Dancing the Landscape with Frieda Kipar Bay and Dana Iova-Koga 2023

In this workshop, led by Frieda Kipar Bay and Dana Iova-Koga, we immerse ourselves deeply into the inquiry of how to relate to the ecologies on either side of the skin. Drawing from the practices of contact improvisation, qigong, body weather*, wild tending, and deep observation (including tracking, plant ID, and internal states), we will delve into the question of how to dance – and be danced by- a landscape.  In stretching the definition of CI fundamentals (such as ‘sharing weight’ and ‘entering a dance’) to include our environment, we open up new possibilities of how to be human here.

Our days will be spent in deep observation of the landscape, including wild tending and native plant walks and in the studio practicing deep observation of ourselves through qigong, CI, and bodyweather practices.  

As part of this workshop, we will participate in land-stewardship activities that will support the forested watershed surrounding Earthdance. This work will also serve to ground our explorations in a practical application of what it means to have an embodied dialogue with place.

“Body Weather is a Butoh practice stemming from Min Tanaka (whom Dana studied/lived with for 5 years.)

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Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, Departures and COVID Testing

  • Arrival and Onsite Check-In: The welcoming will commence for participants on Thursday, November 2nd from 4:00pm-7:00pm. Dinner is at 6-7pm.
  • Opening Circle: Friday, November 3rd at 10am.
  • Friday, November 3rd and Saturday, November 4th Drop-In Days: Arrive at 8am and Departure at 10pm day of.
  • Weekend Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, November 5th.
  • COVID Testing: Please make sure that you have tested for COVID on the day of arrival for weekend and drop-in days. If needed, participants may purchase tests from Earthdance for $10 each.

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance offers a sliding scale payment for participation in this event, please take a moment to reflect as you decide on where you best fit. 

Your level of contribution is self selected and does not need to be advocated for. However, we invite you to remember this contribution is currency and we ask that you stretch where you are able so that those who cannot stretch as far of a financial distance may also have potential access to community events. As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

  • Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership, both currently and anticipated in the future.
  • The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other intersection marginalizations 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. 
  • Earthdance is a community and rental funded organization which recently, historically and uniquely through the Covid-19 pandemic has struggled to have viable income.

PRICING

GRATITUDE LODGE

$700 – Financially Wealthy

$575 – Financially Abundant

$475 – Financially Stable

$400 – Financially Coping

$350 – Financially Strained

CAMPING

$675 – Financially Wealthy

$550 – Financially Abundant

$450 – Financially Stable

$375 – Financially Coping

$325 – Financially Strained

COMMUTER

$650 – Financially Wealthy

$525 – Financially Abundant

$425 – Financially Stable

$325 – Financially Coping

$300 – Financially Strained

Drop-In Day Options:

Friday, November 3rd OR Saturday, November 4th

$400 – Financially Wealthy

$275 – Financially Abundant

$175 – Financially Stable

$125 – Financially Coping

$100 – Financially Strained

Equity & Access Tickets 

Although we’re not able to offer any full scholarships this year, we’re excited to offer up to 3 Discounted Tickets to individuals who feel part of an underrepresented and/or marginalized groups.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge, and can feel vulnerable.

“Apply” and see more details here. Application deadline is October 23rd.

For those who do not identify as marginalized and are in a represented group, we invite you to stretch in your payment to help support those who cannot stretch and create a more diverse jam experience for all. 

Note: While Earthdance is making efforts to better support Equity & Access at all its events, the event offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

  • Reduced pricing offered to people self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized.
  • Classes and discussions that aim to bring up the level of awareness and inclusion at the event as a whole.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food during the jam.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food during the jam.

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to the event including food.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other participants.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (October 19th) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days 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.

COVID Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. However, ALL registrants are required to take an antigen test on the day of before arriving on Thursday, November 2nd at Earthdance. If you need a test, Earthdance will have them available to purchase for $10 each. 

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. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIOS

Frieda Kipar Bay is a weaver of knowledge, overlapping different threads to better understand the whole.  Movement is the primary lens that she uses to see into life, and she works in depth with plant medicine to navigate health and disentangle from oppressive overcultures.  Some of the threads she currently weaves with:  Daoist medicine, qigong, five element theory and diagnostic practices, wild tending and native plant restoration, tracking, writing, performance art experiments, somatic experiencing and trauma resolution, The Work That Reconnects facilitation and grief processing, and equity practice.  She finds that beautiful things get made when she weaves with many perspectives.  Find out more at www.friedakiparbay.net.

Dana has been a polymorph since an early age. She could never choose between dance, theater, art, photography and writing. Luckily she managed to study them all at the Experimental Theater Wing at NYU. Her formative training in movement was with Japanese dancer Min Tanaka. She lived and worked for several years with him on his farm in the countryside of Japan- dancing, farming and studying nature of all kinds.

Since that time Dana has continued to explore and discover the connections between body and landscape. She has been a member of dance/theater company inkBoat and has been teaching “Dance on Land” with her partner, Shinichi, since 2006. She has been blessed with some of the highest caliber teachers and mentors one could hope for. She had the great fortune of working with dance pioneer Anna Halprin. Dana has studied Chinese Internal Martial Arts for over a decade and is a 17th generation Wudang San Feng Pai lineage holder through her Shifu David Wei of Wudang West. Most recently has been mentored by Jozef Frucek and given the honor of becoming an “Inspired by FM” teacher through Fighting Monkey. She is thrilled to be joining forces with Frieda Kipar Bay as Elemental Vessel. Together they practice researching the elements in the body and the body in the elements.

Dana is forever inspired by the complexity and diversity of life in all its forms, is fascinated by the
phenomenon of creativity, and above all enjoys playing in the space occupied by the questions. These days you may find her in the studio, in the garden, on the stage, in the classroom, over the books, with the words, in the water, in the woods, in the kitchen, with her people, among her thoughts, under the sky. www.danaiovakoga.net

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