PDCS: Movement Improvisation Class for Creative Music

This class by Aaron Pond is an elucidation of concepts in visual arts, creative music, and free improvisation being applied directly to the visual and kinesthetic field.

The primary modalities are a blend of afro-logical concepts (such as Multi-dominance), phenomenology, environmentalism, early kabbalastic practices, and neuroscience.

The ultimate goal is the creation of a “improvised global unity between dancers and musicians” occurring within juxtaposed actions. This to be noted, occurs outside of the context of a “groove”. We will create sturdy, multi-valent coherences, capable of retaining themselves inside of wildly changing contexts, capable of withstanding failure.

Our actions should appear as the light passing through many frames of stained glass. Our actions are a form of catalyzed empathy.

In teaching, he will be joined by dance artist, Mijkalena Smith, who will demonstrate and facilitate these goals through movement. Smith’s approach includes fast paced decision making, sonic and spatial observation, and rhythmic body percussion drawing from post-modern and African diasporic techniques.

Movement will exist both as visual representation of musical output and as an independent expression in contrast to sound. Dancers will be invited to find ways to build connection, both with musicians and fellow dancers, strictly outside of contact improvisation.

This class is open to all.

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Aaron  Pond is a musician, concert promoter, and  community organizer active in  Philadelphia. His improvisational  practice is drawn from early  atonal music, the playful spirituality of  the AACM, and a South Florida childhood spent in synagogues and swamps.  His scholarly pursuits center the universal aesthetic structures of  spirit possession and the marking  power of ritual. Utilizing French horn, homemade flutes, extended vocal technique, and breath controlled synthesizers, Aaron’s performance is a volatile channeling where anything might happen.

Aaron has several active bands-- BORBS, Inverse and Obverse, Argyle Torah,  Toro Bravo, and Boldt Fog. His curatorial work has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Broad Street Review. He is a graduate of the embattled New College of Florida and given lectures on music at the University of Pennsylvania, Curtis Institute of Music, and Temple University. As a performer/thinker he has closely collaborated with Pew Fellows- Karen Smith, Toshi Makihara, and Dan Blacksberg.  He is the President of the People's Music Supply, and damn proud of it.