Blog
NOTES FROM THE FLOOR
Short, practical pieces about Contact Improvisation: what a jam is actually like, how the weight-sharing works, how to fall, and how the room stays safe. Written for this site, for people who are new to it.
Five things nobody tells you before your first jam
What actually happens at a contact improv jam, and the five things that make the first one easier: sitting out, the awkward start, leaving a dance, and what to bring.
6 min readWeight-sharing, explained
Giving weight, receiving weight, and the rolling point of contact: the one mechanic every contact improv dance is built on, and the mistake almost every beginner makes.
6 min readHow to fall without getting hurt
Falling is not a mistake in contact improv, it is a skill: lowering your centre, rolling instead of stopping, keeping your feet available, and why spotting exists.
5 min readDancing with strangers: consent and saying no mid-dance
Consent in contact improv is continuous, mostly physical and always revocable: how the negotiation works, what a good jam does about it, and what to do if something feels off.
4 min readWhy there is (usually) no music at a jam
Silence at a contact improv jam is not an oversight: music covers the information the dance runs on, and dancing without it changes how you move and listen.
Reading is the easy part
The form makes sense in a room, about ten minutes in. Come to the Friday jam and find out.