Still under construction,
but mostly there.
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FUNdamentals of CI:
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Calvary Church, 300 Mass Av, Arlington, MA
Olivier: "This Five-class series provides a container where mutual flow and deep play manifests the emergence of a consensual dance.."
Foundational contact skills will be explored, including dimensionality in body, connecting to centers, and sharing of weight.
No experience necessary. Beginners are welcome. Come ready to play!
This workshop is a five-week series, and participants are strongly encouraged to attend all five sessions:
Each two-hour class builds on material from the previous week. If space allows, drop-ins will be welcome, particularly dancers with significant experience in CI.
Important note for beginners and those newer to the form:
Attendance in the earlier sessions is expected in order to participate in the later classes.
Schedule and Time:
7-9pm, Wednesday Evenings
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Class will start promptly at 7pm.
Please arrive before 6:45 and be ready to dance at 7:00.
Doors will open at 6:30 for arrivals.
Costs and Registration:
Registration is limited to 25 dancers.
Discounted registration online is available for the full series only.
Discount online registration closes midnight, Sunday, 3/29/2026
$115 - Regular rate - Employed, retired, self-employed. Hopefully this is most of us.
$90 -- Reduced rate - For hard economic situations (Also see Financial Aid, below)
$125 - Well-employed rate - Please pay this if you can. Help keep the Reduced rate low.
$135 - Supporting the arts rate
Financial aid and contributions for future financial aid:
To Apply: If the lowest level of our sliding scale is too expensive for you, we offer a limited number of applicants $35 off their fee on a first-come-first-served basis. Apply on the registration form.
To Contribute: If you have even a little extra, please contribute to the Financial Aid Fund as you register. Your support enables more dancers to attend CIB events. Contribute when you register online.
♦♦ Registration will be open soon ♦♦
At-the-door single class pricing; pay as you go: (If available)
$35 - Regular rate - Employed, retired, self-employed.
$25 - Reduced rate - For hard economic situations (Also see Financial Aid, above)
$40 - Well-employed rate - Please pay this if you can. Help keep the Reduced rate low.
$45 - Supporting the arts rate
Important note for beginners and those newer to the form:
Attendance in the earlier sessions is expected in order to participate in the later classes.
Location:
Calvary United Methodist Church
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington MA 02474
Enter through: Linwood Street entrance and follow signs upstairs for Fellowship Hall
Transportation: Accessible by bus (77 from Harvard or Porter on the Red Line). If you drive, allow time to find on-street parking (it's likely available on Mass Ave)
Consent and touch:
As always, participants have free agency to engage in any part of these classes to their own degree of comfort. Dancers will be invited to partner-up and practice the form in-contact. You have the option to choose (or choose not) to engage in any exercise or partnership, also to end any interaction at any time.
Health Considerations:
Do not attend if you are feeling sick in any way (even with a negative Covid test) or if you tested positive for Covid in the last 24hrs (even without symptoms), or if you have been in contact with somebody with obvious Covid symptoms in the last 48 hrs. You will receive a refund.
You must notify the registrar in order to receive such refund. If you have recovered from Covid and are symptom-free for 5 days, you may return to the classes, even if you still test positive.
Contact the registrar with any questions:
Registrations@ContactImprovBoston.com. Thanks
Teacher's Bio:
Olivier Besson has been involved with the study of improvisation and contact improvisation since 1980. His performance work has been presented in Japan, Russia, France, Taiwan, India, and throughout the US. He initiated and ran the Movement Improv Jam with Live Music at the Dance Complex.
Olivier currently teaches dancers and actors at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He also curates Moment's Notice, an interdisciplinary improv performance series produced by the school.
Cancellation Policy:
• If CIB finds it necessary to cancel the series in whole or part for any reason, we will refund the full or pro-rated registration fee of registered participants.
• If a registered participant withdraws from the series for any reason by midnight, Tuesday, one week before the event, we will fully refund their registration fee.
• If a registered participant withdraws closer to the event for health (or Covid exposure) reasons and notifies the registrar, a full refund will be issued.
• If a registered participant withdraws closer to the event date for non-health related reasons or does not notify us, no refund will be issued. Also applies to no-show.
• We will consider hardship situations for refunds before and during the event. Please notify the registrar.
Hope to see you there and DANCE!