Explore embodiment & expression, pace & perception, motions & emotion, senses & silliness
“Queer-Natural Movement” takes us on a journey from our first-ever step to running wild (or shuffling wild – you do you) and moving queerly. Let’s re-discover how we move, why we move, why we move how we move, and how it feels to move – physically, sensorily, cognitively and emotionally.
It’s time to get lost in motion – rediscover your (silly) senses – find your(self) in nature – and embody your queerness.
Join me on a dragventure of queer-natural discovery & play!
What is this workshop about?
Movement is innate, it arises naturally, intuitively and reflects our needs, wants, feelings, beings. It allows us to experience ourselves and express ourselves – entirely for ourselves, or to be witnessed and perceived by others. Or to be imperceptible, go with the flow, move as expected. It can be subconscious and intentional, expansive and timid. As we grow up we learn to be more (self)conscious of it – act this way, not that way – be a grown-up, be proper, be careful (whatever that means).
This is your space to shake off norms and (self-)restrictions. Discover and explore what it means and how it feels to move in your body and embody your queerness, step into other creatures’ shoes, get down and dirty with nature (bare feet, face first), be as bold and wild or as gentle and gracious as your heart and body delights. From mindful exercises to silly games. Let movement emerge in all its curious forms.
We befittingly (and be-feet-ingly) start our journey by walking:
Walking is a skill that takes a lot of effort and practice to learn initially but then becomes entirely automated and subconscious. Putting one foot in front of the other seems like the simplest act, yet it one of the most powerful actions we can take.
It is also one of the most complex and interconnected motions: from a single tendon cell in our small toe through our entire body to our brain, mind and senses. Walking is a fundamental act and process through which we explore, experience, feel and sense the world around us & the world within us. It enables us to travel through space and time, it allows us to move through emotion and memory, it is a tool for connection and disconnection.
Every journey of exploration begins with one step. And every step is a trust exercise that if we lift our feet, we will land on them again.
Or find another way – queerly, unconventionally, freely, playfully.
Participation:
All exercises are an invitation for you to explore different aspects of walking, moving, and embodying. You can participate in whatever way or however much feels comfortable to you. The exercises are adaptable to what you want to explore – they are about experience, not ability, they are about self-expression, not performance. Walking aids, chairs, etc. welcome.
🗓 When: Saturday, 12 December, 10:30 – 13:00 (2.5 hours)
📍 Where: Withdean Park, Brighton, BN1 8NA (details on exact meeting point closer to the event)
👉 Register: Free / donations welcome. Link in bio
Part 1 of the Queer-Natural Discovery series:
Part 2: Queer-Natural Being – 19 December, 10:30 – 13:00 @ Withdean Park
Part 3: Queer-Natural Night – 2 January, 16:30 – 18:30 @ Hollingbury golf course / Wild Park nature reserve
Pick’n’choose your own adventure – even more fun if you join me for all three 🤩
Bring:
🎒 Clothes for the weather (waterproofs, comfy shoes with grip, warm layers…) and clothes to get covered in nature (if you want to)
🎒 Water & Snacks (maybe a flask with a hot drink; mug for communal hot drinks)
🎒 Something to sit on (optional)
🎒 Small towel to clean off if you get hands-on and feet-on with nature (optional)
🎒 Curiosity
What to expect:
🤓 Walking & Movement
🤓 Playfulness & Silliness & Profoundness
🤓 Connecting with & getting hands-on close to nature
🤓 A human in drag
🤓 The unexpected!
Offers of learning & experience:
🌱 An anatomy of walking
🌱 Befriending your feet
🌱 Embodying queerness
🌱 Being a body of nature
🌱 To be curious and playful
Access & Needs:
Movement:
The workshop involves walking short distances from our gathering pace, which we always return to. You can participate as much or as little as you want in the movement. It is about the curiosity and experience of walking, not about distance or time or ability. We will also be standing while we talk and reflect (bring layers as you might be getting colder when not moving.) There are some benches in the park and you are welcome to bring a stool or sit mat to sit down any time. You can leave your belongings at the gathering place and don’t have to carry a backpack while walking.
All other forms of movement are invitations to explore as feels good to you – stationary all over-the-place-y, wildly, gently, lying down, rolling around, un-aided/object-aided/human-aided… You move you.
Ground:
The ground is fairly even on grass, a little slope, you/we may choose to also walk in the wooded area, which is a little less uneven with roots and stones. Depending on where you walk into the park from, it can be a little uphill/downhill. It is winter weather, so the ground might be wet and a little muddy – wear water-resistant shoes with grip, and that you feel comfortable in for walking.
Environment:
We are outside for the duration of the workshop – there might be wind, it might be chilly, it might be sunny, it might be wet, there might be noise from surrounding roads. It is a public park (although a less frequented one) so it is likely that there are other humans and dogs passing by.
Facilities:
There are no public toilets or cafes.
Getting there:
Nearby bus stops: The Deneway East, Tongdean Way East, Graham Avenue, Greenfield Cresent
Free (considerate) parking on residential streets
Relaxed participation:
You can step away any time, you are welcome to move and stim however allows you to be comfortable. While all participation is encouraged, all questions, interactions and activities are invitations and you can engage as much or as little as you want to.
Support dogs & humans welcome
Am I overthinking this while also missing things? Yes. Welcome to my own neuro-spikey brain.
Ask & Let me know
Please contact me directly via email for access requirements and questions before the event so I can prepare and adapt – where possible. I want to support you the best I can so you can join in and enjoy the experience. So let’s talk about it!
Welcome & Considerations:
All are welcome here – queer, trans, LGBTQIA+ and not queer support humans. All shapes & forms of bodies & brains. Whatever ground you emerged from, whatever ground you call (currently) home.
Enter & engage with: Respect, Consent, Kindness, Open Mind & Heart.
I’m aware that I (myself and on my own) can’t make a space fully safe, but I do my best to make it safer and ask you to help me with that. We can all contribute to looking after our own needs, creating a supportive group experience and taking care of our environment.
Discrimination, intentional ignorance and inappropriate acts will not be tolerated.
About me:
Toulouse Lost-Track is an eco-drag king who follows the signs of nature in an attempt find his own nature, or perhaps escape his nature, maybe become nature, what even is nature… He’s not quite sure at this point. But he invites you to join him on his dragventures and discover a world of queer ecologies and possibilities.
Out of drag, Mar is a multi-(ad)venturous, multi-skilled and multi-cultural human who feels most at home roaming from summit to sea and everywhere in between. Their aim is to create spaces of belonging, possibility and empowerment that allow fellow humans to (re)discover nature, (re)connect with their own wild spirit and care for all beings with kindness and kinship. They do this through drag, nature connection, wellbeing workshops and outdoor adventures.
E-Mail: dragventures.nature@gmail.com
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/toulouse_lost_track/