A contemporary movement practice and workshop framework for artists, communities, and organizations who want honest, embodied spaces for research, training, and connection.

English: “ember” as a glowing coal that still carries heat; “kind” as both “type” and “gentleness.”
Hungarian: “ember” means “human,” pointing to our shared, imperfect, living humanity.
ember·kind is the name Sophie gives to a way of being together in movement: arriving as we are, staying with what is present, and meeting ourselves and each other with curiosity, courage, care, and kindness.
The kind of light that sparks – not burning, not destroying itself or others – but when it connects, it creates a fire that keeps the ones close to it warm, ready to act, and brave.
ember·kind is a contemporary movement practice created by Sophie Barbarics that lives where wildness meets form.
It invites the body to remember its untamed origins while cultivating the refinement of presence and attention.
Developed over many years of teaching and choreographing in Hungary and Canada, ember·kind moves between contrasts: exploratory yet precise, sensory yet athletic, grounded yet spacious.
It sits between contemporary dance, improvisation, and relational work — a field where instinct and intelligence dance together, and movement becomes a way of listening to oneself, to others, and to the spaces in between.
![[background image] image of a vibrant dance class in action (for a dance studio)](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/679075f28bc27d040e200d6c/69c4a675a158d2415400afa3_IMG_1450%20(1).jpg)
Sophie designs custom ember·kind workshops and intensives for studios, festivals, universities, residencies, and community projects.
Each workshop balances technical training, improvisation, and space for participants’ own research, shaped to the community and context.
These can stand alone as one‑off experiences or be part of a larger residency, performance project, or organizational process.
Join us for an 8-week research series exploring human connection through movement, presence, and improvisation. No dance experience required.
In ʻIke, seeing is a tender, risky practice: I let you exist fully in my eyes, and you let me exist in yours. The work moves between subtle, intimate encounters and larger group constellations, tracing how attention travels through a room, how trust is built or withheld, how proximity can both soothe and unsettle.
Join us for 6 weeks of movement, growth, and community.
The Cocoon Lab invites dancers and creative movers into an 6-week adventure, shaped by the playful and experimental spirit of Sophie Barbarics. Each session is a hands-on laboratory of movement, blending contemporary dance technique, improvisation, and expressive exercises designed to spark curiosity and transformation.
Advanced dance training offers professional-level contemporary training in Nelson for advanced and committed intermediate dancers (16+) ready to deepen technique, artistry, and grounded stage presence in a supportive, non-competitive environment. It focuses on clear, progressive training and performance readiness.
Az ember·kind – Budapest edition egy egyszeri, erre az alkalomra összerakott hétvége, ahol a Wild but Kind és a MONKEYSPINE creation lab találkoznak egy közös térben, és megtöltődnek a te színeiddel. Egy különleges, kísérletező közeg: egyszerre vad, mégis biztonságos, emberi és informatív, játékos és professzionális – egy olyan hétvége, amit magaddal viszel tovább a testedben, a figyelmedben és a mozdulataidban.
Explore how embodied practice, creative direction, and collaborative workshops can support your next project or personal journey. Each offering is crafted with care, curiosity, and a commitment to honest storytelling.
Nelson, 2026
Nelson - 2026
6-week series
Rossland, 2026
8-week movement series
International, 2026
Nelson, 2025
contemporary floorwork workshop
Nelson, 2026
Nelson - 2026
6-week series
Rossland, 2026
8-week movement series
International, 2026
Nelson, 2025
contemporary floorwork workshop
If you’re interested in hosting an ember·kind series, booking an online lab, or inviting this practice into your festival, school, or organization, I’d love to hear about your people and what you are dreaming of.