March 25th & 26th–Axis Syllabus and CI workshop

[Nicole Bindler]

Dilation and Contraction: a dance of life

with Nuria Bowart at The Whole Shebang

March 25th & 26th, 2023 from 10am-6pm

The pulse of life is within us. Opening and closing is at the center of movement. Recognizing pulse and regulating membranes helps to differentiate us from one another. While we contact and relate with one another, we “choose” how much opening and closing we do. Inside of these fluctuations is a dance. This workshop will support the building of awareness around the process between dilation and contraction; the opening and closing of membranes and perception as it relates to Contact Improvisation. We will work in partners and groups to build our proprioception, and the recognition of our own membrane management. We will look at everything from weight, to our own awareness, and cultivate practice in “choosing” how to, and what to, open and close. This workshop will bring the content of the Axis Syllabus into the world of Contact Improvisation, with the intention of helping to build functional and fun options for dancing together.

About Nuria Bowart:

Nuria has been dancing her whole life. Her relationship to movement and music is professional, personal and therapeutic. Nuria was introduced to Contact Improvisation by Neige Christenson in 1990. She studied on the east coast with master improvisers such as Nancy Stark Smith, David Zambrano and Andrew Harwood until 1995 when she moved to Colorado, where she continued her Contact Studies with Adjoa Lemeuix and Gretchen Spiro. In 1998, after graduating from the Rolf Institute, Nuria moved to the Bay Area to begin her practice as a Rolfer and continued her studies and teaching of Capoeira and dance. During her 25 years in the Bay Area, Nuria also performed with movement masters such as Kim Epifano, Keith Terry, Bira Almeida, Scott Wells and many others. In 2001, Nuria Graduated as a Professora of Capoeira under the tutelage of Mestre’s Acordeon, Ra and Suelly. She is now a Contra Mestra of Capoeira and enjoys bringing her knowledge of the body into the world of martial arts and dance. Nuria began her studies of the Axis Syllabus (for more info please visit axissyllabus.org) in 2009 with Kira Kirsch. Nuria teaches from the Axis Syllabus and also certifies teachers of the Axis Syllabus: offering workshops locally and around the world. In 2021 Nuria moved to Vermont to co-found The Field Center: a space for interdisciplinary arts practices, where she currently resides and teaches. http://nuriabowart.com

More details about the workshop:

$180-300 sliding scale––please pay what you can honorably afford. Venmo: nicole-bindler to reserve your spot.

This workshop is limited to 12 full weekend participants. Partial participation is not possible due to the limited number of spots.

Please self test for COVID-19 each morning. Do not attend if you feel sick. Masks or vaccines are not required, though masks must be worn in the hallways of the building.