Special Projects

A community improvisation score for Zoom presented by All Bodies Dance Project, led by Andrea Cownden

• Thursday February 3, 6:30-8pm (with live music by Siobhan Sloane-Seale)
• Saturday February 5, 3-4:30pm (with live music by Ben Brown)

To register, email info@allbodiesdance.ca with the subject line The View From Inside and the date that you would like to participate in.

Notes about the score from Andrea:

The View From Inside is an improvised dance score designed to provide an opportunity for dancers of all abilities and experience levels to gather and perform for each other in an online space. Developed for the All Bodies Dance Project community in the fall of 2020, this score is an attempt to rediscover some of what I’ve been missing since the disruption of many in-person dance gatherings caused by the pandemic. The View From Inside intends to honour the magic that happens when we dance only for each other and highlight the unique perspective that we as dancers have from within an improvisation.

The score is rooted in the limitations of dancing and watching a computer screen at the same time. It acknowledges that dancing together online is not like dancing together in person, where our sensing bodies allow us to take in information from other dancers and respond with movement choices simultaneously. This score for online group improvisation instead proposes that dancers experiment with separating moving from watching, while recognizing both modes as equally important components of the dance.

The Structure of the Score

The Set Up

The dance takes place on Zoom, with everyone using “Gallery View” mode. It is performed by up to ten dancers and accompanied by live music. In a brief opening circle, we introduce ourselves with our names, pronouns, and a word or gesture to describe how we’re feeling. I lead a short group warm up together to prepare us for improvising in our individual spaces.

The Dancing

In this score there are two modes: watching and dancing. Our task is to divide our time evenly between witnessing other people and dancing ourselves. We each have our own strategies for how we divide our time and how we transition between these two modes.

To begin the improvisation, we assume our individual watching positions in front of our screens with our microphones muted. One or more of us starts to dance and the musician starts to play.

After 30 minutes, I put a sign up on my screen that says “END.” At this point, we wait until everyone who is dancing has finished and we are all in our watching position once again.

The Closing

After the score, we do a closing circle. I invite everyone to share an observation from their experience witnessing and an observation from their experience dancing.

To participate you will need:

• a computer with the capacity to run Zoom (because the score uses Gallery View, cellphones and small tablets will not work)
• to have your computer set up in your home in such a way that there is room to dance in view of the camera and also to be comfortable in your body while you watch the screen.
• Come having familiarized yourself with the full improvisation score document

Registration:

• Because there is limited space on a computer screen, there is limited space in each iteration of The View from Inside. Priority will be given to dancers who identify as having a disability and who are NOT registered in our in-person classes. To register please email info@allbodiesdance.ca with the subject line The View From Inside and the date that you would like to participate.
• ASL interpretation is available upon request by January 31, 2022.

Any Questions?

• Feel free to contact Andrea via info@allbodiesdance.ca with The View From Inside in the subject line.

What:

Homebodies is a choreographic project leading to the creation of new pieces of solo choreography performed in participants' homes. The 6-week project led by ABDP co-founder Naomi Brand, seeks to exploit the artistic potential of our personal surroundings and create an opportunity for making and sharing dances while at a distance.

Participants will be guided through weekly group workshops/showings with tasks, questions and activities to develop movement vocabulary, choose a performance location, work with music and frame the camera for performance. Participants will receive peer to peer feedback through this facilitated process. Beyond the weekly workshops, the project requires a commitment to a minimum of 2 hours of weekly solo rehearsal. The project will culminate in a live, public performance via Zoom.

Who:

Members of the ABDP community interested in developing their choreographic skills and performance experience, and are available to commit to a six-week, self-directed, at-home creative process. Number of participants is limited. Expressions of interest required.

Where:

Online via Zoom. Rehearsals in your home.

When:

• Thursdays 11-12:30pm synchronous via Zoom
• February 4 - March 11
• Live public performance at 7pm on Thursday March 11
   
• Participants are expected to commit to a minimum of 2 hours of weekly self-directed solo rehearsal.

How to take part:

Interested participants can apply by submitting a short (350 word max) statement to info@allbodiesdance.ca addressing the following questions:

• Why are you interested in being a part of Homebodies?
• Do you have an idea, inspiration, question, image, location you’d like to use to make a solo?
• Are you available to commit to the full project including weekly self-directed solo rehearsals?
• What are your access needs to be able to participate in this project fully?

Deadline for expressions of interest:

Sunday January 24 at 5pm

Questions:

info@allbodiesdance.ca