Let’s gather to thaw our winter bones, wake and warm our bodies, dance alive our sensuous skin; let us, unmasked and sun-blinking, play kiss chase to the Beltane bells.

‘Kinetics and Clown’

Join us for round two of Divine Ridiculous meets DANCE. Zoe Solomons, Dan Hernandez and Chloe Wykes present a Beltane themed, Persephone inspired, sensuous dive into movement, clown and myth.

This time for a week long retreat, we will come together to explore both our dynamic dancing bodies and the mysteries of the Divine Ridiculous - in the sweet holding of Fell Edge event space in the Yorkshire Dales, with an expansive dance space and sweeping nature within which to frolic and dive deep.

Our days will be a rich combination of gentle connection to body, focused dancing and the magic world of ritual and clown. Within this juicy and creative holding, we will learn and practice connection to body and dance technique, we will investigate the contrasting energies of clown, playing, creating and opening ourselves and we will come together as community.

Key words: Axis Syllabus, Dance, Clown, Myth, Ritual, Magic, Community, Play, Nature Connection, Massage, Embodiment, Liberation, Performance, Song, Vocal Improvisation, Music, Family, Contact Improvisation


THE DANCING:

Led by the wonderful Zoe Solomons, through the lens of the Axis Syllabus we will study the science of sensuality. Reawakening skin and sinew; dancing deeper in and opening to summer. We will spend up to two sessions day with Zoe. The sessions will be physical; we’ll explore the sensations of our flesh in movement, informed by anatomy diagrams and principles. expect to roll, breathe, touch and be touched. We may stretch, fall, unravel as we reawaken our sinuous animal bodies. We will be in the studio, outdoors, solo and in contact. Suitable for humans with a body and a heart longing to be moved.

THE CLOWN:

Often we wish to show ourselves as perfect, beautiful specimens. This is a mistake that shields us from many learnings. Since forever, clowns have helped us deal with this tendency by tickling our funny bones, reminding the holier-than-thou that we are only human after all. We’ll explore the contrasting energies of clown: Silent pathos, vulnerable presence, mad saint, dumb fool, blasphemer, eccentric, satirist, masked dancer, puppeteer, etc. In a dance with the shit we all live through - rooted in the totality of our bodies knowing, complete with its unique flaws, wounds, ego, pains and pleasures - we will dance in raw, colourful creativity. We’ll connect in an innocent curious trance. Permission will be given to gently burlesque everything we usually take as sacred, including ourselves. The clown’s challenge will be to do this without becoming heavy, to find lightness, vulnerable and open-hearted inside this mirroring work, to guard carefully an awareness of the whole space and stay in a wickedly kind state of hilarious poetic bliss infused with pure love. Guided by Dan Hernandez

THE REST:

There is vast nature to explore and a sauna to enjoy, along with self-care, socialising, cooking and eating food, spaces will be set aside for rest or indulgence, merriment and surprise. We will also dip into the world of vocal improvisation and song.

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ESSENTIAL INFO

Facilitation:

Zoë Solomons (www.motionislotion.co.uk)
Daniel Hernandez (www.facebook.com/divine.ridiculous)
Chloe Wykes (chloeamiaisabelle.wixsite.com/chloe)

Dates: Mon 2st – Mon 9th May 2022

Location: Fell Edge Retreat Space, close to Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire.

Investment: £450 - £600 (includes; a week of food, venue, camping and facilitation).
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REGISTRATION

To register your interest please fill out this form...

LINK HERE
https://forms.gle/Mk6t7otwYmnW339q8

Any questions please email: chloewykes@gmail.com
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FACILIATORS

Zoë Solomons

Zoë is a dancer/mother/teacher/student of osteopathy. She is dedicated to the exploration and facilitation of functional and expressive movement. Zoë has taught internationally through the lens of the Axis Syllabus since 2008, including professional class for Independent Dance, the Place, GDA, Tripspace, Jose Vidal Company, Company Bewegungsmelder (Austria) and Seke Chimutengwende and friends. She has performed for Felix Ruckert, Tino Seghal and Simonetta Alessandri among others. Her eclectic training in medicine and bodywork, and a dance background including improvisation, tango, folkdance and contemporary inform her embodied approach to functional movement pedagogy

Daniel Hernandez

My name is Daniel Hernandez. I am an itinerant mischief-maker exploring the ritual roots of performance.
The deeper I have dived into teaching, performing, and living in this rich territory, the more I have seen archaic/ shamanic clown and mask cosmologies become fascinating and colourful routes into individuation: containing a vast treasure-box of rituals, dance, liminal states, grotesque archetypes and clown-lore.
My performances, projects, ceremonies and workshops draw upon a wide variety of related traditions: These include Dance, Clown, Bouffon, Butoh, Contact Improvisation, Tao/Tantra, Vodou, Mask, Psychomagic, Art, Sacred Sexuality and Breathwork. I am continually researching and developing my practice through training, readings, writings, ceremonies, experiments, and mistakes. My first love was music. I don’t claim to be a master of anything.

Chloe Wykes

Artist, alchemist, bodyworker, songstress and mother.
I am a researcher of creative practice, movement and the healing arts. I curate workshops and happenings, make vocal improvisation and harmony singing spaces, do art and crafting and am part of the Divine Ridiculous family.
My intention is to share magic, love and liberation; to support connection to tribe and the primal self; to be in, and promote, harmony with nature.

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Venue *******

We will be located at Fell Edge - a farm on the beautiful Yorkshire moors, within an area containing the highest incidence of prehistoric carved stones in England! There is a sauna and spectacular views as well as a big studio.

Check it out here: www.felledge.co.uk

Accommodation ******

We will be camping in a beautiful and well-resourced camping field. If you prefer not to bring your tent or just wish to share, there is the option to stay in a large tipi with other participants. There are also options to source accommodation in neighbouring guestrooms, just a five-minute walk away; you can find information about and book these options via the Fell Edge website.
www.felledge.co.uk/what-is-fell-edge-2/

Food ******

The food will be organic and locally sourced where possible, with gluten free and vegan options. We will share the pleasure of cooking, eating and cleaning together.

Cost ******

£450- Low income/Student - covers cost of retreat and small contribution towards facilitation/organisation
£525- General Admission - covers full fees & course facilitation
£600- Supporter - Helps cover costs for a low income participation

Crew ******

There are some discounted spaces available for support roles. 2x cook lead and 3x childcare.

If you are interested to know more please indicate in your registration form.
__________________________________

REGISTRATION

To register your interest please fill out this form...
LINK HERE

https://forms.gle/Mk6t7otwYmnW339q8

Any questions please email: chloewykes@gmail.com