Derry-Londonderry Contact Improvisation Course April 2024

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Written by Phillip Morton

Join experienced professional artist-teachers Tonya Sheina and Zoe Ramsey of Echo Echo Ensemble for this introductory course!

About

Contact Improvisation Session

These sessions are to introduce Contact Improvisation, that is simply a dance with a partner without a plan or set material.

Contact Improvisation is a big part of our practice in Echo Echo. We believe that people are naturally poetic in movement and that principle runs through all of our classes. Being naturally poetic means that there is no right or wrong movement but that you move with a poetic intention, just like an intention to sing a song, to write a poem or to paint a picture. When we are improvising, we are interested in intention and attention and let the movement intuitively follow. We have practical methods of encouraging the poetic rather than the often dominating “I’ve got two left feet” point of view. The same principle goes when dancing with a partner.

In this practice we start with warm up, movement games, we dance. We introduce some principles used in Contact Improvisation – leading and following, gently sharing weight, counterbalance, coming together and going apart, letting ourselves move and be moved with our partner. We encourage interest in the movement of yourself and each other. It’s both physically engaging and fun.

The sessions are led by professional teachers with great experience in teaching and performing. Generally, in each session we will start on our own to discover and explore your own movement and then try it with a partner.

It’s suitable for all adults 18+ and no experience is required, just an interest in dancing. Come along to our lovely cosy studio in the heart of the city centre.

Please get in touch if you are still unsure and would like to find out more.