Join Aaron Birk for an afternoon of illustration and dance! Let’s dilate our awareness to describe a curving spine, a floating pelvis, an arching rib, or a supporting limb, all with soft lines of charcoal and sweeping strokes of ink. Let’s dissolve our analytical mind and harness the power of gesture — to draw as an embodied witness.
In this 6 hour workshop we will draw and dance. Playing with Contact Improv scores, we’ll move in relationship — to ourselves, to one another, and to gravity. Working with the lens of The Axis Syllabus, we’ll take time to ‘unfold the map,’ exploring the connectivity of our bones, joints and ligaments; spiraling through the space, and unlocking the gentle, curving pathways of our body’s design. Working with charcoal and ink, we’ll practice ‘gesture studies,’ or quick, reflexive drawings that capture the essence of a body in motion.
Let’s slow down. Let’s expand, rest and witness. Let’s move in ways that nurture the body.
All art materials will be provided. Everyone will have an opportunity to draw and to be drawn. All skill levels are welcome. Just bring yourself and a potluck dish to share.
SCHEDULE
- Arrival/Check-In: Saturday, November 15th at 9:45am. Class starts at 10am.
- Potluck Lunch: Please bring a dish to share.
- Departure: 4pm
Our Fees Explained
Earthdance is a Public Charity that relies greatly on ticketing income to fulfill its Artistic, Cultural and Educational mission. We want to make our work available to folks with varying economic realities and offer a sliding scale payment for participation in most of our events. Please take a moment to reflect where you best fit on that scale. We ask everyone to stretch where they are able so that those who cannot may still have access to our events.
As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:
- Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership(s), past, present and future.
- The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other marginalized intersections for you and your family.
- The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances.
PRICING: Sliding Scale
$60 – Financially Strained to $350 – Financially Abundant
***If you find that you are struggling financially or there are other circumstances that are making it difficult to join this special workshop, please email programming@earthdance.net with your situation so that we can create a way to have you join us.***
If you wish to extend your visit and stay overnight: A dorm bed in our Gratitude Lodge is $40. (Rental of sheets and towel is $20) * Includes access to the sauna and kitchen use but does not provide food.
Cancellation Policy
Refund available up to 14 days (November 1st) before the event less a $20 processing fee.
No refunds available less than 14 days (November 1st) from the start of the event.
Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after the cancellation date.
Health Precautions
No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well.
Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.
HOST BIO
Aaron Birk
Aaron’s inquiry into Movement Arts encompasses 22 years of research, training, and performance, with a special emphasis on Contact Improvisation and The Axis Syllabus. Beyond the dance, Aaron maintains a 25 year career as a professional Illustrator, Muralist, and Art Instructor. As a teacher, Aaron creates spaces within which his students flourish; His pedagogy embraces an adaptable, responsive curricula, that emphasizes apprenticeship, embodiment, and hand held tools. His branches have extended to Carpentry, Puppetry, Shoemaking, Tango, and Saltmarsh Restoration.
His current inquiry, “Drawing The Dancing Body,” investigates gesture-drawing as a pathway to expansive learning, embodied witnessing and anatomical study.
Aaron lives in Philadelphia, and is working towards his certification to teach The Axis Syllabus. Feel free to email Aaron at dancinglaughingking@gmail.com, or visit www.aaronbirk.com
