Three Dimensional Contact Improvisation: fundamental practices for liberated dances

This workshop will introduce or remind participants of foundational embodied landmarks in a Contact Improvisation language. We’ll use hands-on methods to trace energetic and physical lines of awareness from the scapula to the fingertips and the sacrum to the toes. We’ll hold the volume of the torso, side to side, and the weight of the skull. Together we’ll support each other to yield into backspace and side-to-side lateral planes. We do this to counterbalance the many forward facing, visually-centered daily choreographies of contemporary life and work. I hypothesize slowness informs choice around momentum and sensation informs movement pattern efficiencies. This workshop will blend somatic frameworks with foundations of Contact Improvisation to guide participants into CI dances in duos and small ensembles. Whether we give it attention or not, the ethos of this space acknowledges that power, privilege, trauma, conflict, joy and liberation all will live in the room as we collectively learn and dance together. Dancers of any level are welcome to join. It will be helpful to have an awareness of the form of Contact Improvisation and a willingness to touch and be touched physically in guided hands-on methods and improvisational weightsharing. _______ Taja Will (they/them) is a non-binary, chronically ill, queer, Latinx (Chilean) adoptee. They are a performer, choreographer, somatic therapist, consultant and Healing Justice practitioner based in Mni Sota Makoce, on the ancestral lands of the Dakota and Anishinaabe. Taja’s approach integrates improvisation, somatic modalities, text and vocals in contemporary performance. Will’s artistic work explores visceral connections to current socio-cultural realities through a blend of ritual, dense multi-layered worldbuilding and everyday magic. Will has been a guest teaching specialist at the University of Minnesota since 2019, teaching courses with a social justice framework such as Intro to Dance, Dance Production, Dance History and in Fall 2022 was one of the Sage Cowles visiting guest artists. They’ve also offered coursework or workshops at the Seattle Festival for Dance and Improvisation, National Center of Choreography Akron, Hamline University, Luther College, Knox College, Earthdance Creative Living, Moving Arts Lab, Sierra Contact Festival, wcciJam, Dance New England, Zenon Dance School, the Peaceable Barn, and the Lion's Jaw Festival, CI50 at Oberlin among others. Photo credit: Nanne Sørvold ____________________________ More details about the workshop: $180-300 sliding scale––please pay what you can honorably afford. Venmo: nicole-bindler to reserve your spot. This workshop is limited to 12 full weekend participants. Partial participation is not possible due to the limited number of spots. Please self test for COVID-19 each morning. Do not attend if you feel sick. Masks or vaccines are not required, though masks must be worn in the hallways of the building.