Workshop with Tomasz Rodowicz, Elina Toneva and Tomasz Krzyżanowski of CHOREA Theatre Association

Wen–Thu 20–21 April 2016, 9:00–13:00

Na Grobli Studio

The workshop will be conducted in Polish and English

Fee: 50 EUR

The workshop begins with a short, intense warm-up to activate the body, a series of exercises designed to involve the entire body in voice work. The physical exercises are aimed at building relationships within the group and creative interaction among participants.

The second part of the workshop includes exercises linking voice gesture and movement gesture, transferring voice movement to the movement of the body in space. The exercises are based on two core elements: building consonances within the group (polyphony in space) and complex rhythmic exercises involving vocal and bodily polyrhythms. Ancient and traditional music themes will be used in the process.

The workshop will culminate in the composition of a complex polyphonic, polyrhythmic music and movement structure, whose purpose is to bring participants, through repetition, to an ancient, primal state that can be attained through singing, where time is transgressed, brought to a halt.

Tomasz Rodowicz is an actor, director, musician, teacher, historian of philosophy, and beekeeper. He collaborated with Jerzy Grotowski from 1974 to 1976. A co-founder of the Centre for Theatre Practices Gardzienice, he performed in An Evening Performance, Sorcery, The Life of Archpriest Avvakum, Carmina Burana and Metamorphoses. Tomasz Rodowicz is a co-founder of CHOREA Theatre and its leader since 2004. He has directed many CHOREA performances, including Forest Dance, Songs of Euripides, Play(ing) Mr Cogito Games, The Bacchae, Grotowski: An Attempt to Retreat, suremaybe and Szpera 42 (with Ruthie Osterman), and performed in most of them. He had directed the Oratorium Dance Project, an initiative bringing together professional artists and young people, many of whom are socially excluded. Rodowicz is the co-founder and artistic director of Art Factory in Łódź, and the founder and artistic director of the RETRO/PER/SPECTIVES CHOREA International Theatre Festival.

Tomasz Krzyżanowski is a composer and multi-instrumentalist, CHOREA Theatre co-founder and music supervisor. He has created music for many theatre performances and concerts. With CHOREA Theatre, he has co-created, among others, the dance and music show Oratorium Dance Project – he composed and orchestrated music for a 100-piece choir and conducted the 60-piece Philharmonic Orchestra of Łódź and a jazz band. He won the Golden Mask theatre award in Łódź. He has composed or co-composed music for numerous CHOREA Theatre pieces, including Playing Mr Cogito, Grotowski: An Attempt to Retreat, Concert of Ancient Music, Lullabies, Rhythm of Language, Antigone, Derby. White-and-Red, and for performances such as TOV/DOBRO, Tehilim/Psalms, Mnemonics. He teaches music and theatre workshops in Poland and internationally.