With our next Making Connections event about to take place at Swindon Dance (Friday 29 November, 1.30pm), we spoke to this month’s workshop leader, Yael Flexer, all about what to expect from the afternoon. Read on to find out why you should join us for a creative workshop and networking with other artists from the South West!
Hi Yael. You’re part of our new Making Connections workshops series, all about making space for creativity. Tell us, why do you think this is so important?
I think these moments of exchange are critical to keep us inspired and to bring us together as a community of artists. To share where we are at with our practice, to dance together and to support one another to continue making and investigating.
So, how will your session be accessible to all types of creatives?
The session is primarily focussed on improvisation and composition drawing on our recent production Imagining Otherwise in a way which is accessible to all. In recent years I've been developing a methodology for cross generational dance which has been drawing together and building a lively community of professional dance and interdisciplinary artists, graduates, movement therapists through to over 60 and beyond. The workshop will be grounded in this approach which allows people to approach the work from where they are at physically on any particular day.
How will your session help people develop their practice?
I hope that sharing some of the improvisational work and research around Imagining Otherwise will speak to people's own practice. The work among other things looks at or conjures images of landscape, migration and how we might leave a trace. It also considers the body and other bodies as a landscape and responsive ecology and so the workshops will use these ideas as a starting point. Moving through improvisation, improvisational and compositional tasks I hope it might ignite some ideas or offer methodologies for other creatives.
What are you looking forward to from the session?
To meet local artists and have an exchange. I love coming to Swindon -I've made so many of my works there and have lovely memories. Swindon Dance has been a great support over the years so it's a pleasure to come.
Fantastic! Us too. Anything else to say to someone thinking of coming along?
Come have a dance and a play together!
Take part in Making Connections
Making Connections sessions take place monthly at Swindon Dance, hosted by Neon Dance’s Artistic Director Adrienne Hart alongside artist and teacher Sarah Ferris and a roster of additional guest artists.
Register for Making Connections 29 November session
Register for Neon news to receive information on January - March Making Connections sessions once released
Yael Flexer
Yael is -artistic director of Flexer & Sandiland with digital artist Nic Sandiland
Images: Yeal c. Chris Nash, header image Imagining otherwise, Flexer and Sandiland