Contact improvisation is a dance form that invites our body and mind to be present and open to everything that might happened. The movers let the physical forces such as gravity and momentum lead them into the unknown. Since no one is leading the dance, each of them engage deeply in a non verbal communication, which allows for something common to take over and guide them through space.
APPROACH My classes start with a focus on one’s state of being in order to prepare and awaken the body. We release tensions, sharpen perceptions and senses, connect and feel centered before establishing communication with others.
Following this, we work on basic technique to develop ease and fluidity in moves such as rolling, soft falling, supporting and giving weight to a partner. We also play with balance, developping confidence in dissorientation, and learn to trust and follow the dance that grows in the present moment through the listening to a partner and to one’s own impulses.
GOALS
By following distinct movement principles and by trusting your own physical perception, you learn a wide range of movement qualities : the dance may stay tender and soft or go wild and acrobatic, so you practice in movement to be here and now and to trust your instincts and your intuition.
Meet yourself and others with respect, try out new ways in a safe frame, make deep and authentic connections with a playful and light-hearted spirit.
Depending on the focus of the workshop, the quality of touch, the sense of boundaries, courage and strength, etc. will be emphasized.
REFERENCE Since 1972, when Steve Paxton (trained in Cunningham Technique, Aikido and many other forms) started to develop CI in collaboration with a group of young movers, CI started to grow more and more until it got spread out all over the globe. Nowadays a large network of CI connects the continents and you can go in many cities of the world to meet other dancers by communicating with your body - what in fact is beyond words and is one of the universal languages.