editorial
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This newsletter is the fruit of a recent upsurge of interest in Contact Improvisation in Melbourne. Though this particular growth spurt is recent, the development of this mode of improvisational dance in Australia has been fermenting for some time, based mainly in Sydney and Melbourne.

In Melbourne Rinske Ginsberg has been teaching for many years influencing large numbers of students as they passed through the John Bolton school and the VCA. Tim Preston, Darryl Pellitzer and Martin Hughes are other Melbourne teachers who have taught in various places at various times for some years. Most have spent time training in the USA, with the originators of Contact, both on the East and West coast. Steve Paxton and Nancy Stark Smith are illustrious names in the creation and evolution of Contact, whose influence has spread across the Pacific.
Helen Clarke Lapin
must be given the title of senior Contact Improviser in Australia as she was working in New York with Paxton and Stark Smith in the early days 25 years ago. She now lives and teaches in Sydney. State of Flux Dance Company began in Melbourne two years ago, teaching and performing with a Contact focus. A small community has grown from their classes & jams. Some former students have begun to teach and two residential 'jams' have been held in Natimuk, Northwestern Victoria, the last one graced with people from NSW, SA and QLD. A weekly 'jam' has now been going for more than a year non-stop. A 'jam' is a time for people to try their contact skills, to just dance with a number of partners. An exciting cross fertilisation and networking has been brewing. Helen Clarke Lapin has taught in Melbourne and has attended the Natimuk jam. Members of 'Flux' have varied improvisational skills to contribute to classes and performance and thus their Contact classes take on a new flavour and a new emphasis. Dancers versed in other improvisational forms have taken Contact classes and begun to incorporate elements into their work.


In late January this year Martin Hughes and Al Wunder taught a workshop called 'Bringing Contact into Performance', adding Al's particular body of knowledge and long standing experience in improvisational performance to Martin's extensive Contact expertise. 'Flux' continues to explore the possibilities of blending this form with other improvisational techniques in performance, particularly through the monthly Conundrum evenings. Also exciting is the mixed ability focus present both in the Sydney and Melbourne Contact communities. People with physical disabilities have been involved in both cities in classes and performance. In the USA there has been a proliferation of 'Danceability' integrated Contact Improvisation events with the huge Danceability jam in Oregon being an annual high point, helping to break down narrow and exclusive concepts of dance.

We hope that this newsletter will be another arena to forge links, promote discussion and disseminate news of peoples doings and to expand this growing network of Contact Improvisers and their improvising and dancing friends and fellow travellers. Articles, news of events, poetry, photos and all manner of correspondence are welcome.


vol 6 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3&4 - 2003
vol 5 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3 - ed 4 - 2002
vol 4 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3 - ed 4 - 2001
vol 3 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3 - ed 4 - 2000
vol 2 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3 - ed 4 - 1999
vol 1 ed 1 - ed 2 - ed 3 - ed 4 - 1998

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