Dance has never been a linear journey for me. Dance inspires me, challenges and encourages me and lets me express what is there at the moment. For me, dance is exchange, communication, deepening of knowledge and so often a great joy. I want to pass this joy on - that dance (both improvisation and its technical aspects!) can be joy and enjoyment for everyone* and that it's always great to land more in your own body and to explore these embodied sensations. That's what I stand for and that's been with me for a long time, also because the relationship with my own body wasn't and isn't always easy.
More about my journey with dance -
Dance has accompanied me half my life, ever since I stood in front of the mirror as a child, oblivious to myself. In my youth, I immersed myself in a wide variety of dance styles - from Latin jazz to hip-hop to salsa. During my studies, I discovered how important it is to connect to and deal with my body and began a training course to become a dance teacher in Vienna. My passion grew steadily and I began to feel at home in the field of free dancing, especially Contact Improvisation (CI): At a large dance festival, I also met Bruno Caverna, whose practice "Play Fight" has had a significant influence on me to this day, more about that at playfight .
I began to deepen my own dance practice and saw a solid education and training as the next step. So I applied to the Trinity Laban Conservatory in London and studied community dance there, which included dance pedagogy as well as in-depth learning and training in contemporary dance.
After studying in London, I returned to Vienna and began teaching contemporary dance and somatic practices (“Contemporary dance & somatics”). I also lead a "Play Fight study group" in Vienna. In the last two years I have also deepened my relationship with performance work and have worked for the schallundrauch agency. I also work a lot with children and young people in various settings and am currently teaching a regular movement and dance class for children and also give workshops, more information here .
People who have inspired me along the way:
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MaRia Probst , in whose courses I was able to experience the healing power of dance and movement on the nervous system for the first time
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Bruno Caverna , whose practice "Play Fight" has had a lasting and significant impact on my life in depth and vitality
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Many of the people I've met at the countless Contact Jams I've attended that have allowed me to explore the themes of boundaries, perception, and flexibility.
Photos:
Mafalda Rakos
Lena Pirklhuber
erica Bertolacci