A Journey through Public Spaces: From Green Hours to Curtea Veche

Calea Victoriei / Lipscani

Making our way from Green Hours to Curtea Veche we will encounter a series of major/ and minor public spaces; through out this workshop we shall explore the concept: The social power of bodies in urban spaces. Throughout

this session we shall play with the concept of choreographic method as apparatus of socio-cultural

empowerment.

Practice aims:

1. To test choreography as a means of urban analysis through uncovering the body as an archive of lived

experience in cities with complex social geographies.

2. To demonstrate how choreographic practice can articulate counter cartographies and personal

narratives of urban history and memory.

The Score:

The Spaces:

The final Improvisation.

23/05/2012 01:00Green Hours 22 Cafe Bar, Calea Victoriei 120, București 010093, Romania to Curtea Veche - Google Maps

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Directions to Curtea VecheStrada Franceză 21, Bucharest, Romania2.8 km – about 36 mins

Walking directions are in beta.Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.

   

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Green Hours 22 Cafe Bar, Calea Victoriei 120, București 010093, Romania

© 2012 Google

1. Head toward Strada General H. M. Berthelotsoutheast on Calea Victoriei

Pass by Novel Research (on the left)

go 280 mtotal 280 m

© 2012 Google

2. Turn left at CEConto Strada Episcopiei

go 54 mtotal 350 m

© 2012 Google

3. Turn right go 16 mtotal 350 m

© 2012 Google

4. Turn left go 51 mtotal 400 m

KEY  IDEAS:      

• The  body  as  social  conduit    • The  body  as  spatial  conduit    

 • How  to  create  specific  atmospheres  in  public  spaces  • How  to  respond  to  existing  atmospheres  in  public  spaces  • The  senses  in  public  terrain  

 • What  are  you  experiencing?    • How  can  you  communicate  this?    

 If  there  are  any  key  issues  which  the  route  brings  up  how  can  you  express  this  physically  in  such  a  way  will  enable  a  shift  or  acknowledgement  of  this  issue.        FOCUS  ON  THE  BODY  AS  EMOTIONAL  CONTAINER    FOCUS  ON  THE  BODY  AS  SPATIAL  OBJECT      Alternating  your  relationship  to  public  space  to  understand  better  the  boundaries/  atmospheres  of  the  location.      We  will  be  creating  a  spatial-­‐  choreographic  commentary  of  the  route  with  a  final  improvisation  to  outline  all  the  issues,  which  have  arisen  on  the  route.      

   

Exercise$i:$The$body$as$Site$$($conscious$embodiment)$$(TArrive(to(the(space;(take(the(time(to(actually(arrive.(Breathe.(Take(the(space(into(your(body.(What(does(it(necessitate(you(to(do?(Close(your(eyes(and(open(them,(reconsider(how(you’re(looking,(stop(looking,(and(allow(the(rhythm(of(the(space(to(guide(subtle(movements(to(gradually(occur((‘This(process(occurs(as(a(result(of(a(heightened(awareness(of(being(in(the(moment(during(which(the(body(becomes(porous,(open,(and(receptive.(In(the(analysis(of(the(practiceGasGresearch(investigation(discussed(here,(the(bodily(experiencing(and(expressing(of(site(is(prioritized(and(placed(at(the(centre(of(the(investigation.’3( Become(aware(as(to(when(you(start(to(move(how(far(you(allowing(the(movement(to(be(authentic(and(how(far(you(are(relying(on(codified(techniques(or(past(experiences(of(present(preoccupations(to(guide(you.(((Become(empty.(Porous.(Still.(((i:$Trace$the$lines$of$the$space$with$your$body$ii:$follow$the$lines$in$space$others$have$made$iii:$react$to$the$noise/sound$of$the$space$through$movement$(Allow(your(body(to(systematically(collect(‘data’(from(the(site.(Consider(the(weight(of(history(of(the(site.(((How(far(can(your(body(become(a(representation(of(your(emotional(response(to(this(site?(Actively(allow(your(body(to(become(a(disciplined(mirror(to(location.(((‘Pushing(the(body(into(the(archive,(pushing(the(archive(into(the(body—a(mutual(metamorphosis(conjuring(up,(creating,(secreting,(excreting,(inflecting(critical(points(where(virtuals(and(actuals(exchange(place.’4(((((((

3(Victoria(Hunter((2005).(Embodying(the(Site:(the(Here(and(Now(in(SiteTSpecific(Dance(Performance.(New(Theatre(Quarterly,(21,(pp(367T381((4(André(Lepecki.("The(Body(as(Archive:(Will(to(ReTEnact(and(the(Afterlives(of(Dances."(Dance(Research(Journal(42.2((2010):(28T48.((

$Exercise$ii:$Choreography$as$apparatus$of$capture$and$social$re-alignment$($subconscious$investigation)$$ The$Site$as$Choreographer:$( ‘The(perceptive(and(receptive(repositioning(of(the(former(spectator(into(a(visitor(changes(the(latter’s(function(from(a(beholder(to(a(participant(in(an(uncertain(relationship(with(the(performative(order.’5((Use(the(previous(embodied(movement(exploration(as(a(motivation(to(begin(exploring(your(own(position(in(site(to(others(around(you.(((Take(an(active(role(in(actively(partaking(in(the(scene(you(are(involved(with(as(facillator.(Take(the(view(that(the(site(can(provide(you(with(an$unlimited$capacity$to$transform.$(‘The(city(as(environment,(the(city(as(a(setting(for(behaviour.’(6((The(phenomena(of(urban(encounter(and(the(means(by(which(the(city(creates(spaces(in(which(humans(encounter(each(other(in(various(intimacies;(the(realities(of(these(encounters(is(subjective,(we(construct(routes(through(the(city;(we(construct(micro(geographies(which(become(our(daily(realities(of(place;(allow$yourself$to$become$a$filter$your$perceived$intentions$of$the$space.$$(‘We(shape(our(environment(and(are(in(turn(shaped(by(them(in(a(never(ending(cycle(of(mutual(influence.’(7( To(superimpose(a(personal(geography(on(to(the(canvas(of(a(city(cannot(be(an(experience(without(price(and(various(compromises(for(such(geography(to(emerge.(Become(open(to(how(the(space(‘wants’(you(to(move.(Consider(how(these(expectations(emerge.(((Return(to(exercise(i(and(create(a(dialog(between(the(two,(consciously(alternate(between(awareness(of(self(and(self(as(reactant(of(place(until(you(can(create(a(harmonious(synergy(between(the(two.((

5(Sabine(Huschka.("MediaTBodies:(Choreography(as(Intermedial(Thinking(Through(in(the(Work(of(William(Forsythe."(Dance(Research(Journal(42.1((2010):(61T72.( 6(Krupat.(E.(((1985)(People$in$Cities.$The$Urban$Environment$and$its$affects.(Cambridge(University(Press.(UK.((7(Krupat.(E.(((1985)(People$in$Cities.$The$Urban$Environment$and$its$affects.(Cambridge(University(Press.(UK.(

   

   

Leave Green hours 24 breaths. Eyes closed The spine The head (8 kilos) Waiting for encounter Poised Ready. With determination to create archive. With a partner: one hand on lower back; one on spine: walking with eyes closed: Swap each street. When we arrive to Parcul Ateneului, Strada Episcopiei, separate. Enter the park. Allow yourself to play. Allow yourself to formalize: Collect 8 movements from observation: begin repeating them: in a large circle; when every one has joined the circle; begin to ‘swap’ picking up other phrases of movement. Collect a new partner. Hold hands. Hold arms. Embrace ( in some way) Leave the park.

When we are walking to Palatul Cercului Militar Național; we will find one more space on the way: close to the Byzantium church. This is not fixed.

When we arrive to the Byzantium church.

Pause.

Allow yourself to walk in the area around of the

church.

Collect 8 movements; from observation

Invent 8 sentences.

Before we leave find somebody

Show them and tell them what you have learnt.

Consider this as form of gift exchange.

This can be to stranger ( or a fellow participant)

Leave as a group. Walk as group

How can we walk as group Stay close. Stay fixed.

When we arrive to Palatul Cercului Militar Național: SEPERATRE but stay close..

Begin to repeat the 8 movements from Parcul

Ateneului, Strada Episcopiei and from the church location. Mix them.

Play with REPETITION

EXAGGERATION SPEED EASE

GRACE THE UGLY

We will leave the space one by one.. Leave a 3 to 5 minute gap between the departures. Walking slowly to Universitate, ( just before.. we will turn off ) We will work on this walk with creating short improvs of Walking/running/ pause/ gestures… Then slowly all come together ; FLOCKING.. coming together and moving apart: PROXIMITY; DISTANCE: how can we be connected/ how can we be separate. We will pass the Bulgarian Church and pause. Then choose two people: take it turns to notate ( through voice ) all the gestures you see, the paces you notice; BETWEEN ARCHIECTURE And the BODY: from fiction to reality: HOW DO YOU WANT TO PRESENT THE CITY. Arriving to the space just after Strada Franceza ( the relics museum) we will all arrive: PAUSE: until all are present. Then we begin. We Play We are serious. How are an archive to our Experience? Introduce to 8 movements from Parcul Ateneului, Strada Episcopiei and Palatul Cercului Militar .. remember your stories; remember the eyes closed and open; reconnect to all the people you walked with and shared with. Keep the ideas of REPETITION EXAGGERATION SPEED EASE GRACE THE UGLY in mind. Keep your focus; do you want to extend to the people in the area? Play with this. This will last for around

15 to 20 minutes. FINISH IN PAUSE: LEAVE THE SPACE> what do you leave? WHAT IS YOUR TRACE?

The$nature$of$Trans-disciplinary$choreographic$practice$The$boundaries$of$Socio-choreographic$Practice:$$

Research/$Practice$/$Choreography/$Sociality.$$Beatrice(Jarvis(

$The$body$|$the$city$|$the$space$between$

(‘Social(performance(is(so(embedded(in(our(everyday(experience(that(we(do(not(notice(it,(while(artful(

performance(is(what(we(perceive(as(remarkable.’1((‘Typically,(social(performance(involves("everyday"(or("ordinary"(behaviour(by(people(who(may(deny(or(qualify(any(awareness(of(their(performative(strategies(and(qualities,(while(artful(performance(involves(

what(is(typical(of("the(theatre,"(where(the(participants(work(in(terms(of(intent,(craft(and(artistic(convention.’2(

(This(series(of(short(exercises(are(designed(to(explore(how(far(the(body(can(become(archive(and(conduit(of(movement(patterns(in(urban(space.(Perhaps(these(exercises(can(be(called(‘dance’(but(only(in(the(sense(that(they(are(adapting(the(principles(of(the(highly(trained(body(which(dance(promotes.(Dance(within(these(exercises(is(used(a(framework(for(the(dynamic(activation(of(body(awareness,(allowing(the(body(to(become(capable(to(articulate(such(accentuated(awareness(of(the(experience(of(the(body(as(it(moves(through(the(built(environment.((Dance,(within(this(exercises(is(not(reflect(upon(a(codified(technique,(rather(an(activation(methodology(to(pursue(the(use(of(the(body(as(social(and(spatial(apparatus.((Through(this(simple(series(of(exercises(((reactions(are(deliberately(subjective)(I(seek(to(explore(the(dynamic(realignment(of(the(body(to(the(city.((The(built(environment(acts(as(a(container(for(investigation(in(this(context,(presenting(the(body(with(multiple(and(contrasting(potential(experiences.(((

The$rational$space$capable$of$conscious$manipulation$(The(following(exercises(are(crafted(to(explore(the(physicality(reality(of(the(body(in(the(built(environment,(((this(can(explore(the(internal(and(external(experience)(moving(then(into(a(social(context,(((this(is(refers(to(choreography(as(social(tool,(employing(constructs(of(cultural(geography,(structure(and(agency(to(redefine(the(visible(and(invisible(relations(between(meaning,(identity(and(power(in(which(the(subject(is(placed(and(has(to(find(its(way(around)(Then(thirdly(a(reflection(of(self(in(the(city,(how(far(can(these(exercises(enable(you(to(developed(an(embodied(cognitive(map(which(explores(the(relationship(of(your(context(and(preconditioned(awareness(of(the(public(realm.(This(can(become(a(personal(reflection(as(to(the(experience(of(the(body(as(carrier(in(urban(space.(These(exercises(focus(on(the(concept(that(their(can(be(no(passive(body,(a(body,(even(still,(in(space(and(time(withstands(a(constant(internal(and(external(dialog,(of(desire,(pain,(pleasure,(and(the(body(forgoes(an(exploration(of(border(dialogs(around(these(sensations,(in(multiple(real,(imaginary(and(symbolic(places,(exploring(its(relationship(within(concepts(of(power(and(resistance.(In(this(sense(we(are(effectively(exploring(the(perceived,(conceived(and(live(relationships(of(spatial(embodiment.((

How$can$the$body$become$a$reflective$mechanism$for$the$experience$of$the$body$in$the$city?(

How$far$can$the$city$be$shaped$and$moulded$by$the$actions$and$reactions$of$the$body?$

1(Mason.(J.(D.(Street$Fairs:$Social$Space,$Social$Performance.(Theatre(Journal,(Vol.(48,(No.(3,(Enacting(America(n)s((Oct.,(1996),(pp.(301T319.(The(Johns(Hopkins(University((2(Mason.(J.(D.(Street$Fairs:$Social$Space,$Social$Performance.(Theatre(Journal,(Vol.(48,(No.(3,(Enacting(America(n)s((Oct.,(1996),(pp.(301T319.(The(Johns(Hopkins(University((