Organizer Information
EncoreEast is an ambitious performance company of older dancers dedicated to promoting creative, artistic, and performance excellence. The company commissions professional artists to choreograph new works, host workshops, and co-curate the biennial HOST conference with DanceEast—a premier regional dance house based at the Jerwood DanceHouse in Ipswich, UK. Together, they work to challenge societal stereotypes and generate positive, progressive images of aging through high-quality creative practices.
Title & Description
Pushing Boundaries Open Call: GILA Pedagogy Workshop – An Artistic Practice for Working with the Mature Body
For the first time in the UK, world-renowned choreographer and dance movement researcher Galit Liss will lead an intensive residency exploring the specific pedagogy behind her distinctive methodology. Designed for practitioners, choreographers, and dance educators, this practice laboratory offers an immersive opportunity to study the pedagogical nuances, teaching approaches, and creative tools required for professional artistic work with older adults. The workshop turns its attention to the physiological aesthetics shaped by time, using poetic-somatic research, imagery work, and improvisation to unlock physical intelligence without imposing rigid forms. On its opening day (August 21st), the intensive features a combined session to share practice with participants of the Experienced Movers track, offering a firsthand look at how to guide mature bodies within an open, attentive, and inclusive creative environment.
Categories
Dance Pedagogy, Choreography, Dance Education, and Somatic Movement Research.
Eligibility
- Target Audience: Open to dance practitioners, choreographers, movement directors, and dance educators.
- Practice Alignment: Tailored for professionals who wish to expand their teaching repertoire or are specifically interested in deep creative and choreographic work with the mature or aging body.
- Geographic Scope: Open to local, national, and international applicants who can arrange travel to the UK venue.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Methodological Training: In-depth, practical mastery of the Four-Layer Model of the GILA language (Attention, Direction, Intention, and Time) to utilize as a pedagogical and choreographic blueprint.
- Skill Acquisition: Acquisition of poetic-somatic tools, guided visualization tasks, and improvisation frameworks to safely illuminate dormant areas of the body and respect physical limitations as valid research departures.
- Professional Instruction: Direct mentorship across four days from Galit Liss, a pioneering international voice in expanding the onstage visibility of older communities.
Application Fee
- Application Submission: Free.
- Participant Contribution: Selected professionals awarded a place in the residency must pay a workshop tuition fee of £200 for the 4-day intensive track.
- Additional Costs: All personal travel, accommodation, and daily subsistence expenses in Ipswich must be covered entirely by the individual participants.
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to submit an online profile verifying their background. The entry requirements include:
- Contact & Professional Identification: Full name, contact credentials, and primary creative role (e.g., educator, choreographer).
- Pedagogical Background: A concise overview of teaching experience, dance background, or movement practice to verify suitability for a professional laboratory environment.
- Statement of Intent: A summary of why the practitioner wishes to study the GILA methodology and how it will impact their teaching or creative framework.
How to Apply?
Applications must be processed directly through the official Google Form application link. Because the program is limited to a small group format, selection operates on a rolling basis, and the portal will close as soon as capacity is met.
- Application Link: GILA Pedagogy Workshop Google Form Portal
Key Dates
- Application Portal Opens: June 7, 2026
- Application Deadline: Rolling Selection (Closes immediately when all 25 participant slots are filled)
- Intensive Laboratory Run: August 21 – August 24, 2026
- Shared Practice Session: Friday, August 21, 2026
Location
The intensive, studio practices, and collaborative laboratories will be held live in the United Kingdom at:
- DanceEast, Jerwood DanceHouse, Foundry Lane, Ipswich
Additional Details
Galit Liss's long-term practice challenges societal stereotypes about aging, pushing contemporary dance beyond conventional assumptions. Her work has earned major performance accolades, including the 2022 Rosenblum Prize for the Performing Arts. Selected participants are advised to secure local accommodation in Ipswich promptly upon receiving their confirmation email, as the residency requires full attendance across all four days.
Direct questions via email to info@encoreeastdance.co.uk.