Flying ≠ Jumping – Scott Wells

We will practice flying, catching, landing, fluid acrobatics and deft maneuvers. We start with favorite contact exercises I’ve developed or learned over the decades of practice.  We use these to warm up, center and to re-enter the “beginner’s mind” of contact improvisation. We will take the aerial work into improvisation—flying scores. For the acrobatic and advanced patterns everyone will work at their own level and will learn best by building group safety and trust – everyone will do something new. Jumping ≠ Flying because jumping is a muscular action, whereas flying is in the bones and is affected greatly by emotions and attitude.

My main work is as a choreographer and I rigorously investigate partnering and acrobatic movement ideas.  I think this allows me to bring unique movement and training to my workshops.  Besides flying I am very interested in subtle somatics that enrich body awareness, deepen the pleasure and heighten the abilities.  Also, I’ve been leading a performance jam in San Francisco. The atmosphere has more intention and group focus than a jam, but is less stringent than a formal performance.  This work ranges from Authentic Movement to compositional scores that invite aesthetic discussions.  We develop our ensemble work and gain performance skills and resources.  Depending on students’ desires we may get a taste of this work.  – Scott Wells

About Scott Wells: In 1981 Scott Wells discovered the pleasure of contact improvisation shortly after becoming obsessed with the struggles of modern dance.  He stuck with both and currently directs a company in San Francisco and tours annually to Europe.  Wells has created works for skateboarders, for boxers and choreographed West Side Story for Sonoma State University.   In 2010 and 2005 Scott received the Izzie (San Francisco’s most prestigious dance award) for Outstanding Choreography and was selected by Dance Magazine as “one of the 25 To Watch”.    Wells has been practicing Alexander Technique for twenty five years and BMC for fifteen.

SW&D 1 minute trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-UPP4HE1F0

From Zero to Flying

Starting with contact and body awareness. Then learn some techniques and traject towards a space that supports freedom of flight and expression.  That is: we start at zero to redefine what is contact—to ourselves, others, reality, gravity.   I will see what the group is up for.  We’ll be doing my favorite contact exercises and current curiosities.  Created or learned over the decades investigation and indulgence.  Pleasure → Technique;  Somatics → Acrobatics