Movement workshop: Courage

In the Movement workshop: Courage by Israeli choreographer Ofir Yudilevitch we will be looking for courage to overcome our fears. “Courage is a human quality that embodies the ability to face fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or threat” ( Wikipedia).

We will start the classes by warming up on the floor using ideas from the release technique and we will learn how these ideas are also relevant to acrobatic practices. We will take the time to understand how to move from the edges of the body, how to move from pushing the floor and when and how to use our center (pelvis, abdomen). We will learn and refine a number of inverted positions as a basis for acrobatic movement.

After the warm-up we will continue with a technical journey made up of different acrobatic exercises that may be scary or challenging. We will start from the floor and go up to exercises that require more courage from us. The practice will be done in a safe and calm manner. We will work in pairs and specify the various supports that our partners give us. We will also understand how to deal with the risks of every movement and break down this risk into something more tangible that can be addressed and improved upon.

The last part of the workshop will emphasize emotional and performative courage. We will try to take the physical courage we practiced and understand how it connects to the way we dance whether it is for ourselves or in front of others. We will work with simple instructions that ask us to dance bolder and bring a full, unapologetic version of ourselves. 

The workshop is for dancers/movers with good form and movement experience who are looking for new impulses and challenges in their movement practises. 

Ofir Yudilevitch – https://ofiryudilevitch.com

Ofir is a choreographer, dancer, acrobat and Capoerista from Israel. His performances and choreographic work deal with risk taking and a playful approach towards dancing and partnering.

Ofir’s work has been shown all around the world. His last pieces include “HANDS UP” – a circus/dance performance in collaboration with handbalancer Imogen Huzel and “CONCRETE” – a series of outdoor site-specific works that are inspired by subcultures like punk, parkour, breakdance, skateboarding and other art forms that have a certain rebellious attitude towards societal norms. 

Ofir’s own movement practice is very diverse and ranges from soft body work influenced by release technique and Feldenkrais all the way to capoeira,  acrobatics, hand and head balancing. In the last few years Ofir has been practicing breakdancing and had his first battle earlier in the year. 

In the media:

“ТЕРАПИЯ ХОРЕОГРАФИЕЙ | Эстонские танцоры стали участниками уникального мастер-класса” – Новости в 7