the seminar structure:

This seminar consists from the modules, lead by the same artistic group. Students, signed for the certain module, are taking part in one or a few workshops, watching performances and taking part in the discussion. Each module is a studying unite, opening the very original way to understanding and creation of each group of artists.

but we also have the additional program:
- The workshop-performance project with Oleg Soulimenko (Russia/Austria) “Stage. Audience. Performer” 2-15 May
- The workshop with Monica Emilie Herstad (HerStay, Norway) "Body vs literature" and discussion 16 May




the seminar program:

Module 1.Daniel Andersson, Andrea Csaszni Rygh (Sweden)
Performance I “Auto Illuminati:pre-phase”. Visibile light is electromagnetic radiation visible to the human eye. Luminescence is low temperature light. Cold body radiation. Sometimes caused by subatomic motions, electrical energy or chemical reactions. Incandescence is high temperature light. Flash is visible light emitted from a hot body.
The stage is a black hole. The soundscape is radio for the disillusioned. The time is now. We are all under the influence. Accumulating light illuminating erected representations of time. We create to deviate, to create machines able to change the flow. To break the tide. The apparatus will reveal itself.
Performance II “Losers”. Failure isn’t the opposite of success. It’s the differentiation of the same. It’s dependent on context of use, it’s observers and the belief system in which it is defined. Loser used as a derogatory term is as dependent as failure on context of use, it’s observers and the belief system in which we pinpoint the loser. Capitalism is the religion of labour put in the hands of the financial dictatorship. A loser can be a regulator before a consumer, worker or commodity. You are commodity. Lose it. Liberty before ambition. A failure is something you do not something that you are. Capitalism isn’t a force of nature.
Discussion: “Folding a text" lead by Daniel Andersson, Andrea Csaszni Rygh (Sweden) and Elena Dergacheva (Russia)

Module 2. UNITED SNAKES (Finland)
Performance Kaikki vaikuttaa / All Matters (work in progress).
Who has power over you? Who are you exploiting? The third and final part of the Raw-Matters trilogy creates a shift from personal to global. Themes of the performance include power, equity and deprivation. The group has asked itself: "Under whose power am I?" and "What kind of power do I have?". In a process of going out of one's own comfort zone, the group aims for a dynamic imbalance and an unpredictable outcome by deliberately giving up control. The elements of the performance include war statistics, breakdance, documentary videos of Moscow, Helsinki and Chechnya, Lappeenranta rap, 70s disco dance and 90s John Oswald like musical chaff. Unconventional Finnish choreographer Arja Tiili and controversial Finnish visual artist Teemu Maki act as dramaturges of the performance. Premiere 5.8.2010 at URB10 festival in Kiasma Theater - Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki. Direction/ Dramaturgy: Arja Tiili and Teemu Maki. Performers: Petri Kanerva, Kasperi Laine, Kaisa Niemi, Jani-Matti Salo and Arja Tiili. Sound design: Kasperi Laine Light design: Jani-Matti Salo. PR: Liisi Soroush. Production: Eager Minds Association and URB10 festival Kiasma theater.
Discussion: “The social and political issue in contemporary performance and visual art” (led by Teemu Maki).

Module 3. PAULIINA HULKKO (dir.) & Co. (Finland)
Workshop “Bodies Speak – Words Move”. This workshop-lecture treats the multifaceted relationship between experience, speech and embodiment. It is based on my ongoing research on the notion of choreophony. Choreophony could be defined as ‘a spoken, uttered dance or space’ (from the Greek words "horeo" - dance, space , and "phonio" - voice) – as opposed to choreography, which literally and historically stands for ‘writing a dance or space’. It is a self-made notion with which we can explore connections between the perceived, the uttered, and the embodied. “In the workshop I share and create insights into choreophony together with the participants. First, we examine the ways in which our bodies could speak, both individually and in relation to each other. Thereafter, we explore different modes of embodying this speech. Finally, we attempt to turn it into a meaningful, shared experience, and maybe even an artistic utterance. In addition to the workshop, I discuss choreophony in the framework of my artistic research and contextualize it in relation to contemporary performing arts practices, as well as in relation to some philosophical ideas.”
Performance Pavlova Experiment Pavlova Experiment is a multidisciplinary performance for one dancer and two musicians. It examines different historical corporalities – such as that of Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian ballerina – creating a spectrum of diverse bodily figures and sensations.The starting point for the performance process was the concept of choreophony. This self-made notion refers to speaking aloud (Greek ????, ‘voice’) about dance or space (Greek ??????) – as opposed to choreography, which literally and historically stands for ‘writing dance or space’. Pavlova Experiment displays three polemic bodily cultures: the dancing Palace of Louis XIV, the early 20th century classical ballet, and an experiential phenomenological body which is constantly generated in and by each individual’s personal perception. This last, very intimate, singular and sensory body is unfolded by means of choreophony. Classical Western and Japanese music weaves the musical tapestry of Pavlova Experiment. Music intertwines with dance and punctuates the performance dividing it into three parts. First, there is an 18th century ball, in which the audience stands for the imaginary dancing crowd. The ball is followed by a duet between the live dancer and the projection of the dancing Pavlova. Finally, the audience is invited to lie down and experience a choreophoned dance which is performed not only for the eyes, but rather for all the senses, to be experienced in its entire corporality.
Discussion: “The human body in art of contemporary dance” (lead by Pauliina Hulkko)

Module 4. "Ensemble Y" (Norway) Thomas Gundersen, Bibbi Winberg, Katrine Kirsebom, Irene Velten Rothmund, Siri Jontvedt, Gisle Hass, Hilde Rustad. The group has been working with dance improvisation for many years together, as well as separately. The work must be seen in the tradition of American and European post modern dance, and is inspired by Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton, Julyen Hamilton and Kirstie Simson.
The performance "Ensemble Y" will include dance, sound and words treated equally as compositional elements in an expression within the realm of both dance and theatre. We work with improvisation as art form in performance, meaning the performance itself will be improvised in the moment of performing - it will be based on the lived experience of the performers - personally, professionally, individually and as a group.
Workshops: I “Release technique” (Irene Velten Rothmund), II “Improvisation and contact improvisation” (Katrine Kirsebom), III“Somatic and pilates in dance training” (Siri Jontvedt)
Discussion I: “Composition and improvisation methods, applied in limited or mix ability group”, led by Hilde Rustad
Discussion II: “Contemporary methods in dance education” led by Bibbi Winberg, Irene Velten Rothmund

Module 5. Kerstin Lofvander, Ulle Bjorn Bengtsson (Denmark):
Workshops: I “Combining text-expression with emotion- and body-work”, II “The somatic approach to acroyoga: exercises from kleintechnique, BMC and contact improvisation”. “ABC – Acroyoga: Connection with ourselves and our partner, is one of the most fundamental thing in improvisational dance. In acroyoga we stretch each other, working with trust and safety, as well as preparing for deeper flights. Hanging upside down on someones feet is the ultimate and yet the most soft stretch for your back. We will work with therapeutic flying as well as more acrobatic and dynamic lifts. We will explore how to create a solid ground and easy flights, taking it into more of a dance. This is an excellent class to take before other dance classes to warm up your joints as well as your feeling of well being and presence in the dance. We work with elements from acroyoga, body mind centering and contact improvisation.”

Module 6. Jens-Peter Kefas Berlin-Jannes (Sweden)
Workshop "Voice out of the body/Body out of the voice"
Performance of the workgroup.

Module 7. Liisa Pentti (Finland). "Langueton". Study-lab and rehearsal of the collaboration Russian-Finnish performance project. Workshop and workgroup Performance.
This workshop is a three weeks process that will aim to a work-in-progress- showing in the end of seminar and as well in the BodyWord-festival in May. The workshop is for dancers , actors and performers who are interested in exploring the relationship between movement and language. ”Langue-Gheton!”: “Langue is a term (French, meaning "language") and parole (meaning "speech") are linguistic terms used by Ferdinand de Saussure. During the workshop we will be looking into the relations and different systems that can binc and connect movement, writing and speech. From this we will create a language of Langue-Gheton. Participants will be creating their own textmaterial and generating movement in relation to those texts. Also we will spend time working with voice and movement. My interest is to look into the mind of the movement through words and speech- what kind of stories will appear in this time in St. Petersburg and- will they create a choreography or a language?”

Module 8. OTHER SPACES (Toisissa Tiloissa) Golem Variations Golem Variations is a performance about creation: its matter, technique and the experience of being created. It is based on the Jewish mystic belief that a person steeped in God’s creativity can acquire the ability of bringing inanimate matter to life. In Europe, the myth has given rise to the famous story of the pious rabbi Loew, from Prague, who created a clay giant with superhuman strength to protect the Jewish community from Christian persecution. In the end, the Golem broke loose from its creator and turned against its own community. The Golem is often considered a precursor of modern superheroes. Toisissa tiloissa group has created a series of variations which approach various ‘Golemic’ phenomena experientially. How is the myth of the Golem reflected in today’s world and our everyday lives? Heaven has descended upon Earth; the boundary between birth and death has become a common concern for all humanity. But do we control that boundary, are we able to live while straddling it? Golem Variations is an invisible spectacle in which we, together, approach things that transcend our imagination but nevertheless concern all of us.
Discussion: “Natural and artificial in contemporary theatre” led by Esa Kirkopelto


Calendar plan

2-15 May: workshop and study-lab module 7
15 May: workshop module 4, workshop module 8
16 May: workshop module 8, workshop module 4, performance I module 1
17 May: workshop module 3, workshop module 4, performance module 2, discussion module 2
18 May: workshop module 3, workshop I module 5, performance II module1, discussion module 1
19 May: workshop I module 4, workshop module 5, performance module 3, discussion module 3
20 May: workshop II module 4, workshop II module 6, performance module 4, discussion I module 4
21 May: workshop III module 4, performance module 6, discussion II module 4
22 May: performance module 7, 8 discussion the seminar results , closing of the seminar.

Workshops will take places in BLACK BOX theater: Kazanskaya 7 liter B
Discussions, lectures: Vaganova State Ballett Academy: Rossi str. 2
Performances: “Osobnjak” theater (Kamennoostrovsky 55), ERFRTA art center end museum (29 Liniya V.O, 2)
F. M. Dostoevski Museum (Kuznechny per. 5/2), BLACK BOX theater: Kazanskaya 7 liter B

registration: thebodyword@yandex.ru