Tribal SummerCamp!

I've just returned from teaching and performing at the Tribal Summercamp in Offenburg, Germany. Nestled in the beautiful Black Forest, this little festival has been my favourite event this year. Hosted by the lovely Gudrun Herold, the festival consisted of three teachers – Martina Crowe-Hewett (CA/DE), Martha Saunders (USA/DE) and myself – and performers from various parts of Germany and France. What was so great about this festival was the intimate and family feeling. It really reminded me what Tribal is about, and reflecting on the experience of being there really made me remember that Tribal is supposed to be about connection and sharing and being nice to each other. There was absolutely no feeling of competition and everyone was an equal to each other. I really appreciated that.

Gudrun, Martina, Martha, Alexis and Virginie

I arrived on Friday after an overnight stay at the airport in London. I didn’t get off to the best start. I couldn’t get a room at the airport hotels meaning I would have to sleep at the airport itself. No big deal for me, I’ve done it plenty of times before, however this was compounded by my husband booking my coach to Heathrow to arrive at the wrong terminal. Worried I would fall asleep and miss the train to the correct terminal, I dosed up on caffeine and stayed awake. Of course, this meant that on Friday I was exhausted! Alongside the other teachers and many of the dancers in attendance, I stayed with Gudrun and her family. Their generous hospitality made everyone feel so at home, her husband cooking us delicious dinners and entertaining us. Nothing was too much trouble.

Martina teaching

On Saturday I took Martina’s workshop Ooey Gooey which ran through some great drills for internalising movements such as omis, myas, taqsim, etc. Took some things away that I want to try with my students which is great! We then learned a short combination which we applied to different pieces of music to work a little bit on expression and musicality. Martina is a great teacher, I feel like I learn so much from her. I’d like to study with her a lot more. She has a vast amount of knowledge that I would like to learn.

I wanted to take both of Martha’s ATS workshops but I taught immediately after her on both days and I didn’t want to overdo it and aggravate my knee, so instead I observed her Saturday class which was based around advanced techniques. She taught the wrap around drop, which is a beautiful variation on my favourite slow move the wrap around turn, and had the students dance in an old-school stagger formation which looked really beautiful.

My first workshop was Seamless Combinations. This is always a favourite of mine because it allows me to share with people my approach to Tribal Fusion through movement drills and combos that get deep into the muscles that we need to be proficient in each move of the torso especially. I taught two combinations – one an old one from last year when I performed to Kiara by Bonobo, and a new combination I created especially for this class in Germany. More of a mini-choreography, the students seemed to like it and it was fun for me to teach.

Martina and I at the show

Saturday night was the show. I was performing two improvised solos and a duet with Martina. Martina and I had worked on the duet together when I stayed with her earlier in June and we had used spare moments in the weekend as opportunity to practice together. Here is one area where the Tribal connection really works for me. I came in with about half the dance choreographed, with the intention of having the whole thing done so she could just learn it, as she’d been in Vancouver teaching and then to Tribal Fest. However, it was just as well I hadn’t finished it. Her input to the choreography made it a much better choreo than if I had made it alone. I learned things from her that I would have never used by myself. It was a really good match I felt, as we share a similar taste for movements, and the creation of the dance came pretty easily. It highlighted to me the importance of collaborating with each other - learning from each other, creating something together and achieving something you wouldn't have achieved alone. 

My first dance was to a Filastine track which had a flamenco influence to it. I’m not sure if it’s exactly how I wanted it to be. I’d wanted to make a choreography but time ran away with me, and so I hope it’s at least an adequate representation of what was going on in my head. I’ve not been formally studying Flamenco, though I have taken private lessons and have been religiously watching my favourite flamenco dancer Belen Lopez for ideas. The purpose was to be influenced by the movements rather than being a flamenco fusion piece.  The second was to a piece I used in Prague – Amon Tobin and The XX. Again, I’ve not seen video of me performing to this track at any events yet so I don’t know what it’s turned out like! Then came the duet, which I think went really well. We both managed to remember the choreography and I think we worked well together on stage. It was really such a pleasure.

Alexis, Martha & Martina - Tribal Summercamp teachers!

Some amazing performances were in this show. Libra Sistas (a tribe from Germany consisting of four dancers from different parts of the country working together) were a fantastic reminder for me of what good ATS looks like. Innovative while staying true to the style, I really enjoyed seeing them perform. Martha too is an excellent performer of ATS – she performed two solos in the ATS style which were very beautiful, her slow piece being my favourite of the two. Martina and Gudrun also performed a duet, and I still have the music in my head now! Several other groups and soloists performed, including Gudrun’s tribe Devadasi Caravan – again another reminder of how unifying this dance is, the girls in the group come from Germany AND France (Offenburg is close to the French border and Gudrun teaches weekly classes in both countries). How amazing – some of them can’t speak German, others can’t speak French, and yet they can dance together, communicating through the body. That is what ATS is all about. The show had a really supportive atmosphere and the audience were really warm – I really enjoyed performing there. The complete lack of hierarchy and competitiveness is what really struck me as being beautiful about it.

After a very late night, Sunday was more workshops! I took Martina’s Off the Deep End which had lots of Suhaila style layering technique. I sat out of some of the workshop as I was so tired!! Usually even if I’m tired, exercising wakes me up. Not today! All I wanted to do was sleep! Martha’s workshop was about turns and spins which I really wanted to take but instead slept for a little while. I cannot tell you how tired I felt, and I was really suffering with allergies while there so I think that made me even more tired. Probably it was just as well I didn’t take the workshop, as spinning on certain flooring tends to torque my knee, but it would have been nice to get to observe.

Next was my turn - I was teaching my new workshop Open Up for Arm-ageddon (get it?!) which is all about opening the upper body and conditioning and drilling for the arms. I also gave the girls two tasks to work in groups which they excelled at. Their approaches to the tasks were really inspiring for me – to see how they took what I do and made it their own and showed me ways of using the arm movements in addition to moves that I wouldn’t have thought about using was very inspirational. Demonstrating that you can learn so much from your students – just as much as they can learn from you.

Sunday night consisted of a soak in the tub, a wonderful home cooked meal with marble cake and home made blackcurrant ice cream for dessert, as well as gorgeous strawberries and cherries; followed by watching England get defeated by Italy in the Euro 2012 match. An important match in the household as the winner will go on to play Germany.

On Monday I came home, but first a walk through the Black Forest – feeding the resident goats, choosing my Christmas tree and taking in the fresh air and stunning views, followed by tasting the fruit liquors made by Gudrun’s husband in his distillery business. Very delicious liquors! I brought home cherry liquor famous to the Black Forest, though I think my favourite was spiced apple (though it felt more of a winter drink. Perhaps I will order some from him over the internet!). After this Gudrun drove me to Strasbourg over the French border to do some sightseeing and cake eating before taking me to the airport in Stuttgart. Right now I’m writing this on the train back home from London. It’s 2AM and I still have another 30 minutes to go!

The long travels have been worth it though. I have come home so happy with such great memories and new ideas for myself as well as for my weekly students and people who come to my workshop. Seeing that the new workshop works in the format I’ve chosen for it is great. I’m so pleased with that.

Alexis & Gudrun in Strasbourg

I want to say a huge thank you to Gudrun for providing me with the opportunity to share my ideas on dance in Germany, and to perform for the first time there. It is a big step for me to take my workshops outside of the UK – exciting and scary all at once. But it has been great, and I loved every moment. I encourage people to attend this event next year if Gudrun is planning for the next one. It has a really positive vibe, she organises the whole thing really beautifully and if you need any more excuses: it’s in the Black Forest, there is Black Forest cake and all kinds of liquor available for purchase. Add in dancing all weekend and how many more excuses do you need?! A great event that it was an honour to be a part of.

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Alexis performing with Chaos
Carousel in Wolverhampton
Photo: Renee Chiu

At the beginning of June I hosted Hilde Cannoodt and Chaos Carousel - just wanted to have a quick mention of that in this blog - it was a great weekend, the show was superb with live music by the band and some amazing performers. I got to dance with the band in the show which was a very exciting and fun experience! The workshops were excellent, my personal favourite being Dance Expression. I strongly encourage others to attend a workshop with Hilde when they get the chance! She's an excellent teacher - a lot of knowledge broken down in a fun, interesting and unique way. I had a wonderful weekend and we raised a great 135 quid for Compton Hospice, the local charity we supported. Thanks so much to everyone who came and supported the event - we hope to see you again at the next show in October and for those who didn't come - you missed a great weekend. Make sure you're there for the next one, or you'll seriously miss out again!!

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This weekend I’m teaching my Breaking Through the Layers intensive day in Wolverhampton. Still spaces available – the first Layering workshop is getting a little full, but there is room for a few more, and more spaces in the intermediate/advanced workshop in the afternoon. Buy both and you get 5 hours for just £32 – an absolute bargain! Later in July I’ll be at Gothla UK performing, assisting my husband at his music mixing workshop and hopefully selling some jewellery! Then I’m performing at the Firewater show in London – Colleena Shakti is the headliner and I’m really excited to be taking workshops with her for the first time. And at the end of July is Barefoot Festival where I’m teaching a fluidity in Tribal Fusion workshop and performing in the show. A great little festival that one, I had a great time as an attendee a couple of years ago. Tai Chi in the morning – what a great way to start the day!

Hope to see you at a workshop or show in July!

A x