November Pollinate

This Month at Pollinate, we dance in anticipation of the fruits of darker months, the summer of the soul. Our Inquiry... What new response-ability becomes available to us when we turn our attention toward cultivating the rich soil of our inner sensing? Note that this month Pollinate will be followed by a Sunday Afternoon Tea and Embodiment Forum ~ ~ ~ scroll down to find out about that. Our MUSIC-MAKING playmates this month will be Todd Schiedel, Joel Brubacher, Tasha Allain, Veronika Gold & Erwan Noblet on a whole host of instruments including cello, djembe, guitar, accordion, harmonica, bowls, voice, flute and loops AND instruments provided by the musical library at WLU curated by Dan Cabena! Sooo excited by this!! This live soundscape will be followed by yours truly, djTcup. 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. 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 Nov 18th (7:15-10:30 pm) Future Pollinates: Dec. 16, Jan 20, 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: 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. We love feedback and we are interested in your experience of Pollinate. Please let us know! ------- **Afternoon Tea & Embodiment Forum** What: For those who came to Pollinate the night before and want to reflect on and share their experience with others. It is an opportunity to connect, listen and get to know each other more deeply. We will be using a structure called an Embodiment Forum. You can read a description of this here. When: Sunday Nov 19th, Noon-3 PM Schedule: 12 noon Arrive and enjoy a cup of tea, nibbles and conversation. 1:00-3:00 PM There will be a facilitated structure inspired by the Embodiment Forum to support our deepening into our experiences at Pollinate and sharing this with each other. Please arrive prior to 1:00 so as not to arrive in the middle of this activity. Where: 37 Ruby St, Kitchener (parking on street) Cost: Contributions welcome ($5-15 suggested) RSVP: to Michael Reginato or just let us know at Pollinate. ------