Professional workshop, Professional workshop
Be Heintzman Hope – Stripper Gollum
02 ⇾ Nov. 05 2025 (Sunday – Wednesday)
09:30 to 12:30
Weekly rate:$80
Drop-in:$28
Monday & Tuesday only
Teaching Language: English
Questions can be asked in:
French, English, German
This workshop is accessible to individuals who require mask-wearing. Mask-wearing may be requested of everyone for the entire duration of the workshop.
Categories
#Creative process #Music, voice or sound #Somatic #Technique
#Creative process #Music, voice or sound #Somatic #Technique
© David Wong
Objective
This research asks: Is it possible that we may need to (be gentler with or) move away from fixing ‘broken’ parts of ourselves and instead embrace the inherent complexity of our many selves? If being whole doesn’t mean being consistent or predictable, can we embrace the complexity and diversity of our inner worlds, and recognize that everything is in a state of flux!?
With a playful approach, this workshop explores socialised notions of sexiness, while referencing the concept of the ‘hungry ghost’. In eastern philosophy, the hungry ghost represents the insatiable hunger alive in people often associated with craving and addiction. It is represented most popularly by the spirit character ‘no face’ in the Hayao Miyazaki movie Spirited Away and is a focal point in Gabor Maté’s book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction. The hungry ghost can also be found in the Gollum/Sméagul character of J.R.R. Tolkein’s novel, The Hobbit and its sequel , The Lord of the Rings.
Stripper Gollum serves as a mutable figure grappling with their feelings of emptiness, longings and the longings others have of them – in order to develop a compassionate humour towards both inner and outer hauntings.
Stripping has roots in many dancing cultures, including ballet, as an exchange between dancer and patron. It is a form of sex work intertwined with complex power dynamics, stigma, secrecy, self-employment, unstable employment, underground economy, the purchasing of pleasure, the charm industry, and so much more. It’s important to note that this form of indoor sex work sits on a different part of the safety spectrum than outdoor and survival sex work – even if there may be overlap between the two.
With a playful approach, this workshop explores socialised notions of sexiness, while referencing the concept of the ‘hungry ghost’. In eastern philosophy, the hungry ghost represents the insatiable hunger alive in people often associated with craving and addiction. It is represented most popularly by the spirit character ‘no face’ in the Hayao Miyazaki movie Spirited Away and is a focal point in Gabor Maté’s book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction. The hungry ghost can also be found in the Gollum/Sméagul character of J.R.R. Tolkein’s novel, The Hobbit and its sequel , The Lord of the Rings.
Stripper Gollum serves as a mutable figure grappling with their feelings of emptiness, longings and the longings others have of them – in order to develop a compassionate humour towards both inner and outer hauntings.
Stripping has roots in many dancing cultures, including ballet, as an exchange between dancer and patron. It is a form of sex work intertwined with complex power dynamics, stigma, secrecy, self-employment, unstable employment, underground economy, the purchasing of pleasure, the charm industry, and so much more. It’s important to note that this form of indoor sex work sits on a different part of the safety spectrum than outdoor and survival sex work – even if there may be overlap between the two.
Content
Each day will begin with a guided workout to get nice and warm and sweaty while listening to music. After warming up, we will dive into state-based research. We will turn this research into a personal choreography before collectively expanding upon it as a group phrase that will deepen both physically and dramaturgically throughout the week.
I encourage playing at the “resilient edge of resistance” — a term named by Chester Mainard. This term was formed in the context of erotic massage to describe a touch that isn’t too hard and isn’t too soft.
I encourage playing at the “resilient edge of resistance” — a term named by Chester Mainard. This term was formed in the context of erotic massage to describe a touch that isn’t too hard and isn’t too soft.
Workshop Rhythm
~ Adaptable to the group’s needs
~ Fast
~ Variable
Accessibility Features
~ Cardio exercices
~ Exercices are adaptable
~ Floor work
~ High music or sound level
~ Intense emotional work
~ Jumps and shocks
~ Physical contact between participants
~ Short verbal explications
~ Standing up for a long time
~ Sub-groups exercices
~ Wearing masks on request
Biography
Moving between sound and performance, Be Heintzman Hope is a facilitator of music, dance and embodiment ritual based between Tio’tia:ke/Mooniyang, colonially known as Montréal and the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (musquem), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Wateuth) peoples.
Their practice bridges dance training with conflict resolution, healing and community arts. They hold workshops in transitional spaces, dance institutions, universities, DIY contexts and festivals.
On a physical level, their body is engaged in experimental dance making, meditation, Daoist martial arts, gyrokinesis, and a shit ton of physio. Their studies in eroticism, energetic boundaries, meditation, medicine, illness, and death are at the foundation of their practice. A larger part of this work is a quest to co-create alternative economies and community-based structures of radical tenderness and care.
Their practice bridges dance training with conflict resolution, healing and community arts. They hold workshops in transitional spaces, dance institutions, universities, DIY contexts and festivals.
On a physical level, their body is engaged in experimental dance making, meditation, Daoist martial arts, gyrokinesis, and a shit ton of physio. Their studies in eroticism, energetic boundaries, meditation, medicine, illness, and death are at the foundation of their practice. A larger part of this work is a quest to co-create alternative economies and community-based structures of radical tenderness and care.
“This gave me a new and beautiful way to explore all sides of myself with no shame + with curiosity. Gave me tools + food for thought and recentered me in political praxis.” Maya
Partners
This workshop is supported by the Conseil de la formation continue arts et culture de Montréal (CFC) in collaboration with Studio 303. The CFC’s continuing education activities are supported by the Intervention-Compétences program, thanks to the financial participation of the Quebec government.
