Workshops: Physical Support and Integrity

[Jamie Jewett]

This is a forward from Brandon Shaw - the new Mellon Post-Doc at Brown - He's fantastic!

I am looking for people who are interested in investigating dimensions and dynamics of standing firm. In order to come into contact with what allows us to stand (and withstand), we will spend much of the workshop deconstructing stances. I am particularly interested in moving away from the image of the body’s support being accomplished by bones stacked on top of bones and investigating how we can consider this support to be distributed throughout the body.

Sessions will include a warm-up and a guided investigation drawing from dance technique, martial arts, and contemporary somatics approaches. Participants should be comfortable respectfully touching and being touched by others, concentrating on specific tasks, and engaging in safe, though physical partnering. Your prior movement history will be an integral aspect to this working group, but no particular training is required. The teaching will largely draw from my study of contemporary dance, tango, contact improvisation, tai chi, kung-fu, and generally knocking around. Feel free to check out my website for more information about my background:www.cleavebrandonshaw.com.

The workshops are free, but since the knowledge is cumulative, participants are expected to commit for the allotted time for the safety of those you’re working with. Beginning dates will be the week of Oct. 22-the first week of December.

If interested, please write me at brando...@gmail.com with the time(s) that would work best for you:

Mondays: 4:30-6:30

Saturdays: 1-3pm

Sundays: 1-3pm