The Talking Body – InterACTions

Berlin based contact-improvisation dancer and choreographer Bernd Knappe will be providing a movement workshop at Poplar Union.

What to expect

We welcome dancers, non-dancers, disabled bodies, and movers of all kinds to take part in this workshop. During the workshop we seek to develop physical improvisation in solo, duo and group work, expanding the language of our bodies towards ensemble thinking. You will be guided through exercises to open the body to movement in a playful, dynamic and freeing way. The class will focus on group-improvisations for everybody: We will play with simple techniques to relate, communicate and “compose” together. We will learn to read the space, to listen to our own body’s and each others.

“In contact improvisation I am mostly interested in the pleasure of following movement impulses which are created by the unpredictable physical connection with dance partners. We do not intend to achieve a beautiful form, to design an interesting show, to deliver a choreographers dream, nor do pretend to dance. I am enthused by the special you-and-me of this dance form: Its an amazing feeling to be aware that we need each other to play around and to create common movement!”

This is a playful encounter to improve your improvisation, learn tools and techniques to connect with the body, meet your inner artist, and stop making sense.

After freelance work as painter, musician and architect, Bernd Knappe is now exclusively engaged in contact-improvisation. He has taught workshops across Germany, Finland, Italy, Russia and South Africa and has attended numerous intensives and festivals in Europe. He is especially interested in the question, how people without specialised dance-background, body-training or a certain knowledge can find an easy, effortless and playful way into physical improvisation as a form of art.

We welcome dancers, non-dancers, disabled bodies, and movers of all kinds to take part in this workshop.

I am honoured to be bringing Bernd to London for the first time to run a movement Workshop at Poplar Union, supported by The Arts Council England. Please share and spread the word to anyone who is looking to explore movement, develop their current skills, or try something like this for the first time.

The workshops will take place on Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 April. Tickets for the 2-day course is £120. Please select Saturday 23 when booking your ticket and this will give you access to the full 2 days.