After near on two years of a new normal being embraced into our bodies we hope to re learn how to be close to each other again in proximity... to share space...to be touched ... to be brushed against by another body without judgement or fear. Fear cultivates through culture, politics and trauma... can we be touched again by spontaneous joy and love... for our bodies to dance with one another.
Mary Savva is a Teaching Dance Artist based in the UK. She trained at The Italia Conti Academy under the guidance of Patricia Prime. Mary began her professional career as a performer featuring in West End Productions and Touring Companies. Teaching integrated within her performance work throughout that time. She now primarily develops and makes work with children and adolescents in varied social sites and environments crossing genres and cross pollinating with other creative resources. Mary is interested in community dance making, Somatic's and re-appraising ideas on what dance is and can be. Mary holds her Master’s Degree in Dance Technique Pedagogy from Middlesex University and her research interests are in somatic studies, environmental movement and collaborative creative processes that create performance using authentic personal material. Mary is curious how these strands can re appraise the landscapes and cultures we inhabit and interact in. Mary follows the works of Anna Halprin and practices exploration through improvisation scoring with awareness of the whole integrated body in motion. In 2015 Mary was selected to take part in the One Dance UK mentorship scheme as a future leader and was mentored and trained with Helen Poynor in non-stylised environmental movement. This continues to inform the development of her understanding of the kinaesthetic sense, grounding of the body in relation to its surroundings and spacial awareness, this enriches her life, performance and pedagogical practice. Mary is forever grateful for her freedom to dance and her teachers. www.marysavva.org
