1. what is “intuitive movement”?
Cinema Antiplastique’s intuitive movement practice for the people combines techniques from Experiential Anatomy, Movement in Depth (also known as “Authentic Movement”), Contact Improvisation, Modern Dance Improvisation, and Jinen ‘nature’ Butoh, these techniques are used by dancers yet can be learned by all for enhanced embodied connection with one’s self.
Movement workshops at Cinema Antiplastique, led by Rania Lee Khalil (DFA; Doctorate of Dance and Video, MSW; Master of Social Work, MA Master of Performance Art; BA Dance and Video) are about reconnecting participants with their own spontaneous, inwardly sourced and inwardly motivated movement. Because of the intuitive nature of this movement, it is often pleasing and productive, because it is automatically in tune with each participants own specific needs for release, rejuvenation and embodied reflection.
Western culture tends to applaud activities that are often associated with embodiment, yet can actually involve as much disconnection from one’s body than connection with it. These include various forms of dance, sports, fitness and performative arts. External results (thinness, muscle, speed, and virtuousity do not always signal connection with ones body.
When practiced over time, intuitive movement allows experiences of embodiment that make room for inner and outward transformation. In this way intuitive movement can be an important alternative or addendum to talk therapy, as well as mind expanding drugs, because of its power to activate untapped, pre-verbal and embodied aspects of our beings.
this said, the ability to improvise is something adults often must re-learn (across various art forms) and practice. our work allows participants to develop deeper trust in their own free movement and embodied intuition over time. our practice allows a diverse range of people to move in ways that are surprising and genuine to their needs and spirits, regardless of age, body type, abilities, etc.
3. why move with moving images?
Moving with moving images of our plant and animal relatives allows for a more effortless experience of expansion than many traditional somatic practices, because the emphasis does not lie soley in the participants relationship with themselves. Moving in parallel with plants and animals expands our movement beyond our individual prompts and images of our natural world provide a tangible source of community and connection beyond ourselves.
Cinema Antiplastique’s moving images draw on Rania’s research into plant and animal life within and beyond postcolonial ecologies. Attuning to plant and animal movement during growth, migration and fertilization cycles reconnects us with forgetten aspects our own grouth cycles and attunes us with the vastness of the many beings of earth. Observing tender nonhuman movement calms, energizes and expands our being-ness.
3. can people with phsyical disabilities participate? cinema antiplastique offers a practice of listening to one’s body that is genuine to one’s needs and abilities. because the movement we offer is intuitive and self directed, it is an ideal practice for people with varied physical disabilities. one of rania’s favorite teachers the butoh dancer atsushi takenouchi says: “dance can be anything from the movement of an eyelash to the twitch of a finger- a dance can take place with the person lying on their death bed.”
So, participation in our workshops - both in person and online - does not require any movement at all. for questions about specific disability accommodations please reach out to us at info@cinemantiplastique.org.
our space is wheelchair accessible.
4. why does cinema antiplastique offer only workshops and not classes?
we prefer the slower, deeper and longer experience of workshops to briefer, shorter classes. this work thus takes time and safe space and atmosphere.
5. your workshops look pretty far out, are they for people on drugs or for medicine ceremonies?
they are far out, yet but not because of drugs or plant medicine - on the contrary - we ask that everyone who comes to our movement workshops please be alchohol and drug free (unless prescribed by a doctor) from the morning the workshop begins (at the minimum). we request this so that participants can best listen to and attune to their inner selves and others in the room.
please not that this request does not come from a moral place. we have deep respect for plant medicine and other drugs for the ways in which they allow humans to regulate, open and access positive and expansive feelings. we request this because of the specifics of our practice: being drug and alchohol free for 24 hours better ensures that participants are able to access their inner information with clarity and without any distortion. we also ask this because we require everyone in our workshops to be self possessed for the (physical and emotional) safety of others.
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6. are cinema antiplastique’s workshop for fun or for healing?
cinema antiplastique understands that human beings have as much capacity to repress joy as they have to repress grief and sorrow.
over oover we do not see a division or contradiction between fun and healing, art or therapy, work or play, etc. we view healing as joyful, playful and embodied. fun can be embodied, wholesome and healing (rather than simply escapist or destructive).
cinema antiplastique is a space for expansion, imagination and reconnection not accessible within the solemn divisions between spontaneous movement, healing, dance parties, etc.
7. is there music at cinema antiplastique?
unless otherwise noted, our workshops are silent so that we can hear the sounds and songs within ourselves. we can tune in to our hearts beating, the sound of our joints or breath, the words our hearts, minds or ancestors wish to share, the movement of others swishing softly on the floor, or perhaps even our planet moving gently through the constellations.
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