Ptarmigan is no longer operating in Helsinki.

Ptarmigan existed as a project space in Vallila from 2009-2011 and a mobile curatorial/creative platform until 2014. We no longer exist as an organised collective, but this website will continue to serve as an archive of the activities produced as/at Ptarmigan during these years.

Contact Improvisation workshop
dance : improvisation : workshop
25 April, 2012 00:00 19:45

What Is Contact Improvisation?

It is a dance technique in which points of physical contact provide the starting point for exploration through movement improvisation.
Contact Improvisation develop your creativity, movement imagination, sensitivity to partner or yourself your individual dance and movement expression and brings joy of moving.

It is a form of dance improvisation and is one of the best-known and most characteristic forms of postmodern dance.

Contact Improvisation was initiated by Steve Paxton in 1972. It was influenced by original martial arts (aikido)/yoga/release work, but also incorporations from BMC, Alexander, T'ai chi chuan etc. In contact the point of touch is envisioned as a roving window on the surface of both bodies through which actions are communicated. It is very sensitive and accurate communication. Weight may be taken by either party, or needs to
be known and accommodated. No contact improvisation should be muscularised, it relies on momentum. It needs a study of the sense of gravity, inertia, the concentration on the body's masses and their movements. It is improvisation, so it is unpredictable, which relies upon the reflexes.

Contact Impro jamms: Jamms are free open dance meetings where everybody finds they own dance expression, based on the emotion, creativity, experience in harmony with partner or partners or in solo. After the warmup and some contact excercise will be the free jamm. It is always possible to finish or interrupt the dance and watch the other dancers from the side and join any time either with touching them or without it. Each jam is different, in which everybody is responsible for themselves.

This meetings are for everybody regardless of age or experience. The meetings are open so it is possible to join any time.