Beginner friendly pre-jam warmup class 5-6.30pm followed by the jam 6.30-8.30pm. Doors will be closed for the duration of the class to keep the focus, so please arrive early to attend the class, you can arrive at any time for the jam. Dancers can come just for the class, £6, or stay for the jam, £9.
For more information feel free to contact the teacher/facilitator orinfo@contactdance.co.uk. We send out regular emails of class descriptions, to get these, please sign-up to our mailing list.
Class Description
We are very excited to have visiting teacher Jacqueline McCormick teaching tonight.
Jacqueline McCormick has been teaching, performing and making dances for over thirty years. Her work has been greatly influenced by her research into improvisation, especially Contact Improvisation. Since 1990 Jacqueline has taught Contact Improvisation at numerous Contact Festivals and workshops throughout the USA and Europe, and from 1997-2000 she co-led the CI Teachers Lab in San Francisco, California.
Jacqueline has a B.Ed in Human Movement Studies, an M.A degree in Dance from Mills College, California, and has been an Associate Professor in Dance at Western Oregon University (1985- 1996) and Connecticut College, USA (2000-2004). She has directed and performed in her company DanceAbout, works that take a dancing journey through the outback of the self. Her current inquiry is exploring site as contact partner. Jacqueline was Artistic Director for Cheshire Dance from 2004-2016.
Along with Contact Improvisation her curiosities lie in dance forms that emphasise ‘process,’ bringing the dance artist to engage the whole body-mind, the feeling, sensing, learning and expressive being. She has taught workshops in New Dance Technique, Authentic Movement and Ensemble Improvisation. All of her work is informed by her extensive knowledge of the kinesiology of the body. To have a look at Jacqueline’s solo film work click on the links below…
Settle www.vimeo.com/68956462
Outside www.vimeo.com/68960956
Parched Earth www.vimeo.com/68519471
She has just returned from teaching at the Italy Contact Festival in Amelia and is excited to share some of the work she has been developing around Vulnerability as power in Contact Improvisation and how a quiet listening centre prepares for spiralling in partnership.
The Jam
A jam is an informal gathering of dancers. There is no teacher, but space and time to develop skills and confidence. You are free to dance, rest, or sit and watch, as you wish. The jam provides an opportunity to explore and integrate techniques you have learned, and to find your own routes into dancing.
At some jams a teacher will facilitate a score to follow such as a focused (silent) jam, the Underscore (developed by Nancy Stark-Smith), or a blindfold (or eyes-closed) jam, this will normally be advertised via our regular mailout – so sign-up if you want advance notice.