Baseworks Transmission

Catherine Gaudet is a Montreal choreographer. Her piece Les jolies choses won the Grand Prix de la danse de Montréal in 2022 and has toured Canada and Europe since. In this conversation with Asia Shcherbakova and Patrick Oancia, she explains how she builds a performance.

Her working tool is ambiguity: several possible meanings laid down at once, so the spectator keeps looking for one. She begins in the studio without a plan and guides her dancers through images and physical forces until they stop watching themselves, and she treats every piece as a ritual. She talks about fatigue and music as part of the state a piece produces, about what she wants to happen in the body of the person watching, and about the working conditions of dancers in Quebec and France.

Her new solo for James Phillips, Hors-d'œuvre, runs at Théâtre La Chapelle in Montreal from September 23 to 26, 2026.

The conversation is mostly in French, with Asia and Patrick speaking English. The video version has English and French subtitles. Full transcripts in English, French and Japanese are on the episode page:

https://baseworks.com/podcast/catherine-gaudet-ambiguity-ritual-audience

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:03:41) Three bodies in a performance

(00:05:14) From dancer to choreographer

(00:09:18) Ambiguity as a vector of sensation

(00:10:37) The aesthetic shock

(00:14:31) State over message

(00:17:19) No plan in the studio

(00:19:34) The rabbit ears

(00:22:32) Directing with forces and images

(00:26:59) The thousand faces

(00:30:19) "The audience is me"

(00:33:51) Reducing a piece to one figure

(00:36:57) Hypnosis and meditative ritual

(00:40:01) Trust without understanding

(00:43:38) The pink ball

(00:45:26) Ritual as a state machine

(00:47:43) The head as antenna

(00:48:52) Exhaustion and the second wind

(00:52:07) The music: a four-minute loop

(00:56:05) Jung and the truths of the blood

(01:01:10) The spectator, through herself

(01:02:03) The movement in the spectator

(01:08:03) Why the videos don't do it

(01:09:54) Twenty years of creation

(01:13:09) Creation as religion

(01:14:54) The poster downstairs

(01:16:02) Working conditions for dancers

(01:20:27) Adversity and comfort

(01:22:23) Idealism and compromise

(01:25:43) Hors-d'œuvre at La Chapelle

(01:26:56) A shared language

(01:28:17) Closing message

Links

Compagnie Catherine Gaudet: https://catherinegaudet.com/en/

Hors-d'œuvre at Théâtre La Chapelle: https://www.lachapelle.org/fr/spectacles/hors-doeuvre

Disembodied by Dance, Asia's article: https://baseworks.com/communications/disembodied-by-dance-embodied-mind/

Baseworks events in Montreal: https://baseworks.com/events/

Recorded at Espace Libre (Studio NTE), Montreal, on September 3, 2026. Podcast artwork photo by Julie Artacho.

In this episode of the Baseworks Transmission Podcast, Patrick Oancia sits down with Edward Clark, writer, theater artist, and director of Tripsichore Yoga Theater. Their connection goes back to 2007 in Bali, where Edward's uncompromising teaching style and critical approach to yoga immediately stood out.

This conversation traces Edward's journey from Calgary to London's physical theater scene in the late 70s, through the influence of Stephen Berkoff and Lindsay Kemp, to the pivotal 1992 discovery that yoga held untapped choreographic potential—leading to three decades of creating work that physicalizes phenomenological landscapes.

Topics covered:

• Physical theater training: Stephen Berkoff's Metamorphosis and Lindsay Kemp's extreme performances
• The accidental birth of yoga theater in 1992
• Fundamental differences between asana and vinyasa philosophy
• Teaching to fund artistic practice
• Intensity, injuries, and the reality of long-term practice
• Social media yoga and the authority problem
• Two books with anthropologist Laurie A. Greene examining contemporary yoga teaching and practice
• Why Patanjali's Yoga Sutras became "classical yoga" (historical accident)
• Academic yoga studies with Mark Singleton, Jason Birch, and James Mallinson
• Critical acceptance: embracing hypotheses while evaluating them
• International touring and ending teacher trainings to focus on art

Edward Clark is a theater artist and director of Tripsichore Yoga Theater whose work emerged from London's physical theater scene in the late 1970s. He has co-authored two books with Laurie A. Greene: "Teaching Contemporary Yoga: Physical Philosophy and Critical Issues" and "Yoga and the Body," both published by Routledge.

This conversation was recorded on May 30, 2025, at Circuit-Est Centre Chorégraphique in Montreal, Canada.

For full show notes, chapter timestamps, transcript, references, and companion reflections, visit:
https://baseworks.com/podcast/edward-clark-physical-theater-critical-practice

Transmission is copyright to Baseworks | Shaspo LLC.

In this episode of the Baseworks Transmission Podcast, Patrick Oancia sits down with Palisa Anderson in a park in Montreal, sipping wine and diving into her multifaceted journey as a restaurateur, organic farmer, mother, and movement practitioner. Palisa shares the story of her family’s legacy with Chat Thai, a renowned Thai restaurant group in Sydney, Australia, and her transformative shift to regenerative farming at Boon Luck Farm. From her roots in Sydney to her global experiences in cities like Tokyo, she discusses how her work in food, farming, and movement intertwines with her philosophy of intentionality, community, and resilience. The conversation explores cycles in nature and life, the challenges of sustainable agriculture, and the importance of grounding oneself in the present while planning for a sustainable future.

For time-stamped show notes, references to the topics discussed, other associated links, show transcript, full bios, and the companion reflection access, visit ⁠the episode page⁠ on the Baseworks site.

In this episode of the Baseworks Transmission conversation, Asia Shcherbakova⁠ talks with Johanna Calderon, an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and music performer from Colombia. Johanna's background is rooted in her studies of cello and music history in Colombia, furthered by a master's degree in early baroque music from the Conservatory of Amsterdam. She presently holds a position as an associate professor and researcher at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga, where her work focuses on integrating musicology, cultural heritage, and peace-building through music and arts.

The discussion explores the intersection of music, movement, and self-expression. Johanna provides insights into using music as a medium for rebuilding connections in post-conflict environments, especially in Colombia. The episode is presented in both English and Spanish, offering perspectives enriched by linguistic diversity.

The episode on YouTube features subtitles in both languages (use the CC option to select your preferred language). If you're not bilingual, we recommend watching the video version there.

For time-stamped show notes, references to the topics discussed, other associated links, show transcript, full bios, and the companion reflection access, visit the episode page on the Baseworks site.

This is the companion REFLECTIONS transmission for the conversation Patrick Oancia had with Jozef Frucek, co-founder of the Fighting Monkey practice. To gain detailed insights and understand the philosophies discussed, we recommend listening to the original episode first. You can watch or listen to that here:

https://baseworks.com/podcast/jozef-frucek-fighting-monkey-practice-communication-adaptation/

In this Reflection, Baseworks Method co-developer Asia Shcherbakova explores Jozef’s approach to movement practice, examining how he integrates concepts of biological systems and communication within the context of Fighting Monkey. Asia contrasts these methods with the Baseworks Method, providing thoughtful comparisons and connections.

As there is a lot of contextual graphics that accompany this episode, consider watching the video instead either on Spotify or Youtube.

For show notes, transcript and other resources for this Reflection, please visit :

https://baseworks.com/podcast/jozef-frucek-fighting-monkey-practice-communication-adaptation/

In this episode, Patrick Oancia, Asia Shcherbakova and Maria Lucia Agon Ramirez discuss the experiences that shaped Maria's career in dance, from co-founding the TANZMOTO company to the creation of Mukti Espacio Vivo. The conversation delves into Maria Lucia's personal journey, including her struggles with educational expectations, the importance of family support, and the influences that led her to focus on spaces for authenticity and self-expression in her professional and personal life.

About María Lucía:

María Lucía Agón Ramírez is a Choreographer, Dancer, and Teacher of Contemporary Dance and Yoga. After high school in 1998, she joined the "Ballet Experimental Contemporaneo" in Colombia, performing at international festivals. She studied at the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in France and Folkwang University of the Arts in Germany. Since 2000, she’s performed globally and co-founded TANZMOTO DANCE COMPANY in 2004 with Mohan Thomas. She also collaborated with choreographer Royston Maldoom. In 2019, she returned to Colombia to work as a choreographer and dance teacher. In 2021, she founded MUKTI Espacio Vivo, focusing on community and interdisciplinary movement education.

Baseworks Transmission

These Baseworks Transmission conversations look at both the concrete and abstract realizations that emerge from a commitment to any kind of practice or pursuit to achieve life goals. The ideas get unpacked from their subjectivity, and the outcome of each transmission sets out to discover critical feature patterns and construct common recognition categories of physical and introspective experiences.

For time-stamped show notes, references to the topics discussed, other associated links, show transcript, full bios, and the companion reflection access, visit: 

https://baseworks.com/podcast/importance-networks-spaces-for-authenticity/

In this episode, Patrick Oancia chats with Jozef Fruček in a reflective dialogue exploring Jozef’s upbringing amidst nature and and foraging trips with his dad in Slovakia, and the profound impact it had on shaping his insights into the dynamics of “communication” between living systems (including us, humans) and their environments. The discussion unpacks the philosophical and practical aspects of Jozef’s views reflected in the Fighting Monkey Practice, touching on the themes of authenticity, adaptability, vitality, creativity, parenting, and the interplay of art and athletics, all of which underscore his journey towards cultivating versatile forms of expression and pedagogy.

About Jozef:

Jozef Frucek is a movement practitioner, artist, and educator. Born in Slovakia, he graduated from the Academy of Music and Theater of Bratislava and completed a PhD thesis in 2002. For several years he was a member of Ultima VezWim Vandekeybus, and later collaborated with the Royal Flemish Theater in Brussels. Together with Linda Kapetanea, Jozef co-founded RootlessRoot in 2006, as a platform for their own productions, research and teaching. Together, they have been developing the Fighting Monkey practice.

Baseworks Transmission

These Baseworks Transmission conversations look at both the concrete and abstract realizations that emerge from a commitment to any kind of practice or pursuit to achieve life goals. The ideas get unpacked from their subjectivity, and the outcome of each transmission sets out to discover critical feature patterns and construct common recognition categories of physical and introspective experiences.

For time-stamped show notes, references to the topics discussed about Japan, other associated links, show transcript, full bio's, and the companion reflection access, visit: 

https://baseworks.com/podcast/jozef-frucek-fighting-monkey-practice-communication-adaptation

This is the companion REFLECTIONS transmission for the conversation Patrick Oancia had with Ryan Hurst, one of the founders of GMB Fitness. To get insights from the conversation and deepen your understanding, listen to the original episode first. You can listen to that ⁠here⁠.

In this Reflection, co-developer of the Baseworks Method, Asia Shcherbakova, unpacks Ryan's immersive approach to movement practice and his journey from gymnastics to martial arts. She also explores the synergies and differences between GMB Fitness and the Baseworks method providing valuable insights and correlations. You can get the show notes, associated links, and show transcript for this episode ⁠here.

About Ryan:

Ryan co-founded GMB fitness in 2010 with partners Andy Fossett and Jarlo Ilano and acts as the head coach and program director for the method. Since 2010 GMB has facilitated the delivery of its programming to over 100,000 students in over 100 countries. Among the thousands who have benefited from their programming, they’ve trained Olympians, world-class martial artists, and FBI Hostage Rescue Teams at Quantico. Ryan also holds black belts in Kendo, Judo, and Shorinji Kempo, a purple belt in BJJ, and came from a background as a competitive gymnast. Ryan has devoted his life to coaching others in strength and movement but always lets his philosophy of “training for a healthy life” lead the way. He’s married with two children and has lived in Japan for over 25 years. 

About Asia Shcherbakova: 

Asia is a co-developer of the Baseworks Method and a published neuroscientist studying the pro-cognitive effects of medium-chain triglycerides. Asia’s role as Baseworks co-developer is both to map the method applications onto known neurobiological mechanisms in order to improve the method’s efficacy, and to “translate” the pioneering applications in order to map them back onto common categories in exercise physiology, other movement practices and everyday life. 

Baseworks Transmission

These Baseworks Transmission conversations look at both the concrete and abstract realizations that emerge from a commitment to any kind of practice or pursuit to achieve life goals. The ideas get unpacked from their subjectivity, and the outcome of each transmission sets out to discover critical feature patterns and construct common recognition categories of physical and introspective experiences.

Transmission Reflections is a format that allows us to reflect on what was discussed during the Transmission Conversations, digest it, and perhaps even generate a new perspective on what unfolded during the talk. 

The On Japan, Movement Autonomy & Community conversation was recorded on July 6, 2022 To listen to the audio version or read this companion reflection instead, please visit here.

Transmission is copyright 2024 to Baseworks | Shaspo LLC. You may copy it to share it with others. But for any other uses or derivatives, please contact us: ⁠https://baseworks.com/contact/

In this episode, Patrick Oancia talks with Ryan Hurst about his immersion into Gymnastics in Wichita, Kansas, from a young age through to decades as a devoted martial artist and ex-pat in Japan.  

His immersion into the Japanese culture was shaped by these and other experiences, and that all led to his co-founding GMB Fitness in 2010. 

About Ryan  

Ryan co-founded GMB fitness in 2010 with partners Andy Fossett, and Jarlo Ilano and acts as the head coach and program director for the method.   He holds black belts in Kendo, Judo, and Shorinji Kempo, a purple belt in BJJ, and came from a background as a competitive gymnast.   Ryan is married with two children and has lived in Japan for over 25 years. Visit the show page for a full bio. (link below)  

Baseworks Transmission

These Baseworks Transmission conversations look at both the concrete and abstract realizations that emerge from a commitment to any kind of practice or pursuit to achieve life goals. The ideas get unpacked from their subjectivity, and the outcome of each transmission sets out to discover critical feature patterns and construct common recognition categories of physical and introspective experiences.

For time-stamped show notes, references to the topics discussed about Japan, other associated links, show transcript, full bio's, and the companion reflection access, visit: 

https://baseworks.com/podcast/ryan-hurst-japan-movement-autonomy-community/

This is the companion REFLECTIONS Transmission for the conversation that Patrick Oancia had with Yuval Ayalon. It would make the most sense to first listen to that episode here.

This Reflection looks at Yuval’s journey from competitive gymnastics to contemplative handstand practice and discusses the concept of foundation in physical skill development. It also talks about the tendency of well-learned skills to escape our awareness.

To watch the video version or read this companion Reflection instead, please go here. 

As a recap, in the On Playing, Training & Challenge episode, Patrick Oancia chats with Yuval Ayalon about his transition from being a kid swinging on trees, right through to being a competitive gymnast, and performance artist, and finally ending up a globally renowned teacher of hand-balances.

The discussion hit a lot of interesting points on the development of skills, dealing with stress, and directing intentions and focus to where they need to be at each step.

And you can get the show notes, associated links, and show transcript for that episode here. 

Baseworks Transmission

These Baseworks Transmission conversations look at both the concrete and abstract realizations that emerge from a commitment to any kind of practice or pursuit to achieve life goals. The ideas get unpacked from their subjectivity, and the outcome of each transmission sets out to discover critical feature patterns and construct common recognition categories of physical and introspective experiences.

Transmission Reflections is a format that allows us to reflect on what was discussed during the Transmission Conversations, digest it, and perhaps even generate a new perspective on what unfolded during the talk.