Freelance dancers of Berlin are welcome to attend this workshop that will culminate as a discussion led by Cree Barnett Williams, and Sports Massage course by Shannon Leypoldt. Trauma Tanzstudio would like to open up about the realities of dance conditions in Berlin as a freelancer, to talk about the things that are usually difficult to talk about, like creating healthy boundaries, how to talk about money, time, conditions, scheduling, and artistic ways of giving. Let us come together and exchange resources, tips, and better sources of care for dancers as individuals and as a community. We want to create this exchange to provide today’s working dancers with better tools to lead and foster sustainable dance careers with longevity.
Schedule:
14:00-16:00 Introduction with tea. Followed by Lecture / Discussion with Cree
16:00-18:00 Sports Massage Course taught by Shannon Leypoldt
Detailed Workshop Description:
Discussion - Body unmute: As we try to navigate the artistic, economic and psychological challenges of an industry that eludes to job scarcity and seemingly rewards the silent dancer, how do we approach personal sustainability?
In this workshop we will share our experiences and discuss the importance of boundaries and speaking up.
Sports Massage Course - Shannon’s self-massage course is as self care practice working towards maintaining a healthy, sustainable physical practice, while deepening our understanding of the body. Massage can be integrated as a way to exit one’s dance practice and return to yourself, while processing and integrating the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of our day. In this workshop Shannon will guide us through different self-massage techniques, pressure points, and stretches, creating space to inhabit the body and feel empowered within its boundaries / limitations as it relates to a dancer’s practice. For this course, please bring a massage ball with you.
Teacher bios:
About Cree:
A graduate of Rambert School in London, Cree has worked in contemporary dance and dance theatre for over a decade, first as a freelance dancer and teacher in the UK and then as a member of the Johannes Wieland company at the State Theater Kassel. Most recently on stage Cree has worked with Christopher Roman (US/DE), Marina Mascarell (ES/NL), Elisabeth Schilling (DE/LU), Johannes Wieland (DE/US), as well as appearing on film in Issey Miyake’s “Rhizome” choreographed by Holly Blakey, Punchdrunk’s ‘The Third Day: Autumn’ (HBO/Sky Arts) and short film “Change” choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Her choreographic works have been seen at theatres and festivals including Staatstheater Kassel, The Place London, b12 Festival Berlin, Mayfest Bristol, London’s Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre and Sadler’s Wells’ Lillian Baylis Studio. Cree has also moderated talks around intersectionality for Berlin b12 Festival’s “deep space” and “critical mass” platforms and believes the discussion and interview formats to be critical in connecting us as individuals through our experiences while also challenging the structures of dance and the arts.
SHANNON LEYPOLDT (she/her) is a queer dance artist, teacher, and sports massage therapist based in Berlin. She is from the United States and belongs to the ƛʼpúlmix Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Shannon is constantly researching the body — its power, and its limitations and wondering how our knowledge of neuroscience, physiology, and cognitive science can help us move, feel, and live better. Shannon is a certified ITEC Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist and has been practicing in Berlin for the past 5 years.
Shannon has performed with wee dance company at the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater, Görlitz-Zittau, Staatsoper Unter Den Linden, Dorky Park, Itinerant Dance Ensemble, and the KDV Dance Ensemble. She has performed choreography by Shlomi Bitton, Hillel Cogen, Maxine Doyle, Lisi Estarás, Constanza Macras, Kiani Del Valle, and Sommer Ulrickson.