Contact Jams & Events for 2008

The Underscore Workshop, practice and lab with Nancy Stark Smith December 5 - 8, 2008 A full weekend of dancing and study of Contact and Improvisation through the Underscore, a long score for jamming/composition/contact/improvisation. Here's the brochure. Click for details. and directions to Masonic Hall. Directions to Friday night location will be posted soon. Fall Jam 2008 (8th Annual) was hosted by: Gene, Max and Dey ... October 10-12; Columbus Day Weekend... Here's the flier and the Saturday night flier Click for directions and more info. Tuesday Contact Jam facilitated by: Martin, Dey, Maxine, Patrick & Gene At 8 Inman St. - St. Mary's Orthodox Church - Central Sq. Cambridge - every Tuesday night from 8pm 'til 10pm - open dancing - often with led warmup and structured focus for the group. See flyer or for more info. please contact Maxine Gautier by phone: 617-524-0932 -or email: joyfuldanseur@yahoo.com   Sunday Jam/Class at the Arlington Center Our Sunday event is a class on the first and third Sundays of each month, taught by one of Boston's many fine contact improv teachers. All remaining Sundays in any month will be open jamming. This change has been instituted to meet the needs of the growing number of newcomers to Contact Improvisation showing up at our jams. Classes will be open to all levels of dancer, and will focus on the fundamentals of the form, as well as provide a training ground for jamming. Sunday from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Arlington Center, 369 Mass. Ave., Arlington. Plenty of street parking, accessible by bus. See the Arlington Center website for details. Join us for luscious dancing in a beautiful space. Admission to jams: $8 at the door, less if you pay in advance. Class cost: usual cost of jam, plus we'll be passing a hat for optional (but suggested) offerings for the teacher. Note that the going rate for a 2-hour contact improv class in the Boston area is between $12 and $16. We hope you'll consider this when you plan your contribution. For more info, contact Maxine Gautier by phone: 617-524-0932 or email: joyfuldanseur@yahoo.com Poetry of Motion.. Workshop with Kirstie Simson ... Was held September 26-28, 2008. Here's the flier.

Contact Teachers: Classes & Workshops

Neige Christenson teaches Contact Improvisation and Authentic Movement in the Boston area. She offers classes and individual coaching. For more information contact Neige by phone: 781-647-1044 or email: neigechristenson@gmail.com Patrick Crowley teaches Contact Improvisation, Movement Improvisation, and Contemplative Movement and does individual coaching. He offers a 8pm Thursday night Contact Improvisation class. Check out Patrick's website or contact him by phone: 617-320-9792 or email: patrick@patrickcrowley.net Olivier Besson splits his time between Paris and Boston, and occasionally offers workshops in the Boston area. Martin Keogh offers contact workshops all over the world, and sometimes, even here in Cambridge! View the flier for his March 2008 workshop. Check out Martin's website for his worldwide itinerary. Contact Martin through this link. Dey Summer teaches Contact Improvisation on some Sundays at the Arlington Center (see above) and is currently offering an 8-week fundamentals series called "Elements of Contact". Tuesdays Oct 28-Dec 16, 6-7:30 at the Dance Complex , 536 Mass Ave, Central Square, Cambridge. cost: $96 for whole series or $13 for one class. (add $15 for a pair of kneepads) This eight week series will focus on the exploration of Contact Improvisation, and all levels are welcome! We will investigate some of the fundamental elements of this dance form, like finding connection with a partner, following the flow and continuity of the dance as it unfolds, honing our whole-body-listening skills. We will also practice skills of rolling, falling, lifting, giving and taking weight, developing trust, finding ways to have a fun, safe and satisfying experience of Contact Improvisation. There will be also be time to improvise together. For more information contact Dey by phone: 339-368-0163 or email: Deysummer@yahoo.com Mike Klinger offers contact and martial movement workshops, and runs a martial improvisation class at Nia for Life in Concord. Drop-ins are welcome. View a current flier. Contact Mike by phone: 978 919-4217 or email: mklinger@anzuglobal.com

More Contact, Improvisation & Other Related Stuff and Links

Movement Improvisation Jam facilitated by: Olivier Besson ... is held every 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month (2nd and 3rd in December) except in July and August. A spontaneous and unstructured collaboration of live music and dance. All physical abilities and creative styles welcome. Held at the Dance Complex on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge at Central Square, from 8pm 'til 10pm. Admission: $7-$10 for more info contact Olivier osbesson@yahoo.com Earthdance cared for, and nurtured by: far, far too many ... past, present & future ... to name here ... is a wonderful retreat center for improvisation & dancing... located in the woods of western MA. Among other events, they hold two lovely jams each month... a live improvised music Jam on the 1st Sunday of the month and also a Contact Improvisation Jam on the 3rd Sunday of each month (psst... there's a sauna too!) for more info, please check their website or call 413-634-5678 Freestyle Dance Interested in barefoot dancing? check out Dance Freedom , or Dance Friday for details about regular weekly events, and the DNE website for info about other events throughout the year, including summer dance camp in Polond Springs, Maine. Other Dance Happenings There are lots of dance classes, workshops and performances at the Dance Complex , and Greenstreet Studios ... both in Central Square. In Other Locations There are jams and workshops happening all over the globe, including the "big" event of 2008, CI36. There's also the East Coast Jam   in West Virginia (held in Spring and Fall), the annual Montreal jam (in early November); see their website, the Moab Jam in Utah and more. Check www.contactimprov.com   and www.contactimprov.net for information about events all over the world. Links Contact Quarterly is a biannual publication focusing on contact improvisation and other related movement forms. They also sell the favored "Chinese kneepads" worn by so many dancers. Shakti Smith teaches contact improv and authentic movement in New York City, at Earthdance and sometimes in the Boston area. Details on her website.

Last updated September 30, 2008 by Max ... to suggest updates to this website, send email to joyfuldanseur@yahoo.com