Contact Improv Retreat: From The Ground Up with Guest Teacher Christine Cole

Facilitated By Neva and Raffles with Guest Teacher Christine Cole May 11-14 (with option to come early or stay late for more dancing!) Sliding Scale Retreat Fee $99-$400 Sliding Scale Food/Housing $170-$380 2 FREE BIPOC Spots All Info and Registration Here: https://www.wildheartcenter.art/contact-improv-from-the-ground-up/ --------------------------------------------------- Retreat Description: Join us at WildHeart in the New York Hudson Valley for a 3 night/4 day immersion into Contact Improvisation (CI), with guest teacher Christine Cole. We’re going back to the 1970’s groundwork of contact improv. How did they explore before they knew what CI was? Before Jams? How did Body-Mind Centering (BMC) contribute to the form, warm-ups, exercises? Let’s go back to some of the original warmups, exercises and enter the circle. In this retreat we will explore some of the developmental patterns – basically baby and toddler movements, close to the ground and into-and-out-of the floor. From that foundation, we’ll ask how did people stay safe in the early days of reckless and risky dances, throwing themselves around? Christine will demonstrate these early improv practices, and give you skills to bring back some of the wild freedom of these early dancers! She will invoke her direct experiences learning from Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and Nancy Stark-Smith, offering a refreshing take on Contact Improv today. In addition to Christine’s teachings there will be plenty of open jam time, CI classes and warm-ups, meditation, singing, lake swimming, indoor and outdoor dancing, campfires, quiet alone time, walks in the woods, and personal check-ins. We will co-create the container. We will have a few open slots for classes and other offerings from the group. Everyone will spend some time in the kitchen, working alongside our chef to prepare food and clean. We have a small studio space, so we are limiting the number of participants to 16. Because of this, we suspect this event is *LIKELY TO SELL OUT*, so please register soon to reserve your spot! Please be prepared to dance in close quarters — expect to navigate other bodies as you travel through the space! WildHeart is a body-positive, queer, anti-racist space. By offering a variety of housing options, a sliding-scale program fee, and 2 free BIPOC spots, we hope to make this retreat accessible to all. All levels of experience are welcome. --------------------------------------------------- “Come early” bonus option: arrive Wednesday May 10th for an extra workshop with Christine on Wednesday. and/or “Stay late”: depart Monday May 15 to join the WildHeart Community CI Lab and Jam and stay an extra night at WildHeart. ------------------------------------ Who Is This Retreat For? -CI practitioners and dancers interested in exploring CI -People interested in community that is centered around non-verbal connection -Anyone who’s idea of a good and relaxing time includes moving and being outside, shared meals and a community setting -Improvisers who want to work with other people -Artists who are looking for a container to study and practice within -Humans who want to expand ----------------------------------------- Sample Schedule (TBC): Mornings are in silence until 10am 7am – 8 – Morning Practice (Meditation, Contemplative Dance Practice, etc) 8 – 9 – Breakfast 10 – 1 – Guided Warm-up / CI Class / Open Jamming 1 – 3 – Lunch 3 – 6 – Afternoon Activities (Classes, Resting, Forest Walking, Singing, ect) 6 – 8 – Dinner 8 – 10 – Open Jamming ---------------------------------------