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⛩ Contact Improvisation Residency Program July 17th to August 27th

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We are thrilled to unveil a new chapter at The Garden: a residential sanctuary devoted to the art of Contact Improvisation (CI). This program is a living, breathing commitment to the seamless flow of training and shared discovery, inviting both local dancers and those from distant shores to join in our dance.

With flexible participation options, we embrace the diverse economic realities of each individual, ensuring that the practice of CI is accessible to all. Our vision is to cultivate a haven where the wisdom of CI can be nurtured regularly, honoring its foundational principles, continuous practice, and the beautiful interplay with other somatic practices and movement explorations.

Here is a detailed 6-week residency program for Contact Improvisation (CI), designed to progressively develop the resident's skills, understanding, and application of CI principles. The program includes specific tasks and activities to be carried out by the resident each week. The Contact Improvisation training periods for the residential program at The Garden range from a minimum of 2, to a maximum of 6 weeks.

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Week 1: Fundamentals & Developing Listening Sensitivity

July 17th to July 23rd

Objectives:

• Introduce the residency to the basic principles and techniques of CI.

• Establish a foundation of physical conditioning and safety practices.

• Enhance sensitivity to touch and non-verbal communication.

• Improve listening skills and responsiveness in movement.

Activities and Tasks

• Orientation Session: Overview of the residency program, expectations, and safety guidelines.

• Daily Warm-Ups: Focus on mobility, stretching, and strength exercises.

• Fundamental Techniques: Introduction to weight sharing, balance, rolling, and falling.

• Solo Improvisation Exercises: Developing a personal movement vocabulary.

• Partner Exercises: Practicing weight sharing and balance with different partners.

• Touch and Sensitivity Drills: Activities to develop tactile awareness and sensitivity.

• Improvisational Scores: Simple scores to practice listening and responding.

Week 2: Exploring Momentum, Flow & Expanding Movement Vocabulary

July 24th to July 30th

Objectives:

• Understand and utilize momentum and flow in movement.

• Develop skills for continuous and fluid motion

• Broaden the range of movement possibilities.

• Integrate new movement ideas and patterns into improvisation.

Activities and Tasks:

• Momentum-Based Exercises: Techniques to initiate and sustain movement using momentum.

• Flow Drills: Continuous movement exercises, focusing on transitions and maintaining flow. • Partner Improvisation: Longer improvisational sessions with partners, emphasizing flow.

• Movement Exploration: Introducing lifts, spirals, and dynamic floor work & more.

• Improvisational Scores: More complex scores to integrate new movements.

• Creative Tasks: Solo and group tasks to explore and create new movement sequences.

• Mid-Term Assessment: Evaluation of progress through feedback and performance review.

Week 3: Advanced Techniques and Partnering

July 31st to August 6th

Objectives:

• Master advanced CI techniques.

• Enhance partnering skills and deepen collaboration.

Activities and Tasks:

• Advanced Techniques Workshops: In-depth practice of lifts, aerials, and intricate partnering techniques.

• Extended Partner Improvisation: Longer sessions to refine partnering skills.

• Performance Practice: Preparing for informal showings or performance pieces.

• Instructor Feedback: Detailed feedback sessions with the instructor on advanced techniques.

Week 4: Integrating Creativity and Composition

August 7th to August 13th

Objectives:

• Develop compositional skills and creativity in improvisation. • Begin creating a performance piece.

Activities and Tasks:

• Creative Improvisation Exercises: Tasks to enhance creativity and originality in movement.
• Composition Workshops: Introduction to compositional techniques and group dynamics. • Performance Composition: Start developing a piece for the final performance. • Peer Collaboration: Work with peers to develop and refine the performance piece.

Week 5: Refining Performance and Technical Skills

August 14th to August 20th

Objectives:

• Refine technical skills and performance abilities. • Finalize the performance piece for presentation.

Activities and Tasks:

• Technical Refinement: Focused practice on perfecting technical skills.
• Rehearsals: Structured rehearsals for the final performance piece. • Group Critique Sessions: Receive and provide feedback on performance pieces. • Instructor Coaching: Intensive coaching sessions to polish the performance.

Week 6: Final Performance and Evaluation

August 21th to August 27th

Objectives:

• Showcase the skills and knowledge acquired during the residency.
• Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the residency experience.

Activities and Tasks:

• Final Performance: Public or private showing of the performance piece.
• Post-Performance Discussion: Group discussion and reflection on the performance experience. • Final Assessments: Comprehensive evaluation of progress, including self-assessment, peer feedback, and instructor evaluation. • Future Planning: Discussion on future goals and next steps in CI practice.

Additional Ongoing Tasks:

- Regular Feedback Sessions: Ongoing feedback from instructors and peers throughout the residency. - Reflection Journal: Daily entries on experiences and insights & integration. - Physical Conditioning: Continued emphasis on maintaining and improving physical fitness. - Community Building: Activities to build trust and community among participants, such as group discussions and social events.
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This detailed 8-week program provides a structured and comprehensive approach to a CI residency, ensuring that the resident develops a deep understanding and proficiency in Contact Improvisation while also fostering personal growth and community engagement.

☯ Facilitator & Teacher

Félix A. Arjona Conejero

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Félix A. Arjona Conejero is a professional dancer, choreographer, Gestalt therapist, movement psychotherapist, and yoga teacher. His journey through contemporary dance and contact improvisation (CI) has shaped him into a versatile artist and creator, dedicated to exploring the intersections of movement, therapy, and personal growth.

Felix is the visionary behind 'The Culture of Contact,' an online space for personal development, and the founder of SOMA&Play. His work spans research, creation through contact, movement, improvisation, and the establishment of CI Formación Andaluza and Contact Camp Andalucía.

A native of Seville, Félix's artistic education began at the Centro Andaluz de Danza and Endanza, Seville (2004-07), and continued at TanzAkademie Balance 1, Berlin (2007-08). His passion for CI blossomed during his studies, particularly during his time in Berlin, where he started conducting workshops and performances with the OGM Collective.


Upon returning to Spain in 2011, Félix continued his training in contemporary dance with renowned instructors such as Guillermo Weickert, Juan Luis Matilla, and Francisco Camacho, among others. His CI training includes studies with esteemed practitioners like Danni and Ecki, Christiane Boullosa, Bruno Caverna, and many more.

Website: felixarjona.com 

Instagram: @felixibilidades 

CI Formación Andaluza: @ciformacionandaluza

⌖ Where

The Garden, a 22 acre enchanted forest estate nestled in the heart of the Lima Valley. 2000sqm [21000sqft] of buildings & infrastructure, with established forest garden, fruit orchards, a private lake, two swimming springs, pool, sauna, hot tub, villa, two grand halls & embodiment space, two kitchens, sundecks & wooden platforms, giant dance floor, cork dojo, circus arts, gym, and a jam space full of instruments & soundsystems. 📍 45 minutes north of Porto & 15 minutes from the closest train/bus station (Viana do Castelo).

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Geographic Context:

- 45 min from Porto Airport [OPO.] - 3h50 from Lisbon - 20 min to the beach [kitesurfing] - 30 min to the waterfall valley hikes - 20 min from Viana do Castelo & Ponte de Lima - Forested hiking footsteps out the back gate

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* Please be aware that the venue hosts other activities during your stay. We recommend you expect and be mindful of these concurrent events to ensure a harmonious experience for all participants.

𓐐𓎩 Food

Food is central to the experience at the Garden.

Included as part of your stay: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meals are plant-based.


Cooking & clean-up is a shared karma by everyone — team, volunteers & guests, [including you] — with signing-in community shifts.


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⥁ Rates

The Contact Improvisation training periods for the residential program at The Garden range from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 6 weeks. This means that you can also do periods of 3, 4, 5 weeks.

€580 - 2 Weeks [ €200 for the traineeship + €190/week for your stay]

€870 - 3 Weeks

[ €300 for the traineeship + €190/week for your stay]

€1084 - 4 Weeks

[ €400 for the traineeship + €171/week for your stay]

€1355 - 5 Weeks

[ €500 for the traineeship + €171/week for your stay]

€1626 - 6 Weeks

[ €600 for the traineeship + €171/week for your stay]

⊙ Transparency

The object of the non-profit Garden association is to promote art & culture. The traineeship is priced at-cost ─ much less than comparable programs ─ and all payments are donations, supporting the project by funding improvements to the space, p. ex. a new hardwood flooring.