Grappling Dancing // Patrik Klos

2 December, 2023 garage29 WORKSHOP

20&21/01/2024

Grappling Dancing is a practice that aims to connect and marry the two worlds of martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Wrestling) and contemporary dance, specifically focused on partnering and partner acrobatics.

We will look at the features of martial arts as compositional elements that can be consciously applied to improvising with other bodies in space and also to creating new movement material.

How can we recognise the confrontational nature of martial arts and its interplay between dominant/submissive character to enrich our dancing and decision making when improvising? How can we use the real feelings and emotions experienced during sparring or play fighting and use them as a source to create and compose? These are some of the questions that will inspire the research in the afternoon.

The workshop will move through different stages from simple introduction of grappling & wrestling techniques to play fight exploration and movement research and finally conclude with an open form dance together. Each day will end with some form of composition using the language acquired during the workshop to see how we can use it to create together.

This practice is for anyone who is interested in moving or dancing in contact with other bodies in space, for grappling practitioners as well as dancers and movement artists. Recommended for people with some movement experience.

• Dates: 20 and 21 January ( from 10am to 5pm )

10:00 – 13:00 Grappling Dancing Class
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 17:00 Grappling Dancing Research