Description

Facilitated by some of our favourite local artists, the program will introduce participants to a variety of creative practices and techniques in the performing arts. The three-hour workshops run Tuesdays and Thursdays from January 10 to February 9, 2023 at The School of Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT).

Maximum 18 participants per class, first-come-first-served. You can register for one workshop or the full program. If you register and are no longer able to attend, please cancel your registration to open up the spot for other artists. If registration is full, please join our waiting list and we will notify you once a spot opens up.

Time & Location

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (All Workshops)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Source Work Workshop)
The School of Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT)
509 Parliament St, Toronto, ON M4X 1P3

Schedule

Tuesday January 10 – Functional Movement & Yoga with Debbie Wilson
Thursday January 12 – Source Work with Fiona Griffiths
Tuesday January 17 – Ritual in Dance with Norma Araiza
Thursday January 19 – Stage Combat for Dancers with Alice Cavanagh & Clarke Blair
Tuesday January 24 – Phrasing & Dynamics with Carmen Romero
Thursday January 26 – Expressive Movement & Voice with Uche Ama
Tuesday January 31 – Floor Work with Falciony Patiño
Thursday February 2 – Movement for Film with Katelyn McCulloch
Tuesday February 7 – Contact Improvisation with Kathleen Rea
Thursday February 9 – Our Conscious Bodies with Andrea Nann

Functional Movement & Yoga with Debbie Wilson

Starting from the alignment-based format of yoga, we will begin to explore the functional elements of the individual body. Once you begin to recognize and understand you own physical makeup, you can begin to make informed choices when tackling more alignment-based techniques such as ballet, Graham or Horton. 

Source Work with Fiona Griffiths

SourceWork prepares the performer to ‘enter the image’. In this work the image is understood as the end product of an inner impulse. This sense of ‘something’ is then worked up through the senses into an image that the performer projects into the space. Then the worker enters that world and interacts with, and responds to, the various partners in this world. In our life we are constantly using images to reference our lives. While we are keeping track of our outer world visually, we are also referencing imagery within, that become thoughts, feelings and ideas that require words to communicate to others. When we are telling stories from our day or reminiscing, we are calling up images from our past and using text and gestures to describe our stories. The day begins with somatic work to bring mind, body and spirit together; moving to explore the body in shape, space and emotion. Improvisations are created to explore image worlds and partners. Always asking ‘what am I doing, feeling, thinking and where is the story. SourceWork asks: What are you doing? You are somebody, doing something, somewhere for some reason. There is an intelligence to what you are doing and a journey that you are experiencing….the understanding is then returned to the movement. 

Ritual in Dance with Norma Araiza

“Ritual in Dance” is a gentle journey of a series of actions that could be used to prepare for a rehearsal or a performance, or simply to focus on the creative process. These actions may help to create a meditative presence, a non-religious prayer, repetition of movement, and shared intentions to create an environment to dive deeper into embodiment, either individually or in community.

Stage Combat for Dancers with Alice Cavanagh

Stage Combat for Dancers is an Introduction to Frog in Hand’s Approach to non-verbal storytelling, using tools inspired by stage combat. Together we will create the illusion of conflict between characters, while keeping the performer safe. We will get to the floor while protecting your body by falling and rolling, and we will thoughtfully explore a variety of techniques to mindfully craft a scene with heightened dramatic tension.

Phrasing & Dynamics with Carmen Romero

The Phrasing and dynamics class will introduce you to the musicality of movement. Carmen will create a few short phrases with different musical timings and accents. Dancers will learn how to change the accents to explore different ways of expressing an idea or feeling through movement. Flamenco is known for its dynamics in movement and sound. Flamenco dancers work with energy in a way that either creates an ebb and flow or a crash and burn. No flamenco shoes are required and in fact, this class will be taught barefoot. The use of body percussion will add to the sound created during movement. This is a powerful class for those looking to augment their expression and dance.

Expressive Movement & Voice Uche Ama

This workshop is an opportunity for the mover to explore choreography development while incorporating speech in performance. With a short creative writing task involved, we will discuss intention, gestural development, emotion and its importance in the creation of expressive movement.We will create and share our discoveries with eachother. Come prepared to physically interact with other participants and with tools to record your writing.

Floor Work with Falciony Patiño

This workshop includes a breath warm-up, action-reaction games and choreographed floor work phrases. Students will also work in small groups to become aware of individual choreographic styles and personal expression.

Movement for Film with Katelyn McCulloch

This workshop is dedicated to exploring and understanding the creative ways to work with movement in film as a performer, director, and choreographer. We will look at all phases of the movie making process and how to integrate the themes/story of the piece through the movement of bodies, the collaboration between the camera, the performer, and will touch on post production with editing and score.

Contact Improvisation with Kathleen Rea

Kathleen Rea with 20 years of partnering experience under her belt will teach Contact improvisation, a dance form in which momentum between two or more people creates and inspires dance movements and lifting. The focus of the workshop will be on establishing physical communication and cueing and on lifting techniques according to principles of contact improvisation. Kathleen teaches lifts in step by step manner that “ramps” people toward lifting with ease and confidence. She provides video tutorials for her students so they leave the workshop with something to refer to help the learning better integrate into their dancing. Partnering techniques are non-gendered meaning there are no set lifters and liftee roles. This lets people make choices to “base” or “fly” as they feel comfortable. Kathleen has experience teaching dancers with disabilities. Accommodation and movement translations will be provided as needed.

Our Conscious Bodies with Andrea Nann

Dive with Andrea deeply into the nourishing essences of her Conscious Bodies practice.  This is an experiential class where rhythms, pacing, gesture, movement, flow and raw expression emerge through the senses of our bodies, minds, hearts, and imaginations. Attuning to lived and dreamed experiences we will journey into spaces between, around and within, where we can discover ourselves as dynamically thriving and generative beings in fully embodied heart-centred living relationship.