In 'Material for the brain', Matan Levkowich invites guest, colleagues, friends and have a conversation and reflect on the question of 'How can one develop a meaningful relationship with one's own body'. In the non formal style of hosting, Matan enables the conversations flow naturally between theoretic concepts, applicable ideas and personal stories.
In this solo episode, Matan Levkowich explores the complex terrain of inclusivity in dance and movement spaces. Reflecting on personal experiences and recent conversations at a contact improvisation festival, he distinguishes between participatory and missionary forms of inclusivity, and unpacks the paradoxes that arise when openness becomes an obligation. A thoughtful inquiry into boundaries, values, and what it truly means to create a welcoming space.Join our Open Day:https://movementlab.eu/open-dayGet your ticket for our Performance Evening:https://movementlab.eu/performance-evening
In this solo episode, I explore a question that has been with me for years: Why do humans dance? Beyond self-expression or personal growth, dance may hold something much deeper—something ancient. I dive into the idea of dance as a social technology, a form of collective sacrifice, and a gateway to the transcendent.Whether you're a dancer, a seeker, or simply curious—this episode is an invitation to reimagine what dance can mean.Join our Info Evening:https://movementlab.eu/info-eveningSupport the podcast:https://movementlab.eu/mftb-supportSubscribe to get the podcast to your email:https://movementlab.eu/subscribe15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15%https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for this episode is Sean Green - a couples and relationship coach, trainer of communication and meditation, a father of 3 children, and musician based in Vienna.Sean has spent thousands of hours meditating, practising and learning from many traditions and schools on the Inner Path for over 20 years. His professional engagements are characterised by his calmness, clarity and loving presence. He support his clients in experiencing authentic aliveness, connection and inner peace. In our conversation, we explored the nature of communication—not just as a tool for exchanging information, but as the foundation of human connection. We talked about how communication extends beyond words, manifesting in movement, presence, and the unspoken rhythms of relationships. We discussed the tension between individual autonomy and the need for deep connection, and how modern society, with its hyper-individualism and digital mediation, has reshaped the ways we relate to one another.We talked about the impact of systems—economic, cultural, and technological—on our ability to form meaningful relationships and maintain boundaries and reflected on the paradox of contemporary life—how we are more connected than ever on a global scale yet increasingly isolated in our day-to-day interactions. We talked about the growing tendency to outsource human needs—emotional, relational, and physical—to paid services rather than communal support. And through it all, we returned to the question: what does it mean to be truly present in relationship—with ourselves, with others, and with the structures that shape our lives?Connect with Sean:https://seangreen.at/https://www.facebook.com/ehrlichseanSupport the podcast:https://movementlab.eu/mftb-supportSubscribe to get the podcast to your email:https://movementlab.eu/subscribe15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15%https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for the 50th episode is Smadar Goshen, a choreographer, dancer, a certified Gaga teacher and a Gyrotonic & Gyrokinesis trainer and teacher's trainer. Smadar completed her B.A in dance and M.A in choreography at the Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance. Since 2011 her pieces are performed on various platforms worldwide. In the yearbook of magazine tanz 2023, She was honoured as one of the 10 promising choreographers & dance pioneers in Germany. Since 2024 she is supported by the state capital Stuttgart and the Landesverband Freie Tanz-und Theaterschaffende Baden-Wuerttemberg. In our conversation, we explored the tension between personal identity and artistic expression, the role of the body in processing memory and trauma, and the impact of grief on creativity. We talked about the ways in which the body carries memory and trauma and about how Smadar's artistic practice engages with personal and historical narratives. We talked about the role of dance as a channel for transformation and about the difference between performing to be seen and performing as a medium for something larger. We talked about the instinct to resist being absorbed into a collective identity and about how that tension informs Smadar's work. We talked about Jewish identity, the legacy of the Holocaust, and about how Smadar's encounter with a memorial site deeply shifted her perspective. We talked about the war in Israel, about its impact on identity, and about the complex emotions of belonging to a national narrative. We talked about how the body knows things before the mind does and about the importance of listening to the body in times of transformation and much more.Connect with Smadar:Website - https://smadargoshen.com/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/smadar.goshen/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/smadar_goshen/Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/user14631161Support the podcast:https://movementlab.eu/mftb-supportSubscribe to get the podcast to your email:https://movementlab.eu/subscribe15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15%https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for this episode is Daphne Horenczyk - a choreographer, dancer, teacher and mentor. Daphna's artist work is center around the exploration of the gap between experience and representation. Her work has been funded by the city of Vienna and coproduced by different dance houses in the city. I invited her to the podcast once more to explore her current creation ‘Rage', in which Daphna examines how identity politics have shaped the art culture in ways that prevent artistic freedom and cultivates self censorship and fear. The conversation took us to different territories. We talked about Daphna's personal experiences in the Vienna scene and the culture and implication of language policing in the arts. We explored the concept of bridging experience and representation in dance, how to move beyond being reduced to identity categories. We talked about the tension between professional integrity and systemic pressures, We explored the challenge of curation and the selection process that artists confront and more.Connect to Daphna:https://www.daphnahorenczyk.com/https://www.instagram.com/daphnahoren/Get tickets for 'Rage':https://ticketgretchen.com/events/wien/wien/wuk/daphna-horenczyk-rage-15338/Support the podcast:https://movementlab.eu/mftb-supportSubscribe to get the podcast to your email:https://movementlab.eu/subscribe15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15%https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for this episode is Nita Little - a dance researcher, theorist/artist, and one of the founding developers of Contact Improvisation (CI). Nita holds a PhD in Performance Studies with a focus on the articulation of presence and creative actions of attention. Her life work is inclusive of mindbody training, performing, choreographing, researching and writing about the ethics, politics and entanglement of somatic relations. I invited Nita to discuss the practice of choreography. During the conversation we ended up talking about many things: We talked about her current projects, including performances and teaching practices, we talked about The concept of emergence in choreography and its transformative potential, how to move beyond representation in dance, exploring choreography as an act of "doing" rather than "showing”. We talked about The interplay between identity and dance, and the limitations of cultural constructs in artistic creation. We talked about Trance states and altered states of attention as tools for enhancing creativity in dance. We talked about Dance as a relational practice that fosters interconnectedness and dissolves boundaries between performers and audiences and the importance of dancers claiming their authority as creators and researchers and more. Connect to Nita: https://www.nitalittle.com/ Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for this episode is Zuna Vesan Kozánková, a dancer, choreographer and writer. Zune is a leading authority on traditional Chinese medicine in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Over the last 30 years, she has developed a unique approach to working with the human body, combining anatomical understanding with the energy systems flowing within it. Through her studies of Chinese medicine and Qigong, she seamlessly connects her extensive dance knowledge with the universal principles of Taoism. She is the author of several books, including her latest, The Tao of Movement: Chinese Medicine Principles for Movers. I invited Zuna to the show to discuss her latest book, which encapsulates her life's work on the applications of traditional Chinese medicine in dance and other movement-related professions. In our conversation, we explored the Taoist perspective on health, the physical, energetic, and conscious bodies, the role of energy in movement, strategies for health prevention, the influence of nutrition and seasonal changes on wellbeing, reconnecting with nature's cycles, changing mental habits, and more. Connect to Zuna: https://artyci.com/en/zuna/ Get 20% discount to buy her book: The Tao of Movement - https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/the-tao-of-movement Coupon - MLTTOM20 (valid until 28.2.25) Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for the 46th episode is Asia Shcherbakova, a scientist and movement educator. Asia holds a Master of Science in Human Genetics and a PhD in Biotechnology. She is also a co-developer of the Baseworks method, where her focus lies in understanding the brain areas involved in both movement and cognitive tasks. In her second appearance on the podcast, we delved into the topic of dance and its potential impact on human consciousness. Our discussion explored the differences between the experiential insights from my own research, The Metaphysical Body, and Asia's scientific perspectives. This dynamic exchange aimed to deepen our understanding of the mysteries of human consciousness while refining the language necessary for its exploration and study. Show notes: Asia's article: https://baseworks.com/article/disembodied-by-dance-embodied-mind/ Metaphysical Body lecture: https://movementlab.eu/the-metaphysical-body Connect with Asia: https://baseworks.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-shcherbakova Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
In this solo episode, I dive into the age-old question: what should evolve, and what deserves preservation? Inspired by the recent U.S. election ,I explore the ongoing tension between conservatism and progressivism, examining each side's core intuitions. Through personal stories and broader insights, I aim to reveal how these opposing intuitions might complement each other, offering a path toward balance and synthesis in today's divided landscape. Graphics credit: fran_kie / Adobe Stock Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for this episode is Moritz Lembert is a life/business/personal coach, dedicated to helping individuals unleash their potential and do it with peace. With background in dance and embodied practices, His work is grounded in practical wisdom and radical honesty, with a no-nonsense approach that catalyses profound personal and professional transformations. His coaching encompasses everything from personal development and spiritual growth to strategic business planning and team dynamics. In our conversation we have talked about the transformative experience Moritz have had, his epiphany moment so to speak, and what are the precondition for such experience. We have talked about the relation between personal catastrophes and transformation, we talked about agency and the difference between self responsibility and good environment. We talked about the state enlightenment and its relation to everyday life. We talked about the fear of death and how it prevents us from obtaining our own potential and more. Connect to Moritz: https://www.moritzlembert.com/blog https://www.instagram.com/moritz_lembert Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
We are two weeks away from marking a year since the events of October 7th. It has been a challenging year for many Jews, Israelis, and Palestinians alike. In this solo episode, I take the time to dissect a common argument that has become very prevalent in the dance world: "I'm not antisemitic, I'm only anti-Zionist." As an Israeli Jew, I am very familiar with the different expressions of antisemitism and feel it is my duty to share and help others become more aware of its mutable nature and how it can seep into our minds in different disguises. I hope you learn something and feel free to share your perspective or correct me on any errors you find in my views and arguments. Support the podcast: https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
My guest for the 42nd episode is Christian Felber, an internationally renowned speaker, contemporary dancer and author of several economics bestsellers.In our conversation we talked about his perspective about the boundaries of the term ‘economy' and what we should consider under this term. We explore the boundaries of the term universal human needs and their relation to the current economical order and looked at at his alternative economical principles. We talked about the connection between economy and the preservation of a culture, We talked about human behaviour and whether violence is a rooted in socialisation of nature. We talked about how to govern violence from an individual perspective calling up to relation between states. We addressed coordination problems and their challenges, we talked about discourse culture post covid and whether polarisation is on the rise and much more. Connect to Christian: Website: https://christian-felber.at/en/ Economy for the Common Good: https://www.ecogood.org/ Cooperative for the Common Good: https://www.gemeinwohl.coop/ Gemeinwohlkonto: https://www.gemeinwohlkonto.at/ Study Group Open Day https://movementlab.eu/open-day Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
In this solo episode, I address the topic of ‘Community' within the Movement Lab context and beyond. Join our Open Day: https://movementlab.eu/open-day Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 40th episode is Ohad Interator, a certified Physical Therapist, an independent movement practitioner and explorer, dedicated to teaching, helping and empowering people to live more fully within their bodies. His interests are rooted in discovering and developing better models for movement, health and wellbeing, within a human centric, holistic approach. Ohad has a diverse movement background, he is a graduate of philosophy studies from Tel Aviv university, and an eco therapist. He owns a clinic in Tel Aviv, and teaches classes, workshops and courses on a regular basis. In our conversation we spoke about his childhood experience with bulling and how it informed his relation with his body and set him on a path of embodied explorations. We talked about his current perspective on health that spans over three major areas - relation with oneself, with others and with the environment. We talked about particularisation when working with people and how to align it with general principles and much more. Connect with Ohad: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0lOdHM3COIJOnlL7zQFHg https://www.instagram.com/ohadinte/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses Study Group application https://movementlab.eu/apply-now
My guest for the 39th episode is Eran Dorfman. He is a professor at the Department of Literature, Tel Aviv University, and a former Directeur of the program at the Collège International de Philosophie, Paris. He specializes in 20th century French Theory and Literature, Continental philosophy, phenomenology and psychoanalysis. He is the author of several books of which the latest is Double Trouble: The Doppelgänger from Romanticism to Postmodernism. I met Eran in Freiburg contact festival. We found ourselves delving into a long conversation about body philosophy politics and more. We were both intrigue about our parallels - him being a professor for philosophy who is interested in dance, me being a dancer who is interested in philosophy. I knew right away that I would invite him to the podcast to continue our conversation in this public format. In our conversation we have talked about the potential meanings behind the phrase ‘being connected', we talked about the body mind split, about the biological reality of the body and its implications, about the tension between the universal and the particular, we talked about how to deal with dichotomies in thinking and much more. Connect to Eran: https://telaviv.academia.edu/EranDorfman https://www.facebook.com/eran.dorfman1 Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses Join our info evening: https://movementlab.eu/learn-more
My guest for the 38th episode is Olivia Court Mesa, a Chilean-Israeli independent dance artist. In the last 30 year She has devoted herself to performance art, performing, choreographing, improvising, researching and teaching. Olivia promote the idea that performance is a conscious meeting point between art and people and aims to use this medium as a space for individual and collective reflection. In our conversation we dived into her universe, starting from the meta question of why she is engaged in choreography, into the different strategies she applies in the studio. We talked about her artist search for universality and the limitations on this quest. We talked different ways of relating emotionally to the body, we talked about the search of freedom within the confinement's of the body and we talked about the role of artists when confronting the catastrophe of existence. Connect to Olivia: https://oliviacourtmesa.com Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15% https://movementlab.eu/courses
My guest for episode 37 is Johan Nilsson, an explorer of natural sciences and art. He's a trained gardener and teacher in Biodynamic farming, gardening and Permaculture Design. He is a contact improvisation dancer and teacher. In his work Johan opens a space in which we can learn more about our own individual bodily system through the study of larger ecosystems, and cultivating our empathy for the larger systems based on your own somatic experiences. Connect with Johan: johantraggae@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/johan.nilsson.traggae Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
In this conversation I am speaking with Shady Greis, a dance artist from Egypt. We have delve into our histories and personal experiences, growing in the middle east, in an attempt to shad light on the development of our perception of the 'other'. This is another episode in the special series 'conversations in times of crisis'. Connect to Shady: https://www.facebook.com/4haDy.EmaD Support Shady's crowd funding: https://whydonate.com/de/fundraising/help-our-friend-shady Subscribe to the Podcast: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
This is a special episode in what may become a series of conversations in which I invite anyone who is interested to join me in discussing the current state of affairs in the Israel-Hamas war. I have taken the exceptional decision to open up my platform to content that has a direct bearing on politics. In the near future, I will return to publishing content that touches on the more typical areas I cover here. Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
My guest for episode 34 is Rafe Kelly, founder of Evolve Move Play. Rafe is a parkour athlete, movement coach and entrepreneur based on the west coast of the US. Rafe's approach to training goes much deeper than the physical aspects and through his exploration of the physical, he revolves around existential questions of meaning, connection, wisdom and health. I was thrilled to dive into this conversation with Rafe and go down the rabbit hole of sense making together. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and encourage you to leave a comment or question and join the conversation! Connect with Rafe: https://www.evolvemoveplay.com/ https://www.instagram.com/rafekelley/ Join the Movement Lab open day: https://movementlab.eu/open-day Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
MY guest for the 33rd episode is Asia Shcherbakova, a scientist and movement educator. Asia holds a Master of Science in Human Genetics and a PhD in Biotechnology. She has been involved in projects related to the effects of stress on learning and memory and currently she is studying the pro-cognitive effects of medium-chain triglycerides. Beside her scientific research, she is a co-developer of the Baseworks method in which she is focused on understanding the function of brain areas that participate in both movement and cognitive tasks and the crossover between language and movement. Asia is a real Movement Nerd and her curiosity towards both theoretical and experiential knowledge is really admirable. In our conversation we talked about her recovery from epilepsy through dance and how her background as a biologist affected the way she approached it. We talked about how our stories and ideas affect our pedagogical approach and our actual experiences in movement. We talked about body awareness and explored where different modalities we are using comes together and what are the differences in our understanding of this topic. Connect with Asia: https://baseworks.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-shcherbakova Asia's academic work: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ksenia-Shcherbakova Get 2 months free for the Baseworks platform: http://practice.baseworks.com (coupon code: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN) Explore the Movement Lab programs: https://movementlab.eu/study-groups Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guests for the 32nd episode are Roser Tutusaus and Tom Weksler who are contemporary dancers, choreographers and teachers. They are the founders and artistic directors of Wonderground dance company and the founders of Movement Archery - their pedagogical body from which they offer workshops and intensives world wide. I have known both Tom and Roser for several years in which we have collaborated, exchanged and fed one another on both the physical and intellectual levels. I have invited them to the podcast to explore their different artistic endeavours which includes the opening of the Island - a new cultural centre in the suburbs of Barcelona and their latest dance creation Momentum. I had many many private conversations with them in the past and I was really happy to have the opportunity to share this one on this public feed. In our conversation, we talked about the different motivations to engage in art making. We talked about the politics of art making and what are the necessary conditions to create art from our individual perspectives as artists. We talked about strategies to guide attention as performance makers. We talked about the current political discourse that dominates the European dance world and what other perspectives we might want to include and more. Connect to Roser and Tom: https://www.wondergroundcompany.com https://www.movementarchery.com
My guest for 31st episode is Christian Lechner, who is a communication trainer, dance & movement educator, and an entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of the Tau Magazine, and a co-founder of the Auenweide eco village. I have known Christian for around 7 years. We met through our shared interest in dance and movement. Christian professional engagements form together a body of work that is tightly correlated with basic human needs - connection to the environment, to a community of people and to one's own body. I was delighted to have him on my podcast and to dive into his work and insight from his integrative approach to both life and work. Connect with Christian: https://artofcontact.at/ https://wegezurfuelle.net/ https://tau-magazin.net/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
The guest for 30th episode is Gabriella Voss, a religious studies scholar with a personal background in dance and theatre who is currently working on her PHD thesis in the university of Vienna. She is a strong advocate to the notion that there are profound and important insights to learn from contemporary dancers that can be understood as spiritual or even religious in nature. Despite the fact that contemporary dance and religions has for long been understood as opposing poles, in her PhD research called "The Concept of Healing in Contemporary Dance”, Gabriella strives to bridge these poles, taking the religious concept way beyond what we usually have in mind, as often we tend to link religion directly to Abrahamitic religions. Through her research she wants to share with people who know little or nothing about dance how an embodied way of existence, with the openness, curiosity and risk-taking that contemporary dancers often manifest can indeed be seen as the starting point for a deeper search for meaning, self-responsibility, connection and personal transformation. Get in touch with Gabriella: gabszabo@hotmail.com Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
For the 29th episode, I have invited Meytal Blanaru - a dancer, choreographer, teacher and a Feldenkreis practitioner. She is the founder of Fathom High - a Feldenkrais® based dance technique, that uses neuroplasticity to create changes in the way one moves, forms habits and overcome limitations. I met Meytal many years ago during my dance education and recently we worked closely for several months in which I have assisted her with the creation of her new website. Her work attracted me as I have seen in it a cross over between what I would called ‘somatic training' and ‘athletic expression' and I was interested to dive deeper into it. In our conversation we talk lengthly on the subject of attention as material, We talked about resiliency and the different between the mental aspects and the image we might have about physical resiliency. We talk about freedom of movement and limitations. How can we locate limitations and over come limitations. Connect to Meytal: https://meytal-blanaru.com Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
For the 28th episode of the podcast, I had the honour to host Defne Erdur. Defne (TR/FR/IT) is a mover, researcher and a therapist working in the fields of performing arts, health and education. She is trained in Contemporary Dance , Sociology, Expressive Art Therapy and Trauma Healing. I met Defne a decade ago, while we were both teaching in the First Austrian Contact Festival. About two year ago, during the early time of Covid, there was big discussion on my Facebook wall around the topic of race. It was a very heated space and Defne and I decided to shift the conversation over to ZOOM. we started to meet online every second week for a period of few months. These meeting were extremely valuable for me and it started the spark in me that led to the creation of the podcast. We both have very different perspective on many topics but no matter how hard we disagree, we always manage to find a space in which we can peacefully co exist and exchange. Connect to Defne: https://defneerdur.com/ https://www.facebook.com/defne.erdur Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
For the 27th episode of the podcast, I had the honour to host Simon Mayer. Simon is a performer, choreographer, musician, festival curator and workshop facilitator. He was born in Austria and studied at the Vienna State Opera Ballet School and at the Performing Arts and Research Studios in Brussels (P.A.R.T.S.). I got to know if Simon many years ago when I moved to Vienna. His choreographic work was an inspiration for me and my own artistic practice. Recently we got into a short exchange on Social media and it sparked the wish to dive to a longer conversation with him in the podcast. In our conversation, we were asking ourselves why do we do what we do, and where is the source of the fire that moves us to act in the world. We talked about trance state in its potential affect on our well being, we talked about education and art making and their roles in the social fabric. This is our first conversation in this formant but I am pretty sure that it won't be the last one. So without further a due, here is Simon Mayer. Connect to Simon: http://www.simonmayer.at/ https://www.facebook.com/simon.mayer.7106 Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
In this solo episode, I explore the issues around the topic of consent within the contact improvisation world and beyond. In order to explore such a complicated topic, I have been referring to the 4 quadrant model of Ken Wilber's Integral Theory, to help with the process of identification and categorisation of the different challenges and tools we might use to address the problem. As always, I have been trying to find out the principles rather than the specifics so that you might be able to draw inspiration into other situations and contexts. I find it an important topic to reflect and discuss and I hope you will enjoy this episode. Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 25th episode is Eva-Maria Kraft - a contemporary dancer, dance teacher and choreographer for humans and robots. She is also the founder of the dance studio RAUM für TANZ in Vienna and teaches internationally for beginners up to professional dancers. Her artistic projects move at the interface of different art fields and sciences, explore (artificial) bodies and are based on the real-time composition of movement. She is also a member the trans-disciplinary research group H.A.U.S. where she deals with Artificial Intelligence and choreographs and performs with humanoid robots. Connect with Eva: http://www.evamaria-kraft.at/ https://www.facebook.com/evakraft.at Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 24th episode is Tal Shibi, a native Jerusalem dance maker, an improviser, photographer, , as well as a teacher and ongoing student of movement, art, and therapy. Most recently Tal has been sharing his passion for life, creativity, and movement through creating improvisation workshops which emphasise tools for life such as playfulness, meditation, the courage to be seen, body awareness, breath work and more. Tal is a childhood friend of mine, who's ideas and actions had an enormous influence on my life and the person I am. First and foremost, Tal is a life improviser and a truth seeker, who has been always living in the present while asking himself the big questions of life - what are we doing here, what is a worthwhile way to spend life. I shared with him many meaningful moments during the years and I was very happy to host him on my podcast and to dive into his thoughts and ideas. Connect to Tal: https://talshibi.com https://www.facebook.com/tahl.shibi Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
The guest for the 23rd episode is Daphna Horenczyk . A performer, choreographer and a good friend of mine. I invited Daphna to the podcast to talk about her latest choreographic project - Diorama:stories which had its premiered in 2020 and examines the the relationship between the production of images and the embodied experience of the process. And her current choreographic research ‘Rehearsal of birthing and dying' in which she is developing a practice to explore the consciousness of extreme states of existence. Daphna is a very honest and real person who is willing to share not only the beautiful and inspiring side of her but also ugly, unattractive aspects of her being. And for me, her ‘realness' is very inspiring. I hope you will enjoy this conversation and looking forward to hearing you in the comments section. Connect to Daphna: https://www.daphnahorenczyk.com/ https://www.instagram.com/daphnahoren/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 22nd episode is David Mordoch, a body-mind therapist, a facilitator of men's circles, a podcast host. He coming from the world of Body psychotherapy, Thai massage and contact improvisation. I met David in one of my seminars many years ago and around a year ago, I started following his podcast. I have been very inspired by the conversations that he was facilitating and I wanted to dive with him to a conversation on the topic of men's work. Our conversation touched me on some very personal points and I hope you it will touch you as well. Connect to David: https://www.facebook.com/DavidMordoch https://anchor.fm/david-mordoch Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 21st episode is Itay Yatuv, a dancer, teacher, director, and the founder of Contakids - a methodology that uses physical contact to develop a deeper form of communication between parents and their children. I met Itay in 2007 just as I took my first steps into the world of Dance. Back then, Itay was the artistic director of a unique dance school called ‘The group' and after I have decided to join the school program, he became my main teacher and mentor. Itay made a very profound impact on the way I approach dancing and teaching. He is extremely playful, funny and easy going person and his way of being as a teacher and mentor, helped me to take myself less serious and to remember to enjoy the ride. In our conversation we talked about the current political state in Israel and Itay's involvement, we talked about is journey into the world of dance and the different roles and responsibilities he took along the way. We talked about his big project of Contakis and the wonderful things he have learnt from it and much more. Connect to Itay: http://www.contakids.com/ https://www.facebook.com/itay.yatuv https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studiobaum/contakids-cards Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 20th episode is Shanti Zimmerman, a teacher who is helping individuals to live in emotional authenticity, maturity and honesty and to develop Genuine Interactions in the world. Shanti came into my attention through her Facebook page. I was very impressed by her ability to handle sensitive conversations online, on topics that tends to spiral into violent accusations and pointless verbal wars. And what I have seen was a quality of integrity that seems to me as her authentic voice that often, brought people together rather than apart. And after I was following her for a while, I was intrigued to invite her to the podcast, to get to know her more personally and to enable her to share her wisdom with me and you. Connect to Shanti: https://www.being-shanti.com/ https://www.facebook.com/shanti.zimmermannBeingShanti Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 19th episode is a friend on mine from Israel, Yochai Ginton, a dancer, teacher and performer. Yochai has been working in Israel and abroad in the last 15 years, performing and teaching dance seminars, collaborating with leading figures in the Israeli dance scene. Yochai was a very inspiring person for me in my own journey of becoming a dancer as he did a similar process several years ahead of me and in his humble way, showed me that it is possible to become a dancer in a later phase of one's life. And many years later, he is still very passionate about dance and the potential it has on the way we can experience life. Yochai is also a great example of someone who found a way to use dance as a tool for self growth and self inquiry. And on a personal note, Yochai reminds me that there are many different ways to reach to the same point, a reminder that I tend to forget to easily. The conversation was recorded on the 20th of April. Since than, the reality in Israel had changed dramatically due to the latest escalation in the on-going conflict. If we would have talked today, we would have probably a different conversation. But nevertheless, I do feel that Yochai's voice is ever more needed and I am happy that I can share it with you all. Connect to Yochai: https://www.facebook.com/yochai.ginton Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 18th episode is Stephanie lee, an Entrepreneur and a contemporary dancer. She is the co founder of Trybe gym in Hong Kong, a playground for circus, weightlifting, mobility training and acrobatics. I met Stephanie in 2018, she invited me to teach a seminar in her gym and from the first moment we met, we had really great time together. I was extremely impressed by her groundless and her ability to be connected to the real world while remaining in touch with her creative and artistic expressions. And even though she was relatively younger than me, I really felt immature next to her and our meeting helped me to discover new ways to grow. In our conversation Stephanie shared her experiences of being an Asian immigrant in the US and the achievement mindset it cultivated. we talked about the different values in Western cultures and asian cultures and how it shapes the expectations within ones nuclear family. We looked at our common training background in contemporary dance and the current trend of dancers picking up Brazilian jiu jitsu. We talked about self defence and the challenge of internalising martial techniques for the real world. It was a really inspiring conversation that challenged certain assumptions I had the topics I have mentioned. So I was very grateful to have it and I hope you will find value in it as well. Connect to Stephanie: https://www.instagram.com/stephxtrybe/ https://www.trybehk.com/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 17th episode is Jorge Crecis - A dancer, choreographer and a researcher, holding a degree in Sport Sciences and a PhD in Philosophy through the department of Performing Arts, Goldsmiths college, University of London For the last 20 years, Jorge has been working to crack the secret of how to replicate altered states of consciousness through very accessible but highly effective body routines. His research have led him to create “towards Vivencia” - Peak Performance Training program, that use the most radical advancements in neuroscience to maximise training, speed up learning skills, enhance presence and build confidence. In our conversation we talked about the meaning and application of the word ‘performance’ and the differences between athletic and artistic performance. We looked into his methodology of orchestrating rituals as a way to approach physical training, we talked about the ethics that might emerge by engaging in physical education and much more. Connect to Jorge: https://jorgecrecis.com/ https://towardsvivencia.com/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
The guest for the 16th episode is Yuval Ayalon, a Performing Artist, Handbalancer, Acrobat - and a Gymnast. Yuval is a life long physical practitioner. A man, who dedicates his life for the never ending journey of refining his skills and knowledge of his craft. He came into my attention through a common friend who made a connection between us. I hosted him at my apartment in Vienna while he was teaching one of his incredible Handstand seminars. I had a real pleasure to meet such a dedicated person, that through hard work, has managed to achieved such incredible depth of his art. And alongside with his skills and expertise, remained very humble, accessible and a kind person. I invited him to the podcast to explore together how the physically-demanding careers can affect the sense of identity, how fatherhood and the relation to children shapes us, what is the connection between external practices and inner processes and more. It was such a great pleasure to talk to him and I hope you will find this conversation enriching. Connect to Yuval: https://yuvalonhands.com/ https://instagram.com/yuval_on_hands/ https://www.facebook.com/yuvalonhands Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for 15th episode is Nita Little, a dance pioneer who’s work had an international impact and changed the course of dance history. Nita is a performer, teacher, choreographer, scholar and theorist. She is one of the founders of Contact Improvisation and in the last 50 years, has been touring the globe to teach and share her research on what she calls relational intelligence. Nita holds a PHD in Performance Studies and her writing investigates ecological actions of tactile attention and the creative potentials present in entangled relations. I met Nita in 2014 at the Austrian contact festival. I was really impressed by her genuine interest in research and discovery which was especially impressive due to the fact that she was already doing so for so many years. Since then I have met with her several times and have always enjoyed conversing with her and sharing studio time. It was such a honour to speak to Nita since the legacy of her work had such a profound effect on my life. Having the opportunity to share more time with her was very special for me and I hope you would appreciate the conversation we had. Connect to Nita: http://nitalittle.com/ http://instagram.com/nitalittleci https://facebook.com/nitalittleofficial Relational Intelligence online: https://forms.gle/k8NVmsNsbdSP9qVj8 Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 14th episode is Wili Erber - a martial artist, a coach and the co founder of science of jiu jitsu martial art gym. Wili holds a black belt in Japanese and Brazilian Jiu jitsu and a master degree in sport science. I met Wili 4.5 years ago when I started my own journey in the world of BJJ and nowadays I am training at in his gym under his guidance. What I really admire about Wili is how he manages to approach the hardship of training with ease and smile, finding a way to lighten up the toughest moments in the gym and transform them into pleasurable and playful challenges. In our conversation, we were looking at the question of how the deal with aggression, what does training has to do with character building and what are the foundations of self defence. Wili is a very humble guy, and as far as I am concern, a good example of everything he stands for. I was really happy for the opportunity to talk to him in person and I hope you too can benefit from everything he has to share. Connect to Wili: https://sojj.at https://www.instagram.com/wilhelmerber https://www.facebook.com/wilhelm.erber Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
My guest for the 13th episode is Richard Sarco-thomas, a life long martial artist and a social worker, working with youth and people with learning disabilities. Richard is a black belt in Aiki jiu jitsu and Aikido and in the last 15 years, beside marital arts, he has been practicing, teaching and organising contact improvisation events and festivals. Richard was born in a small working class town in the UK and grew up in quite rough and violent circumstances. His life story of building himself back up and becoming an example for his own students is quite astonishing. I met Richard 8 years ago and during the following years, he always impressed me with his ability to stay honest to himself even when his positions are lacking popularity and group conformity. His willingness to speak his mind even while facing adversity was a great inspiration for me personally, and is a much needed quality nowadays, as civil discourse is becoming more and more difficult to manage. I invited him to the podcast express his thoughts on the current debates that are taking place within the CI community and to explore together the question what is the appropriate place for politics within movement related spaces. Connect to Richard: https://www.facebook.com/richard.sarcothomas The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
My guest for the 12th episode is Sabine Parzer(AT), founder of the Holistic Dance Institute . Her professional experience spans over 30 years as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, bodyworker, author and organiser. Sabine does an incredible work in merging the world of dance with the world of therapy. She has an amazing capacity to create educational structures, and during the past 10 years, hundreds of participants from all over the world have attended her events and completed her teachers training. Sabine’s story is a mixture of self responsibility, hard work and dedication, side by side with compassion, care and attentiveness. Connect to Sabine: https://www.holistic-dance.at/ https://www.facebook.com/instituteholisticdance/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe The podcast was recorded using riverside.fm - remote recording in studio quality: http://www.riverside.fm?via=matan
In this solo episode I am sharing a personal anecdote as a mean to examine the tension between our need for safety and our need for freedom and how it can manifest in our bodies, culture and more. I find that this tension is very present nowadays as the Covid pandemic magnifies both the need for safety and the need for freedom. I am trying to offer a way to help us preserve the ability to communicate even while confronting the people with opposing values. Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
For the 10th episode I have invited my friend Manon Siv Duquesnay. Manon is a French-Danish dancer, choreographer and teacher based in Spain. She has studied a BA in dance between Uniarts (SE) and Institut del Teatre (ES), and is currently completing her Master at the Danish National School of Performing Arts (DK). I met Manon first time in 2012 and during the last 9 years we have played different rolls in each other’s life. She was my first long term student, who become my teaching assistant and later on grew into her own practice and now we consider each other as colleagues. Manon has always been a big inspiration for me as she has an amazing talent in understanding people and forming relationships. She speaks 7 different languages and as far as I am concern, is an embodied example of multiculturalism. I was super excited to reconnect to her and to hear her thoughts about verbal and physical communication, artistic life in the country side and to hear about her latest adventure of building a cultural centre in the mountains of Asturias. Connect to Manon: https://www.manonsiv.com http://www.salasabil.com Support her crowd funding campaign: http://en.goteo.org/project/sala-sabil
My guest for the 9th episode is Patrick Oancia(CA/JP) , founder of Baseworks - a movement system designed to increase your ability to sense, and improve motor and mental performance. Patrick diverse background is unique - a former punk musician, that for the last 30 immeshed himself in athletics, the study of Hatha yoga asana and martial arts while refining more-subtle contemplative practices. I got to know Patrick in 2018. he invited me to teach a seminar in his studio in Tokyo for 10 days. During this short visit, I learnt so much from him, and was really impressed by all the things that he does. Every evening, we dived into conversations that lasted for hours and and I when I came back to Europe I had the feeling that he gave me some much to think about, that I needed about a year to digest these 10 days. I was very excited by the opportunity to dive again into his complex mind and even more excited to share it with you all. Learn more about Patrick's work: https://baseworks.com https://poancia.medium.com https://medium.com/baseworks Get a discount coupon for the Baseworks practice: https://practice.baseworks.com/ * mention our podcast to get it Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
My guest for the 8th episode is Guillermo Justel (ES/UK). Guillermo is a Yoga and Hand balancing teacher and the co-founder of 'We-Guild' - a social network for self employed people that helps absorb financial blows through the power of community. What I really admire in Guillermo is that he is the kind of thinker that doesn't shy away from confronting paradoxes and interacting with conflicting propositions. His engagements in the ream of social impact is a great example of his richness and complexion . In our conversation we grappled with the question of how trust can be cultivated and how it relates to self responsibility and solidarity. Guillermo shared is perspective on the notion of spirituality and its vast array of potential expressions. Connect to Guillermo: https://www.instagram.com/guillermo_justel/ https://www.we-guild.com/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
My guest for the 7th episode is Outi Sulopuisto, a Finnish friend of mine who lives in Klagenfurt, Austria. Outi is a 4th dan black belt Aikidoka, she has training experience in somatic & dance, She is a certified physiotherapist and Feldenekrais practitioner. She holds a master degree in Health Care and currently is working as a Junior researcher at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences in the degree program disability and diversity studies. Outi is the kind of person that won't push you in order to get her message through, but rather wait patiently for the right timing to speak. And in her special way, she shares with us the importance of softness as a physical and mental quality for a balanced life. Connect to Outi: https://www.facebook.com/outi.sulopuisto https://inbewegungvillach.com/ https://movingintosoftskills.com/ Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
In this solo episode, I am reflecting on the topic of authentic expression. I decided to take a personaI approach and to use some of my own life stories as reference points in order to examine the notion of authenticity and its expression and evolution. Key questions/topics I am talking about: What is self expression? Why should I be bother with expressing myself? How does external structures might affect my ability to authentically express myself? What is the power of individualism? What are the downsides? The crucial relation between individualism and self expression. How to treat the idea of ‘investing in yourself’. The importance of practicing death as a metaphor. Spine IQ online seminar (discount coupon in the podcast): https://movementlab.eu/spine-iq Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
In the 5th episode, I had the pleasure of talk with Shai Faran (IL/DE). Shai is a dancer, teacher and a choreographer based in Berlin. She has a large base of followers from all over the globe with whom she shares what she calls 'a life practice'. Shai is one of the most dedicated practitioner I have met and she lives her life in a very intense and interesting way. In our conversation she shared what is a 'self practice' and how it can be connected our lives, what are the universal basics across disciplines and how to train it, what 'dance' means for her and whether it has any significant importance and more. Read more on Shai's work: http://www.shaifaran.com/ https://www.instagram.com/shaifaran/ https://www.facebook.com/shaifarandance Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
For the 4th episode I have invited Sarah Hashkes (IL/US) to have a conversation on what does technology has to do with the body. Sarah is an entrepreneur, the founder of Radix Motion - a company combining Neuroscience And Immersive Technology To Strengthen The Connection Between Brain And Body. From her academic background in cognitive neuroscience and experiential knowledge in movement, she explains why the current state of technology is problematic and how virtual reality could be used to enable us a more embodied relationship with technology, help to heel negative body images and overcome emotional trauma. Connect to Sarah: http://radixmotion.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarit-sarah-hashkes-4a86b977/ https://www.facebook.com/shashkes Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
In this solo episode, I am reflecting on the topic of the different ways we can learn. I talk on the the primary senses involve in learning and the distinct differences they offer, the different study structures you can cultivate - closed focused ones vs. open improvised ones, online vs offline learning and more. Subscribe to get the podcast to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe
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