For a week in October 2018, I was lucky to be part of a residency with Aude Fondard and Jennie Zimmermann in a dance studio in the center of Marseille.
The space enabled us to practice Contact Improvisation on a daily basis and focus on several technical areas (lifts, slow weight transfer, body-tone, etc.).
After sharing our wishes and needs, we started each day with Contemplative Dance Practice. Contemplative Dance Practice, also known as CDP was defined by Barbara Dilley in the 1970s. It sets a serene framework for a conscious movement session, creating an awareness of the self and the space.
Most days we spent a few hours in the studio and a few hours outdoors in the city or in the nature around Marseille.
We paid special attention to the subtle changes occurring in our body-minds when working inside (closed space) in contrast to the outdoors. How does our direct environment (from its sounds and smells, to its shapes and colors) impact our dance? We also realized that the practice can be perceived as a performance by curious passers-by.
We agreed on filming some of our improvisations. This was to get used to the presence of the lens (which acted as an additional witness), and to keep a documentation of our work.
Many thanks to Elise Mautalen from Kashdance-CIAM for the residency.