Emma Zangs Artist-Led Session: Playtime
If you are a movement artist and a parent of small child(ren) and would like to come together as a community to share experiences, this session is for you. Part workshop and part discussion, Playtime is a two-hour session where we explore what it means to be a new parent and an artist. Children are invited to play with us in the studio to enable us to experience and reflect on creating while parenting small children.
Playtime is a relaxed and welcoming space for artist parents to explore, experiment and move together while talking to one another as well as sharing the space with their children if needed and/or desired. Bringing your children is non-compulsory but a curiosity about working in the studio with children of any age is necessary.
If you consider yourself an artist working with movement you are welcome. No dance training or technique is required to attend the session. The session is open for movement artist parents of newborns to children aged 5 years. The space and facilities will be baby friendly, and we ask each artist to be responsible for no more than two children.
The two-hour session will include an introduction circle, warm-up, movement explorations, improvisations and sharing discussion. Playtime is an experiment where participants are invited to make the session work for them, follow activities and share their experiences. Come with a curious mind!
You can join the discursive part of this session remotely via Zoom at 11:30 on Tuesday 16 January for those that cannot attend in-person or would prefer to join online. You will be sent a PDF in advance outlining activities, that you are invited to do at home or after the session. Please check back soon for further information and how to book.
Part of Sadler’s Wells Artist Development Programme: Artist-Led Sessions. You can find out more about the selection process for this programme online here.
Header image © Emma Zangs
Emma Zangs
Emma Zangs is a Choreographer and Movement & Communication Coach based between London and Norwich. She holds an MA in Choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatoire and was part of Sadler’s Wells Summer University (2015-18).
From public speaking training for presentations, pitches and talks, to movement direction and choreography for fashion shows, editorial and dance workshops, Emma inspires people to move. Her Ted Talk ‘We Are All Dancers’ was delivered as part of TEDxWomen in 2019.
Since becoming a mother of two, Emma has faced many challenges to keep working as a choreographer and keeping her creative practice alive. Her questions and enquiries for the session are as follows:
- How can I keep creating while being a mother of young children?
- How to keep a creative practice when such life transitions occur?
- How can we adapt and include our lives into our creative practices?
- What happens when children come to create alongside us?
- What can children teach us or open in our creation process?
- Can they help us with being present, playful and wilder?
- Or should we just not bother because in a few years they’ll be in school and have grown?
Performances
Age 16 - 30?
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