Join us this fall to nourish ourselves with our CI practice. As nature transitions towards its resting season, let us too find ways to release, reflect, and rejuvenate. What does it take to find ease and enjoyment at an extended contact improvisation jam? To gather in a community of people, some we know well, some who are strangers, and engage in a practice centered around physical touch? How can we create a container that can respond to potentially competing needs?
The answer is in the practice itself! At this jam we will connect the wisdom of CI to more broadly applicable skills, especially those that focus on self- and community-care. “Resourcing” is a main theme of this jam. What do you need to be well resourced? What do we need as a community in order to be well resourced?
Tune into your nervous system’s needs and wants, moving on your own body time, in an environment built for differing needs, from quiet space for rest to padded areas for high-intensity dancing. We hope this will foster a supportive space for taking care of our varying needs, following our embodiment, and nurturing ourselves, both individually and collectively.
SHARE OUR FACEBOOK EVENT!
Jam Details
- Attendance: An average of 70-100 people will attend this jam and is open to all movement levels & backgrounds.
- Jam Options: Full Jam, Post Jam Lab and Saturday Drop-In (Post Jam Lab and Drop-In Day is available only to folks who have been to Earthdance before).
- What is a “Post Jam Lab”? After our traditional Fall Jam, and to cultivate the deepening of our shared practice, we are offering participants the opportunity to stay on for a few more days till Tuesday, October 24th for a Post-Jam Lab and Integration days. During this time participants will be able to enjoy our beautiful facilities and explore CI and other movement practices through self organized labs, workshops and jams. Food will be served as normal so you can also decide to just stay and relax giving your self time to integrate all the rich experiences from the Fall Jam itself. Those who did not attend the Fall Jam weekend are welcome to join the Post Jam Lab, however only if you have been to Earthdance before.
- Newcomers: If you have never been to Earthdance, we ask that you only sign up for the Full Jam. This will allow us to better welcome and orient you to Earthdance.
Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, Departures and COVID Testing
- Full Jam: Arrival/Check-In on Thursday, October 19th from 4:00pm-7:00pm front of the Farmhouse. Dinner is at 6-7pm.
- Opening Circle: Friday, October 20th at 10am.
- Saturday Drop-In (Only for folks who’ve been to Earthdance before): Arrive Saturday, October 21st at 8am. Check-In from 12-1pm in front of the Farmhouse. Departure at 10pm day of.
- Final Clean: Sunday, October 22nd at 2-3pm.
- Full Jam Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, October 22nd.
- Post Jam Lab (Only for folks who attended the Fall Jam OR who’ve been to Earthdance before): Arrive/Check-In on Sunday, October 22nd between 4-7pm in front of the Farmhouse. Dinner 6-7pm.
- Post Jam Lab: Depart on Tuesday, October 24th after Post Jam Lab ALL house clean 3pm.
- COVID Testing: Please make sure that you have tested for COVID on the day of arrival for both Full, Post Jam Lab and Saturday Drop-in. If needed, participants may purchase tests from Earthdance for $10 each.
Our Fees Explained
Earthdance offers a sliding scale payment for participation in this event, please take a moment to reflect as you decide on where you best fit.
Your level of contribution is self selected and does not need to be advocated for. However, we invite you to remember this contribution is currency and we ask that you stretch where you are able so that those who cannot stretch as far of a financial distance may also have potential access to community events. As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:
- Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership, both currently and anticipated in the future.
- The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other intersection marginalizations for you and your family.
- The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances.
- Earthdance is a community and rental funded organization which recently, historically and uniquely through the Covid-19 pandemic has struggled to have viable income.
PRICING
FULL JAM – October 19th – 22nd
GRATITUDE LODGE
$800 – Financially Wealthy
$600 – Financially Abundant
$500 – Financially Stable
$425 – Financially Coping
$375 – Financially Strained
CAMPING
$775 – Financially Wealthy
$575 – Financially Abundant
$475 – Financially Stable
$400 – Financially Coping
$350 – Financially Strained
COMMUTER
$750 – Financially Wealthy
$550 – Financially Abundant
$450 – Financially Stable
$375 – Financially Coping
$325 – Financially Strained
Post Jam Lab – October 22nd – 24th (Only Available for those who attended the Full Jam or have been to Earthdance before)
GRATITUDE LODGE
$600 – Financially Wealthy
$400 – Financially Abundant
$300 – Financially Stable
$225 – Financially Coping
$175 – Financially Strained
CAMPING
$575 – Financially Wealthy
$375 – Financially Abundant
$275 – Financially Stable
$200 – Financially Coping
$150 – Financially Strained
COMMUTER
$450 – Financially Wealthy
$350 – Financially Abundant
$250 – Financially Stable
$175 – Financially Coping
$125 – Financially Strained
FULL JAM + Post Jam Lab – October, 19th – 24th
GRATITUDE LODGE
$900 – Financially Wealthy
$700 – Financially Abundant
$600 – Financially Stable
$525 – Financially Coping
$475 – Financially Strained
CAMPING
$875 – Financially Wealthy
$675 – Financially Abundant
$575 – Financially Stable
$500 – Financially Coping
$450 – Financially Strained
COMMUTER
$850 – Financially Wealthy
$650 – Financially Abundant
$550 – Financially Stable
$475 – Financially Coping
$425 – Financially Strained
Drop-In Option – Saturday, October 21st (Only Available for those who’ve been to Earthdance before)
$450 – Financially Wealthy
$300 – Financially Abundant
$200 – Financially Stable
$130 – Financially Coping
$85 – Financially Strained
FULL JAM – Nine Mountain (You must contact Robyn at robyn@ninemountain.com to reserve a bed after you register)
$750 – Financially Wealthy
$550 – Financially Abundant
$450 – Financially Stable
$375 – Financially Coping
FULL JAM + Post Jam Lab – Nine Mountain (You must contact Robyn at robyn@ninemountain.com to reserve a bed after you register)
$850 – Financially Wealthy
$650 – Financially Abundant
$550 – Financially Stable
$475 – Financially Coping
Post Jam Lab – Nine Mountain (You must contact Robyn at robyn@ninemountain.com to reserve a bed after you register)
$450 – Financially Wealthy
$350 – Financially Abundant
$250 – Financially Stable
$175 – Financially Coping
Equity & Access Tickets
Although we’re not able to offer any full scholarships this year, we’re excited to offer up to 6 Discounted Tickets to individuals who feel part of an underrepresented and/or marginalized group in CI and have a relationship with CI. We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge, and can feel vulnerable.
“Apply” and see more details here. Application deadline is October 9th.
For those who do not identify as marginalized and are in a represented group of CI, we invite you to stretch in your payment to help support those who cannot stretch and create a more diverse jam experience for all.
Note: While Earthdance is making efforts to better support Equity & Access at all its events, the jam offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:
- Reduced pricing offered to people self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized in CI.
- Classes and discussions that aim to bring up the level of awareness and inclusion at the jam as a whole
- Affinity spaces (jams, discussions, etc.) for particular groups of people to connect, share CI space together, and rest from the pressures of being in a minority status at the jam.
Housing Options
Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets
Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, Jam offerings, and food during the jam.
The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base Jam cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.
Camping Tickets
Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, Jam offerings, and food during the jam.
Commuter Tickets
You will have access to the Jam offerings including food for the event.
Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other jam participants.
Cancellation Policy
Refund available up to 14 days (October 5th) before the event less a $75 processing fee.
No refunds available less than 14 days from the start of the event.
Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors.
COVID Precautions
No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. However, ALL registrants are required to take an antigen test on the day of before arriving on Thursday, October 19th, Saturday, October 21st and Sunday, October 22nd at Earthdance. If you need a test, Earthdance will have them available to purchase for $10 each.
Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well.
COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other jam participants.
Participant Community Support
Earthdance runs as a community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!
Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.
HOST BIOS
Kellyn Jackson
Kellyn is a dance artist, community builder, and dance/movement therapist. She attended Nancy Stark Smith’s January workshop in 2020, and has stayed fervently committed to continuing the research and practice in Chicago since. She has facilitated Underscore talk throughs and experimented with it in a variety of contexts, including how it may be a frame for the psychotherapeutic process. Kellyn is currently exploring CI in the context of performance, particularly in fostering both performer and audience agency. She is interested in cultivating the subtle and complex skills that build resilient, responsive, and poetic contact improvisers. Kellyn is curious about the dualities that emerge within the CI context, such as inclusivity/exclusivity, safety/risk-taking, process/performance, and personal responsibility/collective care. Some of her other influential teachers include Guru Suraj, Erica Kaufman, K.J. Holmes, Kathleen Rea, Kirstie Simson, Adrianna Michalska, and Margaret Paek.
Hawley Brett
Hawley Brett is a dancer and event organizer based in Cambridge, MA, where she has a coaching and bodywork practice. She was introduced to Contact Improvisation shortly before the start of the pandemic, truly learned the meaning of the having the floor as one’s first partner, and has avidly practiced the form with other souls since dancing started up again. Entering the world of CI in this way has given it particular resonance for her as a healing practice, and she is especially interested in how CI connects us somatically, socially, psychologically, and spiritually. Hawley previously worked in politics and technology, and served as the National Data Developer for the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, and is interested in how to bring the wisdom of healing arts to political organizing spaces now having worked in both.