Who is it for ? Anyone interested can attend, though it is aimed at people who have one or some of the following interests; performing music or dance, physical performers such as actors, people who dance for fun, people who like to learn about themselves through expressive activities or play, adults who like to behave like children sometimes, people who have to lead or work in groups and would like to explore creative ways think about group dynamics...

What will I need to bring ? Comfortable clothes to move in. Anything you need to make the sounds you want to make. (If you need amplification email me as I may have something you can use here. Remember this is about improvisation , spontaneity and communication so it may not be appropriate to bring a whole arsenal of sound equipment, but something you can set up quickly and respond quickly with will be better than something that takes your whole attention.

What will it involve ? All participants will be asked to try a few shared activities - such as a physical warm-up, some sound explorations and spatial awareness exercises - so musicians will experience some moving around and dancers will make some noise. Then there will be some exercises to bring focus to the idea of improvisation and allow us to observe as well as experience. That means volunteers will play in front of the group - but no one need feel intimidated. No-one will be forced to do anything they don't want to do, or exposed to humiliations or made to feel stupid...my aim is quite opposite to that.

Do I need prior training ? No. Some interest is enough. Some willingness to give your attention to the group. Watching is a good way to learn so I encourage mini performances and structured feedback.

Why do I run these workshops ? I love performing improvisation and have made it a special area of study. I find that the skills of group improvisation can help people to communicate, to find their place in the world and feel more comfortable in it.

My professional work is mostly with contemporary Dance and theatre companies - making music and devising shows. I also work with adults with Learning Disabilities making theatre and dance. Recently I have begun studying psychotherapy and want to focus on the therapeutic aspects of working in groups. I am interested in bringing together groups of people from different walks of life who enjoy play - whether for performance or self development.

Have you done this before ? Yes. I have run workshops for many years with dancers, actors, musicians, youth groups, mixed ability groups, students, professionals in Britain, Ireland, Israel, Turkey and Germany. I teach improvisation and stage skills and make shows for international touring. I have also made performances that rely entirely on structured improvisation, making each night unique and I have been performing solo improvisations for over 20 years.

Improvisation is part of everyday life

we use it to converse,

to negotiate the street

and to solve problems.

We do it all the time

and yet

many people fear it.

Previous one day workshops

IMPROVISATION DAY 27th march

with evening cabaret and special guests from Holland2010
A day of creative play for anyone interested in the music and movement, sound and the body.
Plus evening for participants and guests.
This special workshop will be a chance to develop skills and engage with others in a lively day of play. Using many years experience in theatre and improvisation Daniel Weaver will guide the day through warm-ups and exercises into open interdisciplinary play. Musicians, Dancers, Theatre practitioners and anyone interested in creative play can experiment and learn from each other in a safe, enjoyable format.

Cabaret will include visiting musicians from Holland, Seamus Cater & Viljam Nybacka.
http://www.myspace.com/seamuscater

Plus other special guests.

11am welcome - introduction, ground rules, confidence, safety etc.
12.30-1.30 - structured warm up.
Lunch break
2.30 - 6.30 Creative exercises and games.
(If you are new to improvisation then you should definitely attend the first part.)

IMPROVISATION FOR MUSICIANS AND MOVERS
Saturday 28th may 11.30am - 6pm

A day of exploration and sharing, using games, discussion, play to enjoy improvising with people from other disciplines and styles.

11am welcome - introduction, ground rules, confidence, safety etc.
12.30-1.30 - structured warm up.
Lunch break
2.30 - 6.30 Creative exercises, games and open sessions.

Chance to work closely with other disciplines. eg close work with music and dance, simultaneous voice and movement, accompaniment skills....

Post workshop cabarets.

The evening will allow space for participants to relax and socialise, to continue discussions, but also to perform if they wish to. Short improvisations in smaller groupings plus sets from invited artists allows space and support for trying out as well as seeing more experienced people at work.

Seamus Cater and Viljam Nybacka are a Rhodes piano and drums song duo based in Amsterdam. As a songwriter, Seamus is writing a growing series of biographical songs of artists and athletes. He works solo and frequently with the Finnish musician Viljam Nybacka, inviting other performers from the improvised music world to add to the sonic tapestry of what are essentially simple pop songs. Nybacka is a multi instrumentalist playing drums and ukelele, as well as being a virtuoso bassist with the Dutch band Brown vs. Brown. Much of this duo's music has a relationship to the British folk music revival of the 1950's, without in any way trying to recreate it; Seamus' father is an English folk singer active since the 1960's.

REGULAR WEDNESDAY EVENING IMPROVISATION SESSIONS

FOR MOVERS AND MUSICIANS - ran from Feb to June

Fee £5 or £30 for 7 sessions in adv.

After a successful first series we began the second with a strong core group and welcomed some new members.

Working from suggestions I modified the original proposal to guide rather than teach and allow more room for people to explore open improvising. For this series it was suggested that I offer some themes for the night - as ways to help focus - and perhaps run some simple exercises or intros to each theme. eg rhythm, unity, impulses, dueting, sustain,...

So far we have worked on impulses (particularly on not following every single impulse but feeling which ones have more weight), sustained dueting (staying with an idea and developing it, rather than flitting about) and senses (listening to different stimulus in the body such as sight, smell, sound etc).

Musicians, Dancers, Theatre practitioners and anyone interested in creative play can join in. Experience in improvisation is not absolutely necessary, feel free to come and try it out. Come early if you want a chat or want to set up equipment.

These weekly evening sessions have been a chance for local people to play regularly and develop their interest in improvisation. Some are into dancing for fun, some are professional. Some use their voices, some are developing confidence through play and some testing their ideas about what performance can be. Abstract music, songs, tunes, tinkering, etc. Clowning, laughing, working in close physical contact, being alone with your thoughts, ... all can find a space.

With an emphasis on play, these sessions became less and less formal as the group took control and decided how they wanted to proceed, resulting in a gentle guidance rather than rigid leadership.