Apr. 4 to 8, 2022 — 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Mon.-Fri.)
$75 with the support of Emploi-Québec (or $190, non-eligible rate)
Open to artists of all disciplines
Language of instruction: English
Capacity: 15 people — priority for full week attendance
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CONTENT // Renew and restore and maybe enjoy – even if you don’t feel like it!
Together, we will investigate dance and see if it can change our physiology. In this workshop, we will chemically transform ourselves through the biodynamic power of sweat. We will cultivate ways to dance with bodily joy and chaos. I am interested in shedding layers of multidimensional jet lag from the pandemic and beyond. What is possible?
Expect some dancing to loud music, vagus nerve toning, grunting from the underworld, armpit freedom, higher self cheerleading, and waving your arms around.
Some of my favourite activities may have to wait until health protocols allow us to do them: singing together, cathartic wailing, and hands-on partner work to let go of layers of accumulated bullshit.
This workshop includes physical orientations to self, others, and space; a flowing transformation of movement proposals; and structured and open improvisations.
I will share principles from my dance freak lineage and osteopathy through movement. Participants are encouraged to respect their own limits and interests within the proposals of the workshop. Let’s find some freshness and maybe even some new neural synapses!
ACCESSIBILITY // The structure is similar each day of the workshop: an energetic, physical beginning where people often sweat to loud music with a lot of bass. The second part is based on cultivating presence and working with longer improvisational scores in solos, duos, and small groups. During the first part, there are movements through space such as bouncing, waving the arms around, jumping, running, lunging, and rolling on the floor. Instructions are often given by the facilitator in a flowing style without stopping the current activity. Visual cues are often used to communicate how the class moves forward. The pace and intensity can be easily adapted to participants’ needs. The second part of the workshop has gentler music or silence. Sometimes there is touch involved, however it is always optional. All partner work can be adapted to not include touch or for someone to work solo instead. The workshop is largely based on a physical experience without emphasizing oral communication. About 20% of the time is for the facilitator to verbally explain longer proposals, talking in duos, or larger group talking circles for feedback.
People with reduced mobility or people that may get overstimulated with a lot of movement, loud music, and durational activities may experience challenges. Participants are encouraged to adapt proposals as they need.
BIO // Alicia Grant (she/her) is a choreographer and dancer working in various constellations with other makers in Toronto and Berlin. After earning a BFA from York University, her work in performance, video, and sound design has been presented in Canada, USA, and Europe from stages to swimming pools to abandoned factories to galleries. She is one half of WITCHTITS along with Zinzi Buchanan, and has worked alongside Zoja Smutny, Andrea Spaziani, Ellen Furey, Anna Fitoussi, Ivan Björn Ekemark, Jacinte Armstrong, and Inky Lee, amongst others. She has shared why-am-i-alive dance practices at Studio 303 in Montreal, Love-In in Toronto, Ponderosa in Stolzenhagen and TanzFabrik in Berlin. Interested in power dynamics, transformation, and intimacy, Alicia is currently working on saxophone solos and a fantasy travel noise album.