COLOURS IN CONTACT: FOUNDATIONS
Dance is for everyone, regardless of previous experience. Come get to know what dance and movement can mean for you in your unique body.
Foundations in movement, creativity, and expression, it’s striking how beautifully these components weave into the dances we love.
In this workshop you will get to
Root and ground in movement:
Take the time to be settled and confident as you follow creativity's thread.
Embody Empathy:
Sync up with others, be curious and engage with the unknown, open to what our dances have to share.
Fall into Flow:
Find the floor with greater ease, ride those arches and waves of movement to expand your range of movement.
Become formless in your movement, adaptive and vibrant:
Drop the expecations of what dance or movement is and instead be in a constant state of creation.
Tap into our personal unique wells of history and create!
We each have a story to tell, a personal history, emotions and thoughts that move us the most, let's get moving.
Engage in this dance of Interdependence:
Become more empowered and confident in your own dance and movement choices, you're the creator here.
Move past words and assumptions:
How? By exploring the language of the body! It is absolutely thrilling to see how much faster our body can speak for us, let's take the time to listen.
Be Present!
You will find that beginners and advanced dancers love this approach to movement, we get to get out of our heads and nourish that body awareness as a fuel source for our creative drive.
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For those who appreciate more words, read on below:
Join us for a deep dive for beginners and those with a spirited beginners mind! Through this beautiful form of Contact Improv together, we'll spend a solid three hours going over just how we can mix structure with improvisional movement. We all want to become more creative and confident in our movements, but it can be intimidating knowing where to start when you can do potentially anything! What is right, what is wrong? At Colours in Contact it's all about getting to know how to progressively become more and more present with your body, while also becoming more finally atuned to what it is to move and dance with another.
One of the best parts of this form is how many different ways it will strengthen your entire body, steadily, but consistently as you will be utilizing many different types of movements in order to move in a fully integrated way head to toe.
This type of awareness translates to all forms of solo or partnered movements styles and practices since in essence, we are practicing how to become more adapative, creative, responsive, and secure in our bodies!
Through out this workshop we will be going over some foundational structures of Contact Improv with a high focus on creativity through out. I wish for all of you to come out of this experience feeling deeply present and nourished in your bodies while also feeling more confident in your ability to navigate the myriad of possibilities that arise when dancing with others.
I love utilizing Contact improv as a medium for self expression and nourishment for that creative spirit within each of us. We each have an ever changing story to share and experience on the dance floor, let’s see what will arise!
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Foundations Schedule:
- 2:30pm Doors open
- Colours in Contact Improv Deep Dive
- 5:10pm Closing Circle
- 5:30pm Doors close
Location: Dovercourt House at 805 Dovercourt rd. Top Floor
Parking: Free parking available along neighbouring streets
Pre-register through instagram or facebook @coloursincontact or e-mail at coloursincontact@gmail.com
Cost: $60-$80 sliding scale (payment through ticket link or e-transfer at coloursincontact@gmail.com) if finances are an issues, please let us know, no one will be turned away.
All dance and movement levels welcome!
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @coloursincontact
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ABOUT CONTACT IMPROV: Contact Improvisation (CI) is a partner/solo/group-improvised dance style developed in 1972 by Steve Paxton and Nancy Stark Smith, heavily influenced by Aikido and Modern dance. Due to the open-ended nature of the dance, each new dancer can add to this pot of creativity. This has lead to various influences weaving in and out of the form. Some of those influences include but are not limited to Tango, Zen, Zouk, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop, Qi Gong, Capoeira, Ballroom, Salsa and the list goes on. This is the beauty of CI: it can offer such an open fertile ground for exploration in expression and movement. Your voice in this dance is what will drive the creative freedom possible at Colours in Contact.
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About Pablo Perez:
Hi, I'm Pablo Perez, the creator of Colours in Contact, Toronto’s first BIPOC-led Contact Improv event in 45 years. My passions revolve around creativity, expression, and connection. I emphasize diversity in Contact Improv, viewing our differences as keys to rapid learning and growth. I approach dance as a tool for authentic connection, communication, and self-confidence. Rooted in my family's immigration from Guatemala in the early 80s, I value creating welcoming spaces for people from all walks of life in Toronto.
For more information about Colours in Contact, which runs weekly from 6-9pm every Wednesday and Saturday, message @coloursincontact on facebook or instagram. You can also e-mail coloursincontact.gmail.com for further inquires or collaborations.
Exploring body and movement through various dance forms, curiosity and play have been constant in my life. Over the past 16 years, meditation has guided my exploration of the mind, while authentic movement, martial arts, and various dance styles have shaped my approach to the creative medium of the body. Harness that body confidence through this Colours in Contact lens and enjoy your body, dance soon friends.
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SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
- Please refrain from attending the jam if you are feeling unwell.
- Since Colours in Contact jams involve a rolling point of contact and sliding, clothing that have zippers and buttons as well as jewellery are not permitted. Sleeveless shirts, shorts, skirts and slippery clothing are also not recommended.
- Only non-glass water bottles are allowed in the studio as we dance barefoot.
- Please avoid wearing perfumes or scented body care products in consideration for people with chemical sensitivities.
