Aleksandra Janeva Imfeld & David Hernandez

Double bill

Two workshops, one immersive experience

Register for this double bill and double the fun! In the morning, Aleksandra Imfeld will take you on a physical exploration of the body as a source of inspiration. In the afternoon, David Hernandez will build on this: he will translate this experience into movement in relation to composition and music. Together, the workshops form an immersive experience that deepens, connects, and sets you in motion.

Teachers

Aleksandra Janeva Imfeld – The Dots  

“To create and perform spontaneously or without preparation,” that’s improvising according to the Oxford Dictionary. But even in complete freedom you often fall into known poses or familiar patterns. How can you recognize and embrace those habits, while at the same time take the chance to reset your movement? With The Dots, Aleksandra Janeva Imfeld developed a method to do just that: to let go and try out new movement possibilities without inhibitions. For Aleksandra, the space around the body is a blank canvas on which you can draw starting from different points. With simple ideas, she shifts the focus from body parts as the engine of a movement to very specific points in the body from which something new can emerge. Her exercises build your self-confidence and bring you into a flow where decisions and movements spontaneously follow one another.

Aleksandra Janeva Imfeld – born in Macedonia, raised in Croatia – studied dance in Zagreb, Bruges, Vienna and New York. During the postgraduate a.pass (Advanced Performance and Scenography Study) in Brussels she developed the working method The Connector: a form of collective authorship that she uses in all her works. She has danced with the likes of Ismael Ivo, Anna Mondini, Système Castafiore, Brice Leroux, David Hernandez and is a co-founder of Nomad Dance Academy. She teaches her movement research The Dots at SNDO Amsterdam, ISAC Brussels and Dance Academy in Zagreb. In addition to her physical practice, she also draws inspiration from creating murals and collaborating on dance-related films.

David Hernandez – Improvisation and composition 

How do you translate compositional systems from music into dance? How does improvisation evolve into choreography? And how does movement relate to music?

In this workshop, David Hernandez explores the subtle interplay between dance and music. You’ll discover how movement can flow with the music, counteract it, or add an extra layer. From the playful “Mickey Mousing”- where dance and music almost literally follow each other – to a thoughtful, layered composition.

You’ll work with improvisation as a starting point and learn how to shape that material into a strong choreographic structure. This workshop is for those who want to deepen and refine the dialogue between music and movement.

David Hernandez studied music, singing, and dance before moving to New York to work with Trisha Brown and Meg Stuart. He followed Stuart to Belgium, where he danced with Damaged Goods for almost seven years. For over twenty years, he has been creating dance performances, installations, and multidisciplinary projects. He co-initiated the improvisation project Crash Landing and collaborated extensively with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker on various productions. In addition to his artistic practice, Hernandez is a passionate teacher who teaches and leads workshops worldwide.

Accessibility

• The workshop is not physically demanding
• The workshop is accessible to wheelchair users
• The ability to memorise long phrases or structures is not a requirement