Layton Lachman

Contemporary Dance – Open Level

Tuesdays, 18:00–19:30

Bio

Layton Lachman is a choreographer and teacher working primarily in Berlin and San Francisco/Oakland California. They create performances rooted in somatics, channeling experiential practices into immersive, sensorially complex worlds. Layton is committed to dance practice centered on group study, expanding ‘the commons’, and collective authorship — with the understanding that we are always collaborating with those who come before, after, and with us. After receiving a BFA in choreography from Ohio University, Layton moved to San Francisco where they began collaborating with Abby Crain, Mara Poliak, Margit Galanter, Kathleen Hermesdorf, Sara Shelton Mann, and SALTA, among others. For the past five years Layton has been based in Berlin, working primarily with T.E.N.T. collective, creating a research studio, sprawling events, parties, and epic shows in Berlin, Dresden, Stockholm and vacant farm lands. Layton’s latest work — DOOM — will premiere at tanztage in Berlin, winter 2022. In 2019, Layton finished their teacher training in Open Source Forms — Stephanie Skura’s pedagogical vision, which expands upon Skinner Releasing Technique. Layton draws from Open Source Forms in their teaching, proposing physical experiments that are imagistic, improvisational and play with transformation through embodiment.

Class Description

Let’s dance with bodily joy and chaos! This open level class is designed for everyone who wishes to move in new and dynamic ways. This class includes physical orientations to self, others, and space; a flowing transformation of movement proposals; and structured and open improvisations. How we travel through the class is based on my dance lineage: Open Source Forms. Open Source Forms is deeply rooted in and fluidly expanded from Skinner Releasing Technique. Through the use of non-anatomical images for moving, evocative music, gentle hands on work, and play between energetic states, the class will lead toward unruly, vibrating, multidirectional dances. The work is based in improvisation and built upon a journeying together that asks for attunement, rigor, and care towards both the self and the collective.