Photo Credit: Carol Gandra
Class Description:
Image. Movement. Word.
The class will start with an energetic, physical warm-up that integrates multi-modal creativity into contemporary dance practice. We will make use of improvisation, guided imagery, poetry, and mindfulness practices with movement to warm up both the body and the mind. We will focus on expanding physical creativity and tapping into new sources for movement creation. This class invites unapologetic movement from pleasure and expanding the expression of our dance languages.
Alina is in process of developing new works. Here are two hints: future renaissance ||| zen punk ikebana. We will integrate inspirations points from these themes into the class.
Alina approaches each class with a philosophy of being kind to the body, kind to the mind, curious about the present moment, and exploring the artistic, physical, and relational potential within movement.
Alina Sotskova is a professional dancer and choreographer with an integrative, contemporary approach to her dance practice. Alina began studying dance at a young age in Crimea, Ukraine. After immigrating to Canada as an adolescent, her connection with dance was interrupted. She returned to dance years later to focus specifically on studying contemporary dance and ballet. She has choreographed and performed in many contemporary dance works across Canada. She has presented original choreography in collaboration with Victoria Dance Theatre, Dance Victoria, Flux London Dance Festival, Broken Rhythms, Scotiabank Dance Centre, and Addo Platform, among others. In her dance practice, she uses movement and an emphasis on pushing her own boundaries of imagination and physicality to explore the psychological and philosophical questions she is interested in.
To her artistic endeavors, she also brings an academic, philosophical perspective, which she integrates with an embodied perspective of dance, movement, and the body. Alina holds a PhD in clinical psychology and her work emphasizes existential and psychodynamic psychology, which influences Alina’s framework of art and dance making. As the Founder and Artistic Co-Director of Voirelia: Dance, Psychology, and Philosophy Hub (voirelia.com), Alina creates contemporary dance works, develops dance pedagogy, and curates interdisciplinary art events.