Welcome to the 11th season of Movement Artisans 

DANCE AS A RESEARCH PRACTICE

axis syllabus/contact improvisation/somatics 

Introductory Module + 5 Modules including 3 week Summer Residency

November 2025 - October 2026​​​​

​

Our program “Dance as a Research Practice” is inspired by two foundational approaches: Contact Improvisation and the Axis Syllabus.These form the core of the training. Both initiatives inspire dancers to engage with questions of perception, agency, and embodiment, encouraging them to approach movement as a form of inquiry and knowledge-making as well as expression. This modular training is aimed at dancers, movement artists, athletes, therapists, and scholars who wish to deepen their practice, connect theory and movement, and shape dance as a medium for transformation. Each module is enriched by contributions from somatic practitioners, scholars, and artists who open up diverse perspectives on embodied knowledge. At the heart of the program is self-directed learning: it offers impulses, guidance, and tools to actively shape your own learning path. Movement Artisans are long-standing members and supporters of the Lake Studio community. They create creative and dynamic learning spaces where individual research can flourish – and the joy of movement remains alive.

​

 

The « Introductory Module » gives an opportunity: to engage with our core curriculum (before the start of the 11th season of Movement Artisans). Whether you are new to our program or looking to dive deeper, this module provides a comprehensive introduction and a chance to begin your journey with us. ​

​

 

Introductory Module:  November 3 - 9 (1 week)

​

with Kira Kirsch, Antoine Ragot and Peter Pleyer

 

Becoming Tender - neuromuscular repatterning

The evolutionary echo of hips and shoulders

Body as Witness - a somatic history lab

​

 

Module #1  December 29 - January 11 (14 days )

​

with Kira Kirsch, Antoine Ragot, Jörg Hassmann, Johannes Anzenhofer & Nica Portavia

​

Heels & Hips - articulate masses

Lightness & Yielding - scales of sharing weight

Channeling Forces - embodying physics

Rhythm & Pulse - music and musicality

​

 

Module #2: February 23 - March 1 (7 days)

​

with Kira Kirsch, Antoine Ragot and Nina Wehnert

​

Spine, Midlines & Presence

Nervous System & Fluids BMC®

Crawl, Walk, Run, Fly - interconnecting legs and arms anatomically & in coordination

​

​

 

Module #3: April 27 - May 3 (7days)

​

with Kira Kirsch, Antoine Ragot and Filippo Serra

​

Bones Whispering - Paleoanthropolgy & Comparative Anatomy

Functional Flow - strength building for dancers

Tone, Tension, Tissue Response

​

 

Module #4: June 8 - 28 (21 days)

​

with Kira Kirsch, Antoine Ragot, Katja Mustonen, Nina Wehnert and more...

program coming soon..

​

 

Module #5: September 21 - 30, 2026 (10 days)

​

program coming soon..

​

​

​

Research Days: October 1 - 3, 2026

​

​​

​

 

​

​

 

 

​

​

​​

FAQ​

​

• Modules are open for individual booking, yet we give priority to those joining multiple modules — nurturing a steady, balanced core group that can grow together over time.

• We invite you to share a short introduction to your background, so we can sense how our shared space might best support your learning and exploration.

• Over the course of the season, the material is composed like a mosaic — non-linear in form, returning to and revisiting topics from slightly different angles, allowing ideas to refract, deepen, and connect in unexpected ways.

• Beginnings are Mondays with registration opening at 9am and Sessions starting at 10am. Ending times vary. Details are indicated in the application form. 

​

​

PRICES & APPLICATION FORM