DESERT BUTOH CAMP
with Maruska Ronchi and Marek Jason Isleib
3-11 March 2025
9 days full immersion Butoh and Sahara Desert
We cross the desert
The desert crosses us
In the depth of the sand
We find the source
Our primal bond
In the vastness of the desert
We meet our soul
Infinite hourglass of time
We are like sand,coming from rock
the whole
we are separated, always more separated
tiny specs of sand
tiny specs of consciousness
being moved through layers and layers of sand, of consciousness,
ultimately reuniting with the bedrock being whole again.
Or when the right ’disaster’ strikes, we are transformed, transmuted, transparent,
This workshop will be a deep journey into the desert and butoh practice.
We are aiming for an authentic and profound connection with the essence of the desert. Maybe even to a point of union with that essence. Opening all possible channels, physically and spiritually we will work towards a common ground of ourselves and the unknown landscape, the soul of the desert.
We will gather in Marrakesh, the vibrant and colorful city with its lively souks, historic palaces, and lush gardens. The captivating blend of tradition and modernity offers us a unique sensory experience with the aromas of spices, Moorish architecture, and a pulsating energy.
We will stay one night in a Riad in Medina – the old part of Marrakech in the heart of the city. Riads are traditional Moroccan houses or palaces with an interior garden or courtyard.
The following day, from Marrakesh we will travel to the desert, crossing the Atlas mountains, a wonderful road trip with its mesmerizing landscapes and colorful rocks that will allow us to slowly dive into a desert- and inner-space-time.
We will visit and spend one night at Ait Bn Haddou – a fortified settlement or Ksar, along the caravan route between the Sahara Desert and the city of Marrakech. It is located on a hillside along the Ouarzazate River. The Ksar is an example of Moroccan earthen architecture and has been protected UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1987.
We will practice and dance in and outside the Ksar , along the river, on a beautiful dune, with many shades of green and pink colors, at sunset time, presenting us with a wonderful spectacle.)
The day after, we will arrive at the Desert Camp Chraika, with its clay-wooden huts and dance studio, blending into the sand dunes. This will be our base and accommodation for the coming 3 days.
Surrounded by the wonderful landscape and the serenity of this very particular wild nature, we will connect, practice and dance in and with the desert, for a deep and transformative inner journey and unforgettable moments.
Practicing at sunrise and sunset time, synchronizing with the rhythm of nature. Experiencing the wonder. Letting all these magic moments of the day pass through us, entering into the core of our cells, our inner world.
We will spend time together, eating traditional vegetarian food, experiencing Berber music and dance around the campfire under the stars.
Morocco’s desert offers us a unique and rich canvas of emotions, lights, colors and starry sky, with marvelous celestial constellations. Already near the Desert Camp Chraika, which is located 3 km from village M’hamid, the dunes and the sky are breathtakingly beautiful. But the deeper and further you go from any light pollution, the more unbelievably beautiful it becomes.
To top our experience we will add an exceptional journey to the wildest areas of the Moroccan desert. We will be transferred by jeep into the desert followed by a barefoot walk with nomads. We will camp in the deep desert in tents, enjoy the taste of tajine prepared on a campfire and bread baked in hot sands. Dancing on and being moved by the biggest sand dune Erg Chegaga, dancing in the night with the stars and at the sunrise, above the dunes. As a nomadic saying goes: Everything is possible in the desert
This is not an ordinary tourist trip to the desert but an experience where we will synchronize with the rhythm and vibration of the desert and tuareg wisdom, through our body, movement, contemplation and dance. We will connect with a simple way of life. We will practice about 7 hours a day (except on travel days, where we will still meet and be moved by the places, through practices).
Registration open 1st October 2024 and close 20 December 2024
Info and registration desertbutohcamp24@gmail.com