Curious Mechanics
A Contact Improvisation workshop
with Karl Frost
7-8 November
Leipzig, Germany
Saturday/Sunday 12-18h @ Fudoshin Aikido Dojo in Plagwitz
Contact improvisation is a bit like a “non-martial” martial art, a physical practice exploring the possibilities of bodies moving through contact, a mix of playful challenge, collaborative kinetic meditation, and biomechanical poetics.
In the workshop, we explore the felt physics of two bodies moving together… mechanically interdependent and mutually sensing. We enjoy the sensory and artistic play and the improvised mechanical problem solving.
We’ll start with slow explorations. We surrender into gravity and enjoy the experience of weight: our weight, giving weight into support, and the soft compression of receiving another’s weight. We work with the image of a pouring of the body’s weight… internally, across the floor and through the space, and then into physical contact. Embracing the experience of weight brings us into functional presence with the body and physics. We more easily give and receive support.
We let go of the brittleness of rigid intention and find soft, easy power. We find this through imagery and sensory exploration as well as technical exercises to refine mechanics.
We focus especially on the pull and stretch of the long, interconnecting, sometimes spiraling chains of fascia through the body. Attending to fascial chains encourages release and whole-body sensing/interconnection.
A central tool of the workshop will be the Passive Sequencing work, a physical practice of developing finer moment-to-moment functional awareness of self and other through a cultivation of calm in motion. We see how nervous reaction and compulsion make us momentarily lose awareness and control. We notice how our interaction with others either triggers reactivity or invites presence. The result is a more mechanically functional and aware movement, personally and with other.
Approached like a martial art, we hold a frame of CI explorations as physics-based exploration of bodies moving in physical contact. We explore gross and subtle physics, but in the spirit of “biomechanical poetics”, we use this articulation and fine tuning to support the experience of the ineffable.
Body Work
Mind Work
And some sweat.
Logistics
An open level workshop.
This workshop is intended for people who enjoy physical exploration and challenge. It is not an introductory CI workshop, but physically adventurous beginners with experience in other movement practices are welcome to get in touch before registering and tell a little about your movement background so we can discuss whether the workshop is a good fit.
Participants should be comfortable with detail oriented physical instruction, moving through physical contact with others, and curious to experiment.
Questions? Write to info@bodyresearch.org.
Space is limited to 22 participants, so early registration is recommended.
Instruction in English (some help available with German, Ukrainian, and Spanish)
Registration and Fees
For information, write to info@bodyresearch.org
Fees
- €150 – €240 sliding scale (pay what you can within the range)
- Early Registration (before 17 October): €90 – €240
As with most Body Research events, this workshop is “no one turned away for lack of funds”. This means pay what you can in the sliding scale range, and if you can’t afford the lower end, write a note and we can work it out.
Cancellation and refund policy, click here
Registration: Please do both of the following
- Fill out this linked registration form
- send in payment (details on registration form)
bio: Karl Frost has been teaching and performing contact and related work in body-based creative process for over 39 years. He is known internationally for his dynamic and articulate movement style, rigor in physical research and teaching, and for the edge-pushing nature of his work in both practice and performance. His work, influenced by studies in contemporary release technique, Alexander technique, and martial arts, has been showcased across the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. His performances, via Body Research Physical Theater, take the body and emotionally and physically felt experience as their reference points, often in highly audience-interactive frameworks.
Karl holds a PhD in Ecology, an MFA in Dramatic Arts, and a BA in Physics. He is currently a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig, Germany).