The
third annual
Sierra Contact Festival
A peer-oriented contact festival geared towards experienced dancers
Summer 2010
August 20-25
at Sierra Hot Springs, Sierraville, California
3.5 hours east of San Francisco, CA, 1 hour west of Reno, NV
For a schedule of presentations, click on here on "SCHEDULE".
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- 2 studios (one indoor, one outdoor), hot springs and saunas, plus miles of hiking trails through mountain forests.
- 5 days of exploration in Contact Improvisation geared towards experienced contactors, familiar with fundamental skills and investigations of CI ...
- 50 dancers coming together to create a festival oriented around sharing work in and emerging out of the practice of Contact Improvisation.
While both the performative and the experiential wings of the contact world are intended to be represented at the festival, the unifying principle will be an invitation to those invested in the artistic and intellectual exploration of contact, regardless of perspective.
The Festival is organized as a 5 day laboratory with presentations, skill and theory sharing, discussion, jams, and performances. Outside of the official morning presentation times, the distinction between presenter/teacher and other participants disappears, creating an environment where all are encouraged to pursue the path of their own curiousities.
- morning presentations of ongoing research
- afternoon Laboratory time emerging out of the curioisities of the participant body, where participants propose research topics and divide out into subgroups based on affinities of interest
- evening space for Jams (structured and open) and Performances
It will be assumed that
participants already have experience in contact. The festival is not meant
as an "intro to contact".
The aim is for a contact festival which is geared to the desires of experienced and professional contactors and in which there is a high degree of dialogue, active physical and intellectual investigation, and autonomous pursuit of curiosity around the possibiliities presented by contact improvisation..
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More Details...
The Schedule: for info on schedule of classes, presentations, labs, jams, etc, goto Schedule
Presenter/Instructors:
Instead of classes, we have morning Presentations. Effectively, these are usually classes, but the distinction is that they are meant to be peer oriented, where the presenter is assuming experience with contact explorations, significant self motivation, and a basic skill base.
This year's presenters include... Leslie Castelano (Arcata, CA), Rosemary Hannon (Berkeley, CA), Val Smith (Manila, CA), Maxima Kahn (Grass Valley, CA), Michael Hodapp (Seattle,WA), Vitali Kononov (Berkeley, CA), Laura Bishop (Santa Cruz, CA), Cathie Caraker (San Francisco, CA), Brad Stoller (Charlottesville, VA), Kat Single (Vancouver, BC)
Past presenters have included Aaron Schwartzman (Seattle, WA), Alia Swersky (Seattle, WA), Alicia Grayson (Boulder, CO), Brad Stollar (Charlottesville, VA), Cathie Caraker (San Francisco, CA), Cyrus Khambatta (Seattle, WA), Delia Brett (Vancouver, BC), Ellane Kresser (Berkeley, CA), Jennifer McLeish-Lewis (Vancouver, BC), Karl Frost (Nevada City, CA), Kat Single (Vancouver, BC), Kelly East (Charlottesville, VA), Leslie Castelano (Arcata, CA), Mizu Desierto (Portland, OR), Robert Funk (Arcata, CA), Scott Wells (San Francisco, CA), Trinidad Martinez (Seattle, WA / Spain), Val Smith (Eugene, OR), Vitali Kononov (Berkeley, CA)
Experience requirements:
All participants will be expected to be experienced contactors... intermediate to advanced contactors who have a solid grasp of contact fundamentals. Those coming should have basic understanding of classic contact concepts like rolling point of contact, weight sharing, use of alignment and structure for support, physical listening. While considerations will be made for alternately able-bodied dancers, all participants should otherwise have basic working skills with the aforementioned concepts plus moving in and out of the floor with weight and readiness to take care of oneself generally and coming in and out of lifts. Feel free to write with any questions about what we are asking of participants, as there are multiple ways of framing the same basic concepts and we aren't attached to any one. Generally speaking, we just want to make sure that everyone who is coming already has an investment in contact exploration and some time under their belt in skill development.
The
Hot Springs
The Sierra Hot Springs retreat center is a moderately rustic hot springs retreat center bordering on the Tahoe National Forest in the Sierra Nevadas, just outside of the small town of Sierraville, CA. the grounds are expansive with plenty of space for camping. The primary hot springs include a large warm pool appropriate for (quiet) watsu/water dance, a smaller hot pool and cold plunges, plus a sauna. On the other end ofthe property is the smaller Meditation pool, for silent soaking. The general atmosphere of the place is quiet, with rules of no alchohol and no pets. children are welcome with "appropriate guidance" for a quiet atmposphere. We will have use of their studio/workshop room and will also be setting up our own outdoor dance studios, usingthe infrastructure from Contact Camp at Burning Man. For more information on the hot springs, visit their site at www.sierrahotsprings.org . Also, please do read over the Guest Agreements before registering.
The Dance Spaces
outdoors -- 60 foot diameter parachute tent with floors of recycled vinyl billboard over carpet (the effect is of a lightly padded marly). indoors - a 700 sq ft studio with similar floor of vinyl over carpet. plus the warm pool for water dancing and all the forest land you could want for nature explorations.
Lodging
Standard lodging will be camping. You will be expected to have your own gear. RVs and camper vans are welcome. There is also limitted availability of rooms through Sierra Hot Springs, but these would be arranged separately through the hot springs.
Fees
The fees depend on when regsitration and deposit is received, with discounts for earlier enrollment.
deposit received by June 30
or by 20 registered participants
(whichever is first)
(this deadline is past as we are over 20 participants registered)
deposit received by July 16
or by 30 registered participants
(whichever is first)
(this deadline is past as we are over 30 participants registered)
deposit received by August 6
or by 40 registered participants
(whichever is first)
deposit received by August 19
"at the door" festival fees
$175 $200 $225 $250 $275 facilities fees and food $185 total $360 $385 $410 $435 $460 Fees include festival fees, plus full use of the hot springs facilities, camping, and catered breakfast and dinner.
Some work exchange will be available.
Maximum attendance this year is 55.
Registration
First, read the experience requirements described above. Also, understand the specificity of this gathering around Laboratory, as opposed to just jam. If you have questions about whether this fits for you, please write to info@bodyresearch.org
If it fits, then write a note with intent to register to info@bodyresearch.org and send in a $100 deposit either via check written out to Karl Frost 701 L Street, Davis, CA 95616 or via paypal to info@bodyresearch.org.
Note, if sending a check, it is important to also write an e-mail, so either we know what tier of payment you fall in or (if we are filling) to hold a space for you until your check arrives.
It is also helpful for event organizing if you write in any specific interests you are bringing in for laboratory, when you send your e-mail with intent to register.
Lodging Fee (Friday through Tuesday)
Camping (car, rv, or tent) is paid through Body Research as part of the overall fees. There is ample space for car camping, and if you wish to tent it, the propery itself is huge and in fact borders on National Forest, so you can spread out as far afield as you like. If you are camping, you do NOT need to register seperately with Sierraville (and they would prefer that you didn't, for simplicity's sake). An extra night on either end is $25.
Rooms range from $39 to $83 per night (depending on day of the week and dorm vs double vs single) and are arranged directly through Sierraville Hot Springs. If you choose to rent a room or dorm spot, mention to Sierraville that you are with the Contact Festival and as you register with us, let us know that you are renting a room.
Food
Breakfast and Dinner is included. Bring your own lunch and snacks. W e will be seting up a "chai lounge" for lunch.
There is very limitted refridgeration, so if you want to keep things cold, you should bring your own ice chest. There will be ice runs into town for people to get refills on ice if needed.
Work Exchange:
Interested people should be willing to do a fair bit of physical work on the day before and day after the festival setting up the dance tent and getting the spaces ready. Also, there will be some work trade available during the Festival for those interested in helping in the kitchen. To apply and to get more info, write to info@bodyresearch.org.
Carpool/Rideshare
Carpool/ridshare facilitated as we get closer to the event.
Note, for folks flying in, Reno is about 55 minutes drive from Sierraville, where Oakland is about 3.5 hours. However, more people will be coming from or passing through the bay area, so easier to find a carpool. A shared shuttle from the Airport in reno can be arranged for $50 (spilt between the people being picked up.).