Open writing circle

Soften, Observe, Allow: Writing the Body

This workshop invites you into a gentle, embodied approach to language. Rooted in somatic practice and my Body Noise methodology, we move through breathwork, voice activation, and guided reflection, generating new text through movement, word association, and response to prompts and poetic indices.

As a facilitator, Dumama is interested in how people can show up in their entirety—without shame or judgment—and allow multidimensional texts to emerge in relation to the present moment. The workshop moves as a kind of care lab, where participants can collectively be with what is here, softly, together. Through prompts, free writing, and optional sharing, Gugu holds space for writing as a practice of care, release, and self-attunement.

This workshop is free. Participatns are encouraged to bring a donation to support the artist.

Words and stories reside within all of us, waiting to be discovered.

Our monthly Open Writing Circle invites people with all levels of writing experience to explore their creativity and imagination.
In each session, one of Berlin’s many exceptional writers, poets, artists, or curators will create a vibrant and collective learning experience.

Whether you’re interested in fiction, memoir, non-fiction, or poetry, this supportive space encourages you to uncover the words within you. We’ll draw upon techniques used in writing workshops to unleash your innate talent in a collaborative environment that will allow for a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights.

This workshop aims to create an affirming, playful and empowering space for queer people to explore, express and celebrate their identities as well as to provide a platform for the stories of the LGBTQIA+ community to be shared, heard and valued.

Gugulethu Duma (aka Dumama) is a musician / composer / sonic poet / creative producer from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Her practice plays with the deconstruction and critique of archaic modes of representation in Southern African/African sonic and performance culture, while also composing music for herself and others.
As a storyteller and lyricist she weaves together childhood songs, stories and personal memories with electronic hues and gestures, experimenting with the divide between traditional oral culture and futuristic, globally oriented poetics in her embodiement of an African technological consciousness. www.dumamamusic.com

General Information
Level: No previous experience is necessary.
Language: While the group is primarily conducted in English, you are welcome to write in any language you feel comfortable with.
Cost: this event is free of charge.

We also invite all writers to consider leading a future session—please contact us for more information.

** This event is part of the we are village program ‘Belonging versus Lonelliness‘, with the support of the LADS.
Learn more about the program here.