MOOR than Contact
Contact Improvisation & Dancing in Nature.
A week intensive with Zoë Solomons and Hugh Stanier.
Fell Edge, West Yorkshire Moors.
3rd-8th November, 2023 (Beginning with a Friday evening jam, and with options to book on for the whole 5.5 days or just the weekend)
5 days of Contact Improvisation workshops, dancing in the stunning landscape of the Moors, jamming, & bodywork. Plus hot tub, sauna and beautiful walks.
Suitable for all levels of experience from beginner to advanced.
These workshops will be a deep dive into Contact Improvisation fundamentals: connection, weight-sharing/bearing, listening, flow, play, presence & timing. Supported and informed by the surrounding natural environment, which is home to the largest collection of pre-historic human rock carvings in England.
We will move in a large moor-top dance studio as well as outdoors. When we’re not studying and jamming we will enjoy delicious vegetarian food and relaxation in the hot tub and sauna, with plenty of time for self care and exploring local nature.
The focus and intention of these 5 days is extending in an invitation to yourself to turn gently inwards as we move towards the winter months. Softening, slowing down, connecting more deeply to yourself and to other people. Finding warmth and comfort in physical connection, in sharing movement together. Being together.
A collective slowing down and ‘tuning in’ to what is happening in our surroundings. Inner and outer worlds reflecting one another. In this way the physical practices offered in the workshops can be more deeply integrated into our lives. So not only do we have a wonderful shared experience together, but you will leave the event with tools and techniques that can serve you further in your own practices to navigate what can sometimes - for some of us - be a very challenging moment in the year.
About your facilitators:
Hugh Stanier
Hugh is a Contemporary Dance Artist specialising in Contact Improvisation. He has been teaching & performing internationally since 2008. He began dancing when he was 15 as a break dancer and moved into Contemporary dance, graduating from Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD). He has worked with companies such as 2Faced Dance, Tom Dale, STAN Won’t Dance, and most recently Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez.
Presently, what interests Hugh most about teaching and facilitating is holding spaces for people to find a deeper connection to themselves through playful exploration. Whether through improvisation, contact Improvisation or choreographed movement, Hugh’s focus and intention lies in finding joy and power in a movement practice connected to presence, awareness and breath.
Zoë Solomons
Zoë is a dancer/mother/teacher/Osteopath and activist. Zoë has been been practicing and performing improvisation since 2000 and considers it a life practice as well as a professional skill. She has performed for Felix Ruckert, Tino Seghal and Simonetta Alessandri among others.
Zoë qualified to teach Axis Syllabus universal motion principles in 2008, when teaching she combines this knowledge with anatomical understanding from her work as an osteopath with dancers and athletes. She has taught at major dance centres and schools and festivals in the U.K. and internationally. Her eclectic training in medicine, bodywork and nature based practices and a dance background including improvisation, tango, folkdance and contemporary inform her embodied approach to functional movement pedagogy.
Price & Booking:
*EARLY BIRD* 10% discount available if you book before Oct 1st!
For the whole 5 and a half days (Fri-Weds):
Camping, live-in vehicle or dance-studio dorm, plus all meals: £390
Shared room in the farmhouse, plus all meals: £460
Private room in farmhouse, plus all meals: £530
To join just for the weekend (Fri-Sun):
Camping, live-in vehicle or dance-studio dorm, plus all meals: £280
All options include all meals, access to sauna, hot tub, hot showers and teas and coffees.
*We have tried to make the costs as accessible as possible without reducing the quality of food/practitioners. Please get in touch if these prices are inaccessible to you, or feel free to pay more if you’re able!
To register please send a non-refundable deposit of £100 to PayPal.me/zoemotionsolomons and an email to sophieroffmarsh@hotmail.com with your sleeping preferences / whether you'll be joining for the weekend or entire 5 days. Please use Moor Than Contact as subject.
Rooms are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Travel: location details will be shared on booking.
Nearest rail station is Steeton and silsden. 10 minutes by taxi.
Full payment to be made 3 weeks before the event.