Stay tuned for this one! More information will be coming soon!
The ATCB Alexander Technique Centre Berlin invites other AT training schools from all over Europe + Israel and Great Britain. This intensive is also open to guests.
THE CONTACT BODY … and MIND
For experienced Contact Improvisers
A vision from Katja Mustonen often resurfaces in my dancing and teaching:
“I wish to be available at any moment with all my body parts for multiple directions.” I find this an intriguing proposal for consistently having enriching and satisfying dances.
My primary approach to finding greater availability in my dance is by calming the busy mind and softening into the body’s liquidity – like water, always ready and willing to flow in all possible directions. And there is also another kind of availability, one with a higher tone: a readiness in the body and an alertness in the mind, prepared for, even expecting the unpredictable. How do we engage the muscular system to transform effort into juicy strength, without losing that fluid, water-like availability? How do we get the pelvis ready to follow in all directions – also against gravity? How do I access the willingness to run, jump, and fall? And when is it actually time to not be available? When do I need to retreat, to rest, to disconnect from others and potter around in my own bubble?
The end of February is a special time. We’ve grown weary of the long winter and the first signs of spring are beginning to emerge. We’ll feel more of that and we can embrace this shift by supporting one another in activating our bodies and minds. I envision flow, strength, quirkiness, questioning habits, spaciousness, fun, and depth as flavours for our time together. My wish is for an explorative, supportive space that holds us in our humanness, welcoming whatever each of us brings to the day.
Participants should be very familiar with Contact Improvisation technique, which will be our common language for this Intensive. For your orientation: We imagine a regular practice of at least two years. In case of doubt, check in with us.
WORKSHOP TIMES
26.2.-2.3.2025
Wed 10-17:30
Thu 10-18
Fri 10-17:30
Sat 10-18
Sun 10-14
(2 hrs lunch break each day, on Sun only mini break)
FEE
480-310 EUR (as you can)
INFO & REGISTRATION
[email protected]
LOCATION
EDEN***** Studios
Breite Strasse 43, 13187 Berlin-Pankow
Visit Joerg’s homepage & blog www.joerghassmann.com
Photo by Andrei Berezki
Touch & Play / New Year’s Get Together
29.12.2024-01.01.2025 @retreat centre Drawehn, Lower Saxony
What about celebrating softly?
From 29th of December till the 1st of January we will gather in Drawehn, nested between Berlin and Hamburg, to welcome the new year in a parasympathetic way.
This means, we get inspired by the part of the nervous system that is responsible for resting and digesting.
Think: Bodywork, slow dancing, whispering sweet nothings, cuddles, naps, endless foreplays, meditation, focus, a choir of relieving sighs, silent jams, belly massages, sauna, letting go…
– Only for those with Previous Touch&Play Experience –
Register here: https://germany.touchandplay.org/
Cycles of Reflection & Intention
The transition between two years is a natural time for reflection and renewal. As the old year comes to a close and the new one approaches, there is a unique opportunity to pause, revisit the lessons and experiences we’ve lived, harvest what we’d like to keep and mindfully release what no longer serves us.
Over the years, we’ve made it a tradition to gather with friends during this “in-between” time to reflect and share our thoughts. These group encounters have become not only a joyful but also meaningful ritual for us. This year, we’ve decided to offer our guidance in a workshop setting, providing a space and offering suggestions for self-reflection and connection through group sharing.
This period of transition allows us to honor the past while creating space for new intentions, aligning ourselves with the energy of fresh beginnings. By consciously engaging in this process, we can enter the new year with clarity, purpose, and a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us.
Join us for this two-day workshop to reflect on the passing year and set meaningful intentions for the year ahead.
On the first day, we will focus on collecting and closing — revisiting the experiences, lessons, and meaningful moments of the current year through meditation, body awareness, reflective exercises, and sharing in a supportive space. We will honor what has been and create space for what is to come.
On the second day, we will orient our awareness toward opening and creating — exploring wishes and possibilities for the new year stimulated by movement, bodywork exchanges and intention-setting practices. Through a loving connection with ourselves and through sharing with others, we will explore personal visions for the future while staying grounded in the present.
This workshop is for you if
- you would like to consciously reflect on the past year and intentionally invite the new one
- you would like to dive into sharing words, touch, movement as well as moments of stillness and nourishing food
- you would like to surround yourself with a supporting group of people during wintertime
Nina & Dino
As siblings with a shared interest in somatic practices and personal development, we’re excited to combine our approaches and offer this workshop together. Nina, a Body-Mind Centering® practitioner and innovation trainer, encourages curiosity and new perspectives, blending somatic work with creativity and communication. Dino, an Alexander Technique teacher with a long-term meditation practice, supports others in finding body awareness and ease through a grounded and fine approach. Together, we’re excited to create a space for reflection and connection – an opportunity to pause, set meaningful intentions, and move forward with more clarity. We’d love for you to join us on this journey!
Practical information
Book your place by writing to [email protected] or [email protected]
Workshop times
Sat 14.12. & Sun 15.12.
Both days from 11am – 5pm, including a lunch break of 1.5h
Place
Park Studio
Am Treptower Park, 42
12435 Berlin
Price
250-120€, pay as you can
The sliding scale: We think 250€ is an appropriate price for this workshop, knowing that several people might not be able to afford it. You don’t need to ask for paying a lower price. It’s your choice and you have your reasons and that’s fine.
A deposit of 50€ via bank transfer is due right after you have received a confirmation of registration to secure your place.
Cancellation
In case you cancel until 30.11.2024 we keep 50€.
In case you cancel after 01.12.2024 the whole workshop fee applies.
Dich Einsammeln
Collecting yourself
As fall approaches, I wanted to create an opportunity for inward reflection, for collecting and harvesting, and for preparing for the darker season ahead. You can take some of the ideas, practices, and possible new connections you make with others during this format with you as support during the winter months.
Over the last few years, I have been meditating quite a bit, and I want to start sharing some of my insights, as this process has been, and still is, very nourishing and beneficial for me. I imagine it could be for others too. The idea for these 1.5-hour sessions is to first come to a quiet place through a guided meditation during the first part of the class. In the second part, I will offer an interaction in pairs that involves an exchange of touch through hands-on work and a verbal reflection/check-in.
During the meditation, I will offer different inputs and proposals to explore the movements of the thinking mind and to sense the physical body. The proposals will vary and include subtle movement and sitting meditation. This part of the class aims to provide a foundation and an opportunity to quiet down and connect more deeply with your here and now.
The interactive part of the class will offer an opportunity to exchange with a partner after we have become more grounded and connected through meditation. I want to invite different ways of relating to each other, including non-intentional touch based on principles of the Alexander Technique and/or verbal sharing. Through this exchange, there might be influence, resonance, or friction— in either case, some stimulation that will enrich and nourish you.
These classes might be for you if:
- You already meditate and would like to deepen your practice.
- You have no meditation practice yet and are curious about it.
- You would like to wind down after your workweek.
- You know wintertime can be challenging for you, and you would like to support yourself through a regular practice and new connections.
- You would like to meet others and yourself below surface level in a safe enough environment.
Practical Information
You can book the whole series or join any single class by dropping in; however, you must let me know at the latest on the day of the upcoming session if you wish to join, as each class is limited to 10 participants.
You do not necessarily need to have meditation experience to join any of the classes.
Classes are taught in German or English, or both languages if needed.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Price
25-15 Euro, single class drop in
125-60 Euro, all five classes
Dates & time
8.11., 22.11., 29.11., 13.12. & 20.12.2024
Five times on Friday from
6:45-8:15 pm
Place
Studio 142
Kunstquartier Bethanien
Mariannenplatz 2
1. floor right, room 142
10997 Berlin
Book your place by writing to: [email protected]
German:
Dich Einsammeln
Collecting yourself
Diesen Herbst möchte ich eine Gelegenheit zur inneren Reflexion anbieten, zum Einsammeln des zurückliegenden Jahres und zur Vorbereitung auf die dunklere Jahreszeit. Du kannst einige der Ideen, Übungen und möglicherweise neuen Verbindungen, die du mit anderen knüpfst, als Unterstützung für die Wintermonate nutzen.
In den letzten Jahren habe ich viel meditiert und möchte nun einige meiner Erkenntnisse teilen, da dieser Prozess für mich sehr nährend und spannend ist. Die Grundidee für diese 1,5-stündigen Sitzungen ist, zunächst durch eine geführte Meditation in der ersten Hälfte der Stunde zur Ruhe zu kommen. Im zweiten Teil gibt es die Möglichkeit für eine Interaktion mit einem:r Partner:in, durch einen Austausch von Berührung durch Hands-On und eine verbale Reflexion/Check-in.
Während der Meditation werde ich verschiedene Inputs anbieten, um Bewegungen des denkenden Geistes zu erforschen und den Körper wahrzunehmen. Die Vorschläge werden variieren und sowohl subtile Bewegungen als auch Sitzmeditationen umfassen. Dieser Teil der Klasse soll einen Raum öffnen, um zur Ruhe zu kommen und dich tiefer mit dem Hier und Jetzt zu verbinden.
Der interaktive Teil der Klasse bietet die Möglichkeit, dich mit einem Partner auszutauschen, nachdem du durch die Meditation geerdet und mit dir selbst verbunden bist. Ich möchte verschiedene Arten des Miteinanders einladen, einschließlich absichtsloser Berührung, basierend auf den Prinzipien der Alexander-Technik und/oder Formate des verbalen Austausch. Durch diese Begegnung kann es zu Einfluss, Resonanz oder Reibung kommen – in jedem Fall zu einer Anregung, die dich bereichern und nähren wird.
Diese Klassen sind für dich geeignet, wenn:
- du bereits meditierst und deine Praxis vertiefen möchtest.
- du noch keine Meditationserfahrung hast und neugierig darauf bist.
- du nach deiner Arbeitswoche entspannen möchtest.
- du weißt, dass die Winterzeit für dich herausfordernd sein kann und du dich durch eine regelmäßige Praxis und neue Verbindungen unterstützen möchtest.
- du anderen und dir selbst in einer ausreichend sicheren Umgebung begegnen möchtest.
Praktische Informationen
Du kannst die gesamte Serie buchen oder dich für eine einzelne Klasse anmelden; allerdings bitte ich dich, mir spätestens am Tag der bevorstehenden Sitzung Bescheid geben, wenn du teilnehmen möchtest, da jede Klasse auf 10 Teilnehmer:innen begrenzt ist.
Du musst nicht unbedingt Meditationserfahrung mitbringen, um an einer der Klassen teilzunehmen.
Die Klassen werden auf Deutsch oder Englisch, oder bei Bedarf in beiden Sprachen unterrichtet.
Wenn du Fragen hast, zögere bitte nicht, mich zu kontaktieren.
Preis
25-15 Euro, Einzelklasse
125-60 Euro, alle fünf Klasse
Datum und Uhrzeit
8.11., 22.11., 29.11., 13.12. & 20.12.2024
Fünfmal an Freitagen von
18:45-20:15 Uhr
Ort
Studio 142
Kunstquartier Bethanien
Mariannenplatz 2
1. OG rechts, Raum 142
10997 Berlin
Melde dich jetzt an: [email protected]
Nordtanzfestival
Amidst a cozy & caring festival atmosphere, we create a relaxed learning space for 110 experienced and beginning CI dancers. Over 6 days we’ll meet in the west of Hamburg to deepen Contact Improvisation techniques in workshops and to improvise together in the jams. More info coming soon, we’re looking forward already!
Find all information on the website of Nordtanzfestival
I will be teaching an intensive during the week:
Intensive With Dino: Curiosity in Motion – An attempt to find nuance and connection
In my dancing, physical sensations are such an important driving force. They serve as a gateway into never-ending movement, into curiosity, into pleasure, and also into tasting some edges of discomfort and friction. I will share some practices that I find helpful to access a place of listening and heightened awareness, out of which playfulness, curiosity, and a hunger for sensing oneself and other bodies through touch and movement seem to arise quite naturally.
Recently, I’ve been inspired by making an effort to share verbally with my dance partner(s) what I actually desire, wish, want, or do not want from this particular meeting, with this particular person, at this particular moment. I do not find it all that easy to find my words for that, yet I find the attempt always very enriching. It often deepens the connection to my partner(s) and makes me engage in a different way. I’d like to weave some structures of verbal sharing and negotiation into what we’ll be doing during the two classes. And don’t worry – you do not need to know or think about in advance what you want or don’t want, but you might gather some insights along the way.
As a base and place to start, we’ll probably use some CI basics: simple yet complex proposals that involve sharing weight, leaning, and listening, while moving through space and levels.
You’ll probably get the most out of these classes if you also feel comfortable moving on your own and if you feel somewhat comfortable with technical aspects of the form, so you’ll have some capacity left to dive into sensing, subtlety, and to negotiate various dynamics with your dance partner(s).
Contact Improvisations HerbstJam in Freiburg
From Thr 3.-Sun 6. Oct 2024 at Studio ProArte
I am very happy already to be dancing a lot during this jam 😉 I will also give a tuning in at the beginning of one of the jam slots.
Find all information on the registration form
or on facebook
RESPONDING with DELAY vs RESPONDING with INTUITION
I wonder how these two modes of depth and connection go together:
On the one hand it is a game changer if I allow myself to properly arrive, land and connect to what is there before I respond or act. Arriving in the space, the body, the touch. Tapping into the elasticity of body and time, where I can respond with a delay that is nourished by a deeper connection to myself and my surroundings.
Another mode to truthfully respond is instant. We might call it intuition. I respond almost before I know what the offer of the other will become. The magic match, almost reliable coincidences, the lack of any hesitation. It needs a huge permission to get it wrong when we work on it – ease and fun with failure, missing the bus, not meeting each other.
I envision more spaciousness and freedom in our dancing, forgetting what we know, trusting more when it is not obvious what’s going to happen … balanced by detailed explorations in the somatic wonderland, alone and with a supportive bodywork-ish curiosity. Responding with delay is easier to find through touch and shared weight. The intuition mode with instant responses I find easier to get when working without touch. We’ll see how the bodies bring these two different worlds of acting and responding together and live & witness it with delight.
Participants should be very familiar with Contact Improvisation technique, which will be our common language for this Intensive. In case of doubt, check in with us.
TIMES
12.8.-18.8.2024
Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat 10-17:30 (2 hour lunch break, shorter when it’s raining)
Sunday 10-14
Thursday is free!
FEE
560-360 EUR (sliding scale)
INFO & REGISTRATION
[email protected]
LOCATION
EDEN***** Studios
Breite Strasse 43, 13187 Berlin-Pankow
Visit Joerg’s homepage & blog www.joerghassmann.com
PHOTO
Katja Mustonen & Joerg Hassmann by Alex Zampini
