A few years ago, I attend sessions with a teacher of Alexander Technique. At the time, I had a stressful job which created discomfort and tension in my body. Alexander Technique was incredibly effective in bring relief to me but it’s only more recently that I more fully understand its application – including cleaning my teeth!!
Continue reading The somatics of cleaning your teeth!Category: Learning
Embodied decision-making?
The University of Oxford has been using the humanities for leadership training – mostly for leaders in business. Acting and singing are two humanities featured in their programme but what about movement or dance? I draw-up a two day course based upon my movement practice of contact improvisation. [Research by Fiona Bennett]
Continue reading Embodied decision-making?‘I learn so much from my [dance] students’
‘I learn so much from my students’ is often said by those who teach. But is it true? Teaching/facilitating at a session of Oxford Contact Dance in October, I had something of a rude awakening!
Continue reading ‘I learn so much from my [dance] students’Yoga into dance : narratives from yoga & dance
Yoga into Dance was a two hour class led by me and Ashka from Ashka Zasada Yoga on 13 October at Oxford Contact Dance. Afterwards, I pondered our use of narratives in the session.
Continue reading Yoga into dance : narratives from yoga & danceTeaching Contact Improvisation?
I started teaching Contact Improvisation at Oxford Contact Dance in 2015. But how do we teach contact improvisation – it’s an improvised dance after all.
Continue reading Teaching Contact Improvisation?Teaching Props!
Tennis balls, balloons and cards are all ‘props’ or tools which can be used in teaching contact improvisation. But how?!
Continue reading Teaching Props!Learning to dance
Learning to dance seems simple: attend classes; practice; dance! But learning to dance is – for me – a highly reflective and investigative practice, and integrated into making dance – just like making any artwork. In 2018, I learnt that dance is not theatre; and that decorators are dancers.
Class with Nicole Binder on 17 March 2018
At London Contact improvisation on 17 March, Nicole Binder led a class about consent. One of the exercises in the class is taken from Theatre of the Oppressed