‘Togethering’
21–28 September 2025 | The Garden, Northern Portugal
A week of Contact Improvisation, eco-somatic movement, and collective research in the forested valleys of Portugal. A space for shared presence, moving together, and opening to what wants to emerge.
What is Togethering?
The Togethering Residency is for those drawn to movement, to presence, and to the ways we come into relation.
It welcomes dancers, improvisers, musicians, artists, and anyone curious about what becomes possible in a shared body.
Each day begins in motion. Contact Improvisation offers us a place to begin, but where we go depends on what stirs. It might be the press of weight between two bodies, the hush of moss beneath bare feet, or the slow attention of listening skin.
We don’t follow fixed forms. We tune ourselves to the present. We notice. We respond.
This is a space shaped through trust. It expands and contracts as needed. Nothing is forced, yet something always moves.
What opens when we listen not only to one another, but to the space between, around, and within?
We follow what wants to grow. Not by pushing, but by tending. Not by planning, but by being with.
Bring your own practices if you like. Bring a score, a question, a way in. This is not a finished offering. We make it as we go.
It’s part gathering, part exploration, part quiet invitation into the unknown. Not a retreat. Not a course. Something softer, more porous. Rooted in the body. Fed by the forest. Alive.
Where We’ll Be
The Garden is a non-profit living research institute nestled in the mossy forests of northern Portugal. It’s a space for radical cohabitation, creative experimentation, and embodied sanctuary.
There’s a covered dance space surrounded by forest, a lake to swim in, a sauna and hot tub, places to work or rest, and nourishing plant-based meals during the week. You can camp, glamp, or stay indoors if space allows.
The Feelings: A post-capitalist sanctuary. A forest dojo. A place of ritual and the real. Not polished, but alive.
The Grounds: Movement space. Forest paths. Shared kitchens. Warm showers. Time to move with intention. Space to eat well.
What Happens Each Day
Mornings are for Contact Improvisation.
Afternoons include eco-somatic practice, poetic writing, nature-based research, or shared improvisation.
Evenings unfold through jams, scores, firesides, reflections, and moments of stillness.
We’ll work with compositional frameworks and improv scores, exploring how we make and shape in real time. We also find time to harvest and share.
Alexander Dodgson holds the morning sessions.
Pippa Arnold guides our nature-based work.
Participants are welcome to bring questions, practices, or offerings. We are always looking for other practitioners to collaborate with.
What’s Included
- Six nights on the land (camping)
- Three vegetarian meals per day (Monday to Friday)
- Use of the studio, sauna, kitchen, and shared spaces
- Time and space to follow what feels alive—solo or together
What It Costs
Sliding scale: €280–€500 per person
If you're unsure, we suggest €375–€400. That supports the project and keeps it accessible.
Choose what feels right:
- €280–350: low-income, students, artists between work
- €375–425: standard contribution—helps cover food, space, and facilitation
- €450–500: abundance tier—helps someone else attend.
We need an average of €280 per person to meet our costs. Anything above helps support reduced-rate places and supports future projects.
Some mutual support, reduced price spots are available by request. Let us know in the application if this would make a difference for you.
Your generosity helps keep this residency alive.
Apply
We’re inviting around 30 people.
Applications are open now.
You’ll hear from us within 2 weeks.
Questions?
📧 commonbodycollective@gmail.com
📷 Instagram: @commonbody.collective
