Dancing into Wholeness
Contact Improvisation and Relational Practice
Weekend Workshop
Taught by Richard Parker and Lucy Thomas
Saturday 9th to Sunday 10th March 2024
Findhorn Ecovillage, Scotland
About the Workshop
Join Richard Parker, the founder of Emerging Hearts Contact Improvisation Dance Camp, and Lucy Thomas, the creator of Being Whole for an immersive collaborative weekend workshop that explores the practice of Contact improvisation and the body-to-body relational aspects of dance.
The theme of this weekend is "Welcoming All Parts of Ourselves," as we aim to create a safe and supportive space for participants to explore their vulnerabilities and overcome any preconceived ideas or fears about Contact improvisation. By moving with and integrating these vulnerabilities into our dance experience, we invite a deeper presence and a true honouring of ourselves in the present moment.
The workshop will cover the basics of Contact Improvisation on Saturday, providing a solid foundation for beginners and all levels. On Sunday, we will delve a little deeper, exploring further techniques and concepts.
Key Benefits of Contact Improvisation and Relational Dance Practice:
Increased bodily awareness and presence.
Enhanced ability to listen and respond to others.
Deepened connection to self and others.
Strengthened trust and communication skills.
Improved physical coordination and flexibility.
Expansion of creative expression through movement.
Richard Parker the founder of Emerging Hearts Contact Improvisation Camp, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the realm of Contact Improvisation, ensuring a dynamic and enriching experience for all participants, known for its focus on community and transformative dance experiences.
Lucy Thomas is a skilled facilitator of transformational spaces which encourage embodiment, spontaneity, joy, relaxation. She weaves authentic movement with systemic constellations, deep sharing and playfulness and seeks to cultivate the collective remembering of Human Amazingness:-) She has lived and worked close to and within the community at Findhorn for 18 years.
This weekend workshop offers an opportunity to experience the unique blend of Richard and Lucy's expertise, creating a transformative and enriching experience for participants of all levels.
Tickets & Timings
Saturday 9th March: 10am - 5pm workshop
Sunday 10th March: 10am - 5pm workshop
We would love for you to fully immerse yourself in the experience and join us for the whole weekend, however, we are also offering the option to join for the whole of Saturday.
Full Weekend: £95
Saturday Only: £55
At Emerging Hearts we hope to make our events as accessible as possible. We understand that while we try to price our events reasonably, support may still be needed. If you are on a lower income, we offer the option of paying in instalments, or at a reduced cost if the price is truly out of your range. Please visit our inclusivity page and we will be happy to assist you. Please note that while we offer further support beyond instalments, only a certain amount of these spaces may be available.
Venue
Sunshine Room, Findhorn Ecovillage, The Park, East Whins, Forres, Scotland IV36 3TH
Sunshine Room is part of Findhorn Ecovillage, an internationally recognised long-standing intentional community.
The studio has loads of natural light as the name reveals and there is access to a kitchen and toilet facilities.
Situated close to beautiful beaches and woodland on a 2-mile-long peninsula leading to Findhorn Village, itself a historic fishing village with 2 pubs, 2 restaurants and the Bakehouse Cafe & Market.
Accommodation
This workshop is non-residential benefiting you with a much lower cost and giving you the freedom to make your own arrangements to suit your needs.
Findhorn Village Centre has a hostel that is open from March.
Airbnb and a list of private listings have many other possibilities for accommodation in Findhorn and close by, Forres and Kinloss.
Food
Please bring your own food for lunches.
Findhorn Village, has 2 pubs, 2 restaurants and the Bakehouse Cafe & Market.
Get In Touch
If you have any questions about the workshop details or in general about contact improvisation then please don't hesitate to get in touch via the contact page.
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Richard Parker
Richard Parker is passionate about the relational and deeply human experience that can be revealed through Contact Improvisation. His workshops are a refined balance of skills, creativity & free exploration, taking participants on a journey into the co-creative wonders of this practice, which always includes a healthy dose of safety and care for one another. With a grounded and easy-going approach, he loves sharing both his detailed and extensive understanding of the principle movement forms within Contact Improvisation alongside the subtle nuances, helping people to truly embody the fundamental aspects of the dance. Most importantly creating a sense of relational awareness and a sense of togetherness as we co-create within the dance space.
He has been developing his skills and knowledge as a Contact Improvisation (CI) dancer since 2006. Over the years he has extensively trained with many amazing international teachers within CI including Karen Nelson, Lisa Nelson, KJ Holmes, Nita Little, Andrew Harwood, Ray Chung, Martin Keogh & Joerg Hassmann. Since 2011 he has shared his teaching of CI within Professional, Educational, Festival & Community Organisations as well as organised his own CI Festivals, Retreats and Camps.
“A true love for the form and genuine investigation is at the heart of Richard's teaching. He plans and delivers material in a thoughtful, reflective and thorough way, each exercise leading on to the next fluidly. His gentle, clear and encouraging manner gives students the confidence to push their practice further and his commitment to staying true to the form ensures that others can continue to discover and enjoy the beauty of the dance.”
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Lucy Thomas
Lucy holds space with a unique warm presence, humour, generosity and deeply embodied wisdom. She synthesizes the width of systemic wisdom with the depth of somatic presencing and a knowing of our multi-dimensional nature. Working from the perspective that we are already whole, designed by Nature with a self-healing capacity. Lucy's approach is inclusive of the context of our times- the severity and multiplicity of the challenges we are facing. With groups and individuals, she facilitates reconciliatory movements between parts towards wholeness. Dedicated to the cultivation of togetherness, spontaneity, and the intelligence of the Earth through our bodies. She is here for the collective remembering of humanity's power and wisdom.
Trained in the facilitation of systemic constellations in 2010, Lucy has more recently been steering her facilitation toward what is being excluded at a collective level and listening...reverse engineering towards wholeness. By working through the body and the felt sense, she engages the non-linear unspoken knowing that is our indigenous 'wiring'. This offers relief on many levels which can seed changed attitudes, perspectives and behaviours. She works one to one, with couples and groups. Lucy has been inspired by many diverse 'way showers' across several disciplines, significantly Louise Simmons, Judith Hemming and Dr Jacqueline Hobbs. She learns from clients who continue to unfold their naturalness with her as a privileged guide and witness and she is profoundly informed by the movement of Life through the constellations she facilitates and through the rich tapestry of her relationships and everyday super ordinariness:-)
This is what people have said after working with Lucy:
“I have never felt so held valued and seen.”
“So much has shifted in me which I can see and feel in my body, in my thoughts and things I've been looking at came together like a puzzle.”
“My whole concept about 'the body' has been shaken. I guess what showed up was much bigger than just the physical part.”
“I felt an immediate significant shift after each of the two sessions I had.”
“I feel stronger to stand in my truth, my energy is rising and my fear is subsiding”
"Trust the process" - learning to see (and feel!) the amazing intelligence of life as it's unfolding, including the difficult.