Expanded Bodies: Radical Art from Japan

Course Description

Summary

Bodies carry histories, geographies, and invisible structures of everyday life.
In the quiet threshold of morning, we take time to sense and attune to these layers.

This fully remote, early-morning course invites guest artists based in Japan whose practices emerge from unique intersections of culture, daily life, and embodied research. Without fixing them into categories, we will encounter a range of radical approaches that expand what “dance” and “body-based art” can be.

Through conversations with artists and classmates—held in an intimate, morning coffee-like atmosphere—we will explore how artistic practices are shaped by lived environments, cultural contexts, and personal rhythms. Following guest artist sessions, we will engage in movement explorations, compositional practices, and short creative prompts inspired by their work. Working in the quiet, generative energy of the morning, we will engage in gentle conditioning for mind, body, and attention—tuning ourselves to create, sense, and respond.

As access to an 8am Zoom may vary depending on individual circumstances, we will discuss together on the first day whether a slight adjustment (15–30 minutes) to the start time, along with a modest increase in outside-of-class assignments, would better support everyone’s participation.

No prior dance experience is required. Open to students from all disciplines, this course invites you to expand your practice through embodied inquiry, cross-cultural dialogue, and experimental making—together, yet apart!