Mother’s Love
Experiential Workshop with Alessandra Massi
Tony Yap is an accomplished dancer and multidisciplinary artist who explores and creates an individual dance-theatre language informed by psychophysical research, Asian shamanistic trance dance, butoh and ‘psycho-vocal’ experimentations.
Yap has been a distinct figure in inter-cultural discourse in Australia. He received Asialink residential grants in 2005 and 2008, as well as a Dance Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts, and is the founding Creative Director of Melaka Arts and Performance Festival – MAP Fest. Yap brings a non-Western perspective to the development of contemporary dance and performance practice that is grounded in Asian philosophies, sensibilities and forms.
What does it mean for a man to be deeply, securely rooted in relation to the feminine? In many modern conversations around masculinity, we talk extensively about the wounds left by the father. Yet, we rarely turn our gaze toward the profound, complex archetype of the mother—and the man who learns to love, honor, and separate from her to become fully realized.
Mother’s Lover is an experiential, reflective workshop designed for men and folks of all genders who want to rewrite the script on how masculine energy relates to maternal power and sensuality. The title plays intentionally with archetype and edge, inviting us to look at the psychological transition from being a mother’s child to becoming a mature, loving individual who can meet the feminine (and the world) with equal parts tenderness, strength, and integrity.
Through guided group dialogue, somatic parts-work, and creative storytelling, we will untangle the invisible threads of enmeshment, the fear of maternal disapproval, and the historical conditioning that tells men to either dominate or shrink.
In this workshop, you will explore:
The Mother Line: Mapping your formative blueprints of nurture, expectation, and emotional availability.
The Art of Holy Separation: Learning how cutting the psychological umbilical cord allows for true intimacy, boundaries, and sovereign desire.
The Reclaimed Lover: Stepping out of the "good boy" or "rebel" dichotomies and into an integrated, embodied masculinity that can hold both fierce passion and soft devotion.
Come prepared to speak honestly, listen deeply, and challenge the boundaries of how you give and receive love.