Somatics Working Group
(2018–2019)
Independent platform.
Launched on 26 Nov 2017, ran till 12 Mar 2019. LASALLE College of the Arts.
Info
Co-convened by Chong Gua Khee and Jocelyn Chng.
The Somatics Working Group aspires to serve as an independent platform for like-minded individuals, including practitioners and researchers, to come together to collectively share and develop knowledge, resources, and questions relating to somatic principles and practices.
Somatics, in a broad sense, takes as its starting point the body, respecting that the body has its own underlying intelligence in the way it moves. Accordingly, explorations by the group will be rooted in the recognition that an understanding of the body and how it works is essential for safe practice in any physical training or movement discipline.
The key aims of the working group are to:
Deepen working group members’ awareness and understanding of the body and anatomy
Develop a collective understanding of safe practice in working with the body and movement
Share and advocate these principles of safe practice within the performing arts in Singapore
Responses to the Somatics Working Group
“Firstly I appreciate that everyone was invited to join. I appreciated that i could “visit” for only one theme. During the time that I joined, I felt I could develop some ideas, related to imagery. I also enjoyed getting to see some people that I normally wouldn’t get a chance to see!”
— Eng Kai Er, participant; excerpted from reflections at the end of 2018
“I want to thank Jocelyn and Gua Khee for spearheading this Somatics Working Group. I have benefitted immensely from participating in three of the five frames.”
— Xie Shangbin, participant; excerpted from reflections at the end of 2018