Contact improvisation and movement improvisation: intermediate

Through play with contact, momentum and balance, tap into your spontaneity, improve your partnering skills and learn to improvise beyond technique. A good grasp of the form is required.

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Key course information

Dates
16/04/12 - 18/06/12

Day(s)
Mon

Duration
8 weeks

Time
18:35 - 20:05

Fees
Full fee: £90
Senior fee: £90
Concession: £46

Venue
KS - Keeley Street

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Course code
FJF40

Availability
Available
(status updated every 15 mins)

This course has started

It may still be possible to enrol on this course - please call 020 7831 7831 to discuss. Please note that you will have missed some course content and it may not be possible for the tutor to fully cover missed content with you. Please be advised that the published course fees will apply.

Course outline

What is the course about?

In this course we aim to release the body's inherent appetite for freedom and creative potential through the practice of Contact Improvisation. In Contact Improvisation a shared point of contact provides the starting point for a dance that involves constant attention to the present moment. This requires tuning into the body through our kinaesthetic sense as much as through our visual sense. We will practise different levels of touch, build on previously learned partnering skills and use contact to explore the relationship between two or more partners in movement or stillness. We will deepen the practice of how to give and support weight, allowing the play with weight, momentum and balance to affect our dancing. Learning to trust physical instinct will inform both our own moving as well as our response to given partners. Contact Improvisation and tactile studies will form an integral part of the course but we will also explore the spatial and rhythmical aspects of improvisation. Shortly, it is about developing ease, spontaneity and confidence at each moment of an ever-changing dance.
Please note that this course is not a form of therapy although therapeutic effects may be experienced.

What topics will we cover?

Basic principles of Improvisation and Contact Improvisation:
- Use of weight, momentum and inertia
- Different levels of touch and body systems (bones, tissue, fluids, organs, etc.)
- Practice of grounding, rolling, rocking, sliding, gliding, falling, catching, yielding, extending, etc.
- Use of space (both general and internal)
- Timing
- Relationship through movement
- Imagery in moving.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

- Move with greater freedom, flexibility and ease
- Use the floor as a place of release and support, both in stillness and moving
- Work with momentum and a variety of speed / timing
- Play with balance and off-balance
- Use your centre of gravity effectively when moving
- Understand the principles of weight sharing in a duet
- Maintain a moving point of contact in a duet
- Follow a physical impulse with immediacy, both in relation to own and a partner's moving.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for learners who have got a good grasp of the basics of Contact Improvisation (or have done Contact Improvisation ‘beginners’ or ‘mixed levels'). You will need to be able to follow & respond to instructions, possibly even when moving with eyes closed, therefore understanding of English is advisable. A good level of fitness and flexibility is required.

PLEASE SEE THE PRE-EXERCISE CHECK LIST BELOW:

To assist us in providing a safe and healthy environment for you to exercise in please take a moment to consider the list below. If you have suffered from any of the conditions listed, please check with a medical practitioner whether it is suitable for you to undertake an exercise programme and bring a referral letter from your doctor to your tutor. If you have not checked, or if it is not suitable, please do not participate in an exercise or movement class.

- Do you ever have pains in your chest?
- Have you had any operations or injuries in the last year?
- Do you often feel faint or have spells of dizziness?
- Are you receiving medication for any condition?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Is there anything else we should know about your health?
- Do you have a bone or joint problem, such as Arthritis, Osteoporosis, back or knee problems?

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be offered specific instructions to work with and guided through a series of explorations, leading to improvisation with the material on an individual and intuitive level. Partner work will be a major source for physical investigation, offering mutual support and inspiration. We will be deepening our practice through both moving and watching others move. There will be plenty of opportunity for learning through sharing experiences and constructive feedback.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Just bring your body and good spirit along!

Please wear comfortable clothing. No shoes required. Bring soft knee pads if you have a pair. They are not obligatory but are useful in some of the work and can be purchased for £10 from the tutor. Alternatively you can purchase them via the net from 'Contact Quarterly' or from www.auroradancewear.co.uk/acatalog/Massage_Stick_Miscellaneous_Items.html#aXM_2dKNE_2dP. Purchasing them from the latter link will be about £15 incl. postage.

Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?

No.

What feedback will I get?

You will receive regular feedback from your tutor throughout the course, as and when appropriate. At the end of the course you and your tutor are asked to assess the progress you have made.

How will I be able to give my views on the course?

Please complete the evaluation form at the end of your course. These are monitored and help us to continually improve our courses.

How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?

You may be interested in: education and careers advice; financial and childcare support; disability support; support for Deaf and hearing-impaired students; dyslexia support; English and maths support; counselling, and library services (supported learning centre). To find out what may be available to you, and how to apply, see page 213 of the 11/12 course guide, or visit www.citylit.ac.uk/students

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Progression is made possible by dividing the course into three different levels over the course of the year. Accordingly, in Term 1 you can go back to basics and deepen fundamental skills by joining 'Contact Improvisation - Beginners', and then progress throughout the rest of the year by joining 'Contact Improvisation - mixed Levels' in term 2 and after that 'Contact Improvisation - Intermediate Level' in Term 3. There will always be some new material for you to learn even of you have done the course before or consider yourself an advanced practitioner. This is due to the improvisational nature of the form and the myriad of possibilities and challenges inherent in practising Contact Improvisation.

You can also join other movement classes run by the Health& Movement Studies department.

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Information and Advice Shop, open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 19:00 during term time, and Monday to Friday 12:00 – 17:00 out of term time. See the course guide for term dates and further details.

Who can I contact for further information?

Tel: 020 7492 2622

health@citylit.ac.uk

Advice times:

During term-time Tuesday 12.30 - 13.30 and 17.30 - 18.30 Thursday 12.30 - 13.30 and 17.30 - 18.30

Non term-time Tuesday 17.30 - 18.30 Wednesday 12.30 - 13.30.

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.

Contact us

Health and movement studies

Tel: 020 7492 2622

health@citylit.ac.uk

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