Animal Instinct
Matan Levkowich
Nov 25-27 2016

Animal Instinct   –   Progressive Movement Training
– Movement Reaserch & Contact Improvisation Workshop –
with Matan Levkowich

Tanzfabrik Kreuzberg
Berlin, November 25-27, 2016

SCHEDULE:
Friday, 25.11.:  6pm – 9pm
Saturday, 26.11.: 11am – 6pm (1h break)
Sunday, 27.11.:  11am – 6pm (1h break)

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:

Animal Instinct is an ongoing movement research. The core of this practice is to gain freedom in motion. By moving away from any ideology, style, form or aesthetic, we can reexamine our physical abilities with fresh eyes. The work refers to information from various movement disciplines (biomechanics, martial arts, somatic practices, contemporary dance & contact improvisation) and offers a wide spectrum of tools to study our body, to understand movement and communicate physically.

Animal Instinct offers natural movement patterns to create rich duets based on improvisation. This workshop will help developing the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence to provide dancers with the agility and coordination to complete the movements successfully. We will work on partnering exercises to expand our personal movement vocabulary and our ability to physically communicate in a duet.

Topics we will explore/study:
– Body preparation (warm-up/cool-down)
– Physical Adaptation
– Flexibility and movement fluidity
– Undulation and spiral patterns
– Muscle tonus
– Hands as feet and feet as hands
– Reflexive awareness
– Structural limitations & manipulation
– Freedom in expression
We will work in various constellations (solo, duet or group work), studying the never-ending possibilities that occur in dynamic improvisations. We will re-inhabit our dancing body and emerge ourselves into the flow of movement.

The Animal Instinct is a frame in which one can explore his own body in relation to a partner/partners. The starting point for this exploration is the pleasure that comes from bodily communication. We will learn the effect of the physical forces that are around us and how they can be utilized into our partner body and to ourselves. We will learn how to fall, roll, jump, fly and manipulate. We will examine touch qualities and explore our imagination and curiosity.

Animal Instinct can be divided into three layers: body preparation, body communication, body migration. Each layer is an independent universe that can exist on its own but is designed to support, develop & complete the other layers. Together they represent what I define as movement liberation. By diving into the world of movement, we can start perceiving ourselves as movement ambassadors, as a reference point to ‚body inhabitants’. It grows into a responsibility, a missionary quest, to bring back our natural heritage to be in movement, to become motion.

Body Preparation
The foundation layer. The work consists a variety of movement tasks/exercises to understand the body as an individual entity. By working with the solo body, we can differentiate, dissect and map the body properties, limitations and potentials. The work aims to establish tools for self-discipline and self exploration of the body.

Body Communication
In this layer the exploration focus is on the universe of physical communication with another person. When working with a partner, we can transform the motivation for movement to a reaction based practice. We are not alone anymore. We are being affected by external forces/intentions and we can clarify our desires and motivations. This layer helps to experience evolution through dependency on another being.

Body Migration
The last layer introduces group constellations. The exponential increase of the ever-changing variables, confronts the individual to adapt and change constantly, evolving into a state where the speed of our thoughts is equalised with our body reactions. In this frame, one can examine himself/herself through a wider lens. We are social beings and we need to develop skills to exist within a group.

When combined together to a body of work, we can take our heads ‚out of the water’ and merge into a wider context: We are living in a demobilized society where movement is being perceived as luxury/hobby and the body is being appreciated merely on its aesthetic properties. By diving into the world of movement, we can start perceiving ourselves as movement ambassadors, as a reference point to ‚body inhabitants’. It grows into a responsibility, a missionary quest, to bring back our natural heritage to be in movement, to become motion.

LEVEL:
The workshop is open for beginners and advanced movers.

LANGUAGE:
Language is english
Translation into german is possible

MATAN’S VIDEOS:
https://www.youtube.com/user/justobehappy
https://vimeo.com/matanlevkowich

BIO MATAN LEVKOWICH:
Matan is a dancer, choreographer and movement teacher inspired by social phenomena and human behaviour. His approach to movement is based on the study of the body’s intuition. The study of intuition enables to navigate through instability and develops trust in the body’s capacities. His choreographic works explore narratives of body/relations. His main interest lays in utilizing coincidence into stable, communicative scenarios.

Matan started his physical education in Rene Cassin high school for sport. Until the age 18 he was trained to be a basketball player. His first encounter with dance was 2007-2009 in The Group in Jaffa – School for Contemporary Dance, 2009-2010 he studies at The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, 2010-2013 he continued his studies at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD).

He danced in works of David Zambrano („4+1“), Martin Nachbar (On Foot), Alessandro Sciarroni (Untitled (2) – you don’t know how lucky you are), Marco Torrice (Centipedes), and others.

His choreographic works have been presented in various dance festivals, cultural events, art galleries and museums. His first choreographic work „Point of contact“ was presented in Israel at 2010 as part of the „New dance project“ – a platform for emerging choreographers.

A new work of Matan is „Magnesium“ (2014 and 2015) in which he developed a breathtaking tribute to the origins of CI, Steve Paxton’s performance „Magnesium“ that also „combined inner-focused movement and athleticism including wrestling and falling, jumping and rolling“.

As a teacher, Matan’s focus lays in contact improvisation and movement research. He started giving regular classes in Israel in 2008. Since then, he had the chance to teach in different circumstances and to different audiences; from professional dancers to amateurs and teenagers, in open workshops, festivals and closed intimate groups. Currently he is based in Austria and he keeps on presenting his work in festivals in Europe. As well he works as a guest teacher and creator at SOZO dance academy. More information: http://www.matanlevkowich.com/works

COST:
Early bird 140€ (money transfer until October 14, 2016)
Thereafter 175€

REGISTRATION:
For registration details and workshop questions please contact me by e-mail at xs4jan@gmx.de

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1103691559688310/

LOCATION:
Tanzfabrik Berlin
Möckernstr.68, 10965 Berlin (Kreuzberg)
Studio No.4
http://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/en/studios

TRAFFIC LINKS:
U6 & 7 Yorckstrasse / Mehringdamm
S1 & 2 Yorckstrasse
Bus M19 Katzbachstrasse
https://www.google.de/maps?daddr=10965+Berlin,+M%C3%B6ckernstr.+68

PHOTO CREDIT:
Yair Meuhas