A Winter Solstice Pollinate

This month at Pollinate, we dance in celebration of the light and the dark in our lives. And we get to celebrate to the sweet soundscapes of veteran improvisers Erwan Noblet, James Gordon and Todd Scheidel, who will be weaving and looping cello, guitar, penny-whistle, percussion and voice for us. DJ tcup will serve up with an eclectic playlist that will take us through the 5 rhythm-wave of flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness. The PURPOSE of Pollinate is to create a space in KW where lovers of dance & music improvisation can come together in embodied research of what generates co-intelligence, flow and collaboration. WHAT IS POLLINATE? Pollinate is a monthly dance event for those who enjoy moving in a focused creative space in collaboration with other dancers and with improvised sound. This includes solo, duo, group dancing, conscious witnessing & stillness. Each event hosts veteran musical improvisers to support the space with inspiration for movement, expression, surprise and delight. This could include both acoustic & electronic sound. And each month there will be a different themed focus and guided warm-up to stimulate new ideas & practice. As usual, there will be nibbles & spring water to energize our bodies, art supplies to entice our creative spirit, a cuddle zone to rest & co-regulate, and a tickle trunk to play with identity. Bring your water bottle to hydrate your dance. Children are welcome with supervision. The Arc of the Night: 7:15 Doors Open ~ let go of words & land in the body, with a personal warm-up to live soundscape 7:30 Opening Circle (note that doors will be closed during circle) 7:50 Guided Warm-up for the Collective Body 8:00 Dance to Live Music 9:00 Dance to DJ 10:10 Soundbath with Tasha 10:20 Closing Circle 10:30 Pack up & mingle CORE PRINCIPLES that support our vision of collaboration & improvisation in this space: 1) Learning I see myself & everyone as learners, and everything that happens as an opportunity to learn. 2) Honour & Nurture Self-Trust Everyone's experience & needs matter to the well-being of the whole. I will honour & nurture a space where I, and we, listen to and honour our needs. 3) Curiosity When faced with the choice between curiosity & judgment or defensiveness, I choose curiosity. 4) Response-Ability We are all interconnected and affect what happens. 5) Creative Tension I can embrace both what is happening AND my vision of what I want (& don’t want) as a creative tension. 6) Subjectivity And when we do have occasion to speak, we speak from our own experience & perception of what is happening. 7) Practice & Play These are core to how we learn. 😎 Focus on Non-verbal Conversation Let go of the urge to speak, unless it’s necessary, so that we can deepen our experience of our dance. Pollinate welcomes everyone who embraces these principles in & around the dance space. All ages, abilities & backgrounds enrich our dance. WHEN: Saturday Dec 16th (7:15-10:30 pm) Future Pollinates: Jan 20, Feb 17, March 16, April 20, May 18 **Mark your calendar!** WHERE: Church of the Good Shepherd, 116 Queen St N, Downtown Kitchener. COST: Sliding Scale: $25 - Financially Struggling $30 - Financially Coping $35 - Financially Stable 👇 Pay-what-makes-deep-sense We invite you to be present with... ~ your own capacity to pay, ~ the energies & resources that go into creating Pollinate, and ~what you wish to sustain & grow in your community If you can't pay the lowest amount, talk to us to see if we can get creative with it! Cash or E-transfer: friendsofthefloor AT gmail.com RSVP: No need! NOTE: If you feel unwell we ask that you stay home and care for your dance there. No masks are required, and mask-wearing is also welcome. Please no artificial scents. Some folks are sensitive. We love feedback and we are interested in your experience of Pollinate. Please let us know! -------