when contact improvisation (ci) is good, its like a multi layered, textural and dynamic conversation. in a duet (for me) its a three way dialog with my partner, the context (space, audience, music etc) and myself. i enjoy duet form the most, especially those times when you dance for and hour and only touch your partner once or twice. for music, (preferably live) nothing beats a rolling jazz funk groove with a shifting break beat. horn, keys, bass, drums and a real soul-felt voice.
for some ci is a therapeutic tool, i practice ci as as a movement form in its own right. that doesn’t mean that (at times) i don’t get a mental, physical or spiritual boost from it, but simply that’s not what i go looking for. i try to avoid ‘hug’ jams in which there is only supporting, holding and pouring. contact is dynamic, not a monolithic self referential hippy fest.
yesterday was a good jam day. i’m always thankful for those, they can happen so rarely when you are constantly on the road. rather than feeling homeless, you find your community, extended family of like minded and practicing people on the road. and there, with such a diverse range of interests on offer there is always something new to learn/do outside the studio.
the past week or so has been a little turbulent, getting back to practice has eased the flow.
Recent Comments