What is Contact Improvisation (CI)?
Contact Improvisation is an evolving system of movement initiated in 1972 by American choreographer Steve Paxton. The improvised dance form is based on the communication between two moving bodies that are in physical contact and their combined relationship to the physical laws that govern their motion—gravity, momentum, inertia. The body, in order to open to these sensations, learns to release excess muscular tension and abandon a certain quality of willfulness to experience the natural flow of movement. Practice includes rolling, falling, being upside down, following a physical point of contact, supporting and giving weight to a partner.*
*Contact Quarterly
Short Bio:
Erica Kaufman has contributed to the continued development of Contact Improvisation since 1987. Interested in physics, states of consciousness and movement to unite people across borders, Erica has taught and performed CI in USA, Israel, Asia, and Europe. Erica spearheaded ICITE 2020 (Indian CI Teacher’s Exchange), and collaborated to create CI36 at Juniata College in Pennsylvania—the International 36th Anniversary Conference & Celebration of Contact Improvisation.
Erica has collaborated with Nancy Stark Smith and the full CI founding generation on reunion gatherings with the founder Steve Paxton to dance, discuss, ponder CI, and share time together.
Erica holds an MFA in Dance & Choreography and has been dance faculty at Penn State Univ, Univ of Denver, Juniata College and Univ of Marburg, Germany. She is the founder of Lila Yoga, and lives in the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania with her close-nit family.
Please contact us via the contact form for more information on upcoming Workshops or learn more on Contact Improvisation.
