In our desire to have jams remain a forum for the investigation of contact improvisation rather than a social gathering we borrowed the format of the “focus jam” from Buenos Aires.
A focus jam is a time to investigate the dance form through a particular lens. A strand of the form receives our attention. At these jams participants are welcome to embrace the focus, rebel against it, or ignore it.
We have found that having a focus introduces a palpable attentiveness into the room. After almost three years investigating within this structure, we have slowly become more articulate about our experience in the dancing.
Below are some themes we have worked with. Links take you to observations made at the end of each jam.
