We are pleased to announce that registrations for our Autumn Retreat 2024 are now open!We invite you to join us at Gaia Terra Ecovillage, in the province of Udine, for a meaningful experience in a serene and nurturing environment.
This is an opportunity to take part in a transformative event led Michele Marchesani, accompanied by the live music of Luigi Mattiello.
We warmly welcome your presence.
With care,
The CSR Team
To secure your spot, follow the link below:
https://www.contactsilence.it/autumn-retreat-2024
Intensive workshop Teacher: Michele Marchesani
He began his work on the body in 1996 by studying Shiatsu, of which he is currently a practitioner with his own private studio and a teacher at the Shiatsu-ShinTai School. He later deepened his technique by studying ShinTai, Fascia, Chakras, Light Body Activation (Light Body Yoga), and numerous other holistic approaches. In 2003, he developed “Deep Touch,” a bodywork technique focused on movement and perception, for which he offers workshops and trainings. In 2004, while teaching Deep Touch at an International Dance Festival, he encountered Contact Improvisation, which he pursued as a student, event organizer, and international teacher. Over the years, his research has led him to write numerous articles, culminating in the publication of “Somatics of Contact Improvisation,” available in both Italian and English. Parallel to his bodywork practice, he has approached his deep passion for music with the same curiosity and dedication as a researcher. He explores with interest, focusing especially on improvisational aspects, the interweaving and interactions of sound with other forms of artistic expression.
Somatics of Contact Improvisation
The term “somatic” comes from the Greek word “soma,” which means “body.” Somatic practices focus on the perception and understanding of bodily intelligence. Instead of emphasizing only physical movement, these practices invite individuals to develop a deep awareness of the sensations, images, and thoughts that arise during the exploration of the body and movement.
There is a tendency to integrate other somatic practices into dance (Somatics into Contact), rather than investigating its intrinsic somatic aspect. Although such practices can enhance the quality of the dance, exploring “Somatics in Contact” should not mean directly adopting one of these into CI, as Contact Improvisation is, in itself, already a somatic practice.
The somatic aspects of CI should be examined from within the practice itself, with its own perspective, vision, and language. The founders of this discipline intentionally did not set strict boundaries, leaving the practice free to express and evolve, encouraging a continuous spirit of research. A research that, through the process of improvisation, manifests in the dance itself. To dance is to research.