Do you Speak Dance? Masterclass on Verbal Communication of Choreographic Research and Creation

A  Christos Polymenakos Masterclass employing his body/word method 

Can one translate movement into word? How can I communicate my choreographic research or creation to the audience, my collaborators, my sponsors? How can I use words towards the development of my creative identity in choreography? How does dance “open up” to people from different fields and backgrounds?

Developed through years of research on translating movement into words and vice versa, as well as working experience as a contemporary dance editor and dramaturg, this intensive body/word course was originally hosted by Dance House Lefkosia (28/3/2015) and then by Kalamata International Dance Festival (22&23/7/2017)inspiring theorists and practitioners.

Do you Speak Dance? is specialized in promoting Verbal Communication of Choreographic Research and Creation, applying the body/word method. It is based on an original template for dramaturgical analysis which in turn has been developed through years of theoretical and practical research on dramaturgy, creation and communication of choreographic research and creation. Practical exercises and theoretical contextualization cultivate the ability to translate into words the ephemeral and elusive art of dance in different stages of both research and creation. Additionally, dramaturgy is proposed as a bespoke multimodal function which can ignite imagination and emotions by putting in use tools handpicked from different fields of scientific and artistic research.

The specific masterclass is a key component which may function as introductory to the method. While it is a constantly updated tool, it’s original form was put together during an online collaboration with Petros Konnaris as a guest to his residency at  the Dance House Lemesos. It was then hosted by the Dance House Lefkosia, Cyprus, in March 2015 in the frame of an Artistic Residency program. The Kalamata International Dance Festival held its official premier in Greece in 2017. 

Dance Practitioners like choreographer and performer Petros Konnaris and University Teacher and choreographer Dr Maro Galani have been inspired and incorporated body/word and other Do You Speak Dance? elements in their creative, research and educational work since then. It has also been employed to Visual Art, Live Art and Writing classes

Working language: Greek, with parts of bibliography in English. Open to professionals, students and amateurs coming from any field dealing with dance and the body in the mindset of open doors policy, be them theorists and choreographers, dramaturgs, directors, dancers, doctors, physical education instructors, arts managers, journalists, programmers, performance artists and writers, or other.

Premier: 28 March 2015, Dance House Lefkosia, Nicosia, Cyprus, 22/7/2017, Zoumbouleio Megaron, Kalamata, International Dance Festival, Kalamata, Greece