Appropriate
for all abilities; adults children, people with learning disabilities
etc, musicians, non-musicians, dancers etc. For pleasure or self-development.
Starting
with active listening to open the ears and the ability to percieve through
sound. Before progressing through choice making to actually making sounds
(if appropriate.) This workshop is good for self-confidence and pleasure
in sound, it helps us use the amazing facility of hearing and improves
our ability to make sound or communicate through sound.
This
workshop uses recorded sounds and can be tailored to focus on specific
issues, needs or professional development.
Improvisation for movers and musicians
open
to all abilities. a lively and playful session exploring movement and
sound with an emphasis on your own personal interests.
Not like a dance class, but using movement and awareness
of the body to enhance our connection to ourselves and others.
This
workshop is great with a mix of dancers and musicians but can be tailored
for either or neither. It is energising, liberating and can provide space
for reflection, sharing and intimacy.
Musicality and the body
open
to all abilities. an exploratory session that looks at wellbeing as well
as creativity. exploring movement through the use of musical analogies
such as rhythm, tone and phrasing to bypass some of the traditional limiting
beliefs often carried by the language of dance and sport.
info
@ danielweaver.co.u k
(PleaseRemoveSpaces)
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upcoming event details here
recent events;
April13/14/15th Contact Improv festival show
with guests.
June Sunday24th David Birchall - guitar. Ollie Brice - Double Bass.
Phil Marks - drums.
plus Andi Chapple's Walkabout tour.
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Questions about me and
the workshops.
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
may experience some moving around and dancers may make some noise.
Then there will be some exercises to bring focus to the idea of
group and solo 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 opposed 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.
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Improvisation
is part of everyday life.
We
use it to converse,
to
negotiate busy streets
and
to solve problems.
We
do it all the time
and
yet
many
people fear it.
As
a practise, improvisation can help build confidence, keep you healthy
and change your life for the better.
It can also be a lot of fun.
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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.)
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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....
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On this occasion participants stayed
to cook, eat and perform together and listened to visiting two musicians
from Amsterdam. |
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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.
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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.
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