Dance and Somatic Practices Conference, Coventry, June 2017: The HeArt at the Front Line: An exploratory workshop to source embodied presence for encounters in activism

Abstract

A workshop devised to exchange dialogue and seek skills between somatically informed practitioners and activist. Those addressing increasingly organised, violent actions from state authorities whilst engaged in civil resistance are vulnerable and exposed in presenting their resistance. Exploring the issues around embodiment within front line activism, we intend to uncover how knowledge of self, the group-mind and those we ‘other’ can lead to security and choices for safety or challenge. How do we apply what we know about bodies in motion to bodies in action in pragmatic and useful ways, to harness collective power and bring it back to our side?
• Enquiries into encounters with the dominance of power and social constructs: who is on the frontline?
• How does a group organise itself, its group mind and individual presence to remain with vitality and expression, but not be drawn into being overwhelmed by violence implemented by authorities, nor afraid of offering visceral resistance?
• How to regulate in the immediate face of threatening power-over actions?
• What to learn and implement from embodied awareness of cooperation and communication?
• How not to loose voice, source boldness and overcome hesitancy?
• How to sway and dance and jump and shout, a moving resistance to the acts of kettling, zoning, isolating and herding.