CONTACT IMPROV IN MIAMI: WHAT TO EXPECT ON A FRIDAY

If you have searched for a contact improv class in Miami, you have probably found a handful of listings and very little about what actually happens when you walk in. This is the plain version for the Friday class and open jam that this site runs, written for someone who has never done Contact Improvisation before.

Where it is

The class meets at Inner Motion Dance Studio, 216 NE 1st Ave, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. That is the north edge of Miami: just past Aventura on US-1, east of Federal Highway and north of Hallandale Beach Boulevard. From downtown Miami it is the first city over the Broward county line; from Fort Lauderdale it is south of Hollywood. Directions and the rest of the logistics are on the Friday jam page.

How the evening runs

Every Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The first 45 minutes are a guided class: a warm-up from the floor and standing, the basics of giving and receiving weight, and how to roll out of a fall. Each week has a theme; this week's is moving through levels, from the floor to standing, which is covered in floor to standing. From 7:45 the room opens into a jam: free dancing, usually without music, where you can join a dance, dance alone, or sit at the edge and watch. Everything is optional, and the evening starts with a short circle where the ground rules are said out loud.

What it costs

A class is $20 when you book online. At the door it is $30 to $50, pay what you can, so booking ahead saves you at least $10. Online sales close two hours before class; after that the door price applies. Nobody is turned away from a first class over money. The full breakdown is on the pricing page.

How to book

You can buy a ticket on this site, register on Luma or Eventbrite, or book with ClassPass credits. All of them are linked from the events page. You do not need to bring a partner, and you do not need any dance experience.

What to bring

Clothes you can roll on the floor in, with long sleeves and long legs if you can, since you will be in contact with the floor and with other people. No shoes on the dance floor; bare feet or socks. Leave off jewellery, zips and buckles that could catch a partner. Bring water. That is it.

If you are nervous

Most people are, the first time. Sitting out is participation, nobody is watching you, and you can leave any dance at any moment without a reason. Those three ideas are explained in five things nobody tells you before your first jam, and the full ground rules are on safety and consent. The class is taught in English, and Spanish speakers are welcome.