Expressive Impulse Lab

Every person is unique - and everyone has creative potential. In the Expressive Impulse Lab, we use precisely this power as a resource: we combine pop music, movement and improvisation to create a lively experimental space.

Pop music is everywhere - and many of us know it intuitively. We use this proximity, play with familiar songs and put them into new contexts. We use dance to make music visible, translating sounds and lyrics into movement. Content that initially seems far removed from the musical mainstream can be given a tragicomic yet accessible dimension through the simple, often haunting language of pop music. For example, societal, political and social issues can not only appear rich in contrast, but can also be communicated in an understandable, entertaining and open way.

What we do in the workshop

• We explore the space, play with levels, directions and tempo and explore how our body works in space.
• We develop a feeling for expression, presence and contact in the group.
• Well-known songs serve as musical impulses from which qualities, moods and associations are translated into movement.
• These dance-improvisational impressions flow into a predetermined movement phrase.
• This is then interwoven with a spontaneously given theme , resulting in short choreographies.

Who is it for?

The workshop is open to anyone who wants to rediscover pop music, experiment creatively and develop their expression - dance experience is an advantage.

The workshop is run by students of the DSHS Master's degree program in Dance as part of the module "Career Orientation" and is offered in cooperation with TanzFaktur.

About Nicole & Francisco:

Nicole Hanke has been dancing since the age of three and has more than thirty years of dance experience. In the course of her career, she has led various school groups and dance clubs and now mainly teaches contemporary dance. She is studying for an M.A. in Dance at the German Sport University Cologne and has also completed the ADTV specialist dance teacher training in contemporary dance.

Francisco Bejarano Montes de Oca was born in Londrina (Brazil), the son of a Colombian actor and a Peruvian singer. After intensively exploring various dance styles in his home town of Saarbrücken, he moved to Berlin in 2011. He completed his professional training as a state-certified stage dancer in 2014 and subsequently worked on numerous dance and performance projects with various artists from the Berlin area, including Salvatore Siciliano, Friederike Hirz, Heidi Weiss, Alexandra Pirici, Sasa Queliz, Jair Luna, Nir de Volff/Total Brutal and many more. His international experience includes productions that have been performed in China, Israel, Scotland, Colombia, Poland and Germany. In addition to his freelance work as a dance creator, Francisco is currently studying for an M.A. in Dance at the German Sport University Cologne. His main concern is to develop interdisciplinary formats with social, intercultural and interdisciplinary content, to bring people into contact through movement