People and Content
Keith Hennessy
Headline Contact Improvisation teacher
BIO
Keith Hennessy, is a dancer, frolicker, and witch, working in the fields of experimental performance, gay sexual healing, and anti-capitalist housing. Raised in Canada, he has lived in Yelamu/San Francisco USA since 1982, and tours internationally. He started dancing CI in Montréal in 1979 and has been practicing-teaching-studying-critiquing improvised dance and CI cultures ever since. With a focus on the poetics and politics of relationship, Keith’s work prioritizes collaboration and community process. Collaborators include Ishmael Houston-Jones, Sarah Crowell, Snowflake Calvert, Meg Stuart, Peaches, Peiling Kao, Jassem Hindi. Keith has an MFA and PhD from University of California. www.circozero.org
CLASS DESCRIPTION
"Dancing as Political Healing"
Prioritizing improvisation and collaboration we will play with the possibilities of healing, politics, and dancing together. This laboratory will welcome your curiosity and concerns. What’s up? What inspires you or prevents you from dancing more freely? What activates or impedes your healing potential? How is your body responding to new wars and embodied traumas? How can dancing and care be activated as anti-capitalism, as a new ethics of relationship, pleasure, and shared power? We will invite the prophetic ancestors Gustav Landauer and Octavia Butler into the studio to renew our dancing.
Keith Hennessy, is a dancer, frolicker, and witch, working in the fields of experimental performance, gay sexual healing, and anti-capitalist housing. Raised in Canada, he has lived in Yelamu/San Francisco USA since 1982, and tours internationally. He started dancing CI in Montréal in 1979 and has been practicing-teaching-studying-critiquing improvised dance and CI cultures ever since. With a focus on the poetics and politics of relationship, Keith’s work prioritizes collaboration and community process. Collaborators include Ishmael Houston-Jones, Sarah Crowell, Snowflake Calvert, Meg Stuart, Peaches, Peiling Kao, Jassem Hindi. Keith has an MFA and PhD from University of California. www.circozero.org
CLASS DESCRIPTION
"Dancing as Political Healing"
Prioritizing improvisation and collaboration we will play with the possibilities of healing, politics, and dancing together. This laboratory will welcome your curiosity and concerns. What’s up? What inspires you or prevents you from dancing more freely? What activates or impedes your healing potential? How is your body responding to new wars and embodied traumas? How can dancing and care be activated as anti-capitalism, as a new ethics of relationship, pleasure, and shared power? We will invite the prophetic ancestors Gustav Landauer and Octavia Butler into the studio to renew our dancing.
ph by: @poruszone.fotografia and @move_me_tere
Nayeli Špela
Contact Improvisation teacher
BIO
Nayeli Špela Peteriln is a dedicated Contact Improvisation Dancer with a profound commitment to the practice since 2017. Alongside a career as a psychologist and psychotherapist, she stands as a beacon in non-formal education, employing movements to nurture social skills and emotional resilience among young individuals. As the Founder and President of Moave - Psychology in Movement, an international organization seamlessly weaving together art, psychology, and somatic practices, she pioneers initiatives that champion mental health and overall wellbeing. Nayeli curates and leads international training programs tailored to empower professionals with the tools necessary to integrate these practices into their work.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
"Dancing in sensitivity"
I believe that when we dance, we dance with all the stories we carry inside our bodies.
We dance with information and with memories.
But I also believe that while we dance, we can make new memories and leave new imprints inside our bodies.
I love to work with attention and intention. Receptivity and sensations. This helps to create quality of movement and also allows different ways of meeting each other and cocreating the dance. To enter the flow requires to sense the currents that are already there… inside the body, inside the space… in between us.
Nayeli Špela Peteriln is a dedicated Contact Improvisation Dancer with a profound commitment to the practice since 2017. Alongside a career as a psychologist and psychotherapist, she stands as a beacon in non-formal education, employing movements to nurture social skills and emotional resilience among young individuals. As the Founder and President of Moave - Psychology in Movement, an international organization seamlessly weaving together art, psychology, and somatic practices, she pioneers initiatives that champion mental health and overall wellbeing. Nayeli curates and leads international training programs tailored to empower professionals with the tools necessary to integrate these practices into their work.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
"Dancing in sensitivity"
I believe that when we dance, we dance with all the stories we carry inside our bodies.
We dance with information and with memories.
But I also believe that while we dance, we can make new memories and leave new imprints inside our bodies.
I love to work with attention and intention. Receptivity and sensations. This helps to create quality of movement and also allows different ways of meeting each other and cocreating the dance. To enter the flow requires to sense the currents that are already there… inside the body, inside the space… in between us.
Aham (Cristian Navarro)
Contact Improvisation teacher
BIO
Born in Barcelona. Since young I've practiced a great variety of sports and different kinds of disciplines such as martial arts, acrobatics, parkour, dance and gymnastics. At the age of 18 I started my acting studies with the idea of getting to know myself and transmitting better to others. That was the beginning of 6 years of studying and working in BCN and NY. It was also when I discovered CI, which was taught as a tool for physical listening within physical theater. Some events made me question and redirect my path towards traveling and focusing more on movement, contact and facilitation. I´ve been traveling, dancing, and facilitating workshops on CI and conscious movement since then.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
On partner caring
We start by landing through relaxing our bodies and surrendering our weight to the ground. We will start moving slowly focusing on the weight of different parts of our body, specially the head.
Coming to partners, we will offer some bodywork on head and neck and will start sustaining it as the partner moves through the space, enjoying being sustained. We will change roles, and merge them into dance.
We make a circle of sustenance as one person moves within blindfolded changing direction with the touch from people in the circle.
Keeping the circle, we will have one person in the middle falling to sides and being sustained, and maybe even offering them the possibility of being elevated.
After some variants working on trust, presence and listening, we will go through a technique exercise focusing on the slowness and care of the partner.
We will finish with a trio exercise (algui and currents), having a trip where two people will be sustaining and moving the third one (who will be blindfolded) through the space.
Born in Barcelona. Since young I've practiced a great variety of sports and different kinds of disciplines such as martial arts, acrobatics, parkour, dance and gymnastics. At the age of 18 I started my acting studies with the idea of getting to know myself and transmitting better to others. That was the beginning of 6 years of studying and working in BCN and NY. It was also when I discovered CI, which was taught as a tool for physical listening within physical theater. Some events made me question and redirect my path towards traveling and focusing more on movement, contact and facilitation. I´ve been traveling, dancing, and facilitating workshops on CI and conscious movement since then.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
On partner caring
We start by landing through relaxing our bodies and surrendering our weight to the ground. We will start moving slowly focusing on the weight of different parts of our body, specially the head.
Coming to partners, we will offer some bodywork on head and neck and will start sustaining it as the partner moves through the space, enjoying being sustained. We will change roles, and merge them into dance.
We make a circle of sustenance as one person moves within blindfolded changing direction with the touch from people in the circle.
Keeping the circle, we will have one person in the middle falling to sides and being sustained, and maybe even offering them the possibility of being elevated.
After some variants working on trust, presence and listening, we will go through a technique exercise focusing on the slowness and care of the partner.
We will finish with a trio exercise (algui and currents), having a trip where two people will be sustaining and moving the third one (who will be blindfolded) through the space.
Rebecca Plattner
Contemporary Dance Teacher
BIO
Rebecca Plattner-Wörgartner was born in Kitzbühel (Austria) started dancing at the age of 10 with Ballet and gradually got in touch with different dance styles and techniques such as Afro, HipHop, Jazz (Funky, Lyrical, Latin) Modern ( Horton, Limon, Graham) Musical and Contemporary Dance (floor release, counter technique) Improvisation (Instant Composition,Sasha Waltz, Kidd Pivot,Gaga).1993 she graduated in a pedagogical dance education in Munich at the Iwanson Dance Center and since that time she is teaching, dancing and choreographing at the „Tiroler Ballettschule“ and „Bad Reichenhaller Ballettschule“.
The first time when she experienced CI which is nearly twenty years ago was with Willi Dorner (Bodies in Urban Spaces) and since this workshop she has not been able to let go of this kind of contemporary dance form and it continuously caught her attention and interest.
Rebecca Plattner-Wörgartner was born in Kitzbühel (Austria) started dancing at the age of 10 with Ballet and gradually got in touch with different dance styles and techniques such as Afro, HipHop, Jazz (Funky, Lyrical, Latin) Modern ( Horton, Limon, Graham) Musical and Contemporary Dance (floor release, counter technique) Improvisation (Instant Composition,Sasha Waltz, Kidd Pivot,Gaga).1993 she graduated in a pedagogical dance education in Munich at the Iwanson Dance Center and since that time she is teaching, dancing and choreographing at the „Tiroler Ballettschule“ and „Bad Reichenhaller Ballettschule“.
The first time when she experienced CI which is nearly twenty years ago was with Willi Dorner (Bodies in Urban Spaces) and since this workshop she has not been able to let go of this kind of contemporary dance form and it continuously caught her attention and interest.
Serhii Semichev & Yulia Hryshyna
CI & Contemporary Dance Teachers
Dance laboratory with the focus of filming
Serhii Semichev
BIO
Semichev Sergey. Born in 1978 in the city of Snezhnoye, Donetsk region, Ukraine. In childhood and youth, he was engaged in gymnastics and acrobatics. Later athletics and fitness. Professional massage therapist since 2000. From 2007 to 2013 professional fitness trainer and massage therapist in a sports and recreation center in Donetsk, Ukraine. He started dancing contact improvisation in 2011 in Donetsk. In 2013 he started teaching contact improvisation together with his wife Marina Semicheva in Donetsk. In 2014, due to the outbreak of war in eastern Ukraine, he moved with his family to Kyiv, where he continued to study and dance contact improvisation. Since 2015, a teacher of contact improvisation in the Kyiv community of contact improvisation. From 2016 to 2021 teacher at the international festival of contact improvisation Dancefullness in Ukraine improvisation.
From 2017 to 2022, together with Marina Semicheva, the organizer of regular contact improvisation laboratories in Kyiv. Co-organizer of the contact improvisation festival Ecite 2019. From 2016 to 2021 co-organizer and teacher of the winter contact improvisation festival Karpatski fest. From 2016 to 2021, co-organizer and teacher of the festival of contact improvisation and filming of dance films Dance Pavilion. Organizer of the winter festival of contact improvisation Contact winter 2022. Traitor of contact improvisation in Ukraine, Moldova, China, Portugal, Austria, and Italy. In 2022 he moved with his family to Italy/Rome.
BIO
Semichev Sergey. Born in 1978 in the city of Snezhnoye, Donetsk region, Ukraine. In childhood and youth, he was engaged in gymnastics and acrobatics. Later athletics and fitness. Professional massage therapist since 2000. From 2007 to 2013 professional fitness trainer and massage therapist in a sports and recreation center in Donetsk, Ukraine. He started dancing contact improvisation in 2011 in Donetsk. In 2013 he started teaching contact improvisation together with his wife Marina Semicheva in Donetsk. In 2014, due to the outbreak of war in eastern Ukraine, he moved with his family to Kyiv, where he continued to study and dance contact improvisation. Since 2015, a teacher of contact improvisation in the Kyiv community of contact improvisation. From 2016 to 2021 teacher at the international festival of contact improvisation Dancefullness in Ukraine improvisation.
From 2017 to 2022, together with Marina Semicheva, the organizer of regular contact improvisation laboratories in Kyiv. Co-organizer of the contact improvisation festival Ecite 2019. From 2016 to 2021 co-organizer and teacher of the winter contact improvisation festival Karpatski fest. From 2016 to 2021, co-organizer and teacher of the festival of contact improvisation and filming of dance films Dance Pavilion. Organizer of the winter festival of contact improvisation Contact winter 2022. Traitor of contact improvisation in Ukraine, Moldova, China, Portugal, Austria, and Italy. In 2022 he moved with his family to Italy/Rome.
Yulia Hryshyna
BIO
Dancer, performer, teacher of contemporary dance at Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, event organizer, lecturer and video maker. Twice winner of the competition of young choreographers of the festival of contemporary dance theatre Zelyonka fest.
BIO
Dancer, performer, teacher of contemporary dance at Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, event organizer, lecturer and video maker. Twice winner of the competition of young choreographers of the festival of contemporary dance theatre Zelyonka fest.
Film project by Ukrainian artists from Ukraine during the festival
Three filmmakers and dancers from Ukraine (Serhii Semichev, Tamara Maksymenko and Yuliia Hryshina) will lead a series of workshops with a creative focus - filmography of movements - during the festival. As a result of this project, two/three short dance films with the participants of the festival.
The theme of the dance research on which the participants will improvise is: ASYLUM. What does it mean if you have never experienced real danger, and vice versa: how would the body react to such a harsh experience as war?
The result of these three short films will be presented at dance film festivals in 2025.
Sasha Portyannikova
Lector
BIO
Sasha is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher of contemporary dance.
Graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy (MA’2013), cofounded dance cooperative Isadorino Gore with Dasha Plokhova in 2012, became Fulbright Visiting Scholar in 2018 and danceWeber in 2019.
Participated in international scholarship programs with residences in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Spain and the USA. Cooperated with Amnesty International, Goethe Institute, V-A-C Foundation, ZKM, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow Museum of Modern Art and others.
Sasha creates dances, curates projects, teaches dance in Academia and primary school. She considers dance as a cultural, social, political and research practice.
Lecture
"Navigating Movement Histories: Contact Improvisation & the Dance Journey of People of Colour and Refugee Status Dancers in Central Europe"
I believe that when we dance, we dance with all the stories we carry inside our bodies.
In these thought-provoking sessions, Sasha will guide us through the evolution of Contact Improvisation, exploring its roots and transformations. More importantly, she will navigate the unique narratives of POC (people of colour) and refugee status dancers, shedding light on the challenges, triumphs, and contributions that shape their dance journeys within the central European context. As we unravel the threads of history, Sasha will draw on personal experiences, research insights, and community stories to foster a deeper understanding of the intersectionality within dance communities. This series aims to cultivate an inclusive space for dialogue, reflection, and celebration of the diverse voices enriching the tapestry of movement arts.
Sasha is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher of contemporary dance.
Graduated from Vaganova Ballet Academy (MA’2013), cofounded dance cooperative Isadorino Gore with Dasha Plokhova in 2012, became Fulbright Visiting Scholar in 2018 and danceWeber in 2019.
Participated in international scholarship programs with residences in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Spain and the USA. Cooperated with Amnesty International, Goethe Institute, V-A-C Foundation, ZKM, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow Museum of Modern Art and others.
Sasha creates dances, curates projects, teaches dance in Academia and primary school. She considers dance as a cultural, social, political and research practice.
Lecture
"Navigating Movement Histories: Contact Improvisation & the Dance Journey of People of Colour and Refugee Status Dancers in Central Europe"
I believe that when we dance, we dance with all the stories we carry inside our bodies.
In these thought-provoking sessions, Sasha will guide us through the evolution of Contact Improvisation, exploring its roots and transformations. More importantly, she will navigate the unique narratives of POC (people of colour) and refugee status dancers, shedding light on the challenges, triumphs, and contributions that shape their dance journeys within the central European context. As we unravel the threads of history, Sasha will draw on personal experiences, research insights, and community stories to foster a deeper understanding of the intersectionality within dance communities. This series aims to cultivate an inclusive space for dialogue, reflection, and celebration of the diverse voices enriching the tapestry of movement arts.
Tamara Maksymenko
Lector
Dance laboratory with the focus of filming
BIO
Tamara Maksymenko is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher of contact improvisation and contemporary dance for 17 years already. She has been teaching many workshops all over the world (Poland, Spain, Israel, Austria, Italy, Greece, Finland, Egypt, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Morocco, Bulgary, Sweden, Portugal, France, and Turkey). She is the founder of Motion Mode Dance Theatre (MMDT) and the creator of many dance projects.
28 years of dance experience (since the early age of 4). She got medical education in body therapy and sociology at Dnipropetrovsk National University and trained at the Physical Theatre in Intragna (Switzerland) with Thomas Mattler.
Now Tamara is a member of the Ukrainian Contemporary Dance Platform Association and she is a member of OFFTANZ Tirol Association (Austria). The founder of "Solo & CI Tirol Festival" and "West meets East".
Tamara Maksymenko is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher of contact improvisation and contemporary dance for 17 years already. She has been teaching many workshops all over the world (Poland, Spain, Israel, Austria, Italy, Greece, Finland, Egypt, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Morocco, Bulgary, Sweden, Portugal, France, and Turkey). She is the founder of Motion Mode Dance Theatre (MMDT) and the creator of many dance projects.
28 years of dance experience (since the early age of 4). She got medical education in body therapy and sociology at Dnipropetrovsk National University and trained at the Physical Theatre in Intragna (Switzerland) with Thomas Mattler.
Now Tamara is a member of the Ukrainian Contemporary Dance Platform Association and she is a member of OFFTANZ Tirol Association (Austria). The founder of "Solo & CI Tirol Festival" and "West meets East".
Nepomuk Lasio
Musician
BIO
"How can we
…exist in community & be ourselves at the same time?
…move freely respecting each other's boundaries?
…embody emotions & dance to flow?"
Nepomuk likes to generate questions. Since his childhood, he has felt the urge to express his spirit.
He has been deeply inspired by teachers like Xandy Liberato, Félix Arjona & Tamara, too.
It is now that he allows himself to follow his inner calling. In contact improvisation he has found a place where his creativity has free rain.
He studied psychology & educational studies. Nepo is a sharing circle holder & care worker for children. He has the quality to create an atmosphere in which a person can be oneself.
As a musician (guitar / handpan) & co-organizer of the festival he wants to manifest his visions & inspire other human beings.
"How can we
…exist in community & be ourselves at the same time?
…move freely respecting each other's boundaries?
…embody emotions & dance to flow?"
Nepomuk likes to generate questions. Since his childhood, he has felt the urge to express his spirit.
He has been deeply inspired by teachers like Xandy Liberato, Félix Arjona & Tamara, too.
It is now that he allows himself to follow his inner calling. In contact improvisation he has found a place where his creativity has free rain.
He studied psychology & educational studies. Nepo is a sharing circle holder & care worker for children. He has the quality to create an atmosphere in which a person can be oneself.
As a musician (guitar / handpan) & co-organizer of the festival he wants to manifest his visions & inspire other human beings.