Technologies of Relating

Technologies of Relating

Technologies of Relating is a participatory workshop series that explores embodied movement as a fundamental technology for enhancing human connection and interaction. This series invites participants to delve into the art and science of movement, understanding how our bodies communicate, connect, and create relationships in both analogue and digital spaces. The series is presented by Partnering Lab and metaLab (at) Harvard, in partnership with the Office for the Arts at Harvard (OFA) Dance Program.

Throughout each workshop, participants will engage in a range of activities designed to deepen their awareness of physical presence and enhance their ability to relate to others through non-verbal communication. The workshops will be facilitated by experts in a range of embodied practices, including both codified to improvisational forms. Each session aims to expand the participants’ understanding of how movement can be harnessed as a powerful tool for expression and interaction, investigating empathy, cooperation, and deeper social understanding.

Workshop Goals:

• Innovate Through Movement: Experiment with creating new ways to use movement as a tool for connection, including collaborative performances and interactive movement games.
• Explore Embodied Communication: Learn how the body communicates beyond words, using movement to express emotions, intentions, and narratives.
• Cultivate Mindful Presence: Enhance awareness of one’s own physical and emotional state and how this influences interactions with others.
• Foster Relational Skills: Develop skills in reading and responding to others’ movements, facilitating empathetic and effective interpersonal engagements.

Participants will leave the series with not only a richer understanding of the communicative potential of movement but also practical skills and experiences that can be applied in personal, professional, and creative contexts. They will gain tools to foster healthier and more meaningful relationships and be inspired to continue exploring movement as a vital technology in daily life.

Technologies of Relating is designed for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of movement, technology, and social interaction. Workshops will be highly interactive and participatory, with activities taking place both individually and in groups. Individual sessions are also crafted to stand alone, accommodating new participants at any stage. Ideal for anyone curious about the potential of embodied practices to transform our ways of relating, this series promises a deep dive into the communicative power of the human body. All bodies and physical abilities are welcome.

Workshops

Flockworks Workshop

This class will begin with a FLOCK warmup focused on strength and stabilizing exercises coupled with improv based explorations. This will lead into learning excerpts from repertory and an exploration of FLOCK’s unique style and philosophy. The emphasis of the class is on researching physicality and finding and inhabiting personal artistry. Presented by the Partnering Lab and metaLAB (at) Harvard, in partnership with the Office for the Arts at Harvard (OFA) Dance Program.

• Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024 · 10:00am–12:00pm EDT
• Location: Harvard Dance Center
• Register on Eventbrite

Somatic Partnering

Somatic Partnering offers a framework to develop meaningful connection, physical sensitivity, and train focused attention on mutual attunement with others. Throughout the workshop, participants are guided through a series of partnered movements that promote receptivity, responsiveness, and resilience. Movements focus on subtle shifts in position, orientation, and direction communicated between partners. Partnered movements are designed to be cumulative and iterative, layering information into a meditative, generative, shared experience between partners. Each class involves “flow” sessions for partners to play, troubleshoot, and explore transitions between movements. Come as an individual or with a partner - no previous dance experience required (ages 18+ welcome).

• Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025 · 1:00–3:00pm ET
• Location: Vivid Oblivion
• Register on Eventbrite

Valentine’s Day Mixer & Jam with Somatic Partnering

A Valentine’s Day mixer and jam that will begin with an all-levels workshop on Somatic Partnering developed by Dr. Ilya Vidrin, Research Fellow at metaLAB (at) Harvard and Director of the Partnering Lab. Somatic Partnering offers a framework to develop meaningful connection, physical sensitivity, and focused attention on mutual attunement with others. Throughout the workshop, Dr. Vidrin will lead participants through a guided series of partnered movements that promote receptivity, responsiveness, and resilience. The movements will focus on subtle shifts in position, orientation, and direction communicated between partners.

• Date: Friday, February 14, 2025 @ 5:30–8:00pm ET
• Location: Harvard Dance Center

Proxies

The critical questions of this project are:

What is the relationship between dance and technology?
How can the kinesthetic dimensions of interaction be made visible?

Ilya Vidrin and Partnering Lab’s project continues the research conducted during their 2020 ArtLab residency, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They will spend a week in March 2025 at ArtLab developing a new performance.

Proxies is a transdisciplinary dance theatre production set to premiere in 2026 at the intersection of performance, computation, and information design. Drawing on research in data privacy, loneliness, and ethics of care, the project is intended as a provocation to consider not only the limits of what can be captured through technology but also how the fidelity of what is captured may be compromised when moving across kinesthetic, computational, visual, and musical representations.

This project development at ArtLab brings together a team of collaborators, including multi-instrumentalists Eric Seligman and Melanie Hsu; Ilya Vidrin, Artistic Director and Steven Geofrey, Design and Data Visualization. Dancers include Dara Capley, Elizabeth Epsen, Hannah Franz, Raxel Kempenaar, Leah Misano, Valeria Solomonoff, and Cassie Wang.

The development of this project is also supported by the Knight Foundation, The Boston Foundation, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.

• Date: March 2025
• View Event

AKB + Co Film Screening

A screening and discussion of Ali Kenner Brodsky’s newest film triptych. There will be a faciliated artist talk-back with the creative team and short reception will follow the screening. your love: beside me (choreographed, directed, and produced by Ali Kenner Brodsky) explores the dichotomy of love being in our past and supporting our steps forward. This new film work series is based on three duets (performed by Ilya Vidrin and Jessi Stegall) and challenges the stigma around grief by giving audiences a moment to be present with their personal experiences of loss. This work was created with generous support from the Movement Arts Creation Studio.

• Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 @ 7:00–9:00pm ET
• Location: Coolidge Corner Theatre
• Register on Eventbrite

Fusion Dance Party with Somatic Partnering and live DJ

Join a Fusion dance party that will begin with an all-levels workshop on Somatic Partnering developed by Dr. Ilya Vidrin, Research Affiliate at metaLAB (at) Harvard and Director of the Partnering Lab. This session will evolve into open fusion dance party with live DJing by Omari Hayles. For all abilities and levels of experience. No previous dance experience necessary!

In partnership with metaLAB and Partnering Lab.

• Date: Friday, October 10, 2025 @ 6:00–9:00pm ET
• Location: Harvard Dance Center, 66 Garden St., Cambridge, MA
• Register through Harvard