ENG 278 - Somatic Writing (1)

Dancer and choreographer Martha Graham says, “Movement never lies.” The body speaks and writing is one way to listen. In this co-taught course by visiting writers Wendy Call and Sejal Shah, we will explore the world of creative writing inspired by physical movement. This course will operate as a studio. Our movement and writing practices, exercises, and experiments won’t assume any particular abilities, capacities, or previous experience. All are welcome. We will read and write poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, and hybrid/genre queer work. Our movement practice will be similarly expansive, including mindfulness meditation practices, an introduction to the fundamentals of authentic movement/contemplative dance and 5Rhythms; walking/moving meditation; outdoor exploration; as well as yoga and breathwork. In class sessions, guided exercises will inspire, giving us source material to generate, inform, and shape our writing-through journaling, freewriting, and revision. As a co-taught course, by two writers who have shared work for two decades, collaboration is encouraged. Our writing and movement practice will include improvisation and cooperative feedback structures. Students will try a variety of outdoor exploration (with options for all physical abilities) designed to expand awareness and connect to our surroundings. Students’ final projects will be shared through presentations that merge reading and performance.
(Fine Arts)