SoloConversations Dance Collective

La danse intime de Solo Conversations

2011-11-12T18:26:00.001+01:00

Interview de Télé Bruxelles sur notre prochaine piece: EVOLVE
La danse intime de Solo Conversations

EVOLVE (work in progress) By SoloConversations

2011-11-09T00:05:00.003+01:00

Critique D Festival

2011-10-11T22:23:00.000+02:00

http://www.ruedutheatre.eu/article/1391/soloconversations-madriguera-cielo-in-terra-petites-morsures-sur-le-vide-tete-a-tete-sliding/

Enjoy it!

Open Rehearsals at Chien Perdu

2011-08-10T00:51:00.002+02:00

D Festival 2011- Théâtre Marni

2011-05-20T23:51:00.000+02:00

Critique Festival Inside / Out # 2

2011-04-23T23:12:00.000+02:00

http://www.festivalinsideout.com/index.php?/suivi-critique/soloconversations/

SoloConversations @ Compil D'Avril 2011

2011-03-25T23:29:00.002+01:00

We will be taking part in Charleroi Danses' Festival Compil D'Avril at La Raffinerie on 2 April 2011.
"Danseur" consists of ongoing performances throughout the night, a shared programme with Stefan Dreher, Samuel Lefeuvre, Loge 22, Emmanuelle Huynh and others. Join us at 21:00 & 23:00 @ La Raffinerie, Rue de Manchester 21, 1080 Bruxelles/Brussels
Festival info

SoloConversations @ Inside/Out #2 festival

2011-03-25T23:23:00.003+01:00

Discover ULB Campus du Solbosch with SoloConversations! We will be doing some short, site-specific interventions at Inside/Out #2 Festival 31st March & 1st April 2011 between 12:30 - 16:00 each day. More info on the festival here.
Address: ULB, Avenue Paul Héger, 22, 1050 Bruxelles

JetHerfst Festival

2010-10-31T23:21:00.002+01:00

More info
http://www.danscentrumjette.be/jetherfst/Files/

Strasbourg Tour

2010-10-24T01:05:00.004+02:00

http://www.halldeschars.eu/index.html

2010-10-09T16:30:00.000+02:00

UNE PIECE at ROSAS

2010-08-25T12:16:00.003+02:00

Please check here the link of the last performance UNE PIECE by SoloConversations at Rosas
http://www.vimeo.com/14409361

2010-07-27T14:51:00.000+02:00

Solo Conversations Dance Collective: Summer Studios Residency & Performance

2010-07-22T22:08:00.000+02:00

Solo Conversations Dance Collective: Summer Studios Residency & Performance

http://www.rosas.be/SubPages/subNews/SummerStudios2010/tabid/438/language/nl-BE/Default.aspx

Summer Studios Residency & Performance

2010-07-21T13:26:00.002+02:00

SOLOCONVERSATIONS Dance Collective is in residency from

22/07/2010-30/07/201 at Summer Studios/PARTS/Rosa in Brussels.

They work on a new piece, a work in progress will be perform at Rosas Evening Friday 30 July 20hs. ALL WELCOME !

Boris Cossio, Yoann Boyer, Domenico Giustino, Susanne Bentley, Agostina D'Alessandro, Ana Iommi and Barbara Pereyra.

13 April practice

2010-04-13T19:30:00.002+02:00

As a lead up to our upcoming performances we focussed on beginnings and endings today.
Starting with the voice we entered the space, built up a clear soundscape score/musical structure, let it crescendo or not, finding the end together and leaving the space together. We practiced this several times before letting the body come in or influence the sounds. When it came in by accident or design we let it happen. Gradually more body came in.
Notes: to give silence its place, stick with a clear rhythm or sound when starting so we know where you are and can build on that base (stick to your own "instrument" in the orchestra, not changing from one to the other unless we can clearly notice that your "instrument" is made up of constant change), we can be the same "instrument" as another person to reinforce them.

Yoann was interested to see what would happen if we continued after the "end" of a beginning, passing through the unknown "searching" to find a new soundscape or focus. We tried 15mins and found that it had quite a different quality, was a little scary for some to be lost.
Notes: when you don't know what to do just listen, do nothing or leave if you zone out.

Next we did the same as beginning but only with movement. We found it much harder to "listen" to the rhythms proposed. Manipulation & physical contact started happening a lot naturally so we really went with it at times.
Notes: thinking about timing (at same time as someone, before or after) helps; we have a "default setting" in terms of timing as a group ie. fast- be aware of this so we don't fall into the trap every time.

We also practiced being in the space to start, being still for a long time before moving or sounding (to practice for beginning in Beurs). This was very hard for Yo & Agos, so we practiced some more! It seemed to build a good energy between us to start the piece.

If anyone wants to fill in possible gaps in this info please go ahead! I think it's important to keep documenting our practice for the ones who cannot be there, and our 3 followers, including Kristian in NZ! Maybe you'll meet him one day...I played in a studio with him while in NZ which was loads of fun. We have a lot in common, including work with Julyen. I'll fill you in our our practice session later when I'm over jetlag!

2010-03-15T00:24:00.002+01:00

Hello!
Your are kindly welcome to the premiere of the film "Echoes of Uncertainty" that will take place in Beursschouwburg!
SoloConversations Dance Collective has performed in the film.
We hope to meet you there!

17/03/2010 - 27/03/2010

EXPO

KATRIN LOCK & TIM BROTHERTON

ECHOES OF UNCERTAINTY - vernissage 19:00!

dans le cadre de
ON Y DANSE TOUT EN ROND - Festival de la confusion

"Soloconversations dance collective in Buenos Aires"

2010-01-14T03:31:00.001+01:00

Link fotos last performance Soloconversations in Buenos Aires

http://picasaweb.google.com/projet.veoveo/SOLOCONVERSATIONSBUENOSAIRES?feat=email#

Charleroi Danses Biennale09

2009-11-13T23:57:00.008+01:00

27/11 18:00 - 20:30 - 21:45
La Raffinerie
Rue de Manchester 21, 1080/ BXL
Free entrance - welcome!

Last Wednesday

2009-10-23T13:46:00.001+02:00

First conclusion: we need to work on how to articulate and project our sounds, words etc...
Boris started with Barbie at his house, then we continued with Susanne on Wed.
What we did: with Barbie basically we listened to the other person, that was the main idea.
Last Wednesday:
- we did exercises to relax the mouth and the body so we could articulate easily.
-We gave ourselves the time to produce sound until we felt confident enough to also produce words. Then the idea was being conscious about where you are in the space when you produce a sound or a word.
- After that: we produced a stream of words (stream of consciousness style, 20-30 words) with out thinking, trying to be as neutral with the voice as possible, not moving.
We were trying not to have connections between the words, but of course sometimes they happen. It gave more emphasis to the rhythm of the words than the meaning - like in poetry, hip hop rhyming etc.
- We noticed: that when you produce words one after the other there is a tendency to talk about a topic, saying words in relation to a subject. We repeat certain words - everyone repeats different ones. We often start a series of words with the same letter, or finish a series of words with the same ending - eg. repetition, addition, abstraction. Words are produced in relation to the action you are doing or in relation to the space around you.
- Mostly we did solos, and then duets - always having someone watching for feedback.
- We didn't get around to the projecting part, that will be for the next sessions, but it also happened that we projected more and more during the session.
- We also talked about being ecological with our performing. Not throwing something away quickly, but developing it until the connection/scene finds its own end.

Keep the channel open- Martha Graham

2009-10-19T12:38:00.002+02:00

According to Agnes de Mille: "I was bewildered and worried that my entire scale of values was untrustworthy. ... I confessed that I had a burning desire to be excellent, but no faith that I could be.

Martha said to me, very quietly:
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ..."
from The Life and Work of Martha Graham

Quote of the day

2009-10-05T16:16:00.002+02:00

“Every something is an echo of nothing.” – John Cage Lecture on Something

Improvisation Writings-Aat Hougee

2009-10-01T12:08:00.003+02:00

Lecture/Performance

Aat Hougee

Improvisation it is about finding solutions, being good at improvisation it is being good in finding solutions. It is about using one's intuition, curiosity and courage to avoid known solutions to enter new territory.

To be good at improvisation might be the ability to live and work in open systems.

To find perfect solutions and to have them for whenever we need them.

Living and working in open systems means that there is no ending, no definition, no definitive esthetics other than the esthetic of the moment.

........

One of the few ways to get audience reaction in improvisation is through humor.

.......

In performance art & dance the artists use their own physical presence as artistic expression.

The dancer can create a work that will disappear right after the creation.

.......

Somehow we seem to live in a time when answers are more important than questions.

......

To improvise is to research the boundaries of what we know, willing to invest our intuition, talent and courage.

"On the edge" - Nouvelles de danse 32/33

Aat Hougee writings

Barbara Pereyra

....After summer readings on topics related to improvisation practice & performance...

2009-09-26T13:10:00.001+02:00

2009-08-09T23:44:00.003+02:00

2009-07-15T15:41:00.003+02:00

En Hamburgo hay

en hamburgo hay un lago

en hamburgo tocaron los beatles en 1960

en hamburgo hay un puerto famoso

en hamburgo hay un mercado de pescados

en hamburgo hay plazas grandes

en hamburgo hay luces a la noche

en hamburgo hay alemanes

en hamburgo hay una peatonal cerca del lago

en hamburgo hay hamburguesas

en hamburgo hay barcos que parten a buenos aires

en hamburgo hay galerias de arte

en hamburgo hay norte

en hamburgo hay soloconversations

en hamburgo hay hamburgo landscape

en hamburgo hay agostina, boris y barbara

Bruselas antes de Hamburgo Julio 2009

2009-07-14T19:47:00.004+02:00

Hamburg Landscape By SoloConversations Dance Collective

Performed by: Barbara Pereyra, Agostina D’Alessandro and Boris Cossio

Venue Saturday 18 July 22:00

Festival Kaltsart Hamburg-Germany

www.kaltstart-hamburg.de

www.soloconversations.blogspot.com

2009

2009-07-12T14:41:00.006+02:00

Here is the slideshow of our Danscentrum Jette Residency, June 2009, Bxl.
Yoann leading the sessions. (see left side column)
Photography by: Tom Sennesael

Link to the video of SoloConversations Dance Collective

2009-07-08T23:32:00.002+02:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTOkBQp6MFw
A video compilation of performances
By Jozef Deville

2009-06-26T00:34:00.003+02:00

Here's the link to the next festival we perform in.
http://www.kaltstart-hamburg.de
Please check it out and be part of it with us!

Danscentrum Jette Wk2 - solo time

2009-06-04T14:48:00.006+02:00

Solos- Listening/Sound: solo for a blind spectator. Experimentation with sounds/text only. No judgement, doing and witnessing.
> Placing the voice in space. Working on the relationship between the spaces established in the beginning and what happens in those spaces later in the piece.
> Talking in 2nd/3rd person - to distance ourselves a bit from the action or emotion. To be freer. To use more general words or concepts so that the public can enter and make their own story, with more scope for imagination. We also did this exercise with the spectator's eyes open. How does it change when you are watched?
> Adding more movement to the stories.

Disassociation of words: squeeze partner's hand, they have to produce a word immediately. Try not to have words in a row that are related to each other- it's difficult!

Solos: throughout the week working 7-12,16mins generally. Not setting a time limit, but the length was fairly regular by itself. Topics: talking "normally", 2nd & 3rd person, awareness & inclusion of audience, varying tones of voice, where is my attention, characters, cohesive stories, chapters, noticing habits...

How to sustain a longer solo?
- repetition of movt/text/sound
-recontextualising movt/text/sound, specifically with space/time/place eg. 1945, summer, the street
- following attention really helps
- drastic change of dynamic/movt quality can shift the piece in a new direction, give energy
- creating characters and/or story

to be continued with Michel tomorrow in Belgica...

VEF street performance pictures

2009-06-03T19:29:00.008+02:00

35mins slow motion up Ave Jean Volders, with audience participation!

Habits - Susanne leading

2009-06-03T18:34:00.003+02:00

The basis for this research was how can we use awareness of our habitual movement/sound/text/performance relationships as a resource, moving into how to go against them, thereby having more possibilities (colours on our palette) to play with.

-We (Boris, Susanne, Barbara, Yoann, Domenico, Hanna) started off with a sensations warm up in couples- 1 giving sensations to move/make sound, 1 receiving/producing. We then worked as a group on timing, speed and duration, noticing which patterns/habits the group fell into in this exercise eg. long duration, medium speed, close proximity.

-we listed any habits we knew of ourselves in movement/sound/text/performance mode/ group relationships, then shared them with the group. After this we listed 1 or 2 habits of each person in the group and shared these too. Sometimes the habits other people noticed were a surprise to hear!

-Habit solo explorations (Susanne, Domenico, Hanna): taking one or more (internal or external, not group related) habits and going deeper into them, exploring how rich or boring the habit can be. Where can it lead me? What feelings/thoughts arise?
We concentrated on play/exploration and the witnessing of that, rather than thinking about "making a piece". This fragile state needed watching without expectation, or a feeling you have to produce. The gaze of the other helped us stay true to ourselves rather than triggering. We found that the more you discover, the more the audience gets (of course)!

-Non-habitual solo explorations: playing with the antithesis of your habit, or something(s) you do not usually do. Challenging yourself to try, and perhaps fail, but try anyway eg. me trying to talk more clearly, directly, and as myself, not a character.

-Change, sustain/develop, comment: Domenico suggested this game to break habitual patterns. The watchers could call out change when they saw a habitual pattern emerging, or develop when they saw something inhabitual. The comment option was to break D's pattern of saying text only when still and facing the audience directly, but would work for other people too.

Part II: Beginning of Danscentrum Jette residency (Susanne,Yoann, Agostina,Boris,Barbara) - I used the same warm up around sensations, then we worked on habit solos. We didn't get to the non-habitual stuff.

It was the start of an exploration that could go a lot further but we ran out of time. I would like to continue at some point with our interactive habits- exploring our habits in performing relationships, going deeper into them, and learning which ones we might want to override or break sometimes to open up other possibilities!

Proposals Jette Residency

2009-05-14T13:58:00.005+02:00

Last Wednesday we worked the Argentinian team: Boris, Barbara, Ana and me. We start on the evening and Barbara proposed to continue working in the idea of rolling in the body, discover like a part of the warming up, the different ways to roll in the body. Very nice to do. We realised that is a kind of ball in the snow, growing in the space and going faster and faster. Then we made pieces together, duos and trios. We talk about the Danscentrum Jette residency and we realised that the best is to organise the leading session in order of our needs. And we could isolate four elements that need to be worked on: 1) Ends (of pieces, of actions, etc) 2) Partering (dance in duets, trios, lifting) 3) Text 4) Supporting
We propose that the next person leading (Yoann?, can change in order to work on this of course) prepare the leading being inspired by these elements..
Please let us know also if some of you are really motivated by these elements.
Hope to see you very soon for more nice deeper impros!

Last sessions-BARBARA

2009-04-01T21:45:00.003+02:00

Wednesday 18-03-09 La Raffinerie

We start with a warm up with the idea of functions but we follow to one person in his/her function
Someone call and functions and becomes the leader, everyone follow that person with the same function (if someone choose mirror, everybody will do mirror so copy her/his movements in space)

After we try then idea of improvising with functions but more open. There was no order and no function determined from before to enter the space and the composition begins. This was part of the warm up, when to choose for the correct moment to introduce a function. Each one could explore by themselves the right moment to call to a function and if doing it alone in relation to others or/and if join to the material of someone else.
Again: mirror, elaboration, source and filter. We took the others as inspiration to our own dance.
This works well and better than the last time when we couldn’t keep open the structure but still keep an eye on functions.

We finished this work doing long compositions. Altogether.
In the afternoon we did some more pieces with same concept trying into duos, trios and quartet.

Wednesday 25-03-09 La Raffinerie

We did a warm up with the idea of TIME. We take the awareness and perception to the action of dancing and observing while dancing WHEN we do movements, I propose three situations to work practically on the idea of TIME:
-Movements before another dancer
-Movements together with another dancer
-Movements after another dancer.
We experiment this idea altogether in space

Then I mention the idea to work dancing together or not dancing together in space,
how this could be?

We use the total space and then we took a part of it, in between four columns and we talk about the diverse fronts in order to work with the idea of three dimensionality, space and volume towards what is being produced.
We did some compositions afterwards with the same idea of TIME including the possibility to work in Past-Present-Future related to our actions and movements while being alone or with the group.
We try out also to be aware of the piece that was being created and how we can work with the same idea in relation to the piece from the beginning of it.
We choose a clear beginning, starting from out from space at the back of the stage, not entering from the audience.

Wednesday 1-04-09 La Raffinerie

We warm up with eyes close for 20 minutes when the dancers were encouraged to listen- observe and perceive the feelings of the physical state today. Not to change just to observe and go deep into it.
Not to put attention to create but just to let the body talk from the inner body.
Connecting after a while with the lights/sounds coming from outside and with eventual meetings with the limits of space or a non intentional cross with another dancer.

Once we open eyes we did an exercise from last work we learned about viewpoints. Starting together moving, walking on total space, increasing speed, arriving to maximum speed and the coming back to minimum speed, pretending being together all the time. Practicing being together.

We work again on the idea of TIME, how long take our actions? When we decide to be together, to be after or to be with another dancer.

We did pieces first again in reduce space and then in total space.

a system of proposals

2009-03-19T01:36:00.002+01:00

hello beauties.
After landing in Bruxelles today right in your arms, i feel i should write some thoughts i had after work. Susanne brought up a good point, one that we can already begin to think about for our meeting tomorrow-no, later today...yes, it's 24 hours i don't sleep....

After establishing this rotating leadership, we now need to find a clear way of letting it flow, so that the group knows where we are going, and that everyone's propositions are considered.
Susanne brought up that we need to find a way of organizing our proposals, and i would add that we also need to hear from everyone who has not clearly led yet, and just see everyone's individual desires.

Yoann will use his mojo to guide us.

i should add:
what has happened until now is that the organization of an event for the group has guided our focus, and this usually came from the initiator of that event. 2 clear examples are when i set up the museum night, found a space, and proposed a clear beginning structure which we then all molded together. In fact, that structure was born from mixing the first FUNCTIONS description of Barbie with a previous MEMORY FRAME that we had done together in November with Didier as a guest musician. Not bad, but i see that it might not always fall into place so well,
so yes,
we need a system.

As for the Namahn Residency, again i have mapped out a beginning point with Hall's The Hidden Dimension, about social organization of space, and this was born together with the Namahn team when we met and talked about WHAT COMMON POINT CAN WE BEGIN TO RESEARCH AS DANCERS IN RESIDENCY IN A DESIGN STUDIO? That's also what went in the dossier to the VGC. Sorry if i haven't been clear with my darting mails until now.

I realize that as we will be working in a dance studio inside a place of business(!!!), sound will surely be something to be very delicate with. Maybe this is why i've been so interested to confront music while we have the perfect space for it--before we are in an environment that might push us to explore with silence more instinctively than being free with sound.

However, I see there isn't enough time to give it the proper depth now, using the viewpoint-like frame set by the author of the Music Lesson, a Spiritual Guide through Music. BUT, good news--this is due to the organic process that we are in now. Which means, if we are onto something, let's really go deep. As I won't be there in April to follow sessions until the day of the Antwerp show, I can only imagine us continuing on the same track we are one now.

So go Barbie go, let's make this "function recipe" as elaborate as we can. Jokers and costumes, gypsy bands or not...

see you soon
d

Functions

2009-03-11T19:23:00.005+01:00

Today we continued work from last week into Landscape work. I introduced the concept of Functions.

In the beginning we did a warm up, squeezing the parts of the body, moving energy and liquids, to increase grounded and weight...For some people this was visible and felt heavy at the end, I realized while doing it that for instance if we project up, while standing position, when people are focusing on feet down, help a lot and finally feels light and not heavy at all.

For the concept of functions we have three new ones: filter, elaboration and mirror, the fourth function is the landscape that now start to be named as "source" and it is the starting point for the piece.

We wanted first to be free moving in space to practice functions but this didn't work so we got directly to the structure and "functions game".Someone has to stay outside, this person gives an order and a function to the group. Always starting by a source function that will be the producer of material. Example:
Boris source-mirror
Dome filter
Ana elaboration
Susanne mirror
Boris start his landscape, continue, Dome filter, then Ana elaboration of the material of Dome, and then Susanne mirror of Ana. Like this we continue until the material reduced so much that it disappears and disolves.
Definition of functions:
Mirror: copy as much as possible, the more similar, in time, space and quality
Filter: reduces material
Elaboration: this is the more open function, can change space and time
Source:landscape provides the material for the piece

Once one piece finishes another source start again and the game start over!!!!

We go for more next week, as we all agree will be nice to go farther with this. I am interested in this work to see different possibilities to create and develop material. Some topics:
Individualities in the same piece
Togetherness
Simplicity
No over production
Dissolving/disappearing
Fluidity

Barbara

Museum Night Fever

2009-03-03T16:40:00.004+01:00

PLUS: performances between 20-21hr & 21-22hr!! (15 mins per performance - See programme on arrival for times)

One ticket provides you entry to all other dance activities in the evening organised by Unik vzw, as well as entry into other museums open for Museum Night Fever. See http://www.museumnightfever.be

Thanks to Charleroi Danses

museum tryout and impressions

2009-03-03T09:02:00.003+01:00

i was thinking about the rehearsal yesterday and some thoughts came up. If you were there in the studio last wednesday, maybe you also felt that the events and actions were easier to see and work with at the raffinerie than in the museum.

When I stepped out, i noticed that a lot of concentration is taken by the space itself, so clarity is essential. what i mean is that so much is going on already just by being there. in a studio, the smallest action can be given importance by allowing it and nothing else to happen, thereby bringing a sort of "zoom" on the event. but this isn't as simple in this space. we are also writing IN RELATION TO THE SPACE and need to fit the event much more delicately in relation to it's specificity.

this is now a big challenge for us. how to make choices in relation to the space and ourselves. here are 2 things i remember thinking when i stepped out that i didn't think about while dancing:

"body as an object on display"

and

"the object looks back" (meaning: the object returns the gaze)

this is something that the space gives us just by being there. whether we use this imagery or not is up to us. but it is quite prevalent in that space....

i think one missing element was tuning score or warmup so that we can feel the space, each other, and our bodies before we make composition. maybe hanna has some thoughts on a viewpoints warmup to get us into the space on saturday?....

25 Feb. "searching for museum structure"

2009-02-26T23:21:00.002+01:00

As Hanna passed the mic to Barbs in her absence, she began by explaining a possible structure from a previous work process she did, concerning a lot of memory work, and a specific structure, not too unlike viewpoints, consisting of 4 main points. I was really excited as it seemed to touch the work I proposed last November working with the frame of memory.

Agos arrived and became our outside eye, which was really, really helpful. This is what we collectively created by the end of the day:

The structure begins by entering clearly the space to a beginning position. Once there, we begin to create a landscape, which should finish in the same beginning position. We worked a lot to be careful not make it too complicated. This is because after we arrive to our beginning position, we have to repeat the exact same thing. And again. By the 3rd repetition, we arrive to understand and see all the elements that are there, and they take importance. After this base is established, we begin to make choices. This is where the viewpoint work can be applied. These decisions are shifts, changes, and adaptations in duration, tempo....etc..... Replacements and playing with the "expected prewritten action" were very strong. Each action can be displaced from it's original context or "stimulas", creating a strong and visible difference. This difference makes the smallest action loaded with potential and reaction.

Again, the hardest part was to allow ourselves to be SIMPLE in the beginning. We learned to trust that there is already a lot a lot a lot in a simple, one minute loop, with simple actions and little dance. This gives a canvas to grow a composition.

As we have 3 sets of 15 minutes in the museum, we can benefit from this precise structure to make a composition.

I look forward to seeing it installed in the museum on monday. We can continue to adapt the structure from the information we receive there.

Yoann and Susu will be with us, making 7 in total.

I think structure will give us something clear and precise to work together on.

besos
d

Dialogue

2009-02-22T21:32:00.004+01:00

Last week I wanted to work on dialogue. The morning was a bit frustrating, as half the group showed up late...without warning me. I am a habitual latecomer myself, but being on the other side, waiting, having prepared to work with a certain number of people is not nice. So please, if you're late, let the others know. Just a reminder.

So after a little erratic warm up trying to not let my anger disturb me, finally the rest of the crowd arrived, and we could start the work. We played with weight, giving and recieving excactly 10, 25 , 50, 75, 90 and finally 100% of our weight. This evolved into carrying each other across the floor while sounding wide aaahhs. Interesting exercise to feel how to negogiate with breath and sound with a big strain on the physical structure, and also to stay connected with everybody else in the room as we were creating a soundscape together.

We finished the morning with lanes and grid work. It was really nice to see how this work is evolving. Keeping the simplicity of the task, it's more and more clear how I make choices and when I make a deliberate choice or one that is in accordance to what is happening.

After lunch in which I indulged in Italian ham that made me sick later on (I'm still suffering), and Susanne shared pictures of her holidays in NZ that looked kind of fake ;-), we finally got to dialogue work.
First we all learned a part (either A or B) of the dialogue (an extract from Harold Pinter's play 'the Lovers'), then we applied viewpoints of voice to it:
PITCH; VOLUME; TEMPO; REPETION; TIMBRE , I forgot Silence.

Again as in working with voice purely this was a bit like swimming exercises without water but proved invaluable, first to experience the distinctions and later give you freedom in making choices. In the end we went into space a couple at a time and played with the dialogue in the space. That's were it got real fun and where we ran out of time.
I think we should get back to this at some point to have more time to play with all the elements freely.

Out for more tomorrow in Hasselt.

Voice

2009-02-17T18:29:00.002+01:00

Last week we worked on the voice. It proved to be really tiring actually. We each chose a word with three syllables, like 'potatoe', that gives a structure of ABC. Then we played with this structure using the viewpoints of voice: Pitch, Volume, Tempo and Duration (which you cannot take apart like in physical work), Timbre (where the voice comes from in the body), one by one. These excercises were quite tiring mentally, but great to make the different elements clear of which sound is made of. And then with growing clarity and mastery being able to use a greater range of possibility.

before the break we also played with voice in relation to space, that is what shape the sound or word is making (ecclectic, as opposed to round, e.g.); and oral gestures (aaah!) that give you an emotion. which made me think of the question: are you running away because you feel fear or is the fear born in the act of running?...it works both ways.

in the afternoon Domenico and Dafni came to watch, which strangely disturbed the concentration of the work. It made me wonder if it is neccessary to have witnesses/audience more often or to exlude 'outsiders' for the sake of the intimacy of the practice. I wasn't the only one wondering.
We did some more grid work, basic viewpoints exercises and a brief recalling of the voice work of the morning to move on to making pieces, with and without music.

I'm curious about tomorrow.

Boris' wish

2009-02-10T17:02:00.003+01:00

I forgot:
Boris made a nice suggestion on how to continue the 'rotating leadership'. He mentioned that he would really love to concentrate on one thing, a specific viewpoint, for example 'time', and keep working on that, to dive deeper into it, grow a greater insight. So I thought why not keep the 'rotating leadership' going but giving the restriction, or let's say task to focus one's session on that theme, for a while. For example March is the month of 'time', April of 'architecture'. Like that we all could share our own vision and experience of that specific theme. Cool?

Music

2009-02-10T16:35:00.003+01:00

Again it was a busy week for me. I would love to write the summaries of the practice right after, but never get to it...untill now.

Last week Agos and Ana joined the crowd, fresh and sunloved from Argentina, what a contrast to Boris, Barbie and me, all white and quiet.

We started with warming up our feet, flesh and bone, articulations as well as sensorially using each others' backs as an alternative to the surface of the floor.
I introduced the viewpoints work to Ana and Agos, who haven't been there in the previous sessions, using again simple exercises to bring the group together, waking up awareness of the energy that we all create together in the space. This time I put more focus on architecture and topography. How does the concrete space (solid mass, texture, colours, lightening) and the objects in it inform our movement? Enjoying building relationships with the floor, pilars ect.. It's nice to fall in love with a brick wall for a while (that's my story). Then we moved on to focus on time, doing the same exercise I have done previously with Boris on linear time. It was great to do the same thing in trios, having the possiblity to not only focus on your actions related to time but also to the others, sharing space and time. And as we were four, one person got to watch. Being more people can really be a treat.

After lunch we warmed up working with a limited movement vocabulary on the grid to juggle with more viewpoints, like duration, repetition, tempo, kinesthetic awareness... to add music to the impros a little later. Music is really an exciting ingredient, it can be overriding, dictating but also like another dancer. Music as someone else's interpretation of time.
The last hour and a half we made pieces, mostly trios, with a spectator adding music to the composition. Music proved to be a very strong frame that embraces all of the actions that are happening, providing a context and therefor meaning. We thought it would be really great to achieve that without this frame.
Really nice work. Looking forward for more. I'm happy the group is taking the dive with me.

Last week

2009-02-03T17:59:00.004+01:00

I didn't get to it sooner...Here's a little review of what we did last week at the Raffinerie:

The morning again it was just me and Barbara. We dove into the very sensorial organ, the skin. Through skin we travelled to fascia. Initiating movement from there is unpredictable because it makes you change directions in surprising ways. Great for catching yourself in your habits. I tried to introduce shape and gesture from bones, but as we were in a different mind it had to wait till after lunch break. Later on in the day Barbara felt that the work with tissues resurfaced unexpetedly, informing her dance. I like when that happens.

In the afternoon Boris joined us. Being three, which is already a group, I came back to the viewpoints work. We tried a few exercises being in the same energy, creating the energy in the room on which to float or surf or play with. It was simply walking together, increasing the speed from stillness to running (max speed) and then decreasing it to stillness again. In this the task was (as actually always is) to live in the triangle of Concentration (here on the task), Attentiveness/Listening (to each other) and Individual Freedom (I stole that insight from Peter Brook).
From there we went into working on shapes, or rather shifiting awareness to it, as you are always in shape (ha!), curves and lines, baby, it's all about curves and lines. And then came gesture and with it meaning. Can be scary at times to be dragged into a situation that the gesture evokes, or emotionality. Live and let die.
The last hour or so, we just created pieces, solos, duos, one trio. It's really fun to let go of the tasks and see how the previous work informs the creations. Out for more tomorrow. Maybe with some music.

today's practice

2009-01-21T19:01:00.003+01:00

'the development of an artist is related to his/her ability to percieve differences' -Anne Bogard

Today I introduced Viewpoints to the the group which consisted of Barbara and me in the morning, Boris joining us later and Yoann popping by to tell us the good news he'll be free to work from next week on.
I was a bit worried that the viewpoints work could be too simple, but I was reminded today that its thrill lies in the simplicity. And so we dived into the viewpoints of space: tempo, duration, repetition (which includes memory and copying) and kinesthetic response, working very simply with walking on an imagined grid.
I love the work as it trains awareness, listening, and group mind. Even if the group was so small it worked well.

In the afternoon it was just Boris and me. We made the big discovery of time. We were time for each other in space. Linear time worked much better than circular or 'eternal' time (as in a figure eight). Something opened and the space became very clear and sharp, there was time for every movement and freedom to do whatever.
We finished with performing solos for each other.
Fun work today. Looking forward for more!

2008-12-16T18:42:00.002+01:00

Julyen Hamilton and Susanne Bentley during a Soloconversations session

Brussels, november 2008

Solo Conversations Open Doors

2008-12-09T12:39:00.007+01:00

Solo Conversations Open Doors Dec 08

Wednesday 17/12/2008 15:00 -17:00
La Raffinerie-Salle des Machines (2nd floor)
Rue de Manchester 21
1080 Bruxelles
An opportunity to experience our working process as a collective. Feel free to come and watch for as long as you like between 15:00 and 17:00.

Solo Conversations is a performance project around the practice of improvisation. In its essence it is a place and a time dedicated to the exploration of time, space, emotions, the sharing of a particular universe that is expressed by each of the performers in a unique and unrepeatable manner, in a spirit of communication.
The project is proposed by 9 performing artists based in Brussels: Ana Iommi-Agostina D'Alessandro-Yoann Boyer-Domenico Giustino-Hanna Scholtyssek-Susanne Bentley-Michel Yang-Barbara Pereyra-Boris Cossio. Solo Conversations is currently working regularly at La Raffinerie (Charleroi Danses).

http://www.soloconversations.blogspot.com

Herbie Hancock - Collaboration

2008-12-04T22:52:00.003+01:00

HH on working with Miles Davis- very relevant...

Thanks Ana!

Failure or Success

2008-11-29T18:48:00.002+01:00

"So purpose is good.
Intention is good.
And even paired with each other, they are impotent without something else...

Think about the clips on TV you've seen from rockets that launch.
The rocket launches and it's not going quickly. In fact it's mercilessly slow getting off the launch pad. Surprisingly slow. Dramatic in power but not speed.
The rocket is a big thing. It's hundreds of feet tall.
And what is taking up the hundreds of feet if the 6 astronauts are in a 20 foot module at the top?

Fuel.
Way over 90%, probably 95-98% of the rocket's weight, purpose, design, job...is wrapped up in FUEL.
Drive..energy...momentum.

Hey have you ever seen a rocket take off, and then take a day or two off along the trajectory out from earth's gravity and THEN try and get out again?
It's not possible.
Why?

The fuel in the bottom 90%+ of the rocket is required to break orbit. Those boosters fall off enroute.
The result?
There is only one result....and it isn't up.

The cool thing is that once the atmosphere has been breached, how much fuel does it take to get to the moon?
Next to none.
Once outside the earth's atmosphere, there is almost no inertia, no gravity.
This is why people look at successful people and often think, "she's got it so easy."
The fact is that she broke the earth's gravity and that took a LOT of fuel. A TON of energy. But once you have momentum, once you have established the ability to control the self, amazing things happen."

- Kevin Hogan
http://www.kevinhogan.com/failure.htm

Expertise

2008-11-29T18:14:00.001+01:00

"...the emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert- in anything....Ten thousand hours is equivalent to roughly three hours a day, or twenty hours a week, of practice over ten years...

The ten-thousand-hours theory is consistent with what we know about how the brain learns. Learning requires the assimilation and consolidation of information in neural tissue. The more experiences we have with something, the stronger the memory/learning trace for that experience becomes...

Memory strength is also a function of how much we care about the experience. Neurochemical tags associated with memories mark them for importance, and we tend to code as important things that carry with them a lot of emotion, either positive or negative...Caring may, in part, account for some of the early differences we see in how quickly people acquire new skills..."

- This is your Brain on Music - Daniel Levitin

Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is then not an act, but a habit."

So let's practice!!

Molenbek Art Center Performance

2008-11-16T14:04:00.003+01:00

Hello! Here some nice pictures about the performance with the orchestra on Molenbek Art Center, in the "Fête de l'automne".
Performed by/ Domenico Giustino/ Boris Cosio/ Agostina D'Alessandro
More photos: http://www.bruxel.org/2008/1102_mchc_fete_automne/index.html

Pictures Copyright Matthias

2008-10-05T19:01:00.002+02:00

Here are some other nices pictures, with more qualityt and more artistiques in a way, about our Performance. I think this is a very nice media to see that a lot of "intense" moment happend while the impro. Enjoy it again!

21 September 2008

2008-10-05T13:45:00.000+02:00

FOTOS PARK 58 PERFORMANCE

2008-10-05T13:37:00.000+02:00

Files: copyright Matthias De Groof.zip

http://free.mailbigfile.com/2150375db2a7b3fe2d98a10a290b2520/listFiles.php

Nice moments

2008-09-29T19:23:00.002+02:00

This is a very nice slideshow of pictures about performance on saturday 21th in PARK58.
Like en experience i found it very intresting and challenged. But i still thinking that is with public that we can grow up. Enjoy the pictures and the image of the work!

PARK58 / PERFORMANCE

2008-09-29T18:19:00.002+02:00

PARK 58

2008-09-14T23:36:00.002+02:00

Performers: Ana Iommi / Susan Bentley/ Boris Cossio / Agostina d'Alessandro / Barbara Pereyra

Summer Studios 2008

2008-08-10T23:28:00.001+02:00

Presents:

"SILENCE IN PROGRESS"

DANCE: Susanne Bentley, Ana Iommi, Hanna Scholtyssek, Barbara Pereyra

More info about our work:
http://soloconversations.blogspot.com/

Thursday 14 August at 8 pm
Rosas, avenue Van Volxem 164, 1190 Brussels.Admittance is free.
Reservations can be made as of 7 August by phoning PARTS/Rosas on 02/344.55.98.

KINDLY WELCOME!!!!!!!

deux premier photos envoyé par Thomas

2008-08-10T20:34:00.003+02:00

ultimas piezas

2008-08-10T12:39:00.002+02:00

Running and swimming

look at my feet,

ohhh !!!

I can tell you something?

nice squares, susurrando into the diagonal

my flowers are moving back

your train, just listen ...

green, green, green

so nice!!!

It's not a difficult decision

just do it

just in my place

I 'll stay here , I love you more.

She's waiting home with her horse

do you think you are ready?

barbara and agos :

La tormenta

raining too much

silence, you see? what am I seeing ?

no, no, please,

more rain, strong sound,

como un abrazo humedo

power of nature

grey outside

beautiful wet

distance, resonance, midiendo el espacio

out of my window

rolling in...

The trio of Tamara

She is crying in the swimming pool,

Tamara caminaba y se paseaba cerca del puente de la avenida con las plantas y las naranjas al lado de la casa de sus padres cerca del barrio residencial en Catamarca;

Mmm, I'm trying to get your atention,

yes, we are both here

same land , sharing six arms.

Mujeres de otra epoca,

me acuerdo de tu cara detras del libro ... y seguia caminando

Basta de mermelada!!

dice Tamara.

Some words about our work

2008-08-08T15:38:00.002+02:00

Tenons donc présent à l'esprit que nous voulons examiner ce qui "est", observer l'actuel, en être exactement consciente, sans lui donner un biais, sans l'interpreter. Cela exige une acuité extraordinaire de l'esprit et un coeur extraordinairement souple; car ce qui "est", est sans cesse en mouvement, constantement en tranfsformation, et si l'esprit est enchaîné par des croyances, il cesse sa poursuite, il cesse de s'adapter au rapide mouvement de ce qui "est", car ce qui "est" n'est évidemment pas statique.

La Premiére et Dernièr Liberté - Krishnamurti

Nothing to say

2008-08-06T23:01:00.002+02:00

" She looks through the window...Maybe she's sad. Nostalgic.
She's trying to get into the solution or resolution. She wants to hold to the emptyness that she feels inside.
She wants to catch something. She wants a new point of view. She looks up, to the sky. Stop. She wants the space and time stopping for her. Inside of her. She contracts herself to be released. She is tired. She looks at different points. She turns around something and she comes back exactly to the same point."

About a solo performance by Susan Bentley

"Other places"

2008-08-06T21:37:00.012+02:00

Another people, Another clothes
Another houses, Another feelings, Another place
Another colours, Another smile, Another bodies
Another music, Another gesture, Another hours
Another vibration, Another taste, Another time

Another sleep, Another sky, Another breakfast
Another love, Another walk, Another street
Another hands, Another hair, Another skin
Another food, Another telephone number

Another future in the past and
Another past in the future,

As smiling blue with 135 times Hanna, in the summer,

While writing a postcard to Marie.

Another Marie and Another Hanna for the next summer

Another summer

things

2008-08-06T20:04:00.002+02:00

Taste the mouvement, everything comes through the body, taste, flavour, textures?

(degustar el movimiento)

We received information while we were moving, that info

goes inside and changes.

Physical support : ground and air

Allow movement come through the feet and legs

As you move, you can feel the support of the ground and allow any movement to happen;

Silence context for sound;

Whenever a word is said, focus on listening to the sound produced and letting space in between...

6/8 small pieces

2008-08-06T19:35:00.003+02:00

nothing to say:

waiting-pensamientos-coming-green-looking-body-solo-space-suzanne-feelings-

remember-muscles-fingers-open-soft

je n'ai pas envie :

I'm looking at you

again, my body smile

I'm here,

looking at you...

Margaritas :

space in between

margaritas, mouvement

body,ahhhhhh

triangulo.

Touching to be touched

2008-08-03T15:26:00.003+02:00

We touch to be touched.
Touching a wall, touching someone else,touching the floor, we receive a quick feedback that travels throught the hole body.
We can also get this sensation without touching, just by moving, feeling the physical sensation touching with the feets the floor and leting travel this sensation into the body.
How this sensation transforms into information and becomes a emotion, a movement, a word, a sound, a feeling or maybe even a silence.

Journeys in body and imagination

2008-08-03T15:07:00.004+02:00

Summer 28-07/1-08

We have been working last week about five hours per day.
We have been talking and practicing surrounding the themes of: espirals, resonance, touch-no touch-being touched,we have been experimenting with the ideas of moving from the bones and joins.
Related to the bone experience, we direct a touch to the bone in order to move from the bones in space with the memory of the touch.This was for all of us an emotional experience. We talk about the shock of the touch.
We talk about the nervous system and the fluids that circulate in our bodies.We talk about perceiving, we observe distinction in between, perceiving,feeling and sensing.We talk about actions based on perception and the way we forget about thinking in actions when we follow instinct.

Remarks:
Hanna brought a Book of Body Mind Centering and a book called "A widening field" about imagination and receptivity
Ana brought a skeleton and maps with the human anatomy
Barbara brought some images of news in the newspaper about the illegal people that run up to the cranes (gruas) in the center of Brussels in order to manifest a need that has to be resolve
Agostina leaded each session a warm-up of an hour based on the physical understanding of the espirals

Improvised text memories

2008-08-03T15:04:00.001+02:00

In between January/March 2008

28-01

“He maybe cries – He maybe cried” (Susan)

“Bye bye boat” (Barbara)

“Rentre si ca te rendre hereux” (Agostina)

“She died in the boat, in the film, TITANIC

Tita and Nik” (Barbara)

“De que je veut quelque chose, j’ai le » (Boris)

“I am not very clear today” (Hanna)

“I need two more minutes; this is out of the performance” (Boris)

28-02

“This is better than six” (Susan)

29-02

“And then is winter” (Susan)

7-03 “Corners day” (Barbara)

“Keep one part of the body stuck to the wall and move and talk, to hold something and let the other part of the body completely free” (Susan)

Argentinean t-shirt Boris and beautiful trousers coming from Malaga (Barbara’s memory)

Resonance:

We let the space in between things. Changes: we do something and then we show something else, covering the first thing you did. You are open, what ever happen you take it (Dominico)

“There is something strange in the way you love me” (Susan)

Titles:

“My time is over” (Alessandra)

“Coming now” (Boris)

“Yeah” (Susan)

“Pluck” (Dominico)

“The wife of Marc” (Barbara)

13-03

“The space in front, the space behind” (Barbara)

“Cuéntame la historia. Cuéntame el porque. (Boris)

“Resonante” (Dominico)

“She thinks it was slow” (Hanna)

“If you want to increase sensitivity, decrease stimulation” (Dominico said that Alexander said)

14-03

“There is people around here” (Boris)

“Remembering Petra’s walk” (Barbara)

17-03

“I cannot throw myself with my body; I have to work from another place” (Ana)

“Nothing in relation with the space as a task” (Boris)

“I know it will happen” (Hanna)

There is a lot in the space too

“Six feet under” (Ana)

Summer Studios pics

2008-08-02T15:45:00.002+02:00

Hello Birdies,

here is the link to the picasa web album of all the pictures we took last week: http://picasaweb.google.com/writehanna/08summerstudios1 , the slideshow is just a little selection.
I'll write about what we have worked on a little later...

bisous
h

quote

2008-07-24T11:42:00.002+02:00

Here is a quote from the landartist Andy Goldsworthy, that I like a lot. I read it to Boris the last Saturday and he asked me to put it on the blog:

Movement, change, light, growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work. I need the shock of touch, the resistence of place, materials and weather, the earth as my source. Nature is in a state of change and that change is the key to understanding. I want my art to be sensitive and alert to changes in material, season and weather. Each work grows, stays, decays. Process and decay are implicit. Transcience in my work reflects what I find in nature.

A demain!
h

Istanbul TRANSIT FESTIVAI

2008-07-22T13:35:00.003+02:00

Hi !

here i attach some moving images from my last work/performance in Istanbul, are some images from the rehearsals, we were 32 artists, in between musiscians and dancers, the work was guided by Julyen Hamilton and Barre Philips.
Hope you enjoy !

barbara

Spirals

2008-07-17T21:15:00.001+02:00

Hey,
I found a website about spirals, check it out: http://spiralzoom.com/index.html

Last Saturday

2008-07-10T16:07:00.002+02:00

Hello,

This is what happened last Saturday at Belgica:
Susanne, Barbie, Boris, Gabriel and Hanna came. Warm up given by Boris, from the space between the fingers we came to spirals. and spirals proved to be very inspiring, in the improvs later on they came up all the time. So i was wondering if there is a link between spiral, inspiration, spirit, and the french inspiration (inhale).

Boris was struggling with his concentration as Gabriel was demanding a big chunck of it. So he performed two duets together with him. Gabriel proved to be a great talent in performing.

quote from a solo of Susanne:
'Genetic info patterns in monkeys are green. DNA. Douglas Norman Adams. He wrote about the life universe in everything.'
in conversation: 'Animals come to me all the time'.

Barbara let herself be inspired by spirals, and didn't speak one word in her solos.
---

can't come this week :( need to earn some money to pay my rent...
see you very soon, i hope.

monkey kisses

hanna

2008-07-07T12:22:00.000+02:00

OK Birdies,
here it is, our blog, hope you like the choice of design, make yourself at home...
hanna