Encounters with Landscape
Research Labs Series: Pembrokeshire
2013. 2015, 2016. 2017, 2018. 2022. 2023.
Encounters Series comprises an ongoing and annual site-sensitive ,research-led, land based workshops based around specific areas of the National Parks coastline of Pembrokeshire, Wales. The research takes the form of open-ended laboratory and workshop formats, open to a wide range of participants and is conducted in collaboration with Nick Parkin. Parkin and Rotie bring together their respecitve specialist backgrounds to ask a series of research questions, emanating from the encounter with the very special qualities of Land and environment found in Pembrokeshire.
''We explore how to physically open, sensitize and relate to the land, how to create material from a creative engagement and connection with nature and the site-sensitive, and look at the potentials for physical and creative responses given by each natural element.
Wind, rock, stone, earth, sky, sand, trees, become entities, partners, in an unfolding of sensitive engagement, listening, and tuning into the spirit of a place and of things as they are. We aim to de-center our human perspective and learn to see things from the point of view of an non-human perspective. To see with the eyes of fish, water, stone, grass and flower. Such a perspective is an urgent antidote to the erosion and disappearing of our relation to nature.'' (Rotie 2023)
''This workshop allows time to cultivate a fluid interface, and a widening field of perception, connecting our transformational body with the environment. Drawing upon over 30 years experience of Butoh, combined with expertise in voice, bodywork and soft martial arts, we search for the body of becoming.
What does it mean to ‘become something other?” How can we understand the body as not a fixed or separate entity, and instead surrender, listen, melt, breathe and move with the different pulses, energy and memories of plant, stone, sky, sea, rock, seaweed, lichen, limpets, earth?' (Rotie 2023)
Research Labs:
Pembrokeshire 2013. 2015, 2016. 2017, 2018. 2022. 2023.
Past Participant Comments:
Your teaching approach is extremely supportive, responsive and always positive and your generosity with your knowledge was exceptional. The amount of information, guidance, context and historical underpinning covered was enormous in the short time, all of which was consolidated through practical exercises and experiences. Your humanity and gentle humour communicated really well through the whole week. You were both extremely approachable. The group was very supportive of each other which only enhanced the experience .
(Simon Ringe: Senior Lecturer Fine Art Leeds Beckett)
Just wanted to say thank you so much for an amazing week of learning. Thank you everyone for being so kind and generous, I always felt welcome and safe. (Lizzie: Massage Therapist)
It is a great experience for me to feel the nature and reflect my on my life in city. Also I feel like I have experienced more about the philosophical thoughts behind butoh, nature and human which actually enriches my recent project about nature and theatre! I truly appreciate your teaching and the inspiration from this workshop. (Kit - MA student )