Physical Performance Practices

Led by Lisa Fagan

July 12 – July 18

Theater and performance makers often think of movement in terms of “5, 6, 7, 8.” This workshop invites you to explore how you move in a far more expansive sense. Using scores, prompts, and compositional experiments, you will get deep into your body, unlocking its potential as sources of unique, unbridled creativity.

At the core of this workshop is a commitment to finding curiosity, rigor, and joy in the body, so that you can develop, probe, and stretch theatrical ideas. Each day begins with a rigorous warm-up, and then the stage is set for a variety of exercises on your feet, as well as group discussions and reflections. You will have ample opportunity to generate new material—both individually and as a hydra-headed collaborative ensemble—as well as the chance to share work-in-progress. 

You may sweat! You may get tired! You may find yourself doing things you’ve never done before! We will work and rest—and hydrate—and have an extremely weird fun time. The beauty of a physical performance practice is that it makes space for extreme levels of play, failure, openness, and camaraderie. 

Prior training in physical theater or dance is not required. Comfort with exertion and risk-taking, however, is vital.

Cost

Workshop with standard double-occupancy room$850

Workshop with single-occupancy room$1,250

Note: A $400 deposit is required to reserve your space for a double occupancy room in a workshop. A $625 deposit is required to reserve your space in a single occupancy room. The remainder of your balance will be due prior to your arrival at Celebration Barn.

Registration

We use Humanitix for you to register and submit your deposit.

  • Head to Humanitix and select your reservation type.
  • Fill out the check-out questions.
  • Complete your purchase.

After completing your purchase, a member of our team will be in touch to confirm the status of your application within 5-7 business days.

See our General Info Page and Student Life for more information about the workshops and learn more about

  • Housing
  • Travel
  • Refund/Cancellation Policy
  • What to bring

Lisa Fagan

Lisa Fagan is a choreographer, performer, and theater maker based in NYC whose work has been dubbed “the High Weird” by critics. Recent work includes Friday Night Rat Catchers (with collaborator Lena Engelstein; Under the Radar / Live Artery 2026, New York Live Arts Spring 2025 Season), Deepe Darknesse (New York Live Arts’ Live Artery 2024; June 2023 at the Collapsable Hole; Nationally in DC, SF), 1-800-3592-113592 (March 2024 at MITU580 with performance collective CHILD, of which Fagan is a founding member/director/choreographer; included in Helen Shaw’s “Best Theater of 2024,” The New Yorker), Catches No Flies (Exponential Festival 2020; recipient of inaugural Exponential Fellowship), Red Carrots (Exponential Festival 2019), and many more works and experimentations. She and Engelstein are recipients of the 2025 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists in Dance. Choreography and performer credits include No President by Nature Theater of Oklahoma (dancer), Anne Washburn’s The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire (choreographer), Peggy Stafford’s Everything Is Here (choreographer), Henry Hoke’s Open Throat (choreographer), and many more. She is currently on the faculty at Bard College and teaches dance technique and composition. lisafagandanceproblems.com 

Lisa Fagan. Photo by Maria Baranova.