For me, CI is a philosophy and a practice through which I become aware of my needs and the needs of my fellow beings. It is a form of art that moves every fiber of my being and teaches me how to use my energy resourcefully, how to ask for help and how to receive a no for an answer. It helps me to unlearn behavioral patterns that make my life harder and less fulfilling. CI helps me re-pattern my thinking and emotional responses such that I can function responsibly as a member of the society I want to be a part of.
The way I see it, the practice of Contact Improvisation, is a way of being in the world, a way to foster meaningful relationships through non-verbal communication that can in time, be translated into words and communicated clearly and coherently inside the studio, and beyond.
I see CI as a method through which I can explore my inner and outer world, through which I can go back into my sensorial body and intentionally become in tune with the body as a cognitive apparatus. Our embodied cognition holds intelligence that can be tapped into through somatic practices such as CI.
In the studio and outside of it, I use Contact Improvisation as a pedagogy through which I can teach, learn and unlearn the strategies that hold me back from harmony, equilibrium and natural flow.
I believe that when we are in sync with our own body, we can tap into deep healing processes that can help us heal ourselves and our communities.