Practicing body percussion means using your body as an instrument to produce sounds! This still relatively unknown practice draws from both the worlds of dance and music. Various rhythmic body practices are found in numerous cultural traditions, making the approach to body percussion very broad! For the past few decades, body percussion has increasingly established itself as a fully-fledged art form, allowing performers to develop their artistic and pedagogical approaches.

The course

Classes are taught in groups, allowing participants to connect with a shared energy and resonate together while developing this musical language.

A minimum of 8 participants per level is required for these classes to run.

The beginner+ class will allow you to consolidate and enrich the basic vocabulary of body percussion while refining precision and expressiveness through movement. From time to time, we will also use spoken and sung voice as a pedagogical and expressive tool.

We will explore multi-part sequences that also develop memory skills. Polyrhythms will also be studied to strengthen your independence and encourage both holistic and focused listening.

Through the advanced level course, I will offer a range of exercises designed to expand your vocabulary, enhance your listening skills, refine your rhythmic precision, and develop specific techniques, all in service of artistic expression. Through targeted warm-ups and specific choreography, we will explore triple, duple, and asymmetrical rhythms. Occasionally, we will also use spoken and sung voice as a pedagogical and expressive tool.

At the heart of our practice will be the exploration of the link between rhythm and movement: how to integrate rhythmic dynamics into our gestures; how to infuse movement into the rhythmic sequences we explore; and how to cultivate fluid gestures while remaining rhythmically conscious and precise.

Several years of regular experience in rhythmic practice and a strong interest in body expression and movement are required to take this course. Prior experience with body percussion is a plus!

Inscriptions open on August 10 2026!

Come and discover this course during the free session on Tuesday 22 September 2026, between 5:30pm and 7:30pm.

Collective lesson (8 courses/cycle)

Wednesday:

• Beginners+ : 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Advanced: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

The last class of the first cycle will be 2 hours long, as Lydie Thonnard is available for only 7 courses during this trimester.

Registration is required from the second course of the cycle. 

The general conditions relating to the academy are available and can be consulted on the info page in the academy section of the Muziekpublique website.