Contact Improvisation
Class with Oliver Scott

We began the class with the discussion about what Contact Improvisation touching a little bit history of it.

Then we started to work with the technique. We focused on changing the momentum, changing the dynamic instantly- about body to be able to adapt when we need to involve some tension, in order to keep the contact continous and keep the balance as well as find the softness in order to keep the flow.
When you walk and brush somebody, giving an impulse to go down and, following, go down yourself - there is such an interesting energy flow, the tensions transfer into release within the body; this helps to make the action really effortless and natural, taking away all the thoughts about how to move correctly, but rather naturally. It felt to me as such a strong energy.

Contact improvisation task mainly consisted of  leaning on or onto somebody qualities, playing with tensions and letting go, noticing how much effort we need to hold somebody - to be a support. Thinking ahead, if not overthinking, might help, as the person moving towards the floor has to concentrate on the possible shifts to be made whilst keeping the contact (sliding motions ere particularly involved in this practice).
Score turned into traveling keeping the same moving qualities, but having the sense of direction. We were trying to avoid dropping, make the movements be smooth and continuous.Also, the supporting person tried to keep pretty still, not trying to help the mover to go towards the floor the easiest ways possible - not taking them to the floor by adjusting the body, but rather be solid, in order to not shorten the way down and let the mover find their own ways to adapt to the support. It really challenged me, as you have to allow people move around you sometimes finding quite complicated ways, but still keep protecting them in a way, to avoid injuries. as a mover, I found it challenging to keep constant contact all the way to the floor without loosing the support and contact.
Walking around the room and playing with these qualities with lots of different people was really interesting, as your body has to adjust to everyone instantly; you have to consider, register and adapt really quickly, because every body is different, and sometimes it is difficult to realise how much of a support you have to offer as well as how much of weight and pressure you can give.Non-verbal negotiation is also an interesting moment, when using the body language you make a decision which one of you is going to give the support and which one is going over.
Being quite small I noticed that my body is such a solid and strong structure, which can support and hold so much more weight going over my body.

The contact, when you go over somebody's back (the supporting person is in a reliable box possition) - it is quite difficult to make sure that the person who is going over your back reaches the floor safely and softly- it is up to you as well as up to the mover.

This was a really useful practice, opening the technique of moving in contact, strongly imforming me as a mover and CI practitioner.