Fall Jam 2024

Fall Jam 2024
Maddie Bailey and others at Spring Jam 2024 Photo: Briana Jones

Registration

Update: This event is FULL. Please still register on our waitlist, we'll reach out if a space opens up.

The Fall Jam in Bellingham is a Contact Improvisation weekend hosted by Carmen and Rajendra Serber, featuring a special workshop with Selena La Brooy and music by Serge Gubelman and Ira Echo. We are lucky to have Ren Skolnick and Rob Staveland as additional facilitators. On Sunday evening, we host another farewell dinner at our home, with an optional hearty gluten-free meal ($14) – freshly cooked by Reby Moon.

Join us to practice Contact Improvisation with the inspiration of classes, scores, labs, music and of course jamming. We are invested in creating a welcoming and safe container while also inviting the experimental nature of a radical community process.

At the Peace, Education and Somatic School (previously called the Aikido Peace Education Center) in the Masonic Hall, downtown Bellingham, WA.

October 25 ~ Friday day workshop with Selena La Brooy
October 25-27 ~ Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday

You can join us for ...

  • Friday Workshop with Selena La Brooy (including Friday evening) $80 to $150. Waitlisted
  • The Jam Weekend (Friday evening - Sunday) $80 to $300.
  • Workshop and Jam Weekend $150 to $300.
  • Sunday farewell dinner at Carmen and Rajendra's is FULL. You can still come to our home and hang out, we just can't accomodate more eaters using domestic equipment. Just bring your own food. 🥑 🥗 🍱 🌶 🥦 🍜

Please let everybody you want to dance with know ~ share this post in email, on Facebook or wherever you are social.

🏕️ 🚗 🛏 Housing/Carpool
Upon receiving your registration/payment, you will get access to a self-serve spreadsheet to inquire about rides and housing.

Workshop with Selena La Brooy

Anatomy meets experiential curiosity…  1 part anatomy class + 2 parts improvised curiosity. 

 How can our biology give us insight into our own movement and sensing potential as well as help us discover the other bodies and beings around us?  By mixing curiosity with anatomical information, we will uncover opportunities to meet and respond in different ways.  We will explore how to playfully and mindfully sense ourselves and our partners from different levels and systems of the body (Skeletal, Fascial, Skin, Energetic).  Suitable for beginners as well as seasoned dancers, we will progressively explore how various tools including anchors, levers and landing pads can help us in making dynamic invitations and lifts as well honing our listening skills to non verbal consent negotiations.

Preliminary Schedule:
Friday October 25 ~ workshop with Selena La Brooy 10am-5pm

10:00 Workshop
1:00 Lunch Break
2:30 Workshop

Friday October 25 ~ Jam starts

6:00 Open Space
7:00 Welcome mixer
7:30 Jam ~ music by Serge

Saturday October 26

9:00 Body listening with Ren
10:00 Solo Neutral Follow* with Rajendra and music by Ira
12:00 Open Jam
1:00 Lunch
3:00 Welcome activity
3:30 Class with Carmen
5:00 Evening break
7:00 Open Space
7:30 Focused Jam ~ No music

Sunday October 27

9:00 Body listening with Ren
10:00 Solo Neutral Follow with Rajendra and music by Ira
11:30 Aikido and CI - a presentation by Rob
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Fall harvest score
4:00 Closing Round 🐪 🐡 🐙
4:30 Clean up

6:00 Farewell dinner at Carmen and Rajendra's (optional), ($14)

*Solo Neutral Follow is a score developed by Sara Shelton Mann: "Are you in your body? Someone else’s? Or in the “in between”? Solo Neutral Follow (SNF) is a basic study in creating radical space. It is ex- hilarating and takes 100% attention 100% of the time. It is a training of fo- cus and concentration and multidirectional attention. This process will free you from criticism and develop spontaneity and discipline that will take you to the mat of responsibility. It takes commitment and suspension of beliefs. It is also quite exhausting. You will sweat. You will find freedom. This work was developed from my years of watching performers practice one mode of dancing as a skill and go on automatic, expecting different results."