Get to know the teachers & artists
Intensive led by
Michele Marchesani (IT)
Somatics of Contact Improvisation
The term “somatic” comes from the Greek “soma,” meaning body. Somatic practices invite us to rediscover bodily intelligence: it is not only about moving the body, but about listening to it, perceiving it, and understanding the more subtle languages that emerge through movement.
The intensive proposes an exploration of the somatic dimension of Contact Improvisation, recognizing it as a fully-fledged somatic practice. We will investigate somatic aspects through its language, its vision, and its unique way of generating embodied knowledge.
The founders of Contact Improvisation intentionally left the discipline open, without rigid boundaries, encouraging freedom of expression. Within this space of possibility, each person is invited to define their own personal framework for exploration and research inside a broader container.
In Contact Improvisation, “Somatics and Research coincide,” and the reason lies in that intricate process called improvisation. The body’s responses are at once a somatic process and a continuous discovery that fuels the dance.
Within this perspective, physiological and behavioral processes of the Nervous System, the Fascia, pattern dynamics, the body/mind state, touch, and how all these systems intertwine to generate a creative and truly improvised dance will be explored in depth.
Bio
He began his work on the body in 1996 through the study of Shiatsu (he is currently a practitioner with his own private practice and a teacher at the Shiatsu-ShinTai School). He subsequently deepened his technique by studying ShinTai, Fascia, Chakras, Light Body Yoga, and numerous other holistic approaches. In 2003, he synthesized “ Tatto Interno” a body movement and perception technique for which he holds workshops and training courses. In 2004, while teaching Tatto Interno at an international dance festival, he discovered Contact Improvisation, which he pursued as a student, event organizer, and international teacher. Over the years, his research led him to write numerous articles, culminating in the publication of Somatics of Contact Improvisation, available in Italian and English. Parallel to his work on the body, he approaches music with the same curiosity and dedication of a researcher and a deep passion. He explores with interest, focusing mainly on improvisational aspects, the intertwining and interactions of sound with other forms of artistic expression.
Classes & Labs led by
Magdaléna Takáčová (SK)
One hour of CI basics with Magda.
It is always good to come back to basics and to roots. Deepening the ability to ground, to take weight, to reach, to fall, to expand is always handy :)
Classes are focused on technical skills and open to anyone who is willing to explore. Very suitable for beginners but could be interesting for long time dancers of CI to recall and remember stuff that was holding them before.
and
Žubra K. Žubretovská (SK)
Creative process or playful improvisation journey
One hour of playful improvisation dance or in groups, trios or duos with easy tools to support our creative journey.
We’ll indulge in touching the poetry of the dance and dancing the touch of the poetry. We’ll allow ourselves voicing the movement and moving the voice while echoing in one another motion as well as stillness.
This is an invitation into full presence in which we’ll contain the space and the space contains us.
Bio
She has devoted herself to dance from her young age when she danced classic ballroom dances and gradually she transitioned to modern dance, improvisation, Contact improvisation (CI) and somatics.
She has accomplished a 3 year program “Mindful body“ at Rena Milgrom´s, which enriched her knowledge of Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentanls. Žubra has been expanding her dance skills in studio Druna, DanceLab, Nuevo and Academy of Performing Arts. She participates at workshops and festivals of CI and of somatic where she obtains her impulses and motivations for her work.
Her work involves movement workshops and retreats focused primarily on somatics, improvisation, and authentic movement; somatic meditations; individual sessions and cranial sacral therapy.
Music played by Monika Bucharová - moncello (CZ)
Music emerges from the present moment
Monika weaves together voice, cello, looping, and other instruments in a shared space with dancers. She experiences the time of playing during jams as an opportunity not to be afraid to meet herself, what the space needs, the dancers in the space, and her own restless mind.
"It's a beautiful dose of courage in practice: not being afraid to step into the space with nothing and wait for what emerges. To let yourself be guided. To go through frustration or complete bliss of presence. Not to perform, but not to be afraid to share yourself."
Bio
Monika is active in various fields whose common denominator is music. She currently creates her own music under the pseudonym moncello and collaborates on other musical projects (monjur). Listeners describe her music as inward and intimate, but also playful and raw. She has been regularly playing at CI jams since 2023 (e.g., Long Jam Brno). In the past, she played music in the theatre, accompanied site-specific, acrobatic and storytelling performances, played in the orchestra and various ensembles.
With a background in psychology and music therapy, Monika is now a PhD student and practising music therapist. She perceives music as a precious and magical tool with the potential to connect, heal and soften.
photo: Maysara Volf
Morning practices
led by Pavel Hak & Marco Klokner
Pavel Hak
(CZ)
music & morning practice
Marco Klokner
(SVK)
morning practice
Kid's entertainer
Maya
I’m a mum of two children and I also create my own art at nyjamaja.com. I organize creative workshops for kids and adults using unfired clay. Kids love getting their hands dirty, so I let them 🙂. Together, we’ll create clay pictures that you can take home as a souvenir of the festival.