This class explores how gravity, momentum, and imagination can expand the possibilities of partnering. We will focus on taking risks with jumps, lifts, and tosses, and on discovering how to meet those moments with care—learning to decelerate together so that soft, supported landings can occur. A central question will be how to create equity in partnership: how to offer your partner a soft landing so they can in turn become the strong foundation for you to pour your weight onto immediately after. We will examine acceleration, deceleration, and everything in between, while practicing how to stay legible enough in our choices that our partners can always find us. We will also explore committing and de-committing, testing how quickly and fully we can shift our decisions in real time.
Alongside the physical training, we will open up the imaginative field of contact: What if this could happen? What if an arm became a ledge, a leg became a metal detector, a back became a surfboard? By tapping into imagined scenarios, we enliven the present moment and expand the range of what feels possible inside movement and touch.
The class begins with foundational Contact Improvisation practices, emphasizing comfort, trust, and safety as we share weight at low, middle, and high levels—first on the floor, then seated, and eventually standing. From that groundwork, we will layer in the inquiries above, allowing precision and play to coexist. The aim is to cultivate a partnering practice that is both technically rigorous and creatively alive.
If you are a contemporary/modern dancer who wants to improve your partnering skills, a dance-maker hoping to explore different modalities of connection in your work, or a mover from any background looking to enliven your instincts, this would be the class for you.
What to expect:
Participants should have an active personal movement practice, whether recreational or professional. This class will include conditioning exercises, solo improvisation scores, weight-sharing and partnering skills, and time for open practice. We will focus on foundational elements of Contact Improvisation, emphasizing attentive listening, continuous flow, and the development of stamina.
For MELT-related questions, please email melt@movementresearch.org.
Accessibility Notes
- This workshop includes auditive guidance.
To request ASL interpretation or Audio Description, please email accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “ASL/Audio Description Request, MELT Paul Singh” at least three (3) weeks prior to the first date of the workshop.
For access-related questions and requests, please contact accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “MELT Paul Singh.”
