Tanzquartier Wien

The Countertechnique class is a contemporary dance technique class. It stretches, coordinates and strengthens the body, making the dancer sweat, build stamina and really move. The class starts with a recurring set of exercises, allowing dancers to investigate the Countertechnique principles in detail. The second half of the class consists of changing components, working towards luscious movement combinations and jumping at the end. The Countertechnique class results in dancers using their energy most efficiently, losing their fear of taking risks and gaining speed in changing direction. The process oriented approach invites the dancers into an easy open atmosphere, where there is space for learning, a curious mind and experiencing joy while dancing.

This contemporary training will be in dialogue with related dance artists / teachers. I will open a space to explore the potential and gain new perspectives on aspects of the training. How can some of the countertechnique principles be used as choreographic tools or applied as improvisatorial tasks? From a dancer’s point of view, I have been researching ways to find (back) expressivity and meaning in contemporary dance through a sensation-based approach to (historical) dance material, merging it with contemporary training practices. During these two weeks I would like to invite dancers to investigate the huge potential of the sensitivity and hence intelligence of the moving body, the dancer’s ability to „feel“, perhaps even opening up the channel to an emotional body that is able to take in, process and therefore express and articulate – as abstract as dance might be – something meaningful about our being in the world.

The first week’s dialogue guest is dancer and teacher Esther Balfe. In the second week, dancer Daphna Horenczyk will join and Niki Dolp’s live music will accompany the training.