Claire Cunningham studio research weeks

with invited artist, maker and collaborator Dan Watson, dramaturge Luke Pell, Fia Neises and Maria Wünsche (Panthea)

Studio 2

Mon-Fri: 07. – 27.04. 10:30-17:30

Claire Cunningham with Dan Watson, Luke Pell, Fia Neises & Maria Wünsche/Panthea

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

In these research weeks Cunningham is joined by her artistic collaborators Co-Director Dan Watson, dramaturge Luke Pell, and other guests, to review some of her recent approaches to designing and deepening access in dance and performance productions, alongside the development of crip* technique/s in her body of work. Drawing on materials from the recent production and creative process for Songs of the Wayfarer, Cunningham will be developing different formats for teaching: scores, workshops, conversations and other modes of engagement to provide further insight into, and understanding of, her artistic and choreographic process and physical practice. The second week focuses primarily on audio-description for dance works; specifically solo performances. Cunningham and guests will be exploring the particularities of creating audio-description for solo performances in tandem with developing audio-description for performance in different languages as part of international touring.

Producing, Access & Artistic Development: One to One Mentoring Sessions.

Online

Wednesdays: 16.04. – 16.07.2025 14:30-18:00

(90 min session, by individual appointment)

Nadja Dias with Luke Pell

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to discuss, plan and produce their final showings, productions and/or other projects they are currently working on. In these sessions students can start planning ahead of their next semester projects or receive input and support in planning, communication and access provision as part of their projects and productions -considered in relationship to their developing practice. The sessions are tailored to each individual students’ needs, interests and level of expertise and can focus on drawing up timelines, tools for mapping practice and recurring thematic concerns, production plans, budgets and access riders. Students should have an artistic idea/ proposal or project they like to develop into a production or a keen interest to structure their developing practice and working methods.

Creating and managing your own Access Rider: One to One Mentoring Sessions

Seminarraum 2

Mondays: 21.04., 28.04., 02.06., 16.06., 30.06, 07.07. 13:00-15:00

Angela Alves

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to get familiar with the concept of Access Riders. The sessions are about upskilling disabled and/or chronically ill artists and arts professionals about what an Access Rider is, how to write it, what language to use and how to use it when collaborating with colleagues and institutions.

NETWORK NEURODIVERSITY

Care Pods & Sharing Circles: Cultivating Collective Care in Learning Spaces

Uferstudios, Studio 12

Mondays: 28.04. – 07.007. (05.05., 26.05., 09.06.) 16:00-19:00

Angela Alves

For: Studium Generale

This seminar is shaped as a Care Pod and will take place in a relaxed studio setting at Uferstudios in Berlin-Wedding, offering a space where we can build deeper bonds—where we feel heard, held, seen, and supported in this period of political crisis and threat. Drawing on Mia Mingus’ concept of Care Pods, this seminar explores how mutual care, trust, and interdependence can shape the way we learn and support one another. Rooted in the practice of Sharing Circles, we will engage in regular meetings throughout the summer semester, guided by the principles of free associative speech without interruption, judgment, advice-giving, or problem-solving objectives. Here, uninterrupted speaking and deep, active listening are at the heart of our practice. Participants will gain practical experience in creating and sustaining Care Pods, developing collective care strategies that challenge traditional hierarchical learning models. Together, we will cultivate a pedagogy of interdependence, resilience, and accountability, centering neurodivergent experiences and situated knowledge. This seminar is open to anyone invested in reimagining learning as a practice of care, solidarity, and transformation.

Neurocripping

Mo, Tue, Thu, Fri: 06.05. – 23.05.25

Angela Alves

For: BA 2,3

This training looks at dance from a neurological perspective and builds up on nurturing, soothing and comforting practices for the nervous system, making it feel seen and allowing it to thrive. Starting from the cultivation of the body's inner environment, we build up slow to escalating movement dynamics. The training seeks for the dancer’s empowerment to own their physical and emotional body and liberate pleasure in full performative expression.

Structure of the class:

• Rest practices for identity care

• Slow flow choreographies for emotional body care

• Each class will end with a pleasure practice for neuroplasticity based on funky club music or cheesy pop songs. Get some vibes here: www.youtube.com/wat

PHYSICAL EXPLORATION AND FACILITATION

MAP 1 Workshop

Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri: 20. – 23.05.25 14:00-17:30

Sigal Zouk & Angela Alves

For: BA

The Module 1 assessment asks you to prepare and lead a 15 minutes participatory learning experience for your peers based on a physical practice of your liking. In the course of your BA studies, you have so far encountered different approaches to body-focused training: somatic, improvisation, sequence oriented, etc. Along the experience of these methods, you will create your own brief moment of practice/training.

Your 15 minutes learning experience should

1) be based on a physical practice that evolves from a place of pleasure

2) be suitable as a participatory learning format

3) be suitable as a daily training offer in professional contexts

You should be able to briefly present and explain your approach in 2-3 minutes. Each training proposal will also receive a short peer feedback by the group during the assessment hours.

Listen & Lunch

Hybrid / online

Wednesdays 21.05. & 16.07. 12:30-14:00

90-min session

Claire Cunningham, Nadja Dias & guests

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to join Claire Cunningham, Artistic Associate Nadja Dias and invited disabled guest artists, peers and allies over lunch to listen to them discuss questions arising through artistic process. Stay on if you have time to join the discussion, share reflections or ask questions. These events recognise the importance of alternative formats for learning, particularly for disabled and neurodivergent learners and those living with long-term illness and chronic-health conditions. The team are committed to offering a range of digital and in presence formats throughout the professorship that allow people to engage with this project and their teaching both in person and remotely, in relationship to their access needs and as they may need.

The Artist as Producer: Introduction to producing for performance works.

Location tbc.

Wednesday: 21.05. 15:00-18:00 (group session)

Friday: 23.05. 10:30-16:30 (group session)

Thursday: 22.05. 12:00-19:30 (individual session)

Friday: 23.05. 17:00-19:30 (individual session)

Saturday: 24.05. 10:00-19:30 (individual session)

Nadja Dias

For: SODA 2 – 301

In this session Nadja Dias will introduce students to the concept of producing, the role of the producer and how this forms part of students’ developing artistic practice and career. We will consider that some of the best producers are artists - that making of art is to imagine what is possible: how to realize and implement our ideas by developing an understanding of project and time management, access and production planning, finances, team management and communication to give a fundamental understanding of all aspects involved in realizing a production or performance. Students will be introduced to specific tool to plan and realise their own productions and final performance works.

Artistic Development & Accessible Producing Practice:

Workshop Sessions (90-180 min in person sessions throughout the dates below)

Room: tbc. Seminarraum 2 or Studio 54 office

Thursday 22.05. 17:00-18:30

Friday 23.05. 14:00-19:30

Saturday 24.05 10:00-19:30

Nadja Dias

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Nadja Dias, Executive Producer/ Artistic Associate of Claire Cunningham invites students to register for one of these in person working sessions to look at their developing artist journey, career progression or focus on one’s own production or project development. Based on participant’s starting point and material we will discuss interests, challenges and specific questions to map out an individual’s development journey. We will consider how participants can start developing skills and use tools to start producing their own work and imagine how to realize their artistic productions. We will enter a dialogue to question and reflect on artistic practices and working methods, consider access in response to differing lived experiences as well as practical access considerations to shape one’s practice more broadly and inform an aesthetics of access in productions. Together we will go on to discuss other pertinent production or planning related questions arising and how we might approach the practical implementation of access in our own work. Sessions run to crip time and are offered either in spoken English or spoken German.

Wayfarers

Studio: tbc-

Tuesday-Friday: 27. – 30.05. 10:30-17: 30

Claire Cunningham

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Drawing on research into wayfaring and journeying, these days will explore acts of stravaigin (a Scots word meaning to stroll or wander), walking* and navigating. Claire Cunningham will share material and movement scores from her recent performance work, Songs of the Wayfarer. In these sessions we will consider a range of different influences and philosophies from Crip and disabled identifying artists and thinkers, and their lived experiences, as a point of departure for students reflecting upon and sharing their own ways of moving through the world. Together we’ll move between different modes of conversation, journeying and companionship to think in relationship to our own experiences of time, energy and attention, asking questions such as ‘what does walking* mean for me?’ 

The week will include reading and discussion of texts (in English) by leading disabled and Crip writers (please note reading content will be kept minimal and can be provided as audio with advance notice).

It matters that you are here: Intensive

Tuesday-Friday: 03. – 06.06. 10:30-17: 30

Claire Cunningham

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

This intensive is aimed at HZT students, Disabled* and crip** identifying, across UdK and disabled artists. Disabled here is used to encompass disabled, d/Deaf, neurodivergent, chronically ill and people living with long-term health conditions.

Join Claire Cunningham and guest artists toshare and craft practical access strategies for artistic performances/experiences. This intensive is designed as a way of exploring methods and highlighting questions around aspects such as:

• Seating choice and layout, ease of leaving… among other things.

• Creating pre-show access statements, information or show introductions

• Sound notes or transcripts,

• Audience entrance/exits,

• Accessibility of marketing copy/language

• Audience access/welcome/ pre-show and after-care

Together, we will consider simple/lo-fi strategies that can be implemented. This will include, but not be limited to:

• How we can collectively create a space where we offer ideas to each other

• Practicing room layouts, welcomes, etc

• Draw on strategies Cunningham and her team already use.

• Students can also use this space as somewhere to dedicate time to thinking about this aspect of their work and/or hear others questions and ideas.

*Disabled is used from a social model of disability perspective.

**Crip is a political and cultural identity embraced by some disabled individuals.

It matters that you are here: one-to-one sessions

Location tbc. Atelier 54/ EPP Office

Saturday 31.05. 10:30-17:30

45-90 min one-to-one sessions

Claire Cunningham

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to book a 45-90min slot with Claire Cunningham to discuss, share and explore concerns and questions about access in regard to upcoming sharings/showings.

Mentoring

Online

Various dates throughout the semester

(90 min session, by individual appointment)

Claire Cunningham

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, maC

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to reflect on questions or concerns around – artistic practice and process, development, creative access and care.

Artistic Research

24.02. – 02.03.2025 Marcio Canabarro & Sindri Runudde

03.03. – 09.03.2025 Juli Reinartz

10.03. – 16.03.2025 Angela Alves and guests

07.04. – 13.04.2025 D. Watson, B. Wells, C. Cunningham

14.04. – 20.04.2025 D. Watson, B. Wells, C. Cunningham

21.04. – 27.04.2025 Dan Watson, Claire Cunningham, Luke Pell

22.09. – 27.09.2025 C. Cunningham and guests (tbc)

06.10. – 12.10.2025 Marcio Canabarro & Sindri Runudde

Read more about the Research Weeks here.