LUDUS Community Class

I am consistently blown away by the creativity with which Ximena and Andrea approach and communicate movement. Classes are as mentally rigorous and inspiring as they are physically. I leave every week yearning to internalize more of LEIMAY LUDUS and to integrate its praxis with my life.

LEIMAY’s staff/teachers care about all bodies’ needs, and make accommodations when I registered the LUDUS training class— due to my physical disability, I wanted to give a try for the first class to see if it would be a suitable for me. LEIMAY offered me a free first class and discounted rate when I decided to register for the full course. And their teachers are responsible and making students feel so welcome as we from all levels and diverse backgrounds. And they are also planning to install some facilities to assisting people with disabilities practice in the studio.

The training opportunity is one of a kind. Interesting people with unique perspectives on art will take you for a wild ride. Your psyche emerges refreshed and your body properly challenged to surpass the everyday uses to which it is usually put.

I am a video, installation and performance artist. My work deals with the perception of being present in any given moment. To stay fully conscious and present in the moment, I suggest the human condition through a discipline of patient meditative actions, and silence. My first encounter with Ximena was ‘Floating Point Waves’ at ‘Here Arts Center.’ It brought me to find the Ludus workshop. Her workshop helped my flexibility and core strength through, breathing, walking, crouching, and rolling exercises. Our simple movements, to understand our body, became dance. Even seeking absolute stillness became a dance. It was a great practice for discovering my hidden energy and connecting with myself, and with others. It was profound offering for the physical introspection of the Self, and of intimate collaboration and trust. At the end, through training and improvisation, I was able to use all of my senses, and drew from my imagination, and it changed my perception of myself within the world. I recommend this workshop to anyone who would try to step away from the ego, find their inner voice, and connect with their core energy through body movements. I will look forward to doing it again, with deep appreciation.

The type of work proposed by LEIMAY has a very strong physical component, moving from the concrete control of your body to the enhancement of the imagination by abstracting the body itself. I remember as a moment of great frustration and fun the training that led us to imagine ourselves as very large and then very small, then to transform ourselves into a flower and go through various forms, opening and closing ourselves, until we drive an imaginary bicycle; all this always leaning only on one point of the basin. A great effort that helps to explore limits that normally would not be faced. Obviously everything that is dealt with in the training is perfectly consistent with the performance experience of LEIMAY.

I honestly regret not starting LEIMAY LUDUS sooner. I've had a very positive experience with every class. Classes are both physically and mentally inspiring and at times, challenging. This is a very creative class where you leave your inhibitions at the door and exit your comfort zone (and I really appreciate that).. The instructors rotate and are always high quality and approachable and I even made a new friend in class. Class is genuinely fun; I'm frequently laughing. Looking forward to LUDUS commencing in March! I'm definitely returning to LEIMAY's LUDUS classes in March and really happy to do so. I'm not familiar with any other dance class/company in the city that provides such a baller deal: two hours long with high quality, creative instruction and choreography. Plus, the LEIMAY community is so awesome. (Many of the company members [including art director!] participate in and/or teach the class). Highly recommend.