Jan. 29th to 2nd, 2024 – 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Mon.-Fri.)
Full week rate : $70
Drop-in class rate : $20 (available one month prior)
Language of instruction : French
Questions can also be asked in : English and Haitian Creole
Open to artists of all disciplines
The mask could be mandatory for some activities as an accessibility measure for our teachers or participants. For more information, click here.
CONTENT
The Esans method explores dynamic, conscious and free movement, increasing muscular strength and flexibility while bringing out each dancer’s personality. The method is inspired by the fundamentals of ancestral Haitian dance. The workshop consists of two segments: the first part is creative research based on an intention, an object, a text, a song, etc. The second part is dedicated to movement according to certain rhythmic codes and movements linked to the exploration of the beginning. Participants are invited to use their imagination to develop a conscious dialogue with their body, while remaining connected to the group. This technical work refers to notions of center, gravity, verticality, undulation, contraction and the search for support.
ACCESSIBILITY
During this workshop, explanations are given orally and by demonstration. Descriptions, sometimes metaphorical, are given to help understand the movement in its entirety and to discover it in detail. There is no intensity in cardio, but there can be intensity in speed and rhythm. The workshop takes place mostly standing up, but exercises can be adapted to suit participants’ physical abilities. You may be invited to use writing / drawing / line. There will be occasional group moments, and if physical contact is proposed, consent will be sought. The workshop mostly focuses on individuality and finding your own process and sensations. Music is at a normal or even low level, as we speak over it. I use body percussion and potentially maracas to keep the rhythm.
BIOGRAPHY
Shérane Figaro is an artist, choreographer and performer. Her artistic approach explores the relevance of the messages and principles of traditional Haitian dance to contemporary choreography.
Alongside choreographic creation, Shérane places great importance on training. Shérane has been teaching traditional Haitian dance for over twenty years. In 2016, she developed the Esans technique, which teaches the basic principles of traditional Haitian dance that can be used in a creative context. Through workshops, Shérane creates spaces for encounters with other choreographers who want to explore themes related to ancestral Afro-descendant dances in their creative processes.
She is also a professional member of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD). In 2021, Shérane was nominated for the CALQ’s Prix de l’année, for the Laval region.