Working Group:

The Somatic Engagement Working Group is investigating the overarching role of Somatics within the fields of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. Our primary aim is to develop a shared vocabulary among the working group participants, while recognizing the particularities which make each practice and research distinct. During our mandate, we aim to identify somatic values and processes (year 1), apply its vocabulary to the world outside the self (year 2), situate the somatic relationship between the researcher and her/his/their community(ies) (year 3), and thus arrive at a more clearly defined map of the existing and potential roles of Somatics within and outside of academia. We understand Somatics to go beyond the study of human embodiment and extend our investigation in and out of academia, and into areas of studies attending to Pedagogies and Research Methodologies, diverse Cultures and Histories, Health and Well-Being, Land-Based, Decolonial, Ecological, Spirituality, and Feminist Studies as well as in their applied practices in the performing arts, performance arts, and folk arts. Our member-base is diverse. We are artist-researchers, academics, independent researchers, teachers, and therapists working across the lineage of one or more of the many philosophies and practices regrouped under the Somatics umbrella. Our group is active year-long through slow scholarship sharing modality. The members attending the roundtable discussion for the CATR | ACRT and SQET conference 2021 are: Conrad Alexandrowicz, P Megan Andrews, Christine (cricri) Bellerose, Naomi P Bennett, Ramona Benveniste, Majero Bouman, Camille (Renarhd) Burger, Eury Chang, Sanja J Dejanovic, Véronique Gaudreau, Twyla Kowalenko, Ray Louter, Virginie Magnat, Maria Meindl, Kelly Mullan, Lisa Ndejuru, Ulla Neuerburg, Gabriela Petrov, and Kevin Skelton.