This schedule is preliminary and probable to change.
Classes:
Tonus and Motion
Contact Improvisation Class: Tonus and Motion
Teachers: Mirva Mäkinen & Ilona Kenova
Level: Open Level (some CI experience recommended)
Class Description:
In this Contact Improvisation class, we will explore the interplay between the tonus (muscle tone) and motion in our dancing bodies. Our investigation begins with a deepening awareness of internal sensations—tuning into the subtle shifts of muscle engagement, relaxation, and readiness.
What is tonus?
- Tonus is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles, a key element in how we organize our movement, weight, and responsiveness. In CI, our tone shapes how we give and receive weight, how we fall, roll, lift, and flow with a partner.
Throughout the class, we will:
- Explore variations in muscle tone: from soft and receptive to activated and ready.Practice listening through touch, recognizing how changes in tone signal intent or direction.
- Move between states of stillness and motion, discovering how tone supports transitions.
- Work solo, in duets, and in group scores to research how tonus influences connection, timing, and spontaneity.
- Investigate the quality of motion born from different tonal states, and how these impact shared weight and movement pathways.
Our aim is not to “correct” tone, but to expand our awareness and range—to support more versatile, responsive, and expressive dancing.
Leaning and Listening – Basics of CI
Contact Improvisation Class: Leaning and Listening – Basics of Contact Improvisation
Teacher: Kaisa Kukkonen
Level: Open Level, suitable for beginners and experienced
Class Description: What do we need to make Contact Improvisation enjoyable, fun, interesting, and safe enough? We will explore the principles of contact through clearly guided exercises, as well as through freer inquiry and experimentation. Each body and each dance is different, and from the very beginning, we learn by doing, exploring, and practicing.
Leaning – working with weight, exploring shared axis and directions
Finding and maintaining your own movement and dance, even when moving with others
Moving through different levels
Rolling and sliding contact points with a partner and alone
Regulating weight through muscle tone and relaxation
Grounding in your own body and movement, and from there connecting to others and the space
Practicing boundaries: saying yes and no, entering and leaving dances, being clear with your own intention, and listening to others
Taking care that the body-mind is open and warm for dancing
Jam skills – What is a jam? How do you participate and find dancing within it?
Imaginary physicalitites: You are what you think you are, even when you aren’t, What could we be?
Teacher: Otto Akkanen
Level: Open Level, Research
Underground: Access to “real” world is limited by the limitation of our perception. We make conceptualisation about.. Well, most of the things (if not everything). Like time, space, spoon, food, home, survival, life and obviously about ourselves.
My perception affects my conceptualisation and my conceptualisation affects my perception.
I can create myself if, not anew, at least something that I know I am not, yet I can experience it.
In these classes we explore what we are, and partly what we could be. I’m in search of qualities of perception of/and movement. I have very specific suggestions for exploration, all of which all arise from my perceptual experience, which I can’t explain in any other way than imagining forces that are not quite there, in the “real”. So, come to imagine, and search for qualities of movement with added (imaginary) forces.
Dancing with Nature
Contact Improvisation Class: Dancing with Nature
Teacher: Annukka
Level: open level
This class explores the concept of nature through movement, imagination, and contact improvisation. Rather than seeing nature as something separate from ourselves, we will approach it as something that flows through our bodies and to which we are intimately connected.
Weather permitting, we may begin—or even hold the entire class—outdoors, dancing in the snow or on a frozen lake.
Our focus is on attuning to and being affected by other beings while staying true to our own nature. We will allow our imagination, movement, and the quality of our dancing to be inspired and shaped by the nature we encounter, both within ourselves and around us.
Through this exploration, we aim to let our bodies and our encounters dance in response to the living world, opening space for inspiration, connection, and movement that is alive.
The joy of improvisation and contact
Teacher: Linda
Level: open level
In these two classes we will explore some basic (and non basic..?) concepts of dance improvisation and contact improvisation to let us be emerged in the joy of dancing and improvising together.
We will tune into ourselves to be ready to tune into others using some somatic work.
We will find ways to explore the space as another inspiring dance partner.
We will explore weight and sharing weight in different amounts and getting more precise in our choices.
We will explore rolling point, sliding point and skipping point and the fun of consciously playing with them.
We will tune into the rhythm, speed and musicality of our dance and the dance of others.
Head First
Contact Improvisation class: Head First
Teacher: Ulla Päivikkö
Level Open level
In this class, we play with the weight of the head. In Contact Improvisation, one of the key elements in dance is to let go of the verticality of every day life, and let the head drop, reach, turn and follow, taking us into 3D -motion.
We will work gently and safely to release the shoulder-neck-head area, and play with a relaxed upper body to find how the movement of head connects to our spine, arms and the rest of our body.
We explore movement both in solo and contact, with improvisation of imagery and anatomical starting points, as well as given paths.
Body Work
Class: Body Work
Teacher: Ulla Päivikkö
Level Open level
A moment to unwind and recover energy – we will work with a partner and give each other a gentle massage-dance. This body work is based on Nuad Boran Thai Massage. We work with breath, giving and receiving weight and letting go while being moved. In the core of the practice is also the Buddhist meditation practice of Metta – cultivating compassion and kindness towards self and others.
Please wash your hands and feet before coming to the class, and take warm clothes with you!
Pilates into Contact Improvisation
Contact Improvisation Class: Pilates into Contact Improvisation
Teachers: Ulla Päivikkö, Panu Erästö
Level: Open Level, suitable for beginners and experienced
Class Description: In this class we work with basic principles and exercises from Pilates to help us find strength, alignment and ease for dancing. First practicing on our own, we then take the exercises to play with partnering in lifts and balances. How can the activation of our core muscles support us in dancing?
Funatics in Contact
Contact Improvisation Class: Funatics in Contact
Teachers: Panu Erästö
Level: Open Level (some CI experience recommended)
Class description:
In this class, we delve into the dynamic relationship between bodies, gravity, and space, uncovering pathways of movement that blend fluidity with moments of easiness and surprise. Through guided explorations, you’ll experience soft acrobatics — playful, weight-sharing movements where trust and timing make flying feel natural and falling safe.
We’ll move through shifting dynamics, from quiet listening to momentum-driven partnering, where gravity becomes both anchor and invitation. The focus is on connection and awareness rather than technique: a space to test edges gently, to risk balance without losing sensitivity.
Join in a dance that is both spontaneous and intentional, revealing how softness can carry strength and how every shared movement holds the potential for flight.
Contact Improvisation Class and ritual : power of the earth /maan voima
Teacher: Iiris Raipala
Level: Open Level (some CI experience recommended)
THE POWER OF THE EARTH
We are earth and belong to the earth. This continuous relationship is also manifested in the laws of gravity. The earth pulls us towards it and we pull the earth towards us – this creates a state of mutual coexistence.
This workshop is an invitation to connection, to ourselves, to each other and to the larger web of life. In the workshop, we explore working based on the principles of contact improvisation and other somatic methods. We work alone, in pairs, and in groups. Each exercise can be done from one’s own perspective, listening to and respecting oneself and others.
We carry the entire history of evolution within our bodies. The life force flows through our veins and runs in our limbs. Our tissues remember the movement of tectonic plates, the roots that dig through the soil, and the agile spine of animals. Through the body, we connect to the earth, instincts, and the wisdom that arises from the core. The body supports us and is on the side of life.
In times when various ecosocial crises shake us, it is meaningful to return to the basics. Although different opinions and ideologies divide people in the present moment, we can find comfort and meaning in what connects us: we are a part of the planet and are subject to gravity – just like all living things. Touch enlivens, sensitizes, and grounds us. It anchors us to the present moment. We become sensitive to the sensations of the body, the movement of weight, and intuition. We explore gravity as a continuous state of questioning, to which the body responds with movement.Through dance, we can surrender to continuous change and allow life to flow through us without the need to control.
Class : Contemplative Contact Improvisation
Teacher : Petri
Level : Open-minded
Contemplative Contact Improvisation
– Practise of Freedom –
Contact Improvisation is a joyfull, spontaneous, pleasurable, highly intelligent and out-of-conventional-box way of connecting to others through shared movement and physical contact. It can also be a transformative tool when practised as contemplative art.
Guidelines of practise :
The spirit of practice is highly explorative. Material for movement is unfolding in an organic way by accepting what is present in ever-abundant here-and-now. Loyalty to yourself and the importance of choosing in each given moment what is the most meaningful choice to act and what is not – is emphasized. Unknown is embraced, autopilot sacrificed and spontaneity encouraged. Heart will be our compass, intuition our way. Surrendering to the most simple, to the most natural – is supported. Clear communication of respectful boundaries is reminded. The mind will be controlled in a relaxed way and brought repeatedly back to the essential, liberating process of yourself through your way of knowing, being, and moving. Inner call and guidance will be encouraged to listen and respect to the maximum. Bodies are loved through movement until total fulfillment from practice arrives.
In these sessions you may experience :
-Heart centeredness
-Presencing to here-and-now
-Awareness to the most emerging and obvious experience
-Unknowing : expanding from area of rational knowing to knowing by heart, guts, sensies, instinct and inner intuitive guidance towards ever-expanding mystery of the moment
-Contacting practised not only as physical movement activity but also as bio-energetical, auric (thoughts/feelings) and astral (soul) movement activity
– Respecting authenticity and uniqueness of each moment, each experiencer, each movement and each dance in their own way of unfolding and existing
– Courage : Embracing safety-seeking comfortable auto-pilot-zone until one is ready to open for new-and-now
– Supporting flow of wisdom of Life as it manifests trough you, your dance and trough collective voice of temporary movement community which you are part of
– Joy, fun, play and sport serving study of expansion of consciousness
– Togetherness of hearts as a way for collective consciousness expansion
– Contacting in your self and contacting to other practised in balancing way
– Full involvement to what you do with total detachment
– Contact improvisation as a self knowledge and spiritual practise
– No lifting techniques, but a lot of inner freedom skills
Fits for awareness and movement practitioners with basic skills already in contact improvisation.
Meditation : Centering in Heart
(Facilitator: Petri)
Sitting half an hour.
Focusing in the heart, in the present moment.
Choosing to bring attention back to the heart repeatedly.
Sharing Circle
(Facilitator: Petri)
We will sit down and form a circle.
We will embrace a present moment.
We will arrive into our untamed wisdom of our hearts.
We will listen, feel and notice what is meaningful to share with others.
We will choose direction in our sharing which is the most calling and opening for our soul.
We will share, verbally and nonverbally.
We will close circle after hour and fortyfive minutes.
This collective practice helps you to connect to the heart of the present moment – as you experience it trough your being. It cultivates deep listening skill of your self, others and the moment. It helps you to practise your authentic expression inside temporary community. It helps you to align your speaking with your innerly felt truth at the heart of the present moment. It purifies your talk.
Our bodies and being are speaking all the time no matter if we let out words or not.
Flow of the expressions is unfolding in natural and organic way following unifying principle which is in unknown way healing and known by our hearts.
Flowing mass. Trios and quartets.
Contact improvisation class
Teacher Ville Johansson
Level Open
In this class we will research together basics of trios and quartets. We will surrender to river of movement and learning how to maintain your own dance. There will be different ways for self tasking and focusing with more sensations and impulses. Timing and rhythms will change and create big challenges. But creates lots of fun as well.
Class will introduce some basic ideas and later we will go to study lab style environment.
Class will be difficult as you have much more impulses from dance partners. We try to find solutions and ways to improvise with more people.
Everyone are welcome to this class.