Ballet for Contemporary Dancers
easier, more joyful, and more human

The class continually re-evaluates classical technique focusing on strenghtening the dancers‘ awareness of their own alignment. Libby Farr’s study of the body technique Gyrokinesis has led her to create a warm-up that invites the students to be more deeply aware of their bodies, taking care particularly of the spine and the breathing. As ballet unfortunately often appears to people as if they would wear the wrong size clothes, it is essential for Libby to make ballet easier, more joyful, and more human. The centre challenges the participants to use placement and release discovered at the barré as a source of strength and individual dynamics. It will be often spoken about breathing, in order to work against the tendency to overpower movement. How much energy is really needed for a movement?




Gyrokinesis
Spine and nervous system are essential for the limbs

Gyrokinesis is a method developed by Julio Horvath, a gymnast, ballet dancer, and swimmer. Through his recovery from multiple injuries he created the system. The exercises integrate key principles of Yoga, Tai Chi and dance while being an original system.
The class begins with self massage to awaken the senses while the use of breath stimulates the nervous system. This is followed by rhythmical spinal/pelvic/head spiraling and rippling movements in all possible planes of motion. Once the spine and nervous system are prepared to support the limbs circular arm and leg movements are integrated. As the muscle tone and body awareness increase more advanced exercises are performed. The class offers stretching and strengthening exercises focusing on functional capacity of the spine thereby developing greater.




Libby Farr
Libby Farr studied at the School of American Ballet in New York and has been performing with several Ballets in the USA and Europe. She has been heading Die Etage in Berlin for four years. She has been ballet mistress of the company Pretty Ugly in Freiburg (Germany).
For many years she has been dedicated to teach ballet and body awareness.

Libby Farr is now a regular guest teacher at P.A.R.T.S., SEAD and the London Contemporary School, Henny Jurriens Stichting, Texas Christian University, Tanz Fabrik, Balance Studio One, Copenhagen Dansens Hus and for Companies including Rosas, Ultima Vez, Charleroi Danses, Batsheva Dance Company, Pina Bausch Dance Company, Ballet Preljocaj, Cristina de Châtel and Cullberg Ballet and is a regular guest teacher at ImPulsTanz Vienna a.o.