VOICE IN MOVEMENT ~ from Soma to Ensemble // Ground ~ Sound ~ Release & Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation
with Anna Luna Louvari
October 4 - October 5
"I listen to others and at the same time I listen to my body. I attune to the others’ voices, and in parallel, to what I feel. I allow what I feel to form part of the ensemble, and I allow the ensemble to support and inspire me."
In Voice in Movement we explore the freedom of the voice, approaching voice as a physical function, as means for expression and as means for connection – to the self, to the others, the ensemble, and so on.
Our main companions in this journey are movement, improvisation, and the innate capacity to listen – to our breathing, our body, our sensations, to the voices and bodies of others, to our collective sound, to the music we give birth to as a group.
Each day the process moves gradually from an inward focus (body, breathing, inner sensations), to an outward focus (interaction, attunement, co-creation), in other words, from the personal to the collective, wanting to explore, among other things, how these two planes of focus coexist, complement and nurture each other.
~ how the body (and anything that is felt in it), stays present in an ensemble, co-shaping it, and how the ensemble inspires and frees the body, with voice as a bridge.
Through these two complementary planes of focus, of listening inwards and listening outwards, somewhere in between, are born the two complementary practices, Ground~Sound~ Release and Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation.
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Ground~Sound~Release
~ Ground ~ Beginning from the body, listening to it and awakening it, we will explore how observation and movement bring us to the present, gradually releasing our breathing, thus opening the way for releasing the voice.
~ Sound ~ Connecting voice with certain movements, our diaphragms release further, we begin to channel more and more of our breathing’s potential into the voice, the tensions in the area of the neck begin to soften, and we explore ease, in our range, and our voice’s resonance, opening space in the body for the voice
~ Release ~ We explore the expressive power of voice. We embark on improvisation journeys with the support of a partner. Beginning from the needs and instincts of our body for movement, we approach the needs and instincts of our voice for expression (sound – speech – singing), by allowing first the body and then the voice to guide the way.
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Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation
~ Tuning into the group now, we begin to create musical soundscapes. We dive into the capacity of listening, with attention and sensitivity, and of attuning to the surrounding voices.
~ We spark our musicality and spontaneity through playful structures of improvisation, tuning and harmonising. Through the gradual addition of vocal patterns in harmony, we co-create polyphony, and collective songs of the moment on themes of our choice.
~ Lastly we explore the «group solo»: when the whole group creates a musical base to support the expression of a solo voice, while she explores her song – thus leading the collective song.
For whom
This workshop is for everyone who feels the invitation resonant, regardless of any experience, capacity, age or physical condition. There will be individual and group support given, in all of its stages, and each person has the freedom to participate in the way that makes sense for them.
Schedule
The classes will be held Saturday and Sunday, but the invitation is to come from Friday, for whomever has the possibility and wants to.
Friday
Arrivals (from 16.00 ~ flexible)
20:00-21:00 Dinner
Saturday
9.00-10.00 Breakfast
10.30-13.30 Ground~Sound~Release
13.30 -14.30 Lunch
17.30-20.00 Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation
20.00-21.00 Dinner
- Optional evening activity, e.g jam, fire, sea, depending on the weather and the mood 🏕
Sunday
9.00-10.00 Breakfast
10.30-12.15 Ground~Sound~Release
12.30-13.30 Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation
13.30-14.30 Lunch
16.30-18.30 Circles of Polyphonic Improvisation
Departures
*There is included time for sharing circles at the start and end of each day, and breaks in between the practices
Accommodation and food
Τhe alternatives for the accommodation are either in your own tents, or in the bell tent of Oikia (5 spots), with your own equipment, or in rooms (triple, double or single) that will be available from Saturday 4th.
*For those who will come from Friday, the accommodation on that night would be exclusively in tents, or the bell tent.
Also, for whomever has the possibility and wants to, it is possible to stay in the venue even after the end of the workshop, taking care of your own food and at an additional cost.
Food during the workshop will be vegetarian (and amazing :), let us know in time for any allergies.
Cost
For the weekend 4 & 5 /10, including tuition, accommodation and food, the cost would be:
125 ~ in your tent or the bell tent
155 ~ in a shared room
170 ~ in a single room
For those who come from Friday the extra cost for accommodation and dinner is 20 euros.
For extra nights after the workshop it is at 12/45/50eu per night in a tent/shared/private room.
Anna Luna Louvari studied contemporary dance (preparatory year in the State School of Dance, 1st BA year in Trinity Laban) and then, searching for studies that combined both movement and voice exploration, she moved towards physical theatre and started training with teachers such as Rosa Prodromou, Stamatis Efstathiou, Alexandra Kazazou, among others. In parallel she graduated from BA in Acting in Dilos Theatre School (2020).
Continuing this work, the release of the voice through movement and vocal improvisation became her emphasis, so she started training with teachers of the Roy Hart Centre such as Ulrik Barfod, Edda Hegg, Walli Hoffinger among others, while then she graduated from the one-year course “Voice in Artistic Expression” at the Centre Artistique International Roy Hart (2024).
When it comes to singing, she began to love it from when she was little as a member of choirs (like Rosarte) and later on trained individually with Dinah Stieringer, Evangelia Karakatsani and others. She has worked in theatre and with children (play based teaching and musical – movement play in groups), and since 2022 she is giving workshops on releasing the voice and polyphonic improvisation.
Voice in Movement is a combination of the different approaches she has trained in and discoveries from her own practice, brought together by the need to share the magic that happens when one allows to be guided by their voice and body, as well as the power of many different voices joining each other harmonically into the song of the moment.
Click here for an excerpt from the workshop.
Information and Registration:
louvariannaluna1@gmail.com
+306945964047