Growth in Motion

Growth in Motion is an 8-day training program for 30 participants hosted by Corps Raccords Association, designed to enhance the personal and professional skills of youth workers, helping them build more inclusive, empathetic, and meaningful relationships with young people. Participants will engage in a combination of Contact Improvisation, somatic practices, and mindful movement to cultivate acceptance, self-awareness, and emotional resilience.

Check the full infopage at this link: https://www.corps-raccords.fr/erasmus

Conctact Improvisation (CI), a form of dance based on movement and physical connection, offers a unique and non-verbal way to explore trust, communication, and collaboration, all essential skills in youth work. By integrating CI and other tools and methodologies into our practice, the project will provide youth workers with new methods of interaction and learning, particularly in non-formal education settings to effectively recognize and address youth challenges.

During the program, participants will engage in a combination of Contact Improvisation, somatic practices, and mindful movement to cultivate acceptance, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. Through guided explorations, they will develop skills to navigate from stress and anxiety, to joy and peace, enhancing our capacity for empathy and self-awareness—fostering a healthier relationship with our bodies and movement.

The training emphasizes the power of physical expression and personal growth through dance. Participants are invited to tune into their sensations, explore movement patterns, and deepen their connection to themselves and others. By integrating embodiment and mindfulness within a supportive environment, they will discover tools for self-regulation, confidence, and creative freedom. 

The project aims to

• Enhance empathy and communication skills to better understand the emotional and physical boundaries of young people by "listening" through movement;
• Promoting social inclusion by fostering trust, shared responsibility, and mutual support. Using CI routines the project aims to help youth workers create safe and welcoming spaces for diverse groups, breaking down social barriers through physical interaction;
• Developing leadership and teamwork through CI dynamics, to encourage the participants to manage group dynamics, foster collaboration, and create environments where everyone has a role, improving their ability to lead and support young people in various contexts.
• Encouraging emotional awareness and mental well-being by allowing emotions to be expressed through movement and exploring tools to cope with stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges.

Through CI practices we will introduce innovative learning approaches, aligning with non-formal education methods. By the end of the project, youth workers will be able to integrate CI into their practices, using experiential learning to explore themes such as trust, consent, and collaboration. This offers a creative and engaging alternative to traditional discussion-based methods.

Fostering personal growth and self-reflection will be key transversal attitudes that will help enhance our professional practice and ability to effectively guide young people. The project aims to transform the way youth workers connect with and support young people. CI encourages active participation, mutual respect, and equality, making it a valuable tool for creating inclusive and collaborative environments in youth work.
 

What activities we will experience?

During the program, participants will dive into a combination of practical, reflexive and collaborative activities. We will explore the basics of Contact Improvisation dance (consent, weight-sharing, physical safety), providing a solid foundation for deeper exploration.

• We will dive into our continuous physical exploration by focusing on fluidity, non-verbal communication, and body awareness, exploring physical expression through gravity and balance.
• Improvisation and group dynamics: Participants learn to apply CI in group contexts, developing collective awareness, empathy, leadership, and teamwork by switching between leader and follower roles.
• Reflection and learning integration moments, allowing in-depth exploration of group movement. Participant-Led sessions will be also part of the program, to help gaining hands-on experience in facilitating activities and creating demonstrative videos for future use.
• Sharing moments in nature while developing our dance movement and self-awareness.

For whom is this training?

Youth workers and educators interested in non-formal education and interested in incorporating creative approaches like CI into their practices. Participants must be open to physical and creative expression. No dance experience is required, but participants must be open to body-based learning and non-verbal communication. Participants should be motivated to acquire new skills and share them within their organizations. Moreover participants must be prepared to:

• Engage fully in the program, including follow-up and dissemination;
• Be and learn in our practice indoor (dance studio) and outdoor spaces;
• Spend one week within a tiny community of participants who take care of their common space and time;
• Explore and experiment our CI dance that involve touching and sharing weight with other people;
• Experience meditation and breathing techniques with curiosity and open mindedness;
• Gather new tools and inspirations for their work and activities with youngsters. 

Who can apply?

The training is designed for social workers and volunteers, community leaders, teachers, group facilitators and personal coaches. It aims to transmit skills for a strong connection between individuals, their bodies, and their environment to implement into our daily work as well as our personal lives and to the greater world.

We aim to have 30 participants from France, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Latvia and Greece. Applicants must have a communicative level in English so that they can participate fully in the program.

We expect you to participate in the whole program. It means coming later or leaving earlier is not allowed. Also, prepare for an intensive experience with at least 6 hours of activities every day!

​IMPORTANT NOTE

A training course is not a vacation or a nearly cost-free dance retreat, nor is it a place for personal therapy sessions. Growth in Motion is meant to be a dynamic learning adventure where you’ll immerse yourself in intensive growth, both personally and professionally. It’s about seizing the opportunity to absorb new skills and insights, ready to give back to the world with fresh perspectives and expertise.

​Main topics of the project

• Authenticity and Vulnerability – Creating space for introspection, embracing fears and uncertainties, and fostering open-hearted, genuine connections in dance and life.
• Embodied Emotional Awareness – Deepening the connection between physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions, using the body as a gateway to self-discovery and intuitive understanding.
• Playfulness and Creative Exploration – Encouraging curiosity, risk-taking, and improvisation to unlock new movement possibilities and sources of inspiration.
• Empathy and Collective Responsibility – Cultivating respect, compassion, and environmental awareness, using CI as a practice of connection, care, and positive change in communities.
• Skill Development - Strengthening leadership, facilitation, and group management skills using CI techniques.
• Learning from Nature’s Wisdom – Drawing inspiration from nature’s resilience, adaptability, and interconnectedness to enrich movement exploration and relational dynamics in CI.​

Methodologies

• Contact Improvisation (CI) – A dance-based practice that enhances communication, trust, and body awareness through shared movement and weight exchange.
• Non-Formal Education Techniques – Interactive, participatory learning approaches that engage youth beyond traditional academic settings.
• Embodied Learning – Encouraging physical movement, sensory awareness, and body-based experiences to develop social and emotional skills.
• Workshops and Training Sessions – Hands-on learning experiences where youth workers practice and apply CI methods in real-time.
• Reflective Practices – Encouraging self-awareness and critical reflection to deepen learning and improve facilitation skills.
• Collaborative Learning and Peer Exchange – Strengthening skills, creativity, and adaptability through shared experiences with diverse practitioners.
• Contact with Nature - nature-based activities that can highly inspire participants and nurture our dance and relation with others.
• Digital Dissemination – Using online platforms, videos, and written resources to expand the reach of CI methodologies within the youth sector.

What will happen during the course?

We will:

• ​Deepen Movement Exploration – Engage in structured CI exercises and improvisation, focusing on body awareness, balance, and weight-sharing.
• Investigate Emotional and Physical Patterns – Observe how emotions and behavioral tendencies emerge through movement and partner work.
• Develop Proprioception and Kinesthetic Awareness – Use CI techniques to refine spatial perception, responsiveness, and adaptability in movement.
• Expand Physical Communication – Explore non-verbal dialogue through touch, momentum, and shared weight, fostering deeper connections with partners.
• Experiment with CI Principles – Play with concepts such as falling, rolling, counterbalance, and suspension, integrating them into fluid improvisation.
• Reflect and Integrate – Use guided discussions, journaling, and somatic practices to process and internalize movement experiences.