Workshops:
Founder, artistic director as well as curator of the Festivals on the Art of Lust - Xplore - and founder as well as director of the performance laboratory space - schwelle7 - in Berlin
Felix Ruckert is a dancer, choreographer, and conceptor. His experimental dance pieces and installations, his participatory work, but also his choreographies for ballet companies earned him an international reputation as one of the most innovative contemporary choreographers.
Since 30 years he is interested in all sort of body techniques. He studied ballet, modern and contemporary dance, Improvisation, Feldenkrais, Yoga, Chi Kung Tantra, Kyudo and much more. He worked as a dancer with several renowned european companies, before concentrating on choreography and conceptual work.
Since ten years he is also involved in a practical and theoretical investigation of BDSM and explores connections between BDSM techniques and artistic practices, developing an art and philosophy of sensual communication.
He directs the performance space schwelle7 in Berlin and curates the annual festival Xplore in Berlin as well as the international branches.
More Information at schwelle7.de and felixruckert.de
RESISTANCE PLAY
A controlled loss of control !!
In any physical contact with another human being it is important to master clear communication. It is crucial to read, accept and show your feelings, be aware of your and your partner’s possibilities, to respect your fears and limits.
This workshop provides a safe playground for the practice of saying NO, a space for disagreement, for rejecting, refusing, denying and avoiding. We will train the ability to take refuge, regardless of conventions or politeness.
There is however also joy in attack, and power in refusal, there is excitement in provocation and playfulness in resistance and sometimes there is pleasure in overwhelming or in being overwhelmed. Mastering of the NO is used as a precondition to play with these dynamics. It allows us to experiment with the complex psychology of aggression and denial, to discover the liberation that accompanies the acceptance of aggressive impulses as well as the empowerment provided by outright resistance and plain abandonment.
TEARS OF SADNESS – TEARS OF JOY
This is done in a circle sitting on the floor, with an unlimited number of participants. Biggest I did so far was with about 200 people. The score consists of a series of breathing exercises and collective sounds, combined with elements from Systemic Constellation. It displays emotion as bodymind mechanics: Everyone anytime can be guided into letting tears flow….and it’s fun…
EMOTIONAL SPACE
This workshop is about the emotional effects of spatial relations. It deals with such subjects as closeness and distance, the individual and the group, spatial hierachies, control and surrender, intimacy and reserve. Our position in space, our body language, our attitude and focus are creative tools in the non-verbal communication with others. Simple physical exercises draw the attention to the dynamics created by spatial relations and in contact with others. They also help to perceive the emotions that are inevitably triggered in this process.
The reflection on these dynamics will serve as a starting point to venture into playing with the absurder aspects of dominance and submission. Power exchange will not fueled by convictions or beliefs in stereotypical narratives but rather by surrendering to the impact of physical realities and by welcoming emotional unpredictability.
Felix’ workshops are genuine fusions of dance, theatre, song, talk and action, evolving in rather peculiar ways, asking radical questions and challenging the limits of body/mind and soul/spirit. Often they also provide moments of clarity, joy and liberation. Sensuality and reflection intertwine, inner and outer movement combine, teaching, learning and performing melt into each other creating a single and unique experience. All impulses are welcome and the partipants are encouraged to fully and freely explore and expand their physical, emotional and mental potential.