WORKSHOP WITH CAROL PRIEUR

Carole Prieur is a master of transformations. At the end of her class I was undulating wildly, staring my dancing partner in the eye without hesitation or judgment, screaming, “I’m a LION!”... but how on earth did I get here?

The class continually evolved, taking us from one plane of existence to the next without a moment for hesitation or doubt. There was no time to snap a photo or drop out of the activity either physically or intellectually. A constant conversation was taking place between my heels and my pelvic floor, my diaphragm and the roof of my mouth.

There were four levels of awareness with which to sense the space and line ourselves up with the architecture of the room. The soles of my feet had roots that pulled me into the floor and interlaced with an underground system of plant life belonging to the other participants of the class. We placed a pair of eyes on our hamstrings, then our elbows, the top of our head, our spines, sensing each other. Movement transformed into breath, riding the waves of its sound. That breath turned into words, which transformed into movement. We were connecting with people in the room through witnessing, listening to a nonsensical story and responding on impulse with an open enthusiasm.

Carole Prieur is fascinating to watch. She quite literally transforms before your eyes, and if you let her, she will take you on a wild adventure. Who knows what kind of beast you could turn into?

Ainsley is an Edmonton based performer, choreographer, and educator who works in contemporary dance and theatre. She is a collective artist with the Good Women Dance Collective.