Tumblebones is passionately committed to CI as a practice for exploring and expanding our humanness. Working with the principles of CI as a base for our physical practice, we incorporate elements of dance improvisation and composition, and theater.
What thrills us is dancing, dancing together. We consistently explore CI, which is for us simultaneously athletic and artistic. Our “mission” is to explore the core principles of CI, to nurture our evolving friendships, and to delight in the gifts that build from dancing regularly. Moving together year after year has deepened our way of working, refined our interests, and established a container for exploring our “one wild and precious life.”
Our Interest
We define the core principles of CI as:
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Listening to and following the point of contact
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Allowing weight to move off a personal center of gravity—into shared structures that become the basis for momentum, leverage and surprising balance
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Ease—not over-efforting physically or mentally
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Allowing the dance to emotionally take us where it takes us (recognizing that dancing affects us on all levels)
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Experimenting, constantly
What is Contact Improvisation?
Contact Improvisation is a partner dance form based on the physical principles of touch, momentum, shared weight, and most quintessentially - following a shared point of contact. The form was founded in 1972 by Steve Paxton. Integrating his background as a modern dancer and his studies in the martial art form Aikido, Steve developed Contact Improvisation through explorations with his students and colleagues at the time. This dance practice explores the skills of falling, rolling, counterbalance, lifting using minimal effort, how to make ourselves light when being lifted, centering and breathing techniques, and responsiveness to our partners and surroundings. Contact Improvisation is an honoring of every moment. There is a sweet surrendering that happens when our bodies stay faithful to what is happening now, and now... and NOW! One learns to recognize and differentiate subtle impulses in our movement choices and our partner's choices. We begin to decipher the cues that we give and receive which tell us when to lead or follow, when to go up, when to go down, where to touch, how to lift, when to slow down, and when to be still. In this form one learns to stay in integrity with each choice, never forcing, never rushing. When Body, Mind, and Spirit are united in their instinctive wisdom one finds ones-self at home in every moment expressing ones true nature. (Definition by Mark Moti Zemelman)
History
"When an apple fell on his head, Newton was inspired to describe the three laws of motion, that carry his name. In his attempt to be objective, Newton overlooked the question of how it feels to be the apple. When we put our bodymass in motion, we raise above the law of gravity and go towards the swinging, circulating attraction of the centrifugal force. Dancers ride upon, and play with these forces."
(Steve Paxton in "Fall after Newton"--1987)
CI originated from the movement studies of Steve Paxton beginning in 1972 at Oberlin College in Ohio. There he created a dance piece titled “Magnesium,” which is considered the seminal exploration of CI. In “Magnesium,” 11 men threw themselves through the space at one another. The piece ended with the dancers coming to standing and remaining for the last few minutes in stillness. The stillness was a meditation on physical awareness and standing balance Paxton called “The Small Dance.”
Since that first exploration, Paxton worked with dancers and athletes to develop movement pathways and an improvisational style of dance based on the physics of bodies in contact, in motion. Influences in the physical practice include post-modern dance, aikido, and gymnastics. Improvisers discovered various ways to lift, roll, fall, and support one another. Performances followed, informally presenting what became known as Contact Improvisation.
In 1973, some members of the initial group of pioneers went to California to tour a series of performances they called “You Come, We’ll Show You What We Do.” The group was comprised of Steve Paxton, Nancy Stark Smith, Nita Little, and Curt Siddall. The improvisational dances were typically performed in duets. In 1975 the group formed ReUnion, considered the first pure CI company. The principle theme was the exploration of movement possibilities between two people in physical contact. There was an emphasis on functional movement, without trying to make CI look “like modern dance.”
ReUnion briefly considered whether to trademark the name CONTACT IMPROVISATION and establish an authorization process for teachers. The group was concerned about people practicing and teaching CI after seeing the form in a performance. Some were getting injured as they lacked the training and sensitivity needed to dance safely. As CI employs lifts, falls, and acrobatic movements, it requires essential skills and techniques for keen body awareness, collaboration with a partner, strength, flexibility and alertness. The ReUnion group wanted to support training and communication between practitioners, not to stifle or control the practice. The name was never trademarked, and there remains no certification process for CI teachers. Paxton and his colleagues were interested in the development of a non-hierarchical movement practice and support ongoing discovery and innovation.
The group started a newsletter to encourage dialogue between persons interested in CI. The newsletter developed into what is now a bi-annual magazine, Contact Quarterly—A Vehicle For Moving Ideas. Nancy Stark Smith and Lisa Nelson, two dancers important in the development of CI, are still editors of the journal. They solicit articles and photographs from contributors worldwide. The scope of Contact Quarterly has branched out to include contributions from the fields of post-modern dance, new dance, and a variety of body-centered practices.
CI has at it’s central core a physical commitment to following the point of contact, sharing
balance and leverage, deep listening to subtle impulses, and riding the waves of falling weight
and momentum. It can be said that “If you know where the dance is going, you
aren’t improvising…”
CI is practiced worldwide. Current CI “hotspots” include Buenos Aries (where there are jams with over 100 people 5+ nights of the week), Eastern Europe (where there is an avid burgeoning interest), and other parts of Europe. Dancers meet in jams, where they dance informally, classes or workshops, festivals (some with over 200 participants) and classes at local studios or universities. Contact Improvisation informs post modern dance, new dance, site-specific work, and dance improvisation. There are those that practice it as a social form and delight in the community connection, some that practice it as an artistic dance form, and some that use it in performance. There are also wild CI anarchists that love the form, and find renegade places to explore. (History by Gretchen Spiro)
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