Workshop series “Let´s rain …”

project summary, public presentations

Raindropsball ^^° Regentropfenball

Dance meditation 224 The Big Way for the certificate ceremony

 results, inspirations and perspectives ree sessions for the participants

in contribution to the

 ERASMUS project “The Rhythm of Nature. Environmental education in dance arts” 

How can dance arts & practices engage in sustainable development process?

How can environmental education be integrated in dance arts education, research & practice?

Why it matters, to engage & include diverse actors and practices

in sustainable development education and politics?

How can relational cultures among humans & among humans & diverse environments be improved

through art practices?

Sensing human life within a cyclical rhythm of nature, the script part provides guiding insights and practices that may support understanding of the complex relational system and its impacts on humans and environments.

Inspired by the environmental ecology approach in the visionary artwork & activism of the Austrian-born international artist Hundertwasser, who campaigned for

a life in harmony with the laws of nature (..) as its guest,

the workshops activities Let´s Rain enable entry for the engagement in environmental education with an ethical approach, which aligns with the “call upon concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future for people and planet” as it has been proclaimed in the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda2030. .

Free workshop sessions has been held from  25th of November 2023 for the participants in the presentation of the  ERASMUS  project “The Rhythm of Nature. Environmental education in dance arts” results within the multiplier events

starting up to 5 th of March 2024

in Vienna & internationally

Invited are interested students and professionals in dance,-music,-fine arts students, researchers, dance teachers, , DaZ & DaF teachers, teachers who work with blind & visually impaired students,

who will attend 2-hours movement research & choreographic composition workshops in Vienna (Dschungel, Studio1)  on-site in November & in February 2024

For the international  audiences & participants,

the workshop virtual session took part on

Sunday, 21st of January 2024 5-7pm CET

Participants will receive the certificate of attendance and get opportunity to perform and present their papers/art works  in the final project result presentations

The aim of this workshop is to explore, through a set of practical exercises created by Tatjana Christelbauer, how rhythmic patterns are created through bodily movement, gesture, breath and articulating sounds. Tools of practical experimentation in dance workshops are proposed, in which embodied movement, breath, and speech articulation rhythms are explored in a multilingual setting. An example is the simple “Featherflight” exercise which explores embodiment of one’s breath while following a feature blown across space. In addition, the rain theme brings into play exploration triggered by listening to or imagining rain rhythms while pronouncing the term “rain” in various languages as an impulse for the creation of bodily movement sequences in various dynamics. . Sensorial awareness of “rain” in its variety of dynamics, forms, components (such as drops), cycles, and elements is explored in its interpersonal communication potentials. This experimentation is designed to later inform a creative team process in which a group of dancers produces novel choreographic forms. In addition, associative and emotive dimensions, such as emotional states or memories connected to rain and symbolical implications of terms such as “acid raindrops” “cloud of acid drops” are used to widen creative potentials of participants concerning their expression and communication with each other.

The embodied language viewpoint explains why the body is sensitive to linguistic expressions and can be infused with meaning. For example, it can explain why speaking about rain can trigger immersive imaginations of rain and shed light on why words are very effectively used to instruct movements, in dance contexts and others.

Enriching somatic experience through words

A multitude of somatic practices works with imagery that is encapsulated in verbal instructions and that “unfolds” in the locus of the body.

Excerpts from scientific essay written by

Dr. Michel Kimmel, scientific reviewer in the project

The workshop series “Let´s rain …” is composed of warming up exercises, thought experiments, dance meditation, guided imagination, choreographic composition, while exploring the rhythm as a lived experience  in interaction of diverse actors as within diverse environments

Practicing raining, thinking with the cloud, breathing with ... is a call for social ecological shift,

a green transition in the mindset toward balanced relations and relationships

The exercises are part of the long-term research and practices within the last 2 decades.

Some documentary insights are written on the webpage

A brief introduction to the ERASMUS projects “The Rhythm of Nature” aim and previous activities will be provided by the start of the workshop

Cordial welcome, let´s rain …

Previous workshops and project activities in Vienna, Warshau, Seville 

June 2022- June 2023