Collective Vocal Impro & Rhythm with Signs

Aixa Figini is an Argentinian singer and musicologist with a degree in Music and Cultural Management from the Universities of Buenos Aires and London. In Argentina, she performed as a versatile singer across genres such as tango and Argentine folk music. Fascinated by the wide-ranging creative possibilities of musical improvisation, she studied the "Rhythm with Signs" improvisation system developed by Argentinian percussionist Santiago Vázquez. She is a certified music trainer with Musicians without Borders, specialising in community-building through music. Since 2018, she has been living in Lisbon, where she works as a musician and producer on various projects – including her own vocal improvisation ensemble, Circular.

In this workshop, Aixa will introduce us to the Rhythm with Signs method:

Developed in 2005 by Argentinian multi-instrumentalist Santiago Vázquez, Rhythm with Signs consists of over 130 hand and body signals, creating a space for collective music-making in real time.
Rhythm with Signs begins as a language of gestures, but quickly becomes a musical game.
Thanks to its simplicity and effectiveness, it allows beginners to discover their own musicality through direct and playful experience, while offering more experienced participants a wide range of tools that can be applied to their artistic, educational, or therapeutic projects.

During the workshop, we’ll also practise vocal and body percussion games, and learn traditional songs and rhythms from around the world to enrich our musical vocabulary for improvisation.