Mast on Fig proudly presents Ame Henderson and Aleesa Cohene in conversation about their work-in-progress Two, Four, Six.

Ame Henderson & Aleesa Cohene discuss Two, Four, Six

Friday March 6th, 7PM

FREE

Visual Artist Aleesa Cohene and Dance Artist Ame Henderson present work-in-progress, Two, Four, Six. Working with three pairs of dancers, Cohene and Henderson facilitate and document Gestalt Couples Therapy sessions with Gestalt therapists, Bob and Rita Resnick (Los Angeles). Following the therapy sessions, Cohene and Henderson direct movement experimentation and build choreography.

Henderson, Cohene and two of the participating dancers, Jared Gradinger and Angela Schubot (Berlin) will be in discussion about the process and the work.

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Ame Henderson is a dance artist of settler ancestry living and working in Tkaronto/Toronto in the Dish with One Spoon Territory. With a practice that spans publication, performance and exhibition, her work activates dance and choreography to propose experiential modes of being together.

Aleesa Cohene’s work with video, sculpture, and scent reconfigures and reframes cinematic material to investigate the clichés, codes, and stereotypes that make up dominant cultural narratives. 

Photo credit: Marco Braunschweiler

Gregory Barnett leads a workshop at Mast on Fig that explores intimacy, movement, and trust:


”Hold me. Let me hold you. Together We Can Hold THIS.” 

When I ask to hold your limbs, I ask for the honor of holding the desires living inside them. When my eyes look into yours at length, I rescind all urges to project my will onto yours. When your weight proves calm in my grip, I acknowledge the immeasurable value of your dreams, and care for them as if they are my own. Amen

While learning footwork patterns and embrace variations of ballroom dance, we will consider what genuine intimacy is and how to offer it. We will use voice, extended periods of eye contact, and touch to create bonds of trust between each other. Any vulnerabilities exposed during our initial intimacy practices will be regarded as gifts deserving of ongoing recognition and consideration through out our working. We will celebrate the connections earned with a loosely guided Ball/Bawl, holding each other however able.

Saturday, March 7th

Saturday, April 4th

(suggested donation / no one turned away) 

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Gregory Barnett makes dances, altars, imagery, and stories believing he is better for it. His work attempts to locate junctures between lineage (memory) and prayer (desire) in an effort to maximize will’s potential (with mixed success.) In lieu of pursuing a sociology degree, Gregory became a prostitute and children’s gymnastics instructor. He has shown work in Los Angeles and other cities since 2004.