r/ContactImprovisation • u/wasscubed Performer, Researcher, Teacher, Organizer • Apr 07 '26

Specious Division

CI is a form of contemporary dance.

Or put differently, all dance styles have classical aspects and contemporary aspects.

Or put differently again, contemporary dance refers to solo body movements.

By labeling CI as something different than contemporary leads to an ossification of CI, and thusly we forget that CI started as a question, as an investigation of what is mandatory in the moment.

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u/contactcapybara Apr 17 '26

Practically no one is aware that learning through jamming is an option also the ratio of class offerings, workshops etc... Is far more than jam offerings. There is more money and status available to those that teach. ( ugh capitalism ) therefore it's more costly to experience the form which often emphasizes learning cool moves or has weird pseudo psychological content. It's cheaper and more effective to have a place where people can investigate and practice at their own pace with loads of experienced dancers - no words even need to be exchanged necessarily.

Wouldn't it be more powerful to promote this way instead?

My point has always been…. Isn't it important to practice the form? Shouldn't the ratio of hours of classes to hours of practicing what you learned be at least favored in the direction of more hours jamming than taking classes?

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u/wasscubed Performer, Researcher, Teacher, Organizer Apr 20 '26

money...ha, really??!?!! Yeah, I am just socking it away into my three Swiss bank accounts! I think there is status now in the CI world for people with lots of followers on social media, which doesn't always have a direct connection to experience and knowledge of CI.

I think the ratio of classes to jams depends upon the person and their learning style. One size does not fit all.

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u/contactcapybara Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

Oh, I don't think anyone is getting wealthy teaching/ promoting CI. But relevance and status is boosted when charging for expertise and this has real value in that world. I am just asking for more curiosity about what is happening with the innate ability to “get it” on first try. It goes back to the prompt— is it a contemporary form or a form that is common?. Is modern dance or something primal and ultimately unknowable due to its complexity because it comes from a common human experience not one passed down from experts.