2023 Coming Home Retreat - Photos by Melissa Sung
About
This intensive is for movers, dancers, body workers, therapists and is open to anyone with basic experience of movement, dance and/or bodywork.
Working with our own intentions/personal inquiry and desire to heal/change something for ourselves, we draw from various somatic practices to help unearth and express our greatest potential and integrate meaningful change. We will give tools and practices to integrate the insights and discoveries of the workshop back into our lives.
We utilize the somatic practices of contact improvisation, improvisational dance, authentic movement, visionary craniosacral, bodywork, breath work and interaction with nature to support this voyage of coming home to ourselves through our bodies.
Alicia Grayson and Sabine Parzer as they describe their teaching methods, influences and the process:
Short version (3 mins): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1AUwuzhNzo
Deeper Discussion (28 mins): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1AUwuzhNzo
We will explore the play between the acrobatic/subtle, active/receptive qualities of being and dancing. We open a space for healing and nurturing the unseen, unknown and secret places within the Self and celebrate subtle power, clarity and expansion. We use dance and related techniques to let the bodies speak, to physicalize content and to embody wisdom from within. Meditations and visualizations clarify our intent, bodywork and somatic investigations support our integration. We work with solo, partnering and group processes.
The workshop is within a frame of the context of our larger lives and connects with deeper longings that yearn to be known and manifested. We will give tools and practices to take the insights and discoveries of the workshop back into our lives.
Teachers
Alicia Grayson
Alicia has been passionately involved with dancing, teaching and performing Contact Improvisation for the past 35 years. She has taught CI as an adjunct faculty at George Washington University, University of Denver, Naropa University and Shenandoah University. She teaches CI classes in Boulder, CO, and regularly travels nationally and internationally to teach. Her long time practices of authentic movement, yoga and pilates and her love of nature are important influences on her dancing and teaching. She facilitates somatically based transformational workshops, teaches yoga and pilates and works with individuals in-person and online. She is a certified Hakomi therapist, certified perinatal somatic attachment therapist, certified Feminine Power transformational coach and facilitator and certified Biodynamic Breath and Trauma Release practitioner. She delights in exploring and discovering new depths to contact improvisation and related disciplines and is particularly interested in the intersection of physics and expression and the mind/body relationship. She is dedicated to supporting her fellow humans to be the most amazing embodied beings that we are!
Sabine Parzer
Sabine Parzer is head and founder of the Holistic Dance Institute (founded 2010). In 2012 she also created the Contact Festival Austria, which she has been the artistic director of until 2017. Her professional experience spans 30 years of teaching, performing, choreographing and researching in the USA, Europe, Russia, Israel and Brazil.
Sabine has a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College Chicago in Modern Dance, and an education in Systemische und Integrative Bewegungslehre® (an extended Feldenkrais® Training). The in depth practice of Contact Improvisation and Authentic Movement begins 1997. Ongoing trainings since 1995 in Kleintechnique, ZenBodytherapy®, Yoga, White Crane Silat, Rosen Method®, Kashmirian Massage, Psychotherapy and family constellations a.o. She is currently studying Visionary Cranialsacral Work with Hugh Milne.
Sabine is a dancer, choreographer, dance-pedagogue, bodyworker, organizer and business owner. In her institute dancers, artists, bodyworkers, social pedagogues and psychotherapists are trained in Holistic Dance Teachers Trainings, Advanced Teachers Trainings, Retreats and open workshops. She teaches regularly at international dance festivals such as Impulstanz Vienna, Tanzfabrik Berlin, Tanzquartier Wien, Potsdamer Tanztage and has taught intensives at many contact festivals such as Israeli Contact Festival, Moscow Contact Festival, Kontakt Budapest, Contact in Rio de Janeiro, Osterimprofestival Göttingen, Ibiza Contact Festival and more.
Her choreographies and improvisational scores have been performed since 1990 in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Berlin, Moscow, Vienna, amongst other cities.
Between 1999 and 2013 she also worked as dance therapist at a rehabilitation center for people after work and traffic accidents.
She is a mother of two children.
LOCATION DETAILS
Salt Spring Island is a popular tourist destination. Travel during the summer months can be BUSY! Best to reserve your route as early as possible (reserve your flight or ferry travel).
We will organize a rideshare for those interested. Its also a great way to meet your fellow attendees before the gathering.
If you are coming by foot (i.e. no car) we can organize a pick up for you at the Harbour Air or Ferry terminals if you let us know in advance.
TRAVEL BY AIR to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) or Victoria YYJ Airport.
TRAVEL to Salt Spring Island BY AIR from Vancouver YVR Airport (select Richmond YVR Airport) on Harbour Air into Ganges Harbour on Salt Spring Island. The travel is 35 mins. This can be helpful if traveling to YVR airport already from elsewhere. You will need to transfer to the South Terminal via airport shuttle (free) or taxi (paid) (may take between 15 and 30 mins depending on traffic).
OR
TRAVEL to Salt Spring Island from Victoria Airport by ferry (take a bus or taxi to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal). Take ferry from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour, Salt Spring Island. See schedule here
TRAVEL BY SEA on BC Ferries. There are 2 options:
Travel direct from Tsawwassen ferry terminal to Long Harbour, Salt Spring Island (1 or 2 options daily). The crossing is 40 mins. See schedule here
Travel via Swartz Bay (Victoria)
Tsawwassen ferry terminal to Swartz Bay Terminal (Victoria) This option is available every hour daily. he crossing is 25 mins. See schedule here
THEN TRANSFER
Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island). This option available every approximately every 2 hrs daily. See schedule here
Travel questions? please ask: info@rhizomesprings.com
TRAVEL TO RHIZOME SPRINGS ON SALT SPRING ISLAND
We are located near the 7km mark of Musgrave Road. The road is not paved, but maintained and graded semi frequently. Although it can be rough, most vehicles can drive it without issue. The key is to DRIVE SLOWLY. We will send complete directions upon registration. Questions? info@rhizomesprings.com
Location Details
Salt Spring Island is a small town community (pop ~10,000). The closest store is 20 min drive (Fulford Harbour). The main town, Ganges, is 35 min drive away with a grocery store, ATM, cafes, pharmacy, small hospital and some general supply stores. There are no big box stores and limited amenities on island. The famous Salt Spring Island Saturday Farmers Market has fresh local produce and lots of famous artisanal food and crafts. There are lots of local farm stands selling home made/grown produce, baking, kombucha, soaps, teas, etc.
Tent/Car camping included. Please bring your own gear (tent, sleeping mat/bag). We have some tents/gear for rent (please inquire prior to coming if interested).
Potable water on site. Bring your own water bottle and mug for coffee/tea.
Bring clothes to dress in layers, as the weather is unpredictable. Sometimes cooler nights/mornings and very hot afternoons/eves.
Glamping Tents or Simple, basic cabins are available for rent for an additional cost/night. Please complete registration if you are interested and we can coordinate this for you. Questions can be directed to: info@rhizomesprings.com
We have showers. Only biodegradable soaps/shampoos please.
The ocean or lake are within a 10 min drive. Sensitive eco systems - no oils/soaps etc.
The land is a sensitive ecosystem and we count on you to respect and honour this by cleaning up after yourself, preserving water, being fauna and flora aware and embodying the animal this land asks for.
Stinging nettle is on the property. Brushing with this is NOT as severe as poison oak. Symptoms are a tingly-burny sensation (like having rubbed against sandpaper) that may last for a few minutes to few hours (depending on your sensitivity).
Bring: headlamp, footwear to meet a rugged landscape, sun hats, sunscreen, layered clothing, water bottle, mug for coffee/tea, journal, pen, tent, sleeping mat, bag, pillow, towel, toiletries.
Food
3 delicious meals provided (breakfast, lunch, dinner) lovingly prepared by our dancing resident chefs!
Always available: tea/coffee/fruit.
If you like to snack during the day, best to bring your own.
We source from local and organic foods as much as possible.
Meals are octo/lacto vegetarian.
We try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, so please complete the registration to let us know of any dietary needs you have.
COST
Full time PARTICIPANTS (Full 14 day retreat)
Part Time PARTICIPANTS (1st week only)
*price includes tuition, 3 meals/day, camping*
**Some work trade options possible. Apply here Work Trade
PAYMENT
Register here and then please send full payment to:
Canadian participants: via e-transfer to: info@rhizomesprings.com
Password: Cominghome
US participants can send payment with WISE to: info@rhizomesprings.com
This retreat will be capped at 35 participants.
**Payment plan possible. Inquire further to: info@rhizomesprings.com
REFUNDS
*Refund can be made until July 26th, less $300 non-refundable deposit.
**no refunds possible after July 26th.
***In case of cancellation of the event all receipts will be refunded less $50 admin fee.
the Studio
Most classes will take place in the 50-foot diameter dome, with walls open to fresh air and incredible views or at various outdoor locations.