when & where
October 10th 1:00 - 3:00PM
October 11th 12:30 - 2:30PM
C-space at 101 Florence StToronto, ON M6K 1P4

accessibility
C-space on Florence has an accessible entrance with an automatic door and accessible washroom. The mainspace has a 2.5-inch rise to access the dance floor and is negotiable for mobility device use. There are changing rooms, a kitchen with a fridge, and water access. It has an accessible entrance and non-gendered wheelchair accessible washroom. 

If there is anything we can do to help someone access this space, please email us at info@tolovein.com.

about the session
In The Matrixxxxxx, we’ll use fantastical and practical imagery to access our bodies’ deep intuitive intelligence and fluid animal readiness. With spatial games and scores, we will practice the elastic skill of moving between sensing ourselves as part of an ever-morphing group body and grounding in our own systems, delights and impulses. Through moving, speaking and witnessing we will invite our innate capacities to access surplus knowledge in the universe and move it through our bodies. We will use the transformative power of (agreed upon, consensual, or self) touch to deepen into sensation and possibility for easeful pathways in our dancing. 

This class draws from Alexa's studies in Nonstopping (Jeaning Durning) Open Source Forms (Stephanie Skura), with Peter Bingham/EDAM dance, and biodynamic craniosacral therapy.  It is adaptable to different levels of energy, experience and mobility. The arc of the class usually involves a few crests of sweaty energetic movement, including across the floor, with moments to slow down and pause interspersed throughout. Stillness is always a part of the dance.

who is this for
This workshop grounded in improvisation strategies is for dancers, dance enthusiasts, performers, artists and anyone who wants to move their bodies with others in rhythm, time and space. The approach is a series of guided movement invitations that includes moving along the ground, in and out of the floor, and in relation to one another. There is specificity in some pathways (ie moving from standing to laying) that support safe and functional movement, but apart from that, there is space for adaptation and researching what works for you in your body. We play with each other as a way of getting out of judging impulses before they have lived, and as finding ourselves, perhaps surprisingly, dancing.

what to bring
Please wear long sleeves and pants — kneepads are helpful if you have them! 

what to expect
A note from Alexa: "No need to prepare - we will enter the Matrixxxxx together :) 

The class flows from warmup to group dancing to across the floor to improvising as I guide us with verbal prompts and invitations. Moving from standing to laying is a part of this class, and all activities are adaptable. We will check in, and I will lead us through some warming movements on the ground and standing, before moving into spatial games and prompts that will awaken our awarenesses and animal readiness. 

We’ll use brief studies with partners using touch (this is optional and can always be done without a partner) to access awarenesses of our anatomies while moving in familiar and perhaps unfamiliar pathways. The class usually culminates with an open score of dancing, writing and witnessing, using language and images from the first half of class. 

Together at the end, we’ll create a shared written archive of what we remember, what questions we have, and what we saw."

about the artist
Alexa Solveig Mardon is an artist co-creating and seeking spaces for imperfect ritual, queer fantastical myth-making, and multi-sensorial solidarity across difference. Alexa’s work takes many forms including stage performance, poetry, biodynamic craniosacral therapy, movement classes for frontline support workers with Rianne Švelnis, and dreamwork + divination practices. As a queer settler artist living in collapse times, Alexa’s work and life are invested in the creation and sustenance of webs of support, enoughness and transformation with collaborators, community and more than human entities. Alexa's teaching centres dance class as a site for practicing whole body awareness, shared rhythm and contact nutrition, and increasing self-efficacy through playful, imaginative embodiments.

pricing
Regular pricing for Love Session is $35. We strive to provide pay-what-you-can access, varied accessibility measures, and a welcoming environment. Love-In offers a pwyc sliding scale by using the discount codes. You can find details below to help you decide how much to pay.

discount codes & donation options
ABUNDANT — add donation, no discount code used at check out
SUPPORTER — add donation, no discount code used check out
REDUCED — 25% off
SOLIDARITY — 50% off
ACCESS — 100% off (contact info@tolovein.com for barrier free registration)

about our pricing model
We offer a pwyc sliding scale by using the discount codes listed below at checkout. We ask that community members with a consistent income or salary pay at the regular price so that we can support community members with less access to income, wealth, or assets to attend barrier free. Thank you for locating yourself where best represents your economic situation and paying accordingly. This supports making our programs available to more folks for years to come!

abundant
This rate reflects a medium increase on the rate for the session. If you have access to a salary, savings, investments, assets, or generational wealth, paying this rate will subsidize the attendance of someone for whom cost is a barrier to attending. If you are moved to donate $10 or more, there is an option to do so.

supporter
This rate reflects a moderately increased rate for the session and will allow us to partially subsidize the attendance of folks for whom cost is a barrier. Please add a donation of $5 if you have access to a salary, savings, investments or assets. 

regular
This rate reflects the regular cost for the session. Please select this rate if you have access to a regular income and are able to meet your basic needs around food, housing and transportation.

reduced
This rate reflects the reduced cost for the session. Please select this rate if you are able to meet your basic needs around food, housing and transportation, but have gaps in your income and no access to savings or familial financial support.

solidarity
This rate reflects the solidarity cost for the session. Please select this rate if you are able to meet your basic needs around food, housing and transportation, but don't have access to regular income.

access
The option to access this session at no cost ensures that members of our community for whom price is a barrier to participation are able to join us. Please email us at info@tolovein.com to receive this option.

acknowledgements
Toronto Dance Love-In is thankful to gather on the traditional Indigenous territory of Tkaronto. This is the ancestral and unceded land of the Wyandot people, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Mississaugas of the Credit. We recognize them and any other Nations acknowledged and unacknowledged, recorded and unrecorded as the past, present and future caretakers of this Land. We are grateful to the Elders and Story-keepers who have been telling the story of this Land for generations. At Love-In, we are actively learning how to honour and upkeep the protocols of this territory and live in alignment with the treaties of this region. With these words we honour the Land and its caretakers. We commit to challenging the ongoing injustices and the impact of colonialism by providing spaces that operate from an anti-oppressive, social justice perspective.

Thank you to the Toronto Arts Council for their generous support.

Banner image by juli talerico