The Biting School

### Context Profile for The Biting School

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   - **Mission:** The Biting School is dedicated to creating and promoting interdisciplinary performance art that engages with social justice themes, particularly focusing on immigration, cultural adaptation, and community building. They aim to foster artistic exchange and collaboration among diverse communities.
   - **Cause:** The organization emphasizes the importance of devised theatre as a means of exploring and addressing contemporary social issues, particularly through the lens of marginalized voices.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - **Events:** The Biting School hosts community conversations, workshops, and performances that involve collaboration with various artists and community members. For example, their recent event featured a week-long research and creation process culminating in a community conversation.
   - **Fundraising Campaigns:** They engage in fundraising through events and community engagement initiatives, supported by local government and arts organizations.
   - **Community Programs:** The organization focuses on educational outreach, including workshops and performances in non-traditional spaces, such as prisons, to promote social justice through the arts.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   - The tone of the website and communications is **friendly, inclusive, and professional**, with an emphasis on community engagement and artistic collaboration. The language is approachable yet informative, aiming to inspire participation and connection among diverse audiences.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   - The organization uses emojis sparingly but effectively in their communications, such as 📅 (calendar) for event dates, 🕔 (clock) for time, and 📍 (location pin) for venue details. This usage adds a casual and engaging touch to their announcements, making them more relatable.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - **Founding Info:** The Biting School was co-founded in 2013 by Aryo Khakpour and Arash Khakpour, along with other collaborators.
   - **Scale:** The organization has conducted multiple events and campaigns, with at least six forms and five email campaigns noted.
   - **Impact Metrics:** While specific metrics are not detailed on the website, their focus on community engagement and social justice suggests a commitment to measurable impact in the communities they serve.
   - **Volunteer Info:** Information on volunteer opportunities is not explicitly mentioned, but the collaborative nature of their work implies potential for community involvement.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - **Style:** Use a conversational yet professional tone that encourages community involvement. Avoid overly technical language; instead, focus on storytelling and personal connection.
   - **Structure:** Keep communications clear and concise, using bullet points for important details (e.g., event information). 
   - **Engagement:** Incorporate questions or calls to action to invite participation and feedback from the audience.
   - **Visual Elements:** Use emojis judiciously to enhance engagement but maintain a balance to ensure professionalism.

### Summary
The Biting School is an innovative nonprofit focused on interdisciplinary performance art that addresses social justice issues. Their activities include community events and collaborations that foster artistic exchange. The organization communicates in a friendly and professional tone, utilizing emojis to enhance engagement. Future content should reflect their mission of inclusivity and community involvement, maintaining clarity and a conversational style.

Sliding Scale $150

Sliding Scale $175

Sliding Scale $200

The Biting School Workshop<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Physical Experiments in Performance Making<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Join Aryo and Arash Khakpour on Saturday, February 28, 2026 for a full-day workshop. We will share an iteration of our artistic processes and the ways we create work. The morning session develops presence and relational awareness. The afternoon session builds on that foundation through structured improvisation and collaborative scene-making. The day is meant to be experienced in its entirety. Please note that this workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced dancers, actors and performance artists. If you&#39;re unsure whether this workshop is a good fit for your experience level, please email us at thebitingschool@gmail.comThe class capacity is limited to 9 participants.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Schedule:10 a.m. &ndash; 10:30 a.m. &rArr; gentle arrival10:30 a.m. &ndash; 1 p.m. &rArr; non-verbal warm-up facilitated by Arash1 &ndash; 2 p.m. &rArr; break1 &ndash; 4:30 p.m. &rArr; playmaking facilitated by Aryo4:30 &ndash; 5 p.m. &rArr; gentle departure<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Location:&nbsp;hopbopshop (150 McLean Dr., Vancouver)Please note that the studio is not wheelchair accessible.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Price:&nbsp;Sliding scale: $150 / $175 / $200&nbsp;We ask that you pick a rate that&rsquo;s sustainable for your current financial situation while keeping in mind that your contribution helps keep our studio running and makes space for others who may have fewer resources.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> What to Bring:&nbsp;Loose comfortable clothing (no shoes in the studio), a water bottle and lunch if you&rsquo;d like.&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> www.bitingschool.com<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Arash Khakpour &rArr; Dimensions of Perception&nbsp;How would you live your morning warm-up if you were a god?In a singular, personal and collective action, located in a dance studio, we begin to get &lsquo;warmed up&rsquo; together while maneuvering the inner and outer landscapes of sensation, emotion and perception. In this 2-hour attempt to be non-verbal, non-descriptive, and tender with our humanity, we incorporate and work with the energy in the room as our material for the warm-up. What are the different levels of warming up our attention and tuning into the improvisational mind? What are the habits and tendencies that keep me from seeing the essence of the other? Who is this &#39;me&#39; seeing this &#39;we&#39;?&nbsp;This is not a space that is seeking to be strict and rigid, but a generative space of guidance and awakening. Awakening to the dreams of the night before and nights ahead. From north to south and east to west, above and below, we are steeped in dimensions that guide us and our choices. We are the dimensions. We are the directions that bring love and light to the dark corners of abandonment and despair. What are my limits of comfort in meeting myself and the other? Is there room to lean into the unknown? In an attempt to let go of the need to possess, impress, or dominate, we practice kindness and compassion with ourselves and others to experience what warming up means to us today.&nbsp;&quot;The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.&quot; --Albert Einstein (or someone else)The exploration in class will include movement with vocalization, physical touch with sensitivity, and improvisation. Please note that the 2-hour class will be guided entirely non-verbally with a 30-minute conversation and reflections at the end.Arash&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Aryo Khakpour &rArr; The Materials of ImaginationThrough a series of exercises and explorations rooted in Grotowski&rsquo;s actor training, corporeal mime, and Viewpoints, I&#39;ll be holding a space of intentional play and learning how to negotiate together in making something creative. Through structured improvisations and ensemble-based exercises, we will explore ways of activating our imagination and collective creation. We will make short scenes from nothing and shape them into new scenes. My intention is to study together how to play intelligently as a group and as part of a group, and how to utilize our physical imagination in interacting with collaborators and other performance materials.Duration: 2.5 hours BIOS<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Aryo Khakpour is an interdisciplinary actor, director, dramaturg and filmmaker. Born and raised in Tehran, he has been involved in multiple theatre, dance, and film productions in Vancouver since 2006. He cofounded The Biting School in 2013, which was the company-in-residence at PuSh Festival and The Dance Centre 2018 &ndash; 2019.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> In his practice, he explores dynamics of power, implications of ideologies, repetition of mythologies, and cultural adaptation. He is an intersectional feminist; and he interrogates patriarchy and its harmful effects on people. His practice is heavily physical and surrealistic; it moves from theatre to performance art to dance to film and back to theatre; it deals with pain and pleasure; it is sex-positive; and it aims to queer the status quo. He was trained in devised practices of non-hierarchical collective creation; that is his favourite way of creating.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> He is the recipient of the 2024-25 Theatre Replacement Accelerator Lab Fellowship, which focuses on international touring within the context of experimental theatre and interdisciplinary performance. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for Leaky Heaven Performance and the MENA Film Festival.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Arash Khakpour&nbsp;(آرش خاکپور) is a dancer, choreographer, movement dramaturg and facilitator from Tehran and based in the Coast Salish Territory (colonially known as Vancouver, Canada). Arash has been practicing dance and performance for the past 16 years and has been a company member and part of the EDAM Contact Improvisation ensemble since 2017 under the direction of Peter Bingham.&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> In 2018, he was mentored by Ra&iuml;na von Waldenburg on presence and embodiment based on the Grotowski method. In 2023, he completed a mentorship project with Beno&icirc;t Lachambre on deepening his performance and facilitation practice. Most recently, Arash was one of nineteen participants in &lsquo;The Mystery School of Choreography&rsquo; in Lisbon, directed by Meg Stuart and Ana Rocha.&nbsp;<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> He invests in and tends to the nuances of prejudices in the body as a way of inviting the unconscious to the conscious, and as a doorway to embrace the unknown emotions. He sees dance as a process of emotional and spiritual discoveries and a mode of transformation. He works with dance as a process that researches the human condition through mythical, social, political and animistic interpretations. As a first-generation immigrant, he continuously considers what healing he can bring to the land and communities he works with. He cultivates a culture of relationality and reciprocity that celebrates the multiplicity of presences and approaches. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the dance-theatre-film company The Biting School.<p dir="ltr" fr-original-style="line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0pt 0px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">

<span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for registering for the Physical Experiments in Performance Making event with The Biting School. We&#39;re excited to have you join us. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:thebitingschool@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;">thebitingschool@gmail.com</a>. Thank you for being a part of our community. Warm regards, Arash and Aryo Khakpour The Biting School

The Biting School Workshop Physical Experiments in Performance Making Join Aryo and Arash Khakpour on Saturday, February 28, 2026 for a full-day workshop. We will share an iteration of our artistic processes and the ways we create work. The morning session develops presence and relational awareness. The afternoon session builds on that foundation through structured improvisation and collaborative scene-making. The day is meant to be experienced in its entirety. Please note that this workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced dancers, actors and performance artists. If you're unsure whether this workshop is a good fit for your experience level, please email us at thebitingschool@gmail.comThe class capacity is limited to 9 participants. Schedule:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. ⇒ gentle arrival10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ⇒ non-verbal warm-up facilitated by Arash1 – 2 p.m. ⇒ break1 – 4:30 p.m. ⇒ playmaking facilitated by Aryo4:30 – 5 p.m. ⇒ gentle departure Location: hopbopshop (150 McLean Dr., Vancouver)Please note that the studio is not wheelchair accessible. Price: Sliding scale: $150 / $175 / $200 We ask that you pick a rate that’s sustainable for your current financial situation while keeping in mind that your contribution helps keep our studio running and makes space for others who may have fewer resources. What to Bring: Loose comfortable clothing (no shoes in the studio), a water bottle and lunch if you’d like.  www.bitingschool.com Arash Khakpour ⇒ Dimensions of Perception How would you live your morning warm-up if you were a god?In a singular, personal and collective action, located in a dance studio, we begin to get ‘warmed up’ together while maneuvering the inner and outer landscapes of sensation, emotion and perception. In this 2-hour attempt to be non-verbal, non-descriptive, and tender with our humanity, we incorporate and work with the energy in the room as our material for the warm-up. What are the different levels of warming up our attention and tuning into the improvisational mind? What are the habits and tendencies that keep me from seeing the essence of the other? Who is this 'me' seeing this 'we'? This is not a space that is seeking to be strict and rigid, but a generative space of guidance and awakening. Awakening to the dreams of the night before and nights ahead. From north to south and east to west, above and below, we are steeped in dimensions that guide us and our choices. We are the dimensions. We are the directions that bring love and light to the dark corners of abandonment and despair. What are my limits of comfort in meeting myself and the other? Is there room to lean into the unknown? In an attempt to let go of the need to possess, impress, or dominate, we practice kindness and compassion with ourselves and others to experience what warming up means to us today. "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." --Albert Einstein (or someone else)The exploration in class will include movement with vocalization, physical touch with sensitivity, and improvisation. Please note that the 2-hour class will be guided entirely non-verbally with a 30-minute conversation and reflections at the end.Arash  Aryo Khakpour ⇒ The Materials of ImaginationThrough a series of exercises and explorations rooted in Grotowski’s actor training, corporeal mime, and Viewpoints, I'll be holding a space of intentional play and learning how to negotiate together in making something creative. Through structured improvisations and ensemble-based exercises, we will explore ways of activating our imagination and collective creation. We will make short scenes from nothing and shape them into new scenes. My intention is to study together how to play intelligently as a group and as part of a group, and how to utilize our physical imagination in interacting with collaborators and other performance materials.Duration: 2.5 hours BIOS Aryo Khakpour is an interdisciplinary actor, director, dramaturg and filmmaker. Born and raised in Tehran, he has been involved in multiple theatre, dance, and film productions in Vancouver since 2006. He cofounded The Biting School in 2013, which was the company-in-residence at PuSh Festival and The Dance Centre 2018 – 2019. In his practice, he explores dynamics of power, implications of ideologies, repetition of mythologies, and cultural adaptation. He is an intersectional feminist; and he interrogates patriarchy and its harmful effects on people. His practice is heavily physical and surrealistic; it moves from theatre to performance art to dance to film and back to theatre; it deals with pain and pleasure; it is sex-positive; and it aims to queer the status quo. He was trained in devised practices of non-hierarchical collective creation; that is his favourite way of creating. He is the recipient of the 2024-25 Theatre Replacement Accelerator Lab Fellowship, which focuses on international touring within the context of experimental theatre and interdisciplinary performance. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for Leaky Heaven Performance and the MENA Film Festival. Arash Khakpour (آرش خاکپور) is a dancer, choreographer, movement dramaturg and facilitator from Tehran and based in the Coast Salish Territory (colonially known as Vancouver, Canada). Arash has been practicing dance and performance for the past 16 years and has been a company member and part of the EDAM Contact Improvisation ensemble since 2017 under the direction of Peter Bingham.  In 2018, he was mentored by Raïna von Waldenburg on presence and embodiment based on the Grotowski method. In 2023, he completed a mentorship project with Benoît Lachambre on deepening his performance and facilitation practice. Most recently, Arash was one of nineteen participants in ‘The Mystery School of Choreography’ in Lisbon, directed by Meg Stuart and Ana Rocha.  He invests in and tends to the nuances of prejudices in the body as a way of inviting the unconscious to the conscious, and as a doorway to embrace the unknown emotions. He sees dance as a process of emotional and spiritual discoveries and a mode of transformation. He works with dance as a process that researches the human condition through mythical, social, political and animistic interpretations. As a first-generation immigrant, he continuously considers what healing he can bring to the land and communities he works with. He cultivates a culture of relationality and reciprocity that celebrates the multiplicity of presences and approaches. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the dance-theatre-film company The Biting School.

The Biting School

Physical Experiments in Performance Making - February 28

150 McLean Dr

Sliding Scale $150

$150

Sliding Scale $175

$175

Sliding Scale $200

$200

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