Human Moves. Zurich

About the Workshop

- Grounding and Earth -

Through letting go and yielding to gravity, the body can find easy strength and soft structure. The more time we can give the body to release and let go, the easier it is to feel the subtlety of these principles. This approach, based more in the realm of Somatics and ‘developmental movement patterns’, requires patience and deep listening. Sometimes it may feel like we are ‘doing nothing’ and this can be quite challenging at first. But going slow can open a greater capacity for the body to absorb new information. A practice of un-doing. Releasing to re-learn.

Through slowing down and taking more time, we sink into the deeper tissues that move slower than the muscles. Feeling the sliding of fascia, the rolling of the organs, the flowing of liquids through the body. Then, when we enter physical connection with another body we have a softer body tone, allowing greater sensitivity and awareness.

From this place we will use specific exercises to explore tools that are helpful to work in contact such as; sharing weight, centre-to-centre, leaning and supporting, and rolling point of contact. Also using ideas around momentum, suspension, inertia & falling. To find effortless ways into weight transfers and lifting. Leading and following, falling and spiralling...

- Spine & spirals -

The spine is an endless source of fascination and discovery. We will study how it moves- playing with the many different qualities and vast ranges of motion. Offering specific movement patterns for optimal spine efficiency. This material is very helpful for integrating pathways in the body that are useful when entering contact and also opening up new possibilities in your own body, as well as investigating principles to give ‘offerings’ and ‘invitations’ to others.

Spirals are everywhere. The whole universe moves in infinite spirals, and the body loves to move this way too. We often work with the image of the Double Helix (DNA strand) - a brilliant image for 2 spines joining in motion. Spirals are efficient and effective. They can generate power or dissipate energy, build momentum and inertia in any plane or level of motion and transition easily between levels. Opening up the many possibilities of multidirectional movement and entering to the backspace. The more one researches spirals in the  dance, the more one finds.

Together we will cultivate a deeper awareness of listening, breathing, giving, receiving, and timing