Philly Contact Improvisation

Sunday I took a trip up to Philly for a contact improvisation workshop with Chris Aiken and Angie Hauser. (Angie will be leading contact classes on Mondays in South Philly this November.)  Alex Short and Amanda Abrams were able to come along.

It was a sunny, crisp, vibrant day outside! A good day for a road trip. It's only a couple of hours to Philadelphia from DC and light traffic on the way up. The workshop was held at Studio34 in University City. Studio34 houses yoga, African dancing, contact improv…a wide variety of movement arts. We walked into its airy lobby, with couches, a library, and small stage, and began to warm up while the studio cleared.

During the first part of the workshop, Chris led us through a warmup with, I thought, traces of Bartenieff Fundamentals. I felt well cared for. We moved into some gentle weight sharing and sensing exercises.

Soon, Chris brought out a couple of rubber balls with sparkles inside. These were a metaphor for some of the fascia exploration he has been conducting lately. He explained that, after the ball stops rolling, the sparkles continue to roll a bit longer. This is similar to how our insides, suspended and cushioned by fascia, reverberate even after our bodies seem to stop moving from the outside. We moved into contact with the idea of being aware of our internal movement as we danced, allowing our phrasing to stretch out even as our insides continued to move.

I took part in three luxurious duets, including a particularly long, lofty pairing with a dancer named Kurt. I then took the daring, for me, step of sitting and watching for a half hour. I rarely let myself feel my own weariness while moving, but Sunday I paid closer attention. As a result, I have not been unusually sore this week. I am either getting wiser or cowardly with age.

Second half: we performed short exercises across the floor. Eyes on a partner, we practiced connecting through focus even as our bodies parted. We did inversions alone and with a partner, focusing on eccentric contraction--growing through our lower bodies as our upper bodies grounded. We practiced a variety of skills, then broke for a snack.

Snacks were chips and homemade salsa, apples, bananas, gorp, hummus and pita, accompanied by friendly chitchat. The studio lobby, though chilly, invites intimacy with its nooks, puffy cushions, and tiers.

The jam, from 4-6pm, brought us back in, with a few new friends. I had lovely duets with Amanda and a woman named Rowen Haigh (part of the Philadelphia Contact Collective). I danced with a few different people, but, again, took cues from my body to rest. I spent at least as much time watching as moving. It was a good size, about 20 people: enough for a wide range of energies, not so many that we got in each other's way.

At 6, we started "performing." It was entirely informal. Chris and Angie performed a duet, loosing their considerable athleticism and confident support. They responded to each other with the ease of old friends. There were a few duets, a solo, and a group of five women, all exploratory and high-spirited. Alex, Amanda, and I performed "Security Chain" from our "Closet Dances." It felt rich and fresh in this close circle of movers. I was delighted!

I performed a short duet with Barry Bell, who will be leading a contact class in Elkins Park PA this fall. I was a little pooped, I'm afraid, but had fun.

Human Landscape Dance and Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co will perform in The Philadelphia/Washington DC Exchange May 29 and 30 at the Painted Bride Arts Center, 230 Vine St in Philly. Come join us!