Workshop Description:

Are you longing for more dynamism in your contact dance practice? Feeling like a break from somatics and a ‘softly softly’ approach? Wanting to edge up a bit?

In this workshop we will be drawing from the long cultural heritage of capoeira, leaning into transferable skills and techniques to tackle Contact Improvisation from another angle, and find out how it can up our improvisation “jogo” (game).

Contact improvisation like Capoeira has developed many variations and styles as the movements have grown internationally. Although fairly distinct, the forms have several commonalities and there are many benefits of Capoeira that can feed into and enhance one's CI practice.

As we prepare ourselves for the more acrobatic and dynamic movements of C.I., we will use some training approaches of Capoeira to develop our proprioceptive skills, enhance our peripheral vision, athleticism, quick action reaction and dynamic interplay.

The workshop will include:

• Finding comfort in the unknown and disorientation of the upside down

• Using your own “Malandragem” (mischief) to bring forth a more playful and acrobatic approach towards Contact Improvisation.

• Physical training to develop our strength and agility

• Cultivation of our awareness and sensory perception

• Preparing our “landing and launching gear” 

• Exercising our non-physical skills of diligence, mental flexibility, friendliness, caution and courage

• Round Robin “Roda”

• An overview of where Capoeira meets Contact Impro