamentals of sharing weight, touch, and movement awareness. It has evolved into a broad global community of social dancing around "jams" characterized by their welcoming attitude towards newcomers to dance, as well as seasoned practitioners, and is often found overlapping with ecstatic dance communities. American dancer and choreographer Steve Paxton originated contact improvisation, drawing from his past training in aikido, a martial art form, to explore and push boundaries with his colleagues and students to develop this new practice. Contact improvisation plays with the artistry of falling off balance, counterbalance, finding the shelves of the body, learning the mechanics of the body in order to handle someone else's weight or be lifted, breathing techniques, and can involve the art of getting to know your partner past the physical point through the physicality.