Quarter 1: Pathways from the Ground up

In the first quarter, we will be focusing on creating a strong foundation from which to explore the practice of contact improvisation (CI). We’ll develop a sense of trust in our own bodies, and understanding of its edges and potential and develop basic skills for moving with ourselves and others. This module aims to provide building blocks for movers to feel capable in their bodies and in the space, creating a strong foundation for coming into contact with other bodies. We will focus on: connection to self and somatic exploration, connecting to the floor as a primary partner, falling, movement pathways to support improvisation, elements of coming into contact, pouring weight, non-verbal communication, and entering into flight with a partner.

• June 10th – From the Ground Up – early bird registration by March 5th
• June 17th – Falling into Contact

Quarter 2: Exploring Kinnection

In the second quarter, we will expand on the foundation we developed in the first quarter through the concepts of the Skinosophere and Kinosphere from Nancy Stark Smith’s Underscore. We’ll deepen our capacities to be with and understand our own body and movement, and telescope our awareness and movement out into exploring moving in space. We will focus on the meditation of self-connection and presence, telescoping awareness to expand and focus our attention, proprioception and other senses beyond sight, tracking bodies in space, and modulating tone, speed, and other aspects of movement among each other.

• July 8th – Whispers of the Skinesphere
• July 15th – Exploring the Kinesphere

Quarter 3: Developing Our Adaptability

In the third quarter, we’ll play with the foundations we developed in the first and second quarters through the exploration of improvisational scores to challenge and develop our skills and adaptability as well as practice common contact improvisation vocabulary including more fully developing weight-sharing with rolling point of contact and lift invitations. We’ll develop an understanding of improvisational scores and hone common contact improvisation vocabularies, and then expand and break out of those boxes to keep our dance fresh and truly improvisational.

• August 12th – Building Boxes
• August 26th – Breaking out of Boxes

Quarter 4: Dancing Beyond Ourselves

In the fourth quarter, we’ll continue practicing the individual skills we have developed over the first three quarters, but now more explicitly in the greater context of the group, and with more fluidity within the group. We’ll explore and play with elements of improvisational forms of Viewpoints and Emergent Improvisation as well as the CI Underscore to strengthen our sense of group ensemble and improvisational awareness of the group while continuing to practice and apply our fundamental CI skills.

• September 16th – Discovering Viewpoints
• September 30th – Emergent Ensembles

The post Contact from the Ground Up 2023 – CI Fundamentals Series appeared first on CI Groundswell.

We’ll deepen our capacities to be with and understand our own body and movement, and telescope our awareness and movement out into exploring moving in space. We will focus on the meditation of self-connection and presence, telescoping awareness to expand and focus our attention, proprioception and other senses beyond sight, tracking bodies in space, and modulating tone, speed, and other aspects of movement among each other.

These two workshops are a part of the four quarter Contact from the Ground up Series. Get a reduced price by pre-registering for the whole series!

The post Exploring Kinnection – CI From the Ground up Series: Quarter 2 – 2023 appeared first on CI Groundswell.

We’ll develop an understanding of improvisational scores and hone common contact improvisation vocabularies, and then expand and break out of those boxes to keep our dance fresh and truly improvisational.

These two workshops are a part of the four-quarter Contact from the Ground up Series. Get a reduced price by pre-registering for the whole series!

The post Developing Our Adaptability – CI From the Ground up Series: Quarter 3 – 2023 appeared first on CI Groundswell.

We’ll explore and play with elements of improvisational forms of Viewpoints and Emergent Improvisation as well as the CI Underscore to strengthen our sense of group ensemble and improvisational awareness of the group while continuing to practice and apply our fundamental CI skills.

These two workshops are a part of the four-quarter Contact from the Ground up Series. Get a reduced price by pre-registering for the whole series!

The post Dancing Beyond Ourselves – CI From the Ground up Series: Quarter 4 – 2023 appeared first on CI Groundswell.

Topics

Topics include (but are not limited to):

• Exploring the practice and spirit of Contact Improvisation
• CI skills for physical and emotional safety
• Holding jam spaces
• Jam Guidelines
• Community Organizing and decision making
• Inclusivity in Contact Improvisation: creating safer spaces in the face of privilege gradients created by race, gender, ability, etc.
• Cultivating healthy community spaces

Schedule & Attendance

All participants are expected to attend all sessions unless other arrangements are made.

• In-person Cohort Labs in Asheville – scheduled around the Contact from the Ground up series. (likely on a Friday or Sunday of the given weekend, specifics TBA)
  • • February 22nd & 23rd
    • March 7th & 8th
    • April – skipped for workshop with Daniel Bear Davis
    • May – 2nd & 3rd
    • June 27th & 28th
    • July – 18th & 19th
    • August – 15th & 16th
    • Sept – 12th & 13th
    • Oct – 3rd & 4th
    • Nov – 14th & 15th
• Remote Cohort Discussion – online via video chat (or phone) between sessions (specific schedule TBA)
• one-on-one support – depending on the needs of the individual this may include one-on-one CI dance sessions, discussion and consults, or support in your home dance community

If you are not within some hours of the Asheville area and therefor not able to attend in person, but your are interested in joining the CI Facilitator’s Cohort remotely, please apply and explain your situation in the application, we may be able two work something out.

The post CI Facilitator Cohort appeared first on CI Groundswell.

Pathways from the Ground up

• Cancelled due to COVID

The Adaptable Body

• Cancelled due to COVID

Dancing Beyond the Body

• Cancelled due to COVID

Class Times

TBA

The post Contact from the Ground Up 2020 – CI Fundamentals Series appeared first on CI Groundswell.