Clear Communication

As with any shared freedom, the freedom to enjoy CI depends on each of us being able to recognize and respect our own boundaries and the boundaries of others, even while reevaluating and adjusting them. The freedom to explore and expand our creative frontiers together depends on respect for this principle by everybody participating.

• In order for everyone to have the opportunity to choose with whom they dance, everyone must accept being refused a dance. Even processing about being refused must also be an option which can be refused.

  Genuine opportunities to connect include the option to not connect, within and beyond the dancing.

• In order for everyone to seek what suits them - pace, depth of connection, daring maneuvers, etc - everyone must be attentive for and respect the limits expressed by their partners, verbally and non-verbally. Safety as well as good connection depends on that sensitivity.

  People can offer material for others to explore, but they must not try to control the other's choice to accept or refuse those offers. Each of us is in the best position to steer our own explorations.

Conversely, people cannot abide by boundaries that they do not see.

• While exploring and expanding your frontiers, you must strive to be clear with yourself and with others about where your limits currently are.

  Safety as well as success depends on everyone recognizing and clearly expressing their limits, when necessary - particularly in a practice that frequently involves reevaluating and adjusting those limits.

As with any shared freedom, the freedom to enjoy CI depends on each of us being able to recognize and respect our own boundaries and the boundaries of others, even while reevaluating and adjusting them. The freedom to explore and expand our creative frontiers together depends on respect for this principle by everybody participating.

What is "Clear"?

Sometimes communication legitimately needs to be repeated. If a gesture does not successfully convey your message, you may have to explicitly speak it. Sometimes people forget what you said, or understand incompletely, so you may have to repeat yourself, at the risk of seeming harsh. Sometimes, you will be unable to get your message across and will have to remove yourself from a dance (or similarly, conversation, collaboration...)

What To Do When One-On-One Communication and Exiting Does Not Work.

Occasionally the best communication is not enough. If you feel that you have been clear about your limits but they are not being honored, and you are being pursued even after removing yourself and asking to be left alone, you can ask for mediation. Request consultation from jam organizers, workshop teachers, or anyone you trust, asking them to help you convince the other person to leave you alone. Everyone should do their best to communicate clearly and reasonably, and avoid unnecessary condemnation.

Though they should know better, it's possible that a teacher or facilitator is the one refusing to disengage. If there is no one that you trust available for consultation and mediation, it's your responsibility to leave an unsafe situation. Once you have left, you can find another facilitator to help you address the issue.

Fundamentally

Contact improv, at its core, is about collaboration, not control, and to work well it fundamentally depends on everyone that participates respecting each other's boundaries. Much like a lot of life.