Our Associate Members are currently completing the Introductory Teacher Training Course and upon qualifying in Summer 2024 they will be invited to join the network as full members. In the meantime we wanted to get to know them a little bit better and to share what motivated them to train to teach Skinner Releasing Technique.
Location: Marseille, France
Languages: French, English
Website: http://cleotabakian.blogspot.com/
Email: cleo.tabakian@hotmail.fr
Cleo Tabakian
Cleo Tabakian is a dance artist, living in Marseille, France. She graduated from the Fine Arts Academy of Paris in 2014 and from the Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London in 2018.
Her drawings provide new visions of the physical self. In her book in progress: Movement Speculation, they are combined with an epical poem and compose what she calls an: Anatomy of Transformation. She teaches contemporary dance to children and adults regularly in different contexts.
Cleo will be a Skinner Releasing Technique certified teacher in 2024. She is a strong advocate of the pedagogy, in France especially. With Ana Stegnar and Bettina Neuhaus, she is working on the creation and publication of a booklet about SRT in French.
Tell us a little bit about why you decided to train to be a SRT teacher:
SRT changed my life, I had to study and share the pedagogy with others!
After you qualify in Summer 2024, what are your plans?
I am planing to teach mainly in France to start with. Yes, it is informing my practice.
Unprecedented in France, Cleo will be leading the 15 classes of the whole Introductory Cycle will be taught over a series of 5 weekends. A great opportunity to unravel the progression of the Skinner Releasing pedagogy this autumn. Find out more here: http://cleotabakian.blogspot.com/p/skinner-releasing-technique-classe-2024.html
Location: Athens, Greece
Languages: English, Greek
Website: www.cochleares.com
Email: info@cochleares.com
Georgia Paizi
Georgia (she/her) is a dance-artist and movement teacher. Her research moves within three areas: the methodologies and backgrounds of improvisation practices in dance, the psychophysical training of the performer, as well as an intermediate area where breath, voice, language and idiosyncratic movement develop in relation to each other. Georgia’s work is relational and conceptual. She lives and works in Athens/Greece, where she teaches, writes, makes, and curates COCHLEA studia. Georgia has a comprehensive overview of radical self-care & organic training methods in the performing arts. While currently training as a Skinner Releasing Teacher (Glasgow 2023-24), she is a certified Alexander Technique teacher, a Consent Forward Artist (IDC professionals 2023), and a ARTWORKS/SNF fellow 2021 in the field of choreography.
Tell us a little bit about why you decided to train to be a SRT teacher:
I long for bringing Joan’s work to my everyday practice, as well as sharing it with the Greek movers community.
After you qualify in Summer 2024, what are your plans?
It will be four of us near Athens/Greece when I qualify. I would love to host a weekly class in my studio where we could all teach and practice in rotation.
Location: London, UK / Karlsruhe, Germany
Languages: English, German
Website: www.mirahirtz.de/
Email: performing.mirahirtz@gmail.com
Photo credit: Adele Watts 2021
Mira Jo Hirtz
I am an artist, curator and educator who explores the intersections of art, health, ecology, and science. In my work I want to embrace life’s complexities and messiness. In this, releasing and softening as well as concepts of care are key for my thinking and creating. This leads to many formats such as performances, multi-sensory installations, exhibitions and workshops.
I hold the MFA Creative Practice from TL Conservatoire London and the MA in art research from HfG Karlsruhe. I currently work as the Access Lead at Turf Projects London, co-curate the exhibition “Critical Zones. In Search of a Common Ground”, and in my artistic work I investigate the dialogue between chronic health conditions, healing and art.
Tell us a little bit about why you decided to train to be a SRT teacher:
I have been taking SRT classes for a long time and always wanted to dive deeper into the material. It has touched me more than any other dance technique and provides ways to keep softening, to get more resilient in following my values and to prepare myself for artistic creation. I am also grateful for the community I find within SRT teachers, students and dancers.
After you qualify in Summer 2024, what are your plans?
My plans are to deliver a few workshops across the UK and Germany, and hopefully set up a few weekly classes. I am also looking forward to dive deeper into my artistic practice of drawing, collaging and performing being informed by SRT!