Photo: Richie Lubaton
Cover Photo: Maya Francis
Class Description:
This W*acking workshop is an open level class focussing on arm + full body technique, clarity in our pathways, posing, storytelling, and building our own vocabulary within the dance form by beginning with our deepest desires when it comes to our instincts.
Each day will start with a relaxation warm-up, slowly building full body intensity into arm drills/patterns and then breaking off into a focus for the rest of the class. Each day will build off of the last, offering creative tools alongside a strong foundation so artists can start to be curious about how they want to approach this freestyle dance.
**W*acking is a nuanced and social freestyle, street/club dance originating in the 70s in Los Angeles by the queer Black & Latino community - therefore classes will focus on freestyle and less on choreography***
Simran Sachar is an East Indian/Punjabi dancer, choreographer, and actor. She began her dance training at the age of 3 in the style of Ballet. Currently she ranges in Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, W*acking, and Hip-Hop. In this present time and through interdisciplinary work, the themes she is uncovering are: distorted memories and how they disfigure us, the duality of relief and grief, and identity.
Simran’s latest film with XR technology, premieres in 2024. Her XR film, BETA बेटा was presented at Luna Arts Festival 2021 in Revelstoke. In 2020, her first film ‘LUNACY’ was a part of the National Arts Centre time capsule and premiered at F.O.R.M Film Festival and won the Official Selection of the Audience Choice Award. Simran made her acting debut in 2023 as the lead actor and assistant choreographer in Alberta Theatre Projects showing of Bombay Black as Apsara. Most recently, Simran is the Winner of 2023’s Release Yourself Whacking Battle in Montreal at Artfulness Festival. Simran’s credits include Netflix, CW Riverdale, The Vancouver Opera, Dairy Canada, The Vancouver Art Gallery, Dancing On The Edge, OFF-Parcours Danse, F.O.R.M Festival, Apple TV, National Arts Centre, Fringe Manila and more.