Release Technique
no extra tension needed

The class, focused on moving as organically in space as possible, can be loosely described as a combination of Limón and Release techniques. Relaxation exercises on the floor focus on sensations of weight, space, contact with the floor and minimal muscular effort to execute movement, culminating in a floor combination directly applying these ideas. A logical extension of the floor work, the standing work concentrates on developing the support from the spine and on using the muscles in a free and efficient manner so that no extra tension is created other than the one really required to execute the movements. The isolation and weight of body parts, the openness of the joint articulations, and the relationship to the floor are used as the stimuli for movement. These will also focus the dancers’ awareness on guiding the physical energy and momentum naturally created in and by the body while moving.
This approach encourages an intelligent use of the physical instrument allowing each dancer to discover the full organic possibilities of his/her body. This physical class plays with the use of space, level changes, musicality and rhythm and is, after all, an opportunity to just dance!



Voice & Movement
breath as the primary source of both movement and sound

„Traditionally, music is an external support for the dance. I propose that through the voice, the "music" is created and performed by the dancers themselves in the same way and at the same time. The techniques of vocal and movement improvisation can be very similar. They stem from the same instrument: the body. We will use movement improvisation and vocal exercises to get to the breath as the primary source of both movement and sound. Through movement improvisation the dancers create movement organic for their bodies. Similarly, through an increasing awareness of the source of sound in the body they discover, explore and create the sounds and music organic for their vocal instrument. We use movement to get to sound, and sound to get to movement. We explore the voice in both individual and collective improvisation, using movement as a critical source and support. Then dancers will use their voices to accompany their movement, to accompany another's movement, or collectively to create polyphonic vocal improvisation and accompaniment.

Above all it is a total use of the performance instrument, encouraging the dancers to explore simultaneously their own movement vocabulary, their own vocal possibilities, and the relationship between their movement and their music.

The work is designed to encourage dancers to use their voice but is fully open to those who do voice work and have a limited experience in movement.“



Angélique Willkie
Born in Jamaica and based in Belgium now, Angélique Willkie has been working primarily on the freelance circuit, including Cie. Karin Vyncke, Les Ballets C. de la B., and the Needcompany and as a singer with the Belgian world-music group Zap Mama. She is a regular guest teacher of Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus (Brussels), Park Studio/Henny Jurriens Stichting (Amsterdam), Charleroi/Danses (Brussels), Circui-Est (Montreal), SEAD (Salzburg), a.o.