Monday Contact Improv: Class + Jam

Doors opening at 6pm. Intro circle starts at 6.15pm

This week we have a class taught by Marie, an experienced CI practitioner (22 years), professional dancer and choreographer.

Theme and Content
The theme of the class will be posted closer to the time in the CI Monday Jam WhatsApp group. You can join in following this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Iivbz8LzDvK5lGkiitQgcH (please note I will ask you a few question about yourself before I allow you into the chat, when you join please introduce yourself so we know who's in the chat)

These Contact Improvisation classes give participants tools to be in touch and communicate through touch, and feel more confident joining a jam. There are open levels and benefit beginners, improvers and experienced practitioners.

There is a mix of somatic guided exploration to be embodied, usually in solo, some mindful and focused explorations with one or several partners, and some more technical tools or short patterns.

This will be followed by a 45min-1h jam

Jam

The emphasis of the jam is to explore movement while being in physical contact with other movers. Participants are encouraged to experience it as an embodied research and a practice where everyone can bring their own research, interest and physicality into the space.

Jamming is the best way to try out, take risks, learn from each other, observe, connect, be surprised, practice setting boundaries, dance and play with people we may not know or expect to dance with.

Participants are asked to take responsibility for themselves.

Levels and abilities:
The space welcomes professional dancers, amateurs, seasoned contact improvisers and beginners, people from all backgrounds and abilities.

It requires every participants to take responsibility for their own bodies, so if you need extra support or a carer or someone to look after you then you can bring them for free.

Note for beginners: the jam is not guided. The facilitator is there to hold the space but doesn't guide the jam.

What is Contact Improvisation (CI)?
Contact Improvisation is movement research that explores the physical principles of touch, momentum, and shared weight in relation to gravity. It involves a constant dialogue between two or more movers who respond to each other’s movements in real time, often maintaining physical contact but also playing with proximity and space. This practice emphasises spontaneity, trust, and mutual awareness, allowing dancers to create unique movement for each encounter.

Event page: https://millco.co.uk/events/contact-improvisation-jam/