CI basics for the beginners

1. Contact Improvisation:
what Wikipedia hides from you

2. Exploration of what?
- physics and possibilities of body
- interactions with a Human Being
- possibilities of improvisation
- ergonomics of movement
…
… every dancer will have his/her own opinion...
CI: exploration in form of dance

3. Historical note
● Isadora Duncan:
free dance
(around 1903)
● Merce Cunningham:
deliverance from story
(1940)
● Steve Paxton:
contact improvisation
(1972)
● Isadora Duncan:
free dance
(around 1903)
● Merce Cunningham:
deliverance from story
(1940)
● Steve Paxton:
contact improvisation
(1972)

4. CI is...
● Unplanned dance
● Live philosophy and practice
● Community of people with alike interests
● Unplanned dance
● Live philosophy and practice
● Community of people with alike interests

5. Traits of CI as a dance
● Responsibility on your own
● Naturality of movements
● Escape from verticality
● Touch..
● Shared weight in a duet
● ...
● Responsibility on your own
● Naturality of movements
● Escape from verticality
● Touch..
● Shared weight in a duet
● ...

6. People dance CI as
● Social dance, another language
● Exploration of Self and Other
● Part of own spiritual path
● Material for choreography and performances
● Actor skills training
● Art-therapy
● ...
● Social dance, another language
● Exploration of Self and Other
● Part of own spiritual path
● Material for choreography and performances
● Actor skills training
● Art-therapy
● ...

7. If a dancer tries to show that there's no gravity, that's ballet.
If a dancer tries to show that gravity oppresses him, that's modern.
If a dancer tries to show that can die in struggle with gravity, that's jazz.
... if a dancer loves gravity, that's contact improvisation ...
If a dancer tries to show that there's no gravity, that's ballet.
If a dancer tries to show that gravity oppresses him, that's modern.
If a dancer tries to show that can die in struggle with gravity, that's jazz.
... if a dancer loves gravity, that's contact improvisation ...

8. That's it.
Now you know something about CI,
But a lot better than «knowing about CI» —
practicing it!
Come and try out :)