Moderne Tanztechnik Beginners
Get acquainted with principles of modern technique

In this workshop Kenji Takagi follows Rudolf von Laban’s Credo of the development of a
“free dance technique” that is in the first place not connected to a certain dance style, but has the task of offering a focused practice in basic principles that are essential to human
movement in general. Background frame remains nevertheless modern technique vocabulary.
The participants are to experience their body-consciousness in relation to those basic
principles and to discover the spirit of experimenting with their own bodies. The class starts with a warm up in the middle, followed by elementary to more complex exercises in space, possibly including short improvisational themes. Goal is to experience the joy of movement and to gain an acquaintance with basic principles of modern technique.





Moderne Tanztechnik Advanced
Extending and breaking up of the traditional frame

In this workshop Kenji Takagi is connecting modern technique in the tradition of Folkwang
(Jooss, Leeder, Züllig, Cébron) with his own individual dance vocabulary that he developed while working with Pina Bausch. Thus the scope of the traditional frame is extended and broken up, above all in the dynamics but also in terms of style.
The accent lies on playing with oppositions, off-balance moments and dynamic changes, often with rapid tempi, while a lyrical ground-quality stays prominent.
The class starts with a warm-up at the barre, in addition to the standard leg- and footwork, coming more for arm- and torso movements (swings, curves, bounces etc.). In the following Kenji Takagi offers mainly his own movement phrases, giving the opportunity to research the principles mentioned above in a concentrated and focused manner.




Kenji Takagi
After graduating from the Folkwang School Essen/Germany, Kenji Takagi was a member of the Pina Bausch Company from 2001 until 2008 where he continues to be a guest both as a dancer as well as a rehearsal assistant until now.
He has taught for various institutions such as ImPulsTanz, Movement Research New York, Folkwang University Essen/Germany, La Biennale di Venezia/Italy or for companys such as Tanztheater Bielefeld and Ballet Preljocaj.
In 2008 Kenji Takagi received the German Theatre Award Der Faust in the category "outstanding performance in dance" for his solo in Pina Bausch’s "Bamboo Blues."
In 2010 Kenji Takagi was engaged as a rehearsal assistent to the restaging of Pina Bauschs "Le Sacre du Printemps" at the Paris Opera.
At the moment Kenji Takagi is collaborating as a freelance dancer with the choreographer Caterina Sagna.