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IStria, croatia
Contact Improvisation Camp
16 days of movement by the sea: two intensive workshops, six days of jams, and plenty of beach time!
Space and Balance – CI Workshop with Sergey Semichev and Kristina Ahlman
Our bodies are constantly balancing with the support from space. Every change of movement is shifting our center and balance. We will explore how supporting space create balance in our bodies. Our body is a form of space and we can change this form how, when and where we want in an endless game. We will explore, play and interact with space inside and outside of our body. How can we play and interact not just with our partners body but with our partner as a form of space. We constantly shift our attention and perspectives. We will use this to create a deeper understanding of the three dimensional body. By shifting our attention we have more options and our dance can become a game of moving and transforming space inside, outside and between bodies. How not to lose ourselves in this boundless freedom of choices.
Sergey Semichev is a teacher, dancer performer and researcher of contact improvisation. Teacher and activist of the contact improvisation community in Ukraine. Organizer and co-organizer of contact improvisation festivals in Ukraine. Teacher of contact improvisation in Europe and at European contact improvisation festivals. Teacher and organizer of regular classes and jams in Rome (Italy). In the past, a gymnast, acrobat, fitness trainer. Massage therapist, physiotherapist, photographer and videographer.
Kristina Ahlman, dancer, performer, teacher and psychologist from Sweden, based in Freiburg Germany. With background in contemporary dance, improvisation and contact improvisation. Kristina has been studying contemporary dance in Finland and Germany full time for 5 years during 2016-2021 and has more than 10 years of experience in contact improvisation, Now she is teaching and facilitating dance in Freiburg and is the initiator of Sweden contact impro Fest.
July 20 – 25
Jam Camp
During the Jam Camp, we’ll explore a variety of jams—music jams, focus jams, long jams, and jams with guided intros—creating a rich and diverse space for movement and reserach. This period is for those who already have some experience in Contact Improvisation—whether through classes, workshops, or CI festivals. While there will be a team of four teachers holding space and supporting the process, the jams themselves will not be guided. Instead, this is an opportunity to dive into self-directed exploration, deepen your practice, and co-create in an open and dynamic environment.
July 25 – 30
Layers of touch – Fluids, Cells and Membranes – Body-Mind Centering® into Contact Improvisation with Nina Wehnert
Exploring the depth of touch and possibilities to relate in movement and dance. We will explore the micro- and macrocosmos of being in contact with ourselves, our partners, the ground and the space around us. From subtle sensation on a cellular level we will expand into large expansive movement through space.
We will explore the sensations of touch and presence through our cells, membranes, fluids, inner and outer breath. We will move as a cellular collective, balancing inner and outer organisation and flow. Moving towards, with, away, restisting, and following. We will explore our relationship of coexistance, diving deep into the meetings and cooperations, opening to trust and surrender to self, others, ground and space. Moments of embryology will support the understanding of inherent movement pathways, the forming of substance and space that allow us to root into the process of being.
With clear anatomical awareness, in touch and movement individually and with a partner, we unfold the embodiment of our being into Contact Improvisation dances. Basic CI aspects will be deepened and provide the foundation for more physically challenging dances that can develop from the supposedly “simple”.
Nina Wehnert lives in Berlin and Italy, is a certified Practitioner and Teacher of Body-Mind Centering® (BMC®) and is dancing Contact Improvisation since more than 30 years. She is part of the core team of moveus, the licensed BMC® Training Program in Germany. She teaches BMC® internationally at Contact Improvisation Festivals, in Workshops and Trainings since many years. She has studied Contemporary Dance and Yoga. She is offering her own BMC® Training Program in Berlin. Since 2020 she is offering online classes, which can be found at her website.
Venue
Location
Our haven is nestled near Rovinj, just a 5-minute walk through the woods to a secluded beach—the perfect backdrop for exploration and connection. Returning participants will recognize this special spot, and for newcomers, the exact location will be shared after registration.
Accommodation & Amenities
Experience eco-conscious living in nature with a stunning 108m² wooden dance floor and meals crafted with care, featuring primarily vegan options by our resident chef. Stay in our serene woodland camping area, complete with outdoor showers and compost toilets. Parking is available for cars, though campers and vans are not permitted on-site.
Community
We’re all in this together to make this camp a success, fueled by the spirit of community. To uphold this, each participant will be assigned a small task to contribute to the smooth running of the event.
You would like to register?
Send us an email with your full name, country and why you would like to join us.
WORKSHOPS IN ZAGREB
Vega Lukkonen “Transitions, Precision & Lightness”
We will flow in and out of contact, viewing the dance as a playful dialogue, which breathes freely in time and space.
Composing the dance, composing the contact. Material alternates between contact- and solo tasks, towards trios and group-scores.
“everything is a limb if you want it” – (contact) improvisation workshop with Andrzej Woźniak
The title is the name of a score, inspired by propositions from bmc (Body mind centering ®). If we think about having six limbs, why can’t we experiment with having more? How about consisting of limbs only?
Steve Paxton spoke about skin being omnidirectional – I feel it would be great to move into and through a few more passages than usual. Maybe they will be brand new or maybe barely explored. either way – extra limbs might help.
What can you expect from this work?
Experimenting with moving oneself through different shapes, forms and gestures, questioning the idea of a limb as something defined and having specific parameters. Making use of joints and bones, changing levels of motion, giving extra attention to the action of reaching and directions.
We will move solo and observe each other. The solo language will be then embedded in the duets and other constellations, with the focus on improvisation. Ideally, at least.
About the teacher:
Andrzej Woźniak is a Warsaw based contact improvisation teacher and somatic movement educator (bmc).His main influences in terms of ci have been: Joerg Hassmann, Daniel Werner, Yaniv Mintzer, Katja Mustonen, Nancy Stark Smith, Daniela Schwartz, Ray Chung and Adrian Russi among others. Woźniak names following artists as his main influences in the performance/improvisation/choreography work: Barbara Dilley, Nina Martin, Sara Shelton Mann, Keith Hennesy, Maria F. Scaroni, Maria Stokłosa, Weronika Pelczyńska, Deborah Hay, Peter Pleyer, Andrew Wass.
He studied Body-mind centering® with Embody Move (uk) and Moveus (germany) and practiced zen shiatsu bodywork for a couple of years. The work of Axis Syllabus has been an important influence for him as well.
In his teaching Woźniak focuses on improvisation, subjectivity and agency, mobility and group scores. Failure and mistakes are his lifelong fields of research.
Besides his dance practice which he’s been persistently engaged in for the past 15 years, he works in the field of literature (published debut book with poetry in 2022) and music as a frontman of a punk band ułła. Woźniak occasionally performs and creates choreography work for stage.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY // February 15 and 16, 2025
SATURDAY:
14:00 – 18:00 → workshop
19:00 – 21:00 → *JAM
SUNDAY:
11:00 – 14:00 → workshop
Lunch break
15:00 – 17:00 → workshop
* For the workshop participants, JAM is included in the price. For all the others, minimal donation is 8 euros .
For participating at the jam we warmly recommend reading JAM GUIDELINES.
Contribution:
90 eur until January 1st, after that date 105 eur.
Support price for the students of the dance academys is 60 eur.
Registrations:
To register for the workshop(s) it is necessary to fill up REGISTRATION FORM. After that you will receive information about the further steps of registration.
For any additional questions, you can contact us at: [email protected]
TRANSITIONS, PRECISION & LIGHTNESS with Vega Luukkonen
During this weekend I wish to share with you some of my curiosities and interests in movement & dance.
As the name says: “Transitions, Precision & Lightness” – describes well my interest in dance.
We will flow in and out of contact, viewing the dance as a playful dialogue, which breathes freely in time and space.
Composing the dance, composing the contact. Material alternates between contact- and solo tasks, towards trios and group-scores.
We will work with a variety of different methods including explorative exercises, experiential anatomy and specific technical material. Some of the movement principles I employ are informed by developmental movement patterns, release technique, and floorwork. Through these techniques we are focusing on understanding the underlying physical principles of contact improvisation; such as sharing weight, rolling point, under- and over-dancing. Exploring momentum, falling and suspension in order to create effortless flow in our movement.
We will play around the ideas of falling and flying.
By researching the subtle mechanics of ‘small dance’ and suspension, we progress towards using momentum
and spirals of the body to enter fluid ways to lift one-another through using the fall into ‘catching a ride’.
We will also explore how to use our arms and wings as extensions of our spine. Arms can be a beautiful pathway to find entrances into lifts, and creating space and time in our dances. Breathing in and out of contact. Working with the frame and structure of the arms, we find ways to connect to the space and find counterbalance in the body, providing frames to both lift and be lifted, and offer structures to be explored. We will focus on the details and technique of the body tone, alignment, reaching and small points of contact, which help us find lightness in being lifted, and efficiency in lifting.
Awareness and presence are helping us to expand the choices and possibilities in our dance.
Cultivating conscious listening, breathing, giving and receiving.
Will we evoke a deeper understanding of how our bodies function? How do the joints, bones, muscles and fascia function ?
How this wisdom of our bodies can help us to dance more precisely, light and sustainable.
Technique and Poetry.
Structure and Freedom.
Playful Beings in Motion.
About the teacher:
Vega Luukkonen
I am a dancer, dance-teacher, performance-artist and bodyworker made in Finland.
I have studied dance- and theatre pedagogy in Finland, Helsinki
– in Theatre Academy of Finland, from where I got my master´s degree 2008.
Though – I would say my dearest high-school and university in contact-improvisation has been the finnish contact community, where I have learned so much from my collagues, friends and fellow dancers, by sharing the dance and rolling point almost 30 years…
Contact Improvisation has been my lover since i was a teenager ! So – I´ve gone through many kind of chapters with her.
Recently I´m more and more interested in details, quality, fine tuning, listening, presence.
– Accompanied with deeper understanding of underlying principles of contact improvisation.
Breath plays as well big part in my dancing. It brings me naturally into moments of momentum,
falling, flying, swinging and bouncing.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY //May 10 and 11, 2025
SATURDAY:
13:00 – 17:00 → workshop
17:30 – 19:30 → *JAM
SUNDAY:
11:00 – 14:00 → workshop
Lunch break
15:00 – 17:00 → workshop
* For the workshop participants, JAM is included in the price. For all the others, minimal donation is 8 euros .
For participating at the jam we warmly recommend reading JAM GUIDELINES!
Contribution:
90 eur until April 1st, after that date 105 eur.
Support price for the students of the dance academys is 60 eur.
Registrations:
To register for the workshop(s) it is necessary to fill up REGISTRATION FORM. After that you will receive information about the further steps of registration.
Fb event coming soon…
For any additional questions, you can contact us at: [email protected]