Formation/Transformation: Structure as a Pathway to Freedom

Join Meshi Chavez for "Formation/Transformation," a dance workshop that explores the vital connection between structure and freedom. What role do precision, constraints, and frameworks play in fostering transformation? In what way does form serve as a pathway to discover liberation?

This workshop examines form, structure, and constraints as avenues for more expressive movement while encouraging improvisation, choice, and discovery. Instead of perceiving limitations as obstacles, we will explore them as creative catalysts that deepen our awareness and expand our expressive skills. Chavez will guide participants through an immersive exploration of specificity, demonstrating how disciplined embodiment can unlock new realms of creative expression.

In this workshop, Chavez will lead participants in using presence to fully inhabit each moment, emphasizing genuine discovery over polished movement. We will consider embodiment not as a final destination but as a dynamic starting point for deeper creative expression and connection.

Whether you are new to Butoh or an experienced dancer, this workshop provides a vibrant space to engage with the transformative power of dance, courage, and creativity, fostering a deeper connection with the world around you.

Meshi Chavez is a seasoned Butoh practitioner, queer artist, and MFA graduate from the University of the Arts. As a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at Middlebury College, his work explores embodiment, presence, and the radical potential of movement. Chavez has trained extensively with Butoh masters Natsu Nakajima and Denise Fujiwara, shaping his approach to dance as a practice of deep inquiry. His workshops create space for divergence, spaciousness, and the shedding of colonial legacies, fostering a profound connection between movement, creativity, and Queer Futurity.