Session 1: expressing the (home) body

In this gong sound bath session, we will explore our body awareness through slow mindful movement, breathing exercises, and guided meditation. We will reflect the ways in which society dictates our bodily expressions and use somatic techniques to harness our autonomy.

In this space, participants will re discover their (home) bodies. The (home) body refers to the communal experience of our emotional homes and its impact on the relationship with the physical body. We invite all bodies to breathe, move and rest to embody secure (home) bodies.

Attention (home) bodies: This space is meant to be an immersive, caring experience. We ask you to come at least five minutes before the start time to get cozy. We will be capping attendance at 50 people. Once the session has started, please silence and refrain from using your phone. Listen deeply - to yourself first and foremost. You are welcome to enter and leave the space but please be aware of how your presence affects others. Come softly, leave softly.

About the Artists

Naoco Wowsugi is a community-engaged artist who lives and works in Washington, D.C. Wowsugi’s cross-disciplinary projects range from portrait photography, participatory performance, and sound healing, to horticulture, exploring the nature of belonging and inclusive community building while they highlight and fortify everyday communal and interpersonal identities. Wowsugi’s art practice blurs the lines between being an artist and an engaged citizen.

M. Aragon is an arts administrator, writer and dirt eater based in Silver Spring, MD. Their personal art practice uses mixed media such as printmaking, ceramics and performance to explore the relationships between their body, neighboring natural bodies and the built environment around them. They are a biophilic creature who desires to connect with their community members, the earth, and themselves through art that encourages embodied care-taking and socially engaged work.

About NextNOW Fest

Started in 2014, The Clarice’s annual NextNOW Fest is an inspiring arts experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and community. By amplifying the voices of intriguing, inventive artists from around campus and our community, NextNOW Fest creates a forward-looking microcosm where art transforms our future and connects us all.

NextNOW Fest is a signature event in University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative, which leverages the combined power of the arts, technology and social justice to address the grand challenges of our time.

VIEW FULL 2023 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Funding

NextNOW Fest is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Additional support is provided by Terps After Dark and the University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative. NextNOW Fest's Silent Disc-Glo event is supported by UMD's Student Entertainment Events; and the Vital Signs Mini-Grants Showcase is supported by the Venable Foundation and Pepsi.