Tutorials

#1 — Slow Motion Wrestling

This exercise helps us to connect to our partner in many ways we normally would not achieve if we were with eyes open. The person whose eyes are closed is trusting the partner with eyes open and the other role takes care of the “blind” person.  Together we can communicate through movement research, letting go of doubts and fears which are coming up while rolling on each other in unusual positions.

We awaken the sensibility of the skin, our biggest organ, sharpen our sensation of touch and verify the importance of counterbalance in partnering. For the development of this game, we got inspired by different styles of martial arts as well as the way children play fighting with their parents.

As it is in a slow-motion tempo, it allows us to feel, play and at the same time analyse our movement to establish a smooth connection with our partner.

Check out the video and play the Slow Motion Wrestling!

#2 — Lifting by Hugging

Naturally and with a lot of consciousness and softness we suspend our partners weight by hugging each other in different directions and ways. This exercise makes a lot of sense for our work as we like to teach not only forms, but also enhance the feeling and sensations which are transmitted by dancing with a partner. Instead of “preparing” too much the lifts, we only want to explore the concept of hugging our partner in many different ways and the lifts will appear naturally.

#3 — Three stages of plank

This exercise helps us to warm up our spine, shoulders and centre as we are playing a fun game. The receiving people have a clear goal, and the person touching is trying to make the life of the partner a little bit harder by challenging their strength and balance. We learn how to be stable, respond to impulses, strengthen the core which is vital for partnering and learn how to use to push and pull using our own bodyweight instead of being limited to our hands and arms.

#4 — Baby Koala

We often feel blocked when leaving our full bodyweight on our partner, not knowing where the strong spots are. On which body parts can we step, sit, lay and which ones are fragile?

With the help of this little and cute exercise we get inspired by the animal world and enjoy the suspension of our full bodyweight on our partner. The floor is lava! So just touching and placing weight on our partner is allowed avoiding the floor. With this restriction we enter a very concentrated and soft state as a team and find new ways of nonverbal communication.