Soaring From Within

This 8-week course will ground and steep us in the fundamentals of contact improvisation, a unique dance form with more than 50 years of history and an extensive global reach. We will focus on both the technical and improvisational aspects of dancing in solo, in duets, and in groups. These will be done via demonstrations, exploratory exercises, in-depth discussions, and self-reflection.

Example of topics we might cover include the necessary skills of awareness and calibration of muscle tonus, rolling and falling in multiple dimensions, standing, giving and supporting weight, flying, and catching. We will do this while exploring the rich possibilities of the 360-degree freedom that our body affords us, where we will acquaint ourselves with inversions (being upside down), which will greatly help us in finding ways into and out of the floor, with or without our partners.

We will also utilize concepts from somatics to enrich our dance palette and to give us a sense of ease and release while dancing. Being able to dance with as minimal an effort as possible allows us to keep our heightened awareness while in motion, and at the same time, make it fun and joyful to dance with others. Example of approaches to do this include awareness of our body’s alignment while moving in space, developmental movement patterns, and the use of dance imagery.

Group and spatial awareness practice, on the other hand, helps us to move through space with minimal self-consciousness, while finding ways to enter and exit dances. Listening skills will be emphasized to allow us to be in the moment, allowing us to be receptive to every possibility instead of dancing with preconceived notions or expectations. We will also be introduced to “scores” that will engender the spirit of spontaneity and improvisation and of working together with others and with the space.

By committing to the course from start to finish, students will gain the benefit of a gradual and progressive understanding of the form, eventually becoming familiar with the basics, and equipped with the necessary tools to explore the dance form further on their own.