The Essence of Gesture with Nacera Belaza

In this workshop, dancer Nacera Belaza will lead participants in exploring the fundamental themes that define her choreographic work. Participants will be offered the opportunity to immerse themselves in the unique creative process of Belaza, focusing on the dialogue between the inner self and the outer movement.  

The workshop will investigate how the presence of the individual body can be actuated in a shared space. Participants will engage in introspection and collective thinking as a way to better understand their position in relation to others. They will investigate the concept of 'the infinite in the finite,' and will expand the boundaries of their physical presence. This workshop is less about learning choreography and more about sharpening perception, focus, and physical awareness through movement.

Duration: 4 hours

Skill level: This workshop is open to participants 18 years and older with experience in various forms of movement practice: dance, physical theater, improvisation-based practice, etc.

The movement workshop series is limited to 20 people and will take place across multiple scheduled dates. Participants will receive an honorarium after the completion of all sessions.

Registration requires a commitment to the full series, and participants are expected to attend all the sessions mentioned below:

• Sat, Apr 25 @ 2-6pm, 2026
• Mon, Nov 23 @ 6-10pm, 2026 
• Sat, Jan 23 @ 2-6pm, 2027 
• Sat, Mar 20 @ 2-6pm, 2027
• Sun, Mar 21 @ 2-6pm, 2027

Nacera Belaza

Nacera Belaza was born near Médéa in Algeria and has lived in France since the age of five. After studying modern literature, she set up her own company in 1989. She became a self-taught dancer, driven by the vital need to express and unravel the complexity of her dual cultural background. It was during childhood and adolescence, in secret, that her language emerged spontaneously, drawing material first from herself and then from literature. Since then, her work has explored movement in a serene, deep, and continuous breath, confronting patience, discipline, and simplicity with the ‘deafening din of our lives’, giving gesture its existential utility.

In 2015, she was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and in 2024 an Officier. In 2008, Le Cri received the Prix de la révélation from the Syndicat de la Critique.  In 2017, the SACD also paid tribute to her career by awarding her the Choreographer Prize. Her work is regularly performed in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. She has set up a cooperative in Algeria that enables her to work regularly with her country of origin.