Contact Improvisation based on Tantra

In this class, through tantric approach und techniques, CI becomes a tantric practice and sensual dance experience in which space for love energy, full of presence and awareness is provided within a defined form.
We will experience classical basics of CI techniques (dealing and playing with gravity, effect and use of weight) in a new way because of tantric approaches towards the world, such as sparsa (touching und getting touched), spanda (vibration of the conciousness and the world) and surrender to your lover.
In dance we touch the space - our lover. You allow the awareness to experience you, the space, and us. CI, as a tantric practice, means experiencing an "us," which arises from non-intentionality, from improvisation, and from the moment.
Dancing has neither future nor destination, but is always now, in this moment.

A deep encounter becomes possible, if I am not wanting anything from you, nor you from me. A deep encounter becomes possible, when I don't just use you to feel myself and when my ego does not instrumentalise you, but instead, becomes silent and we experience each other and the space. We do not lose ourselves in one other when our awareness of the space brings us into harmony with the systole and diastole of the universe.

Based on being aware of your breathing as well as on exploring different qualities of touch we fine-tune our perception and all of our senses in order to enter into play with one another. Belly breathing and its observation will be an initial issue, which leads us into a shared dance experience with and in one another. There are impulses that lead us deeper into each other and open spaces inwardly, and such that enable us to move outwards, expanding into the space.
The sensual dances are sheltered and sustained by the group. It will be a mixed group with gender parity. Personal boundaries are respected. For participation some experience in a wholesome as well as physical training is needed, like Tantra, CI or dance, dance improvisation, Yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts etc.
None of the heteronormativity of classical Tantra!

Please bring a rose on the first day!



Sabine Sonnenschein
Sabine Sonnenschein (1970, AT) studied theatre science, philosophy and history of art and has been a freelance choreographer and performer since 1992. Her work has been shown, among other places, in Vienna (Tanzquartier Wien, ImPulsTanz, Tanzsprache, imagetanz,...), Munich, London, NYC, Stuttgart, Prague, Pula, Berlin, and St.Petersburg, http://sonnenschein.wuk.at

She has been involved with sensitising the body since 1990, and Contact Improvisation since more than 20 years. She has training in tantric full body massage (AnandaWave/Cologne) and also lomi lomi nui. She was introduced to yin yang massage by Andro, has studied pelvic massage by K. Ruby; she has been introduced to Kashmir tantrism and Kashmir yoga of touch by Daniel Odier; deepening in "Vijnana Bhairava Tantra" with Dr. Bettina Bäumer. In Vienna she has practised tantric body work since 2006, primarily individual work. She gives workshops focusing on the fusion of Tantra and Contact Improvisation. Teacher since 2010 at Schwelle 7 in Berlin and in Vienna.
www.tantrischekoerperarbeit.at