January Pollinate

This month at Pollinate, we have the sweet opportunity to celebrate through our bodies with the responsive soundscapes of veteran improvisers Todd Scheidel, Joel Brubacher & Veronika Gold who will be weaving cello, accordion, guitar, penny-whistle, flute, percussion, voice and lovely loopiness 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 theme: Embodying Intention 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 10:20 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. 8) 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 Jan 20th (7:15-10:30 pm) ....Future Pollinates: Feb 17, March 16, April 20, May 18 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: [email protected] 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. We love feedback and we are interested in your experience of Pollinate. Please let us know!