'Dance Improvisation Practices that offer Resilience and Support in Difficult Times' Contact Improvisation WORKSHOP with Kirstie Simson

Dance Improvisation Practices that offer Resilience and Support in Difficult Times
There is deep inspiration and rigour in a practice of improvisation that posits vulnerability at its
heart. Developing the skills to be able to care for, engage, respect, and respond to that state of
openness in oneself, others and our environment generates creative work that is powerful and
transformative. Learning from a place of interconnectedness can give us the resilience and
insight to face life's challenges and complexities.
In this workshop Kirstie shares the movement practices and underlying philosophies she has
developed over forty years of her committed involvement with dance improvisation as a ‘life-
practice’ that has helped her negotiate life’s ups and downs. Integral with the physical practices
she will elucidate how she views embodied practices as vitally important for developing the
resilience to face into and respond to the challenging times we are living through. Having gone
through recent life-threatening illness herself, Kirstie draws firsthand on how grounded dance
practices can guide and sustain us as we face into life’s greatest challenges, and the life-affirming
health benefits they offer us.
Kirstie draws from her extensive experience of Contact Improvisation, dance techniques, the
Alexander technique, Aikido, meditation, and her broad knowledge of improvisation in
performance. She shares her work through facilitated exercises, open time for play and
exploration, movement scores, observations, self-reflection, deep listening, discussion, and
humour. Much of the work is experienced through partnering and connection with others,
balanced with solo time for processing and reflection.