Material for the Spine

WORKSHOP with Otto Ramstad
In the frame of WinterTanz 2023/24

“With Material for the Spine, I was interested in allowing a technical approach to improvisational results. It is a system for exploring the interior and exterior muscles of the back. It aims to bring the light of consciousness to the dark side of the body, that is, the sides not much self-seen, and to submit sensations to the mind for consideration.”
Steve Paxton
Material for the Spine concentrates accumulated knowledges from Paxton’s study of walking, Contact Improvisation and Aikido practice to explore the movement possibilities in the spine and the connections between the head, pelvis, and vertebrae. This solo practice is a meditative study of a series of exercises, body puzzles and ideokinetic imagery. These sensations can also be used as a palette for improvisation.Accessibility Note  

The workshop will be held in spoken English. Movement exercises will include a lot of floorwork and somatic practice. There may be some touch as we assist each other doing the rolls. Verbal exchange will be part of the workshop. Information about our location & studios in Kreuzberg, which unfortunately are not wheelchair accessible, can be found here. For questions or more information, please contact Zoé Duflot & Elisabeth Leopold at workshop@tanzfabrik-berlin.de