“What is my body doing when I am not conscious of it?”
— Steve Paxton, 1939-2024
This tribute class honors practices initiated by dancer Steve Paxton (1939-2024). We will artfully enter the basic principles of the form of Contact Improvisation which he initiated in 1972, and his Material for the Spine, begun 1986. “Forms for sensations and sensing” (Steve Paxton), the class will offer students the opportunity to deeply enter the basic study of the physics and ecological forces dancers experience as they move in relationship with each other and themselves. We will engage with the body in spherical space to improvise in solo, duo and as an ensemble. As we deepen into the discipline of practice, we will evolve the process as tools for dancing to witness how we make sense of being HERE. Playing with the chronosphere and spirals of time, space and weight, we will explore what Steve has said: “Dance is the art of taking place. Improvisation finds those places.”
Following this class will be a contact improvisation jam from 2-5pm. Participants can do either or both, but must attend each from beginning to end.
Participants must register for the jam separately from this class. Register for the jam by following the link below.
This class (and subsequent jam) follows a special evening at Danspace Project, Steve Paxton – a video amble organized and hosted by Lisa Nelson and Cathy Weis – Friday February 14th, 6:30 p.m. The video is a selection of excerpts of rarely seen performance documents and video snapshots from his life at the Farm in Vermont. Interspersed with conversation, this viewing will give but a glimpse of the breadth of how, in Steve’s words, “dance is the art of taking place.”
Accessibility Notes
- This class includes auditive guidance.
For access-related questions and requests, please contact accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “February 15.”
