*TEACHERS_2027
Flying Low +Impro
by David Zambrano
The workshop:
*Flying_Low
This is a dance technique created by David Zambrano. The class workshop focuses mainly on the dancer’s relationship with the floor. The class utilizes simple movement patterns that involve breathing, speed and the release of energy throughout the body in order to activate the relationship between the centre and the joints, moving in and out of the ground more efficiently by maintaining a centered state.
There is a focus on the skeletal structure that will help improve the dancer’s physical perception and alertness. The class includes partnering work and movement phrases, which explore the primary laws of physics: cohesion and expansion.
When one is moving, the whole room is moving with one. The image of the body constantly spiraling, whether running dancing, walking dancing or standing dancing is the main practice during the whole class.
*Impro_on_stage
Intensive practice and development of stage improvisation and spontaneous composition. David Zambrano coaches the participants based on his career-long experience as an improviser and as a mentor of performers devoted to improvisation.
Learning to use one’s life experience; being able to consciously and continuously shape one’s energy, integrating body and mind. Instantly becoming anything and anyone. Being fully present on stage, sensing the present moment, transforming the body to catch the right time and place. Finding other possible ways to physically manifest your creativity. Opening one’s dancing to infinite possibilities, taking inspiration from within and from outside. Developing a performance from any starting point. Connecting to the whole room as the body spontaneously composes, dancing like a ball of fire.
Catching the right timing, physically manifesting your imagination, interconnecting constantly, shaping the space, allowing dance performances to emerge under any conditions. Realizing that there is always more creativity inside. Learning how to eloquently transmit with your body language.
Biography:
David Zambrano has been a monumental figure in the international dance community for more than 40 years, and his passion for cultural exchange continues to influence his work. Zambrano is an ambassador and liaison across many borders, bringing together artists from all over the planet for his projects. He has taught his own approach to dance in more than 75 countries and has performed at hundreds of venues across the world.
His pieces range from set choreography, structured improvisation, and pure improvisation. Born in Venezuela, Zambrano spent 15 years in New York, and now lives between Amsterdam and Brussels continuing to perform and teach worldwide.
His improvisation is committed to art as a cultural exchange developing the creative process in a world without borders. Zambrano sees improvisation as an art form and choreography as a vehicle to further develop his work in improvisation
Zambrano’s pursuits as an improviser, choreographer, and performer have been presented all over the world. Zambrano’s methods in improvisation are influenced by the training he teaches around the globe. The most notable method is his Flying Low technique which examines the dancer’s relationship to the ground; and Passing Through group composition exercising the practice of infinity possibilities of moving together inside a defined time-space environment.
In 2018 he, together with his partner Mat Voorter, initiated Tictac Art Centre as an artistic home base.
Vogue +Waacking +Hustle
by Archie Burnett
The workshop:
Vogue
"In 1980 I was introduced to Vogue by accident. I met Willie Ninja in Washington square park after coming from the LOFT in 1982, (founded by David Mancuso). We all back then, continued the party in Washington Square Park, after the LOFT party was over Sunday afternoon. Willie Ninja took me to my first Gay Club. The music was crazy and the dancing was real electric and I said to myself: 'I gotta learn this shit!'. And I've been Vogueing ever since. So, Let’s do it!!
My quest, so to speak, is to share a little of my life with you and hope that one will enjoy the beauty of being connected in the spirit of being free with this Queer Culture phenomenon called VOGUE. The focus of this class will be on proper posture, correct body vocabulary, motivation (meaning indivdual characterisations), the control of being in the moment, and organic musicality. I will introduce old way vogue (male vogue), new way vogue (beginner) and vogue femme (beginner)."
Voguing is a style developed in the 1980ies and is characterised by poses, similar to the ones of photo model poses with some influences from the Harlem ballrooms of the 1930ies. Characteristics are formation of lines, symmetry, and precision in the execution of such formations and graceful, fluid-like action. Since the founding of Vogue Evolution in 2008 in New York, Voguing became very popular.
Waacking
Waacking is a dance style created by Latinx, Brown and Black youth on the West Coast of the USA, L.A. in particular. Inspired by Old Hollywood, participants are bringing the living stories they are to life in all of its colourful flavour. This workshop will give a taste of that fabulousness, revering those inspirational stars and starlets of a bygone era in film. ‘Light, Camera, ACTION!!’
Hustle
The fabulous partner social dance invented in 1971-2 by the Latin Community in New York City that still rocks today. Follow with ease and lead with confidence with that 70’s magic. Let’s Hustle!
Biography:
ARCHIE BURNETT (Choreographer, Dancer, Mentor),first founding father of the New York City-based now international House of Ninja, aka ICONIC HOUSE OF NINJA who playfully calls himself”The Dancing Dinosaur “has been a well-respected force in the underground dance world for over 45 years. As a master of Whacking, Voguing, Hustle, and many other styles, Burnett moves with profound clarity and striking geometric body-lines.
Burnett is an avid weightlifter and graphic artist, and splits his time between work, family, clubs, and teaching dance at NYC’s Peridance. He teaches worldwide in countries such as Germany, Austria, Poland, Belgium, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Ukraine the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, Japan, and Brazil, Taiwan, Mexico, Argentina, Africa, Spain, Estonia, Switzerland, Norway and has given lecture/demonstrations and been on scholarly panels at Yale University, Duke University, Harvard University, New York University, and Florida State University.
His bodies of work range from music videos to features in magazines like Dance Ink and the former Village Voice Dance section to performance/movement coaching for up-and-coming recording artists. He is featured in the documentary Check Your Body at the Door, produced by dance historian Sally R Sommer PDH, which chronicles the lives and lifestyles of six remarkable underground House dancers in New York City during the golden decade of the 1990s.
Burnett also performs for concert-dance choreographers Doug Elkins, David Neumann, and Cori Olinghouse and he has shown his own work at Dance Theater Workshop, PS122, Danspace, Dixon Place, 92nd Street Y, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Théâtre Suresnes JeanVilar in Paris. And most recently performed at their 2021 season at Jacobs Pillow. ‘Life Encounters”a small look into his dance DNA and most recently the Guggenheim Museum Theater in NYC with the Ephrat Asherie dance company in UNDERSCORED 2022-25 season and much more to come.
I don’t know how, but I know why
by Maura Morales
The workshop:
From a deep respect towards the body as an ally rather than just a tool, Maura proposes a workshop in which the initial attention is directed towards a sensitive and sensory listening of the body. Through sequences, deep breathing and warmups with improvisation, sensations are awakened and body perception is refined.
Maura combines games, energetic dynamics, improvisation and floorwork to enhance awareness of the body in motion. She uses speed as a catalyst that allows this awareness to integrate into spontaneous, organic and authentic answers, that emerge from a completely present and committed body.
Guided by curiosity, singularity and the desire for discovery, the workshop is an invitation to re-explore the organic answers of each participant through schedules of physical research, supported by concrete as well as abstract images. By limiting in order to expand, new fields of possibility, creativity and personal expression are opened.
A space to listen, explore and re-discovering the body, from the inside out.
Biography:
Maura Morales completed her education in classical ballet, modern dance, choreography, acting and folklore at the camagüey state school of arts, camagüey, in cuba. She was soloist at various state theatres in cuba, germany and switzerland.
Since 2008 she has been a freelance dancer and choreographer and performs regularly at renowned international dance festivals.
She has received a large number of prizes and was awarded, among others, the renowned kurt jooss prize in 2013 for her dance piece wunschkonzert, as well as the jury prize for the best dance performance at the international dance fair in huesca/spain.
In 2014 she was awarded the förderpreis für darstellende of the state capital düsseldorf. In 2015 she received the duri prize at the act international dance festival in bilbao/spain. Since 2010 Maura has been leading her own dance company, the Cooperativa Maura Morales, together with the composer Michio Woirgardt, for which she has created a number of full-length pieces.
With a touring volume of about 50 performances per year, the ensemble is one of the most touring (Nationally and Internationally) independent dance companies in Germany, touring regularly throughout Europe, Asia and South America.
Maura Morales is also a sought-after guest choreographer and has created commissioned works for numerous state and municipal theatre ensembles all over the world.
