Midweek Meditation: Drawn to Motion

Drawn to Motion is a workshop that brings together movement and drawing. Led by Contact Improvisation dancers Silvia Commisso and Federico Florian, it offers a space for exploration where movement, drawing and improvisation take centre stage.

Participants are invited to draw two moving bodies as they perform and improvise through the space, meeting, responding to and coming into contact with one another. Rather than working from static poses, they will witness a dance unfolding in real time, shaped by moments of connection, disconnection, harmony and dissonance. Participants are encouraged to respond through drawing – whether by capturing two moving bodies in motion, or interpreting their movement through mark-making, colour and abstraction.

Guided by the same set of prompts, everyone in the space – the dancers who move and the participants who draw – takes part in the same creative process, making the boundary between observer and observed more fluid. The workshop encourages participants to tune into movement and embrace experimentation over anatomical precision, allowing drawing to become a way of responding to the energy of the moment. Improvisation becomes a shared creative language, and the room turns into a space of exchange and co-creation between movement and image.

Who can take part? 

The workshop is open to anyone curious about drawing, movement and mark-making. A gentle, guided moving warm-up will help participants tune into the session. No previous drawing experience is needed. Paper and basic drawing materials will be provided to share within the group; however, participants are invited to bring their own materials if they prefer to use their personal set. This event is suitable for adults only.

Schedule:

6:30 PM - Arrivals, settling in, introductions and herbal teas (No late arrivals will be permitted for this event)

7:00 - 8:30 PM - Drawing & Movement

8:30 - 9:00 PM - Wind down, reflections and departures

This event will have a maximum of 30 participants and will take place in the Barn.


About the facilitators:

Image credit: Rosalba Riscatto 

Silvia Commisso is an architect, urban designer and dancer who has practiced drawing, sketching and life drawing for many years. She is interested in the different ways dance and drawing can embody the present moment.

Federico Florian is a writer, translator and dancer. He is interested in the intersections of body, space, touch and movement improvisation.

About OmVed Gardens:

Image credit: Corinne Amos

OmVed Gardens is a garden, exhibition, events, and learning space in North London exploring food, ecology, and creativity for climate resilience. Through regenerative gardening, seed saving, and food advocacy, we support communities, enhance biodiversity, and promote ecological education through creative practice.

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www.omvedgardens.com @omvedgardens

A note on accessibility: The gardens are set on a hill, featuring steep paths and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility. Wheelchair access across the site is currently limited while landscape works are underway.

For events, there is drop-off access by car to the Barn main building. If you require wheelchair drop-off, please get in touch with us at least 48 hours ahead of time. There is an accessible toilet located inside the Barn. 

Subsidised Tickets: A small number of subsidised tickets are available for this event. If cost is a barrier, please write to us at events@omvedgardens.com — we'd love to help you join us. Subject to availability.

Refund Policy: Tickets are non-refundable. In cases where an event is sold out and a waiting list exists for the session, a credit voucher may be issued. Please write to us for any cancellation inquiries at least 24 hours before the event starts.

In case of extreme weather, and the event goes ahead, we will offer a credit note for future events. If we have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, we will refund your ticket. 

Header Image Credits: Lorenzo Belli, Reishin Watabe