K.J. Holmes

Improvisation, Somatics, and the Poetic of Performance Practices

This five day workshop will bring forth skills, tools and practical experience of somatic research, improvisation and composition for students to become more attuned to physical centers and subtleties of touch, direction and intention. They will have time to utilize these discoveries to tune their physical instrument of body and mind as well as deepen into the source for creative practice in theater, voice and the poetics of moving.

Through acquiring articulate language to describe states of experience, we will create maps for entering into experiences of sensation and design to be blueprints for performance studies, establishing fluid ground for supporting the wisdom of each students’ experience. Along with the momentum of new input to support different qualities increasing solo attention, awareness and intention, we will actively witness ourselves and each other.

Each student will gain knowledge of their strengths as well as widen choice, create discernment and practice embodiment through exposing contradictions in the body and engaging with the imagination in ensemble. This workshop will guide students to find volume within themselves, new states and qualities of expression, and the play between discipline and freedom, strength and vulnerability. Movement, voice, writing, drawing will be a few of our tools.

K.J. Holmes’s biography:

K.J. Holmes, NY based dance artist/actor/singer/teacher, travels nationally and internationally teaching/performing/creating.
K.J. has collaborated extensively with Julie Carr, Simone Forti, Karen Nelson, Lisa Nelson and Image Lab, and Steve Paxton; has performed in the work of Miguel Gutierrez and the Powerful People, Xavier Le Roy, Lance Gries, Mark Dendy, Melinda Ring, Karinne Keithley Syers; performed in filmmaker/artist Matthew Barney’s film Redoubt and Catasterism in Three Movements; collaborates with drummer Jeremy Carlstedt (LIP); teaches in NYC at NYU/Experimental Theatre Wing, and Movement Research; She attended the certificate program of The School for Body-Mind Centering® 1995-99, and is a graduate of the William Esper studio (Meisner acting with master teacher Terry Knickerbocker), Satya Yoga, and Ayurveda’s World.

K.J. recently recreated her 1991 duet Swim/Sea/No See with her collaborator Karen Nelson, performed her solo dance installation 900 Bees are Humming, and has begun a new dance and music process Blue print with the mentorship of composer/musician/writer Henry Threadgill. You can see her in recording artist Mitski’s new video Bug Like an Angel.
kjholmes.info

Dates and times:
July 7 – 11
Monday to Friday
9:00 – 13:00

Price:
50 € registration fee
240 € total

Package deal:
In the same week Julyen Hamilton is teaching in the afternoons. You get a 15% discount for registering to both workshops.