Somatic Workshop: Butoh & Ritual Movement

Name: Somatic Workshop: Butoh & Ritual Movement
Start: 2025-02-01T11:00:00-06:00
End: 2025-02-01T14:00:00-06:00
Location: The Interchange

Schedule

Sat Feb 01 2025 at 11:00 am to 02:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

The Interchange | Houston, TX

Hello All you beautiful beings. I am very excited to begin again hosting dance workshops twice a month this 02025 Winter season.
PLEASE READ FULL WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION.
*PLEASE COME PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKSHOP IN IT'S ENTIRETY. THIS IS A DEEP DIVE INTO SOMATIC PRAXIS AND IS A WORKSHOP WHICH REQUIRES RADICAL PARTICIPATION ON MANY DIMENSIONS, COME PREPARED TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND TRY NEW THINGS WITH YOUR BODY THAT MAY BE CHALLENGING OR HIGHLY NOVEL FOR YOU*
This workshop will be a guided somatic journey, where participants are invited to explore their bodies in new & possibly challenging ways. Drawing from elements of Japanese Butoh Theater, Ritual & Elemental Dance, contact improv, & vocal activation, these practices invite us to dive deeper into what is possible with our human bodies and voices, & how we can utilize these cymatic & somatic practices in our daily efforts to regain clarity of consciousness and potentially RADICALLY redefine and expand our perception of REALITY and BEAUTY. We will explore many different somatic practices, guided by words & images from the workshop guide, who's intention are to open our bodies to an ever-evolving process of discovery, in turn deepening our awareness & connection to our bodies. We will explore both solo practices and then also group practices. We will move, we will feel, we will honor all lineages, we will dive deep & transform the subconscious into conscious motion on our own and together!
* human skin on skin contact & general closeness is a guarantee at this workshop. These are intimate, solo & group guided somatic explorations, so please come with that in mind & if you are not ok with that, then please honor that these teachings may not be suitable for you at this time. If you need greater clarity on what exactly that means, please contact me directly. *
*In these workshops we often explore themes that encompass the shadow part of the human experience, as well as exploring extremes with the body in general. This may include the practicing of dying, birthing, very slow or very fast movements, embodying elements of nature, exploring the dancing of the face with radical emotional engagement, and many other aspects. This work has the potential to instigate catharsis. Please know that for this work to have an impact one must come with an open heart and mind, in full trust of the workshop guide, their own bodies and intuitions, and in the beauty of radical expression. I have found that some who have come to this workshop have not been ready for that level of commitment and engagement, so I now choose to emphasize that it is important that you ask yourself if you are prepared to engage in this way, and if not, then there may be a more suitable entry point for your somatic activation journey ( for example: yoga, ecstatic dance, contact improvisation, drum circles).*
* People of all Nations and Genders are Welcome - I Intend these practices to engage and transcend limited social constructs which often pressure us in our daily living. No peoples under 18 years please. If you have a physical disability, please contact me directly to chat so we can see if this workshop is suitable for you.*
This workshop will be a CLOSED CONTAINER - Meaning that everyone in the space is participating in the practice, THERE ARE NO SPACES FOR JOINING AS AN ONLOOKER/WITNESS. Also meaning that before the workshop begins I will be closing & locking the doors to the venue so no late comers can enter. So please arrive early at 1045/50 or so to settle into the space & prepare yourself for the workshop at 11. This closed container deeply supports the unique & possibly intense element of this practice & ensures that everyone present feels safe & a part of an uninterrupted concerted group effort.
- The workshop will be 3 hours strait with no breaks (besides bathrooms & water), so PLEASE COME PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WHOLE WORKSHOP & please eat breakfast (or fast), hydrate, get good sleep & stretch before you arrive so you can become fully immersed in the practice.
*SOBRIETY is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED for this work so that we may be immersed in the "silent language of the body"(Pablo Bobbio) without any external sensory assistance. This practice has the potential to be consciousness altering on it's own. Plant Medicines (or drugs) tend to be a distraction from the core of this practice. If you choose to show up intoxicated, know that you may be asked to leave the workshop if it is interfering with yours or another's participation, we reserve this right in loving consideration of all attending.*
Please wear more fitted clothing & plain colors with NO IMAGES OR LOGOS. Skirts and dresses are not recommended. Also, upon arrival please remove all jewelry & watches.🙏
This event is facilitated by Ybub Levi in hopes to offer participants an opportunity to engage deeper in the transformative embodiment practices of Butoh & collective ritual dance.
This workshop is donation based, with a sliding scale suggested minimum of 20-30$. But no one will be turned away. If you have no money to contribute, please consider the practice of bringing a dollar to put in the donation jar as to contribute in some energetic way. OR show up at 10 to help me clean the floors & prepare for the workshop. And, if you can give extra to help cover someone less fortunate, please do so. I believe greatly in these practices to aid in an individual's mental, emotional, & energetic development, and so I'd like to share them with anyone who wishes to join, regardless of financial exchange.
You can pay when you arrive, or prepay if you prefer. cash, zelle, paypal, venmo.
Please send payment/prepay to
Venmo- Robert-levy-432
PayPal - [email protected]
About the facilitator :
Ybub has been studying Butoh & somatic ritual with many different teachers, & as his own personal discipline since 2014. (teachers: Maureen Freehill, Diego Pinon, Joan Lage, Sherry Brown, Julie Becton Gillum, Jacquelyn Shannon, Cypress Fisette, Pablo Bobbio "SLOTB") Before this, he was immersed in a similar ritual/prayer practice through music improvisation & composition from 2001-2014 releasing 13 albums with the group he co-founded with Mason VanKraayenburg, Enloom, & over 15 more albums as a solo artist or in collaboration with other groups & projects. He believes deeply in the ability for dance and music to aid in the development of an individual's mental, physical, emotional, and social health. His mission statement is to bring song, dance and play back into the home/ public zones, and off the stage, where these practices of play and connectivity have their origins in many ancient cultures. It's time to sit by the fireside again and reclaim the lost stories and wisdom of our Elders. Daily practice of song, dance and play can, and will aid in this recovery of healthy familial interactions in the home and beyond.