Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam Guidelines
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is a place to bring “the soft animal of your body”, your wonder, your questions, and your heart. Sweat, take risks, have excellent dances, engage in deep conversation, create, investigate, and be inspired by the beauty of the gathering. Our goal is to create a warm, safe, and supportive environment. In order to support the dance and to help promote safety and enjoyment in the space, we have compiled some "guidelines".
The Red Rose Ballroom. We are guests at the Red Rose Ballroom, and have agreed to follow their rules for the space. We ask that participants take a look at posted rules for the Red Rose Ballroom, and speak with the organizers if there are questions. Please be considerate in the studio and mezzanine lounge, use the kitchenette with a cooperative spirit, and help keep the space clean.
Organizers. The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is organized and facilitated by Christine Maxwell and Nicholas Daulton. Feel free to bring them any questions or concerns. While the organizers are technically in charge of holding the space, the spirit of the Jam is created and maintained by the community as a whole.
[The following is adapted from the Boulder CI lab guidelines]
Circles. Participation in circles and announcement times creates group cohesion, personal safety, and deepens our dances. Group meeting times will be posted on the Jam schedule in the lobby.
These circles may be logistical, “mixers” to create cohesion and meet new folks, or include [brief] personal sharing. If you miss a group meeting, please check in with a friend for announcements you might have missed.
Physical Safety. Contact Improvisation inherently involves risks. Serious injury, though rare, is a possibility. By taking part in the Jam you acknowledge this fact and take responsibility for your own safety.
Boundaries. You have the right and responsibility to maintain your own boundaries in the dance. You have the right and responsibility to say “no” (or "yes") in the dance, to end a dance, or move away from a situation that doesn’t suit you at any time. You don’t have to apologize, accommodate, or explain. If you have trouble identifying or establishing boundaries in your dances, you have the responsibility to learn how to do this. If something happens in your dance that is troubling to you, please talk directly to your partner. If you need help, ask an organizer or another community member for support.
You also have the responsibility to understand how your dance, your energy, and your own sense of personal boundaries impacts your dance partners and the dance space around you. Practice listening to non-verbal cues and get verbal feedback if there is any confusion or ambiguity.
Sexuality. Because we are sexual primates, sexuality will always be present in some way, shape or form in CI. The question is not whether sexuality is present, but how it shows up, to what degree it shows up, and how is it held/expressed in the dance. For some, a distinction between “sensuality” and “sexuality” is helpful.
Different dancers have different tolerances and desires for sensuality in their dances. Do not initiate sensual dances unless you know your partner and know they would welcome sensuality in the dance.
Power imbalances and gender oppression are real phenomena: they can make it difficult for people to speak up; they can also make people confused about what they are actually feeling during a dance. A good rule to follow about sexual/sensual energy in a dance: when in doubt, don’t escalate the energy.
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is not a place for overt sexual behavior. If you witness a dance that makes you uncomfortable, you may choose to share your discomfort directly with the dancers, or to check out your perceptions with another person in the community. It may turn out that you are projecting/misinterpreting, or you may be naming unacceptable behavior.
Unwanted sexual advances and touching are NEVER acceptable and anyone experiencing this should stop the dance, tell their partner “no," or share their experience with an organizer or anyone else in the dance space that can help.
Feedback. A great way to get what you want from your experience at the Jam is to give and receive verbal feedback. While non-verbal feedback is inherent to the form of CI, spoken words can deepen our understanding of each other and create satisfying connections. Give and ask feedback in your own way, or use these ideas to get you going:
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam acknowledges the Boulder Contact Improvisation Lab for the creation of the above guidelines, which have been modified for the needs of the Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam. For more information about the Boulder CI Lab Guidelines see their website: http://sites.google.com/site/bouldercilab/
Enjoy the Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam!
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is a place to bring “the soft animal of your body”, your wonder, your questions, and your heart. Sweat, take risks, have excellent dances, engage in deep conversation, create, investigate, and be inspired by the beauty of the gathering. Our goal is to create a warm, safe, and supportive environment. In order to support the dance and to help promote safety and enjoyment in the space, we have compiled some "guidelines".
The Red Rose Ballroom. We are guests at the Red Rose Ballroom, and have agreed to follow their rules for the space. We ask that participants take a look at posted rules for the Red Rose Ballroom, and speak with the organizers if there are questions. Please be considerate in the studio and mezzanine lounge, use the kitchenette with a cooperative spirit, and help keep the space clean.
Organizers. The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is organized and facilitated by Christine Maxwell and Nicholas Daulton. Feel free to bring them any questions or concerns. While the organizers are technically in charge of holding the space, the spirit of the Jam is created and maintained by the community as a whole.
[The following is adapted from the Boulder CI lab guidelines]
Circles. Participation in circles and announcement times creates group cohesion, personal safety, and deepens our dances. Group meeting times will be posted on the Jam schedule in the lobby.
These circles may be logistical, “mixers” to create cohesion and meet new folks, or include [brief] personal sharing. If you miss a group meeting, please check in with a friend for announcements you might have missed.
Physical Safety. Contact Improvisation inherently involves risks. Serious injury, though rare, is a possibility. By taking part in the Jam you acknowledge this fact and take responsibility for your own safety.
- Know the limits of your skill. While it's worthwhile to take mindful risks, don't put yourself in physical situations that your skill level does not support. You might find that doing a movement at half speed allows mind and body to cooperate better.
- Be aware of what is happening around you. Are there a lot of people in the room? Are people generally horizontal or vertical, moving fast or slow? Are there people on the floor near you? Stay mindful about what is going on in the dance space.
- Do not allow your partner to manipulate you or push you beyond your abilities. Do not try to “keep up” with someone because you perceive that they have more skill than you. You can say "no" either with your words or with your body.
Boundaries. You have the right and responsibility to maintain your own boundaries in the dance. You have the right and responsibility to say “no” (or "yes") in the dance, to end a dance, or move away from a situation that doesn’t suit you at any time. You don’t have to apologize, accommodate, or explain. If you have trouble identifying or establishing boundaries in your dances, you have the responsibility to learn how to do this. If something happens in your dance that is troubling to you, please talk directly to your partner. If you need help, ask an organizer or another community member for support.
You also have the responsibility to understand how your dance, your energy, and your own sense of personal boundaries impacts your dance partners and the dance space around you. Practice listening to non-verbal cues and get verbal feedback if there is any confusion or ambiguity.
Sexuality. Because we are sexual primates, sexuality will always be present in some way, shape or form in CI. The question is not whether sexuality is present, but how it shows up, to what degree it shows up, and how is it held/expressed in the dance. For some, a distinction between “sensuality” and “sexuality” is helpful.
Different dancers have different tolerances and desires for sensuality in their dances. Do not initiate sensual dances unless you know your partner and know they would welcome sensuality in the dance.
Power imbalances and gender oppression are real phenomena: they can make it difficult for people to speak up; they can also make people confused about what they are actually feeling during a dance. A good rule to follow about sexual/sensual energy in a dance: when in doubt, don’t escalate the energy.
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam is not a place for overt sexual behavior. If you witness a dance that makes you uncomfortable, you may choose to share your discomfort directly with the dancers, or to check out your perceptions with another person in the community. It may turn out that you are projecting/misinterpreting, or you may be naming unacceptable behavior.
Unwanted sexual advances and touching are NEVER acceptable and anyone experiencing this should stop the dance, tell their partner “no," or share their experience with an organizer or anyone else in the dance space that can help.
Feedback. A great way to get what you want from your experience at the Jam is to give and receive verbal feedback. While non-verbal feedback is inherent to the form of CI, spoken words can deepen our understanding of each other and create satisfying connections. Give and ask feedback in your own way, or use these ideas to get you going:
- What I really liked about our dance was _________.
- Something that was challenging for me was _________.
- My request is _________.
The Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam acknowledges the Boulder Contact Improvisation Lab for the creation of the above guidelines, which have been modified for the needs of the Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam. For more information about the Boulder CI Lab Guidelines see their website: http://sites.google.com/site/bouldercilab/
Enjoy the Portland Contact Improv Regional Jam!