Welcome!
This page is intended to answer common questions about our jam.
If you can't find the answer to your question, feel free to contact us using the form at the bottom, or email contact@wccijam.org.
wcciJAM
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
I haven’t danced much/any Contact Improvisation before. Can I come?
Yes, certainly! There will be classes and intensives suitable for beginners, and the Fundamentals intensive is especially geared toward teaching the basics of Contact Improvisation. A festival can be a great place to begin dancing Contact: you can study with many different teachers and learn many perspectives to the form in a short time. There will there be lots of people to dance with in jams, and it is also a great opportunity to learn by watching. Remember to take care of yourself, and take time to rest!
Are there any discounts?
Ticekts are sliding scale. POC jammers are offered a lower end of the sliding scale.
You can also apply for Work Exchange. We need a number of WEX people to help with different tasks during the festival.
We take WEX applications as soon as the registration opens.
Is the event accessible?
This year is an unusual year for wcciJAM in this regard. While we do hope that the main dance hall, community spaces, and restrooms will all be wheelchair accessible by the time of the festival, ramps are in construction as we speak, and we unfortunately do not have a guarantee that they will be finished by August 7. We are, however, totally committed to supporting any dancers using mobility devices who wish to attend. If that's you, please reach out to us at contact@wccijam.org, and/or detail your access needs in the registration form. We will find a way that works for you. All teachers are strongly encouraged to plan their classes so that everyone can participate. If you are unsure about a particular class, please reach out to us or check in directly with organizers and the teacher. We do our best to accommodate people’s access needs and requests. This is easiest to do when participants communicate their access needs ahead of time. Please do so, especially if you come with a personal assistant or would like to request sign language interpretation. We may not be able to meet all requests, but the earlier we know, the more likely it is we can arrange it. We also appreciate hearing what more we can do to make the JAM welcoming for everyone. Please, contact us with your thoughts and suggestions.
Do I need to choose which classes I take before the festival?
Choose the intensive you want to take when you register for the festival. If you don’t make a choice, and one of them fills up, you will be assigned to go to one that has space. Don’t worry, whichever one you end up in will be fabulous. Single classes are first come first served. They do fill up, so arrive on time!
Can I bring alcohol or recreational drugs to the festival?
No. In a Contact Improvisation JAM we dance sharing weight and often moving in complex acrobatic ways in close proximity to each other. To do this safely, we need to be acutely aware of our surroundings. We also need to be able to clearly read and respect the personal boundaries set by other dancers. Please do not show up inebriated or high. Read our Jam Guidelines here.
Do I need to do everything that is on the schedule?
No! Take time to rest. If you do everything then you will most likely be exhausted by the end. We hope you leave feeling refreshed and enlivened.
What should I wear for class?
Wear comfortable clothes that you can move in. Most people dance in sweat pants and a t-shirt, with bare feet. Many choose to use wear light kneepads. Clothes that are not slippery, and don’t have zippers, sequins or other scratchy things work best. Bring layers: in most contact classes the exercises vary between stillness and big movement, it is good to prepare for both.
What are One-on-Ones?
A One-on-One is an opportunity to connect with a teacher or a long time practitioner of Contact Improvisation, You can work with a specific question you have about dancing CI, learn or polish a technical skill, or just get feedback through dancing together, or being witnessed. At wcciJAM we have One-on-Ones almost every day, so if that is your favored mode of learning you have a lot of possibilities to work with different teachers. You can also bring a duet or even a trio to a One-on-One session.
I’m thinking of coming with my family – what do you think?
Unfortunately, this year's miniWCCI will not offer child care. There will be a family jam, and a parent-led child care share is in development, please get in touch soon if that is of interest. Children are always welcome in the social spaces, and are welcome at jams as space allows. At jams, parents are responsible for their children's safety at all times. We do not anticipate that there will be space to have children in classes.
I organize a festival. If I let you come to mine for free, can I come to yours for free?
No, sorry. This is a community organized festival. We feel it is simpler that you pay to come to our festival; we'll pay to come to yours.
I need/can offer a place to stay – can you help? I need somewhere to stay during the festival – are there nice hotels nearby? Can I sleep in a tent?
Unfortunatley, we cannot offer housing. Please use our FB group to connect with possible community hosts!
How can I offer/find a lift by car to/from the festival?
Please use our FB group
Is it easy to find parking? Do I have to pay for parking?
We recommend taking public transportation, biking, or carpooling to minimize parking troubles for everyone. See the Venue page for more info.
Can I bike to the festival?
Great idea! Many of us do. Check out this map for easy, safe transit: Map: Berkeley - Biking & Walking Map.
Are there any shops nearby?
Yes!
Is the area safe?
Yes, it is generally safe to walk around by the festival venue.
What will the weather be like? What should I bring to wear?
Layers, layers, sunglasses, layers. The Bay Area weather is fickle, hot one moment, but when the breeze comes from the ocean you will find yourself shivering and reaching for your coat.
I have special dietary needs – can I get food that I can eat?
We work to provide everyone with ample variety of yumminess. Please include your dietary needs in the reg form: we will do our best to make sure you get what you need — if your needs are too complex, we'll reach out to let you know. Please note that meat is not necessarily served at every meal.
Is there internet available? Can I check my email?
Yes, only please bring your own latop or device.
Do you offer pick up from the airport?
No. You can take the Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit,). The North Berkeley Berkeley stop is just a 10 minute walk from the festival venue. Or take an airport shuttle or a taxi cab.
Can you help with getting a visa to the USA to attend the festival?
Please fill in the contact form explaining your situation, and we will get in touch with you.
My flight was delayed and I missed the last BART. How do I get to my accommodation?
Take a cab, an airport shuttle, Lyft or Uber. Call the place of your accommodation before stepping in the car, to make sure they know to expect you.
What's your cancellation policy?
Registration is transferrable to another jammer. We do not offer refunds except in cases of emergency.
What other CI events are going on near the Bay Area around the time of the festival?
Check out the NorCal CI Google Calendar: http://bit.ly/norcalcontactimprov
Can I sell my wares at the festival?
If you are interested in selling anything at the festival, please contact us ahead of time.
© Rob Kunkle | Good Lux Photography
wcciJAM
Guidelines
A Living Document
Focus & Intention - A jam is a focused environment in which to practice Contact Improvisation. Sound and text is welcome as part of the dancing. However, please keep loud social conversation outside the dance space. Feel free to remind others of this when they want to chat with you.
Spatial Awareness - Be mindful of the space around you. Adjust your dance to stay safe. While you may dance at any speed you wish, the dance floor is a “no parking” zone: move non-dance interactions to the side of the room.
Safety & Boundaries - Every dancer is responsible for her/his own safety on the dance floor. We recognize that this is a complex statement. CI can be physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding, and you will be interacting with dancers of varied skill, ability, interest and experience. Safety means different things to different people at different times. Feel free to communicate verbally with your dancer partners, and please be attentive to them in return. Do not assume that your partner is skilled at setting boundaries and establishing consent. Contact improvisation is outside of societal norms for touch; it’s always ok to say “No” or “Stop”. Many states and impulses can surface during dancing, including feelings of sexual arousal. However, a jam is a shared space; explicitly sexual behavior is not welcome.
Observing - Is a great way to participate, support the space, and learn!
Entering, Exiting & Grazing - Solos, duets, trios, quartets, and melees are all part of the greater dance of the whole room: enter dances with a spirit of listening to what is already there. You can always leave a dance. The floor is your first partner, and at all times, regardless of who is touching whom, the whole room is in a dance together.
Kids - Are part of our community and we are excited to have an all ages class and jam. Kids are also welcome to dance in jam spaces as long as they are engaging in the practice of contact improvisation. Dancing children need a grown up present with them on the dance floor who is responsible for their safety. Allow children to engage in the dance according to their own will and curiosity, and respect their boundaries: don’t assume you can pick someone up just because they are smaller than you, don’t assume they want to be tickled, etc. Conversely, you may also set boundaries with children, or reach out to a parent, teacher, or organizer if you feel children are compromising the jam space. If you want to bring your child to a class, you must check in with the specific teacher beforehand.
Diversity & Dialogue - A jam is an evolving environment. We cannot ignore issues of disparity that color our practice, both in terms of who is or is not in the room, and in terms of power dynamics between the people dancing. Our intention is to foster awareness, accessibility, diversity, and dialogue about CI. If something is bothering you, please speak up. Each jam has at least two jam hosts available for support. You can also turn to the registration desk.
There is no one way to do Contact.
Explore. Experiment. Enjoy!
-wcciJAM Organizing Team