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RFI: body contact dance

No star here laces

01:44 / 07.07.04

Somebody once mentioned to me (presumably in some drunken late-night venue because I can't remember the details) that they were involved in something called, I think, "Body contact" dancing. This involves lots of people dancing in a pitch black room and moving only through sense of touch and awareness of where their body is.

Does anybody know anything about this? e.g. The history, how popular it is, what kind of music they use, where it happens?

Any and all info appreciated...

Jackie Susann

04:14 / 07.07.04

Um, unless I much mistaken contact is generally done with the lights on. It's a kind of arty modern dance lots of hippy types are into - basically you kind of roll around each other bodies, the idea being that at any given moment you are maintaining a (travelling) point of contact where your bodies touch. I guess you could do it in the dark although am inclined to think it was actually a pick up line.

No star here laces

06:48 / 07.07.04

Cool. Thanks to that tip off I've found it is actually called "Contact Improv" by a lot of people and is exactly as you describe.

However, I think it has nightlife potential and am going to ponder this some more...

HCE

18:35 / 07.07.04

This somewhat reminds me of the wing chung practice known as 'sticky hands':

"Chi Sao or sticky hands: This exercise trains the practitioner to feel the energy and techniques of an opponent and then use this against him by utilizing openings in his defense. At the same time, your own defense needs to be as tight as possible. This concept is quite similar to Tai Chi Chuan's pushing hands or Tui Shou. The practitioners start out slowly and then accelerates once the technique is under control. Some sequences are done statically while others incorporate footwork"
http://users.telenet.be/wim.demeere/video/vid004.htm

As I've done it, when you're starting out maintain physical contact at all times, but the point of contact is constantly moving. The idea is to try to sensitize yourself to your partner's motion so you can anticipate her behavior.

Jackie Susann

23:08 / 07.07.04

As a nightlife activity you would want it to be in the dark, because people doing it look fucking ridiculous. Also, you would wreck your outfit.

No star here laces

00:42 / 08.07.04

I was thinking in the dark and virtually naked, as a matter of fact.

And not using any of the 'moves' these people use.

In fact, the only similarity being close bodily contact.

the Fool

00:47 / 08.07.04

I was thinking in the dark and virtually naked, as a matter of fact.

Sounds like the darkroom of any gay dance party, lol!

Ria

05:31 / 08.07.04

Chi Sao or sticky hands.

oo er...!

looky! or do did you mean something else? sorry you asked?

the European version has a much better name.

No star here laces

05:52 / 08.07.04

Fool, I know. Differentiation is the problem...

wembley can change in 28 days

06:19 / 08.07.04

We did this all the time in theatre school. It's not worth performing unless you do something interesting with it (I heard of an hour-long dance performance where a woman danced with a man, and at no point in the whole thing did any part of her body touch the ground), but it's a great training tool. It teaches you to be more open to touch and to touching others, it teaches you to look for more interesting ways to use space, and it's good fun exercise.

HCE

20:53 / 08.07.04

Ria -- was the 'Looky!' supposed to be a link? I'm unable to click it.

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