At the core of this workshop is Ankoku Performance Language—a method rooted in Japanese dance butoh, expanded into a contemporary theatrical/performance art form.
It embodies the spirit of early avant-garde scenes:  the transgressive trades, the rebellious attitude, the beauty in the ugly, ugliness in beauty, and the rejections of superficial norms.    

The language is dedicated to the night mind—our intuitive, symbolic, non-linear way of perceiving. It shifts us from the analytical daily mind into an abstract, associative awareness, blending concept and intuition. It possesses its own distinct linguistic structure.
It amplifies words, gestures, and pauses, breaking them into fragments, opening up a ‘space between’ where emotions, feelings and deeper meaning can emerge.
Every component becomes significant.

This is a transgressive language that cultivates a trance-like state of mind, transparent focus, and a transcended body. The whole body becomes an expression of the story and a portal between the night and daily mind.

Through her work, Tana Maneva has developed a method—a series of exercises that serve as  the foundation of the language—to master the pillars of her expression. She employs these exercises to prepare  herself and performers—actors and dancers—for stage work.

With this masterclass, she unveils the alchemy of her creative process.