Spotlight
Experience Sharing 1: Biblioteca do Corpo 2015 - School of Dance Students participated in ImPulsTanz Festival in Vienna
Vivian Luk Wai-shan
25 July 2015
I am more than grateful to be chosen by the School of Dance of the Academy to participate in ImPulsTanz Festival in Vienna as well as Biblioteca do Corpo 2015 which allows me to perform in Brazil. The entire event takes two months’ time from mid-July to mid-September. I will be taking classes in the first three weeks and rehearsal with Ismael Ivo, the choreographer, during weekends. For the forth week, there will be intensive rehearsals.
Contemporary technique is...
An Observation
When I read the phrase 'contemporary technique', I will immediately think about many forms and routines. Yet, what I think is only a small portion of the whole. From watching class, I see many laboratory and experiential exercises for continuous discovery on the possibility of the body. The teacher introduces diverse approaches and ideas to evoke students' awareness and sensitivity physically and mentally.
Moves and dance is somehow a reflection of ones' mentality and maturity on understanding not only what his or her body owns, but also life. It seems that young dancers with flexibility and strength are always dancing with attractiveness because of the beautiful alignment and body shape. Yet, when I look at people who are older in age, these people who are with more experience in life dance with a different energy and momentum that are much interesting than merely moving the body with "standard" forms and techniques.
This first week in ImPulsTanz, I am always excited when taking Ultima Vex vocabulary and tools for partnering taught by German Jauregui. I discover that there is a change in me when I revisit the materials that were taught by our former artist in residence, Laura Aris Alvarez. I am now with more confidence and openness to the exploration of the body compared with how I was two year ago when I first met Laura. Instead of being timid and self denying, I find more freedom and smoothness from the body with stronger sensation, awareness as well as the state of presence. It is like a miracle! Though the materials introduced are almost learnt one year ago, the entire feeling of the body is totally different because of accumulation of experience and knowledge, maturity and the mindset. And I do think that the most important element for growth is failure. The more I limit my fear to fall, the more I expend my horizon to fly.
I believe that this journey in Vienna and Brazil will become a valuable step for consolidating me to be a professional dancer. Our choreographer of the Biblioteca do Corpo, Ismael Ivo, is passionate, expressive and energetic. We met him on the day of arrival in Vienna and already started working with him the next day for a showing of "impression day" of ImPulsTanz. With clear and precise ideas and structure, he has made almost 6 minutes choreography within 1 hour rehearsal. He was demanding mentally and physically. We had experience his working style once again yesterday, 9am to 6pm rehearsal. We were exhausted after the day. Yet, that was an opportunity to be promoted to another level as a dancer, an artist and a human.
This journey is not easy and it is just a dot of the life. To hold tight my goal and vision, I always bear in mind "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" Philippians 13:13 as my strength to keep moving forward even in hardship and look forward to sunlight.
Background on Biblioteca do Corpo
The Biblioteca do Corpo® education project was developed by choreographer Ismael Ivo as a special method to coach and train young professionals individually and allow them to reach their personal level of excellence as dancers and artists. The project was launched in 2013 within the frame of ImPulsTanz - Vienna International Dance Festival and will take place in 2015 for the 3rd time.
25 July 2015
I am more than grateful to be chosen by the School of Dance of the Academy to participate in ImPulsTanz Festival in Vienna as well as Biblioteca do Corpo 2015 which allows me to perform in Brazil. The entire event takes two months’ time from mid-July to mid-September. I will be taking classes in the first three weeks and rehearsal with Ismael Ivo, the choreographer, during weekends. For the forth week, there will be intensive rehearsals.
Contemporary technique is...
An Observation
When I read the phrase 'contemporary technique', I will immediately think about many forms and routines. Yet, what I think is only a small portion of the whole. From watching class, I see many laboratory and experiential exercises for continuous discovery on the possibility of the body. The teacher introduces diverse approaches and ideas to evoke students' awareness and sensitivity physically and mentally.
Moves and dance is somehow a reflection of ones' mentality and maturity on understanding not only what his or her body owns, but also life. It seems that young dancers with flexibility and strength are always dancing with attractiveness because of the beautiful alignment and body shape. Yet, when I look at people who are older in age, these people who are with more experience in life dance with a different energy and momentum that are much interesting than merely moving the body with "standard" forms and techniques.
This first week in ImPulsTanz, I am always excited when taking Ultima Vex vocabulary and tools for partnering taught by German Jauregui. I discover that there is a change in me when I revisit the materials that were taught by our former artist in residence, Laura Aris Alvarez. I am now with more confidence and openness to the exploration of the body compared with how I was two year ago when I first met Laura. Instead of being timid and self denying, I find more freedom and smoothness from the body with stronger sensation, awareness as well as the state of presence. It is like a miracle! Though the materials introduced are almost learnt one year ago, the entire feeling of the body is totally different because of accumulation of experience and knowledge, maturity and the mindset. And I do think that the most important element for growth is failure. The more I limit my fear to fall, the more I expend my horizon to fly.
I believe that this journey in Vienna and Brazil will become a valuable step for consolidating me to be a professional dancer. Our choreographer of the Biblioteca do Corpo, Ismael Ivo, is passionate, expressive and energetic. We met him on the day of arrival in Vienna and already started working with him the next day for a showing of "impression day" of ImPulsTanz. With clear and precise ideas and structure, he has made almost 6 minutes choreography within 1 hour rehearsal. He was demanding mentally and physically. We had experience his working style once again yesterday, 9am to 6pm rehearsal. We were exhausted after the day. Yet, that was an opportunity to be promoted to another level as a dancer, an artist and a human.
This journey is not easy and it is just a dot of the life. To hold tight my goal and vision, I always bear in mind "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" Philippians 13:13 as my strength to keep moving forward even in hardship and look forward to sunlight.
Background on Biblioteca do Corpo
The Biblioteca do Corpo® education project was developed by choreographer Ismael Ivo as a special method to coach and train young professionals individually and allow them to reach their personal level of excellence as dancers and artists. The project was launched in 2013 within the frame of ImPulsTanz - Vienna International Dance Festival and will take place in 2015 for the 3rd time.
