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LA Improv Dance Festival – iDfest 2012
Workshop Descriptions
A SPLENDID MOMENT – Action Theater with Ruth Zaporah
5-day Intensive, Advanced Skill Level
Wed Jan 11, 600-1000pm @ Diavolo
Thur Jan 12, 600-1000pm @ Diavolo
Fri Jan 13, 600-1000pm @ Moose Lodge
Sat Jan 14, 100-500pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Sun Jan 15, 100-500pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
For the first time in many years in Los Angeles, Ruth is offering an immersion into her improvisation physical theater practice, Action Theater, (http://www.actiontheater.com) Through action the practitioner fully steps into the present moment, unveiling themselves, one moment at a time, one moment leading to the next. Ruth's exercises, physical, vocal and verbal, invite the practitioner into unknown yet uncannily familiar territories, territories of the embodied imagination. By examining awareness, play, relationship, stillness and silence, actions become enlightened, become fresh. The well of feeling is deepened as are the roots and tools of expression. The practice acts as a mirror displaying to the improviser who they are, how they ordinarily perceive and respond and how vast is their potential. The conceptual mind that insists on defining content learns to share with more spontaneous embodied and imaginative resources. Lights turn on exposing every moment as a splendid moment. This workshop is for experienced dancers, actors, and improvisers, those who relish living in a human body and love to move.
More about Ruth Zaporah and Action Theater:
Click Here for an Action Theater description
Moose Lodge: 357 W Arden Ave, Glendale, CA 91203
Diavolo Dance Theatre Space: 616 Moulton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031(in the Brewery Arts Complex)
BODY, VOICE, MOVE – with Niamh Condron
2-day Workshop, All Skill Levels
Sat Jan 14, 10-1230pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Sun Jan 15, 10-1230pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
If movement is the language of the body, then how can we access the roots of our language? Let's dig down and find the origins of what we voice through our moving. Let's connect to the most innermost us and speak out of what's there. How do we converse with another, with their deep language? Let's talk! Let's express our body-voice as a collective voice. What would it say? If our dancing comes from our unique individual sources within us where expression originates, how will we communicate dancing, alone, and with others?
Through the practices of dance improvisation, Alexander technique, Body Mind Centering and Yoga, we will investigate the innate language we express through moving.
More about Niamh Condron and This Torsion Dance Theatre:
TWO (improvisation) – with Rachael Lincoln
2-day Workshop, All Skill Levels
Sat Jan 21, 400-700pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Sun Jan 22, 400-700pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
In this class we will work improvisationally in duets, dancing with, performing for, and witnessing each other in order to identify and encourage the particular physical language of each partnership. We will try on several idioms and then focus on excavating the details within one partnership to create and eventually set or score a phrase, working towards finding specificity in each mini-duet sequence.
More about Rachael Lincoln:
THE BODY ELECTRIC - Physical Approach of Not Man Apart - Physical Theatre Ensemble with John Farmanesh-Bocca
2-day Workshop, All Skill Levels
Sat Jan 28, 100-500pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Sun Jan 29, 100-500pm @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Not Man Apart Artistic Director John Farmanesh-Bocca will take 15 members on an intensive overview of Not Man Apart artistic philosophy and creation tools in the traditions of great Physical Theatre innovators Grotowski, Suzuki and Meyerhold. Perfect for actors, dancers, directors, choreographers, writers and all daring performing artists and theatre creators. The techniques and material used in this workshop are the same used to train the ensemble of performers in Not Man Apart, teaching a theatrical shorthand that is used to quickly and effectively build performance work. Workshop participants will be primed to work creatively within Not Man Apart - Physical Theatre Ensemble productions by knowing this shorthand and can also work quickly in collaboration with others.
More about John Farmanesh-Bocca and Not Man Apart - Physical Theatre Ensemble:
DIAVOLO TECHNIQUE AND SET PIECES – with Jones Welsh
4-day Workshop, Intermediate/Advanced Skill Level
Tue Jan 19, 900-1100am @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Thur Jan 24, 900-1100am @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Tue Jan 26, 900-1100am @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Thur Jan 31, 900-1100am @ Diavolo Dance Theatre
Associate Artistic Director Jones Welsh guides the group into the exciting world of Diavolo Dance Theatre, L.A.s renowned touring dance company—combining elements of Dance, Acrobatics, Architecture, Flying and Catching. Classes will always include a rigorous physical warm-up and followed by a combination of dance phrase work, acrobatic movement, Contact Improvisation, catching and flying, and creating with structures. Jones will use some of Diavolo’s unique set pieces to teach the company’s signature movement style and guide improvisations to create new choreographic material. This workshop will also incorporate theatrical elements to teach participants how to emotionally connect with structures and props to deepen meaning in choreography.
More about Jones Welsh and Diavolo Dance Theatre:
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