Contact Improvisation Fundamentals Dance Partnerwork

In Contact BODY (13 Lessons) we learn to dance Contact Improvisation with our partner.

Join us for the foundational pathways of movement that translate into Contact Improvisation. We cover “how to meet together in a dance” through principles such as weight sharing, counterbalance, surfing, table, and basic contact lifts.

Contact Body has been shared online since 2019. Based off of our in-person Momentum Contact Workshop taught 30+ times in Bali to hundreds of new contact dancers, we created an online version. Created during the pandemic when we “couldn’t touch” this was our response to keep on dancing! It has sold to dancers, non-dancers, academics, and movement practitioners worldwide, in Asia, Australia, United States and more. We are happy to bring this course now to this platform.

This course is Part 2 and complimentary to “Solo Somatic Pathways” – search for it on Udemy to continue your dance journey with us! Lessons are self-paced and instant access, for you to learn and practice online at home.

About the Facilitator

Join us for this unique approach by dance teacher Aalia Hashem. A dancer for over 20 years, she has studied with over 50 contact improvisation teachers worldwide and has been teaching since 2019 in Bali, Thailand, Georgia and Canada. Aalia is the creator of Momentum Contact Workshop, Momentum Contact Facilitator Training, Faces of Ci Podcast and Fortune Score Oracle Game. She has taught at Bali Dance Festival, Bali Bloom Festival, Towards Contact Festival, and Georgia Silent Contact Festival.

Frequently Asked Questions

“WHAT IS CONTACT IMPROVISATION?”

Contact Improvisation is a dance form evolving since 1972 in the United States, exploring a physical point of contact with another person, staying open to new possibilities in the dance while honoring the physical laws that govern movement: gravity, inertia, mass, and momentum. It’s also a social dance form, emphasizing community, reflection, playfulness and embodiment.

“I have no dance experience. Is this right for me?”

Yes! This course has been designed for and taken by, ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS. Students arrive with a wide variety of movement backgrounds, some without any formal dance training at all. They may have their own complementary practices they can draw upon, such as martial arts, somatic therapy, meditation or yoga.

What do I need to begin learning this online?

Space wise, look for an area least 10 x 10 feet. Ideally wood floors are best for sliding. Some contact dancers dance in grassy parks, their backyard, kitchen or kid’s padded puzzle mats, as this makes for a nice landing pad as well. Please avoid dancing on concrete for safety. Clothing wise, we recommend longer sleeve shirts or tshirts in cotton, and sweatpants or leggings. Loose light layers are perfect! Other than that, bring your energy, an open mind, a good WIFI connection and water bottle.

How much time should I set aside?

Our courses include teachings, instructions, meditations, warm ups, and dance exercises. With all lessons we recommend watching it once through to see the demonstration for visuals, and then re-watching at least once again, to practice on your own while listening to the audio guidance. Since each lesson is short, you can get through a few lessons in a sitting, or in a single day if you have the time dedicated.

SOLO BODY is approximately 1.5 hours of lessons. Allow minimum 2.5 hours with practice.
TWO BODIES is 2 hours of lessons. Allow minimum 4 hours with practice.

Who this course is for:

• Beginners are welcome to join with zero experience – we will guide you!