What is Contact Improvisation (CI)?
Contact Improvisation is a form of movement that originated in the 1970s and has since evolved into a global phenomenon. It's a dynamic exploration of embodiment through presence, movement, expression, connection, and spontaneous collaboration. What happens can be slow and sensitive, playful and joyful and/or skillful and artistic. All parts of you can be expressed and held in a compassionate container of freedom and safety.




What happens at the event?
1. Warm-Up and Connection Exercises: Ease into the experience with a guided warm-up to prepare your body and mind individually and as a group. Engage in connection exercises that set the tone for the improvisational movement ahead. We will introduce some principles of consent, energy awareness and sensitivity, as well as playfulness, authenticity and confidence over the weeks.
2. CI Foundational skills: Learn different ways to move with and without contact, develop playful exploration, use weight-sharing and balance, as well as momentum, which can effortlessly lead to lifts. 
3. Guided Jams: Experience the magic of CI jams, where dancers come together in spontaneous collaboration. Guided by facilitators, these sessions offer a supportive environment for creative expression and connection.
4. Reflection and Sharing: Take a moment to reflect on your experiences and share insights with fellow participants. This is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of CI and connect with others on a personal level.
5. Bodywork warm down: a fundamental part of CI is taking care of, opening and softening into the connective tissues of our animal bodies. We share deeply nourishing release and massage techniques which you can use on yourself or with each other as you reflect on your evening’s experience, or simply allow yourself to melt into the floor at the end of the session.
Consent
Consent is a foundational principle for safe and enjoyable exploration. There is absolutely nothing you have to do. Everything is an invite/optional. You can come along and choose what you do or do not want to participate in. Saying no to things that don’t feel good to you is actively encouraged, and we practice thanking each other for taking care of ourselves when we do decide not to participate in something either partly or fully.

Guidelines
  • Respect personal boundaries and communicate openly
  • Embrace curiosity and be open to the unexpected
  • It's okay to make mistakes—CI is about exploration and learning
Key Takeaways
  • Discover the joy of moving authentically and spontaneously.
  • Cultivate trust and communication through physical connection.
  • Explore the transformative power of movement, expression and shared creativity



Facilitation - a vision of co-creation
Rachael Nitya, supported by Mike Ditchfield, is sharing a foundation of CI principles for our new community for the first couple of months of sessions, but ultimately the vision is for a co-created collective space, where different people share exercises and hold space session by session. We will invite this gradually with guidelines and discernment, as well as playfulness and community spirit. For this reason we are keeping the price low to cover costs. Rachael is offering this space and skills from the heart because she is so passionate about bringing this to Belfast, so no payment is taken. Any profit goes towards inviting experienced CI practitioners for masterclasses, or to use for other resources, now and then. The vision is that this will be a deep playground where divine inspiration and emergence of the unknown are possible. 

About Rachael
Rachael has practiced CI on and off since her undergrad in theatre  - too long ago to mention ;). She has engaged more consistently in CI in the last few years, attending an intensive month long seminar in Thailand as well as week long retreats in Thailand and Portugal. She also draws on her consent and healing work in tantra and as a somatic intimacy coach and bodyworker. She brings creative wisdom from her arts training (Masters in Performance Studies) and careers in teaching and performance of theatre, clowning, circus and music. She is a certified yoga teacher and kundalini activation practitioner. Her mission is to inspire and uplift, play, flow, live through abundance, dive into and trust the intelligence and magic of the divine infinite unknown, while keeping her heart open and her centre strong.

Mike is supporting with his enthusiasm and organising. He is a drumming, breathwork and men’s work facilitator. Put simply Mike is passionate about helping people connect with themselves and others. He believes that rhythm is a key component of that, either through the rhythm of your breath, the rhythm of your movement or connecting to your inner rhythm. Mike will help you bring out your inner child and explore your movement with curiosity and playfulness.



Energy Exchange
  • You choose £8-20 per session - absolutely great value!
  • 6 session pass £40 - you get 1 session free - must be used within 4 months (you can miss 2 sessions)
What to Bring:
  • Comfortable warm layers of clothing for unrestricted movement - long sleeves and trousers are best
  • An open mind and a willingness to explore
  • Water to stay hydrated
Location: Liminal Space, Blackstaff Mill, Belfast
Directions: it can be a little tricky to find within the building the first time so please...
Put "Springfield Autos The Blackstaff Mill" into google maps. Once you arrive, as you look at the Springfield Autos sign turn to your right and there is an entrance to the building. It has a feint sign for a snooker club. Go all the way to the top and it's the first door you come to - It's your first quest to enter the labyrinth ;)

Get ready to move, connect, and explore the world of Contact Improvisation in a supportive and welcoming environment. 

Let the journey begin!