Creative Workshop led by Artist Mimi Haddon, focusing on Masks and Movement
The immersive workshop "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits", led by photographer Mimi Haddon and Heidi Duckler Dance, invites participants to delve into the connection between communities and nature through dance. This innovative event explores the transformative and spiritual relationship between humans and the natural environment.
Mimi Haddon and Heidi Duckler are renowned for their site-specific and community-engaged dance works, which integrate environmental themes and cultural storytelling. In "BAKERU", they channel the spirit of natural landscapes and communal histories, fostering a participatory space where dance becomes a medium to explore how communities can reconnect and transform through interacting with nature.
This workshop combines guided movement, storytelling, and ritual to foster a sense of collective empowerment and environmental stewardship. Each group will create a "phrase" of physical movements that will be strung together to form a dance, and participants will even have the opportunity to create personal custom-made masks to enhance their performance.
No previous dance experience is necessary for this workshop, making it accessible to all. Heidi Duckler's work is inspired by location, history, and community, and she believes that the arts can change our vision of the world and of ourselves. Her company, Heidi Duckler Dance, provides learning opportunities and engages diverse communities.
Musician Joe Berry will provide musical accompaniment, and Heidi Duckler Dance members will offer an introductory presentation and guide participants through their movements. Mimi Haddon will also be present, photographing participants and providing them with the digital copy of their image.
Mimi Haddon is a professor of Photography and Design at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Downtown Los Angeles. She is currently working on a coffee table book about Palace Costume, one of the largest costume rental houses in Los Angeles.
The new dance will be performed in custom-made masks and costumes, promoting a sense of unity among participants. The workshop serves as a complement to the interactive exhibition "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits", and participants will receive complimentary masks to experience the exhibition.
Heidi Duckler has been creating place-based performances for more than 30 years, and her choreography evolution is closely tied to the places where her performances take place. Her company considers sites as catalysts and collaborators within the choreographic process.
In summary, "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits" offers a dynamic intersection of community engagement, nature exploration, and dance improvisation or choreography. This workshop aims to awaken participants’ connection to place, spirit, and each other, providing a unique and transformative experience.
- Art and culture are brought together in the immersive workshop "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits," where participants can explore the connection between communities and nature through dance.
- Mimi Haddon and Heidi Duckler, known for their site-specific and community-engaged dance works, are guiding the workshop, using dance as a medium to foster a deeper connection with nature and each other.
- The workshop combines guided movement, storytelling, and ritual, resulting in a collaborative dance performance that features custom-made masks and costumes.
- This workshop is not limited to professional dancers, offering an opportunity for individuals of all skill levels to engage with art, design, and the environment, and to connect with their community.
