Centre for Contemporary Performing Arts

The term and philosophical basis for Body Weather was founded in the early 1980s by dancer Min Tanaka and further developed by Laboratories worldwide. Frank van de Ven was a member of Tanaka’s Maijuku Performance Company in Japan, from 1983 to 1991. With Katerina Bakatsaki he leads Body Weather Amsterdam, a platform for training and performance. Currently they are regular guest teachers at the SNDO – School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam. For more info on Body Weather Amsterdam, see www.bodyweatheramsterdam.blogspot.com.

After a thorough training and work with a partner on breathing, stretching, alignment and the notion of ‘relaxation’ in the morning, we will delve into the particulars of improvisation in dance and movement. We’ll explore both physical and mental states of being and creating movement, improvise on non-existing scores, inspect prevalent habits and patterns and engage in some Oulipian games.

Musicians Frederic Rzewski and Steve Lacy: In 1968 I ran into Steve lacy on the street in Rome. I took out my pocket tape recorder and asked him to describe in fifteen seconds the difference between composition and improvisation. He answered: “in fifteen seconds the difference between composition and improvisation is that in composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in fifteen seconds, while in improvisation you have fifteen seconds”. (from Derek Bailey’s book “Improvisation”)

As a training, Body Weather is of relevance to anyone interested in exploring the body and physical presence and this workshop is suited to dance, theatre and movement practitioners and artists of various backgrounds.