Presence

Improvisational training for dancers, musicians and theatrical performers

taught by Shinichi Iova-Koga
Authorized Action Theater™ Teacher

This workshop integrates feeling states with physical movement to develop that elusive yet palpable quality known as presence.

The unknown invites a response. Strong presence allows us to open, to fly through the clouds of the mind and smooth out the nerves. Becoming receptive, opportunities visit us. Disciplined explorations, deconstructions and compositions develop the skills for clear, decisive and playful responses to each offering arising within the improvisation. 

Content emerges through our relationship to the unfolding process. Sensory, energetic and mind-state information transforms into voice and motion. Through differentiating between intention and attention, we refine the palette of the experience. ‘Intention’ often has an objective, a goal. Clarity emerges. ‘Attention’ allows the mind and body to follow the changes as they transform, without expectation. Adaptation to patterns of mind and action keep the improvisation humming along, sometimes taking a sharp left turn.

The multi-faceted human being emerges with humor, darkness, wildness and subtlety while we swim in the basics of time, space, shape and energy.

Commitment to the moment encourages myriad pathways to arise. We follow those trails in duets, solos and groups.  Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Refresh each action with attention.

Bio:

Shinichi Iova-Koga serves as the Founder and Artistic Director of inkBoat. The dance theater company has received six San Francisco Izzie awards  and has toured in Europe, Asia and the USA.

Shinichi teaches each year at ImpulsTanz in Vienna, independent workshops (live and online) and within University dance programs, most notably as a core faculty member at Mills College in California from 2009-2017, and at UC Davis as a Visiting Professor in 2014 and in 2022 as a Granada Artist in Residence.  He has taught workshops at Bath University (U.K.), UC Riverside, UC Berkeley, SF State University, Stanford University, Experimental Theater Wing at NYU/Tisch, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Switzerland), Texas Women’s University, University of Nevada, Reno, and others. He co-teaches the workshop “Dance on Land” and multi-month workshops with his wife Dana Iova-Koga in California, Vermont, Switzerland and Portugal.

He is the editor of the book 95 Rituals, a tribute to Anna Halprin, and a contributing writer to The Routledge Companion to Butoh Performance. He is featured in the book Butoh America.

His martial arts training continues in the Daoist Internal Arts (Qi Gong, Dao Yin, Yang Sheng Gong and Nei Gong). His credentials to teach come through Lotus Nei Gong International and Wudang West. He holds a 2nd degree black belt in Aikido (with teachers Jan Nevelius, Jorma Lily and Cornelius Jaeger-Herzog). He started in the marital arts at age 8 with his father, Yuzo Koga, a 6-time USA Judo champion.

Shinichi is an Authorized Action Theater™ teacher through his mentor Ruth Zaporah. Other significant mentors are Ralph Lemon, who instigated ideas about “anti-dance,” and Anna Halprin, who encouraged community building through the art-making process. Shinichi served as Anna’s associate director for numerous projects from 2009-2012 and co-taught dances for men with her until 2018.

Significant collaborators include Ko Murobushi (Butoh Dance), Ann Carlson (Contemporary Dance),Rova Saxophone Quartet (Jazz),  Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (Experimental Rock Band),AXIS Dance Company (Contemporary Dance), Yuko Kaseki (Butoh Dance), Yumiko Yoshioka andTEN PEN CHii (Butoh and Installation Art) andDo Theatre (Physical Theater).

Details:

Participants sign up for the entire weekend workshop. Cost is $150 for 15 teaching hours. Partial and Full Scholarships available: Inquire HERE.

Thursday, Dec. 12: Opening evening session: 6-9pm

Friday, Dec. 13: 9-12:30pm, 1:30pm-4:30pm

Saturday, Dec. 14: 9-12:30pm, 1:30pm-4:30pm

Saturday, Dec. 14 @ 6pm: Lecture demonstration, open to the public

PRESENCE is offered as part of our REVEAL WORKSHOP series. Funding is provided in part by the Montana Arts Council.