Event Type: Workshops & Trainings

To be alive is to be in constant, reciprocal relationship with our environment. We shape and are shaped; we move and are moved by our landscapes.

In this immersive workshop we ask the question- what happens when we consider this relationship as a dance? How do we dance a landscape? How are we danced by a landscape? How do we practice moving with and through the world with elements we might search for in any partner dance- listening, sensing, responding, give and take, composing, witnessing and being witnessed?  And most importantly, what arises from that kind of attention?

In the flush of early summer we will work indoors and out, drawing from our primary movement sources of Qigong and Butoh dance, Body Weather, Fighting Monkey, and Contact Improvisation.  We will also become intimate with some of the plants, geology, and animals of the Earthdance landscape through animal track and sign, plant identification, and land stewardship tasks.  We will expand upon the many definitions of “landscape” (physical, internal, psychosocial, geological, political); we will explore the role of time, rhythm and cadence within our dance, and we will traverse the spectrum of practical to poetic implications of what it means to dance and be danced by our landscapes.  

All of this juicy depth will be integrated with amazing meals, sauna and quarry plunges, and sleeping with the bountiful stars of Western Mass.

“Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost”. -Pina Bausch

Dance is a universal common language that belongs to us all, regardless of age, ability or experience level.  All bodies are welcome, no prior ‘dance’ experience required.

SHARE OUR FACEBOOK INVITE!

Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, and Departures.

• Arrival/Check-In: Monday, May 26th at 4-7pm in front of the Farmhouse. Dinner is at 6-7pm
• Opening Circle: Tuesday, May 27th at 10am
• Final Clean: Thursday, May 29th at 2-3pm. Lunch 1-2pm
• Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Thursday, May 29th

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance is a Public Charity that relies greatly on ticketing income to fulfill its Artistic, Cultural and Educational mission. We want to make our work available to folks with varying economic realities and offer a sliding scale payment for participation in most of our events. Please take a moment to reflect where you best fit on that scale. We ask everyone to stretch where they are able so that those who cannot may still have access to our events.

As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership(s), past, present and future.
• The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other marginalized intersections for you and your family.
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances.

PRICING: Sliding Scale

May 26th – 29th, 2025

• Gratitude Lodge: $390.00 to $890.00
• Camping: $365.00 to $865.00
• Commuter: $340.00 to $840.00

INTERNATIONAL DISCOUNT

Earthdance is happy to announce a 20% discount for international travelers wanting to attend an Earthdance run event. We hope this gesture helps to keep our events accessible for those from different cultures that are traveling from afar. We also realize that given the current political situation coming to the US might be more expensive or challenging and hope this discount is a way of keeping Earthdance in your hearts.

Equity & Access Tickets 

We are excited to offer up to 3 Equity & Access Discounts for the weeklong workshop and 3 Equity & Access Discounts for the half weeklong workshops to individuals who have a financial need.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge and prioritize such individuals when granting these discounted tickets.

Apply Here! Deadline is May 16th, 2025

Earthdance makes efforts to support Equity & Access at all its events, this event offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

• Reduced pricing offered to people with a financial need and self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized.
• Classes and discussions that aim to presence awareness and inclusion at the event as a whole.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food.

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to the event offerings and food.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other event participants.

Nine Mountain

Nine Mountain is not available.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (May 9th) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days (After May 9th) from the start of the event.

Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after the cancellation date.

Health Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other jam participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIO

Frieda Kipar Bay

Frieda Kipar Bay is a weaver of plants, movement, parenting, and the written word.  She has found many of the deepest wells of this body of knowledge through non-linear, non-academic pathways, including performing as a dance artist for 8 years professionally, mentoring with Daoist medicine pulse diagnostic master William Morris and herbalist Matthew Wood, unschooling two incredible kids, and reading Ursula K. LeGuin at a ripe young age alongside a high alpine lake, 10 miles in.   Find her full bio at www.friedakiparbay.net., but essentially, she’s simply learning to live like a landscape.

Dana Iova-Koga

Dana Iova-Koga began dancing at the age of 4, and her first role was a cloud. Over 40 years later, her research in being cloud continues. 

She is a multi-disciplinarian creature practicing performance, writing, teaching, gardening, creative midwifery, and listening.

She studied Experimental Theater at NYU, danced and farmed with Min Tanaka in Japan for many years, had the deep privilege of working with dance legend Anna Halprin, and has been a member of dance/theater company inkBoat since 2005. She is 17th generation Wudang San Feng Pai lineage holder through her Shifu David Wei of Wudang West, is certified in Holden Qigong and Mov Nat, and is an “Inspired by FM” teacher in the Fighting Monkey Practice. She currently teaches with Frieda Kipar Bay under the name “Elemental Vessel” and works one on one with folks in her choose-your-own-adventure style program called “Unfolding.” 

“All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you.”  – Octavia E Butler 

This workshop delves into the therapeutic potential of Contact Improvisation (CI), Authentic Movement (AM), and Restorative Contact (RC), as well as other somatic practices, demonstrating how their principles can enhance somatic intelligence, attunement, and co-regulation. 

Areas of CI that will be covered include compression, reciprocal touch, bonding with the earth, spherical space, attunement, and weight-sharing. Sessions on AM will include embodied practice as well as historical and theoretical contextualization, highlighting how AM can be scaffolded to support emotional and psychological healing. Drawing from our unique career pathways combining movement, choreography, fascial bodywork, psychotherapy, and evidence-based mindfulness practices, we have developed therapeutic material that articulates safety, empathy, mutuality and agency through movement, touch, and verbal processing.

This workshop welcomes therapists, bodyworkers, and individuals interested in personal healing and wellbeing to explore these transformative practices.

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Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, and Departures

• Arrival/Check-In: Thursday, April 10th from 4-7pm front of the Farmhouse. Dinner is at 6-7pm.
• Opening Circle: Friday, April 11th at 10am.
• Final Clean: Sunday, April 13th at 2-3pm. Lunch 1-2pm.
• Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, April 13th.

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance is a Public Charity that relies greatly on ticketing income to fulfill its Artistic, Cultural and Educational mission. We want to make our work available to folks with varying economic realities and offer a sliding scale payment for participation in most of our events. Please take a moment to reflect where you best fit on that scale. We ask everyone to stretch where they are able so that those who cannot may still have access to our events.

As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership(s), past, present and future.
• The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other marginalized intersections for you and your family.
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances.

PRICING: Sliding Scale

GRATITUDE LODGE
Financially Strained $400.00 to Financially Abundant $950.00

CAMPING
Financially Strained $375.00 to Financially Abundant $925.00

COMMUTER
Financially Strained $350 to Financially Abundant $900.00

Equity & Access Tickets 

We are excited to offer up to 3 FULL JAM Equity & Access Discounts to individuals who have a financial need.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge and prioritize such individuals when granting these discounted tickets.

Apply Here! Deadline is March 27th, 2025.

Earthdance makes efforts to support Equity & Access at all its events, this event offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

• Reduced pricing offered to people with a financial need and self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized.
• Classes and discussions that aim to presence awareness and inclusion at the event as a whole.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food.

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to the event offerings and food.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other event participants.

Nine Mountain

Nine Mountain is not available.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (March 27th) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days (After March 27th) from the start of the event.

Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after the cancellation date.

Health Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other jam participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIOS

Aaron Brandes

Aaron Brandes (Brando), LCSW, M.Ed, is a movement educator, psychotherapist, and bodyworker dedicated to fostering healing and resilience through somatic practices. With over 20 years immersed in dance, yoga, and body-based therapies, Brando has both taught and performed internationally, sharing his passion for movement as a tool for emotional and physical well-being. Together with Gabrielle Revelock, Brando co-authored  an essay  on the therapeutic applications of touch is published in the book, Resistance and Support: Contact Improvisation @ 50 edited by Ann Cooper Albright, and presented  at CI@50 at Oberlin College. His journey includes a two-year residency and yoga teacher training at the renowned Kripalu Center, which solidified his dedication to integrating mindful movement into his work.

As a nationally certified Structural Integration practitioner, Brando brings a unique approach to his body-based psychotherapy practice, blending extensive experience in Contact Improvisation (CI) and other somatic modalities. CI remains central to his research and professional evolution, inspiring him to explore how movement can serve as a deeply therapeutic practice for navigating the complexities of modern life. Brando’s work continues to innovate within the field, encouraging others to use movement as a pathway to self-discovery and resilience.

For more insights and links to Brando’s videos, visit his website: BodyandBeing.net.

Gabrielle Revlock

Gabrielle Revlock, MFA, is the creator of Restorative Contact, a mindful touch-based movement practice. She developed this form by synthesizing key elements of various somatic techniques including Contact Improvisation, Restorative Yoga, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Tai Chi, Klein Technique, Yin Yoga, Authentic Movement, and Deep Listening over her 20+ years as a professional dancer, choreographer, certified yoga teacher, and movement educator. Her research on the therapeutic applications of touch is compiled into an essay, co-authored with Aaron Brandes, and published in the book, Resistance and Support: Contact Improvisation @ 50, edited by Ann Cooper Albright. Revlock has been an invited speaker at CI@50 at Oberlin College, the Embodiment Conference, the Dance & Somatics Conference and the Future of CI Conference at Earthdance. Previously offered on Airbnb Online Experiences (2020-2024), Restorative Contact was one of the highest rated experiences in the category of wellness and is now an on-demand offering on Happily, a site dedicated to relationship-building. Revlock has been a practitioner of Contact Improvisation since 2003 and has taught the form at Movement Research, the School for Contemporary Dance & Though, Philadelphia Dance Projects, DNE Dance Camp, Soho Contact Improv Collective, Montreal Annual Jam pre-festival, Smith College, Hampshire College, and Salt Spring Island Contact Improvisation Festival. She will be teaching CI at Amherst College in Spring 2025. 

As a choreographer, Revlock is the recipient of a New York City Bessie Award. Her  work depicts complicated but relatable interpersonal relationships, developed through meticulous character study and improvisational structures. Presenters include The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, New York Live Arts, JACK, The Flea, Joyce Soho, Gibney, Philadelphia Dance Projects, Center for Performance Research, ODC, FringeArts, Velocity Dance Center, Provincetown Dance Festival, Chop Shop and American Dance Festival. Internationally she has toured to Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Hungary, Russia and India. Revlock holds a BA in Art History from Vassar College and MFA in Dance from Smith College. More at GabrielleRevlock.com

“Skimming the Surface” Movement Healing Retreat will support adults that may be overcoming diverse forms of stress and trauma through somatic based expressive movement exercises. These workshops will help participants release blocked and repressed energy causing stress or discomfort in one’s life by integrating movement, feelings, and emotions.   

Each movement journey is handcrafted to best support the participants. Green serves as a guide to help open doorways where each individual will do their personal work, leading them to a heart centered and intuitive place, finding a physical expression and release of emotions and energy whereby a healing process can begin. 

Ms. Green’s approach helps participants confront emotional wounds and bring them to the surface in a gentle and compassionate way. When using the language of movement rather than words, different images or emotions may arise, which bypass the controlling and censoring mind. This experience leaves participants feeling expanded and curious about their emotions, with new insights to move forward from. 

Offerings will integrate creative movement, improvisation, body reading, energy and breath work, body/mind embodiment and consciousness exercises, shamanic journeying, somatic experiencing, parts work, use of voice, free writing prompts, intuition and Core Energetics. 

The weekend will also allow time in sauna and nature to journal, reflect and integrate, and create community connection among participants.   

*This retreat experience is open to adults of all bodies and abilities.

Workshop Themes 

Friday Evening: Identity & Embodied Transformation

Saturday Morning: Breaking Through: Overcoming Fear & Finding Flow

Saturday Afternoon: Exploring the Self Through the Four Elements

Saturday Evening: Forgiveness, Acceptance, Surrender – Ancestral Healing Ritual

Sunday Morning: Collective Healing & Personal Processing

Sunday Afternoon: Closing Ceremony – Embracing Courage

 Participant Testimonials

“It is such a fruitful journey. Staying present with all of the material you generously offer allows for big insights and ‘aha’ moments.” 

“A new experience is a way in; the class opened up a door that I needed to go through on a path I hadn’t been.” 

“Powerful journey & positive, deeply connective, experience” 

SHARE OUR FACEBOOK EVENT!

Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, and Departures.

• Arrival/Check-In: Friday, May 2nd from 4-7pm front of the Farmhouse. Dinner is at 6-7pm.
• Opening Circle: Friday, May 2nd at 7pm after dinner.
• Final Clean: Sunday, May 4th at 2-3pm. Lunch 1-2pm.
• Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, May 4th.

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance is a Public Charity that relies greatly on ticketing income to fulfill its Artistic, Cultural and Educational mission. We want to make our work available to folks with varying economic realities and offer a sliding scale payment for participation in most of our events. Please take a moment to reflect where you best fit on that scale. We ask everyone to stretch where they are able so that those who cannot may still have access to our events.

As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership(s), past, present and future.
• The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other marginalized intersections for you and your family.
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances.

PRICING: Sliding Scale

GRATITUDE LODGE
Financially Strained $375.00 to Financially Abundant $925.00

CAMPING
Financially Strained $350.00 to Financially Abundant $900.00

COMMUTER
Financially Strained $325 to Financially Abundant $875.00

INTERNATIONAL DISCOUNT

Earthdance is happy to announce a 20% discount for international travelers wanting to attend an Earthdance run event. We hope this gesture helps to keep our events accessible for those from different cultures that are traveling from afar. We also realize that given the current political situation coming to the US might be more expensive or challenging and hope this discount is a way of keeping Earthdance in your hearts.

Equity & Access Tickets 

We are excited to offer up to 3 FULL JAM Equity & Access Discounts to individuals who have a financial need.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge and prioritize such individuals when granting these discounted tickets.

APPLY HERE!

Earthdance makes efforts to support Equity & Access at all its events, this event offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

• Reduced pricing offered to people with a financial need and self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized.
• Classes and discussions that aim to presence awareness and inclusion at the event as a whole.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food.

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to the event offerings and food.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other event participants.

Nine Mountain

Nine Mountain is not available.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (April 18th) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days (After April 18th) from the start of the event.

Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after the cancellation date.

Health Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other jam participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIO

Valerie Green

Valerie Green is a Certified Practitioner in Core Energetics, CCEP, and Body/Mind Fitness and  is a Movement Healing Coach who has traveled the world as a performer, choreographer and teacher. Combining more than 30 years of movement and healing work, she has developed a new modality for stress relief and transformation called Skimming the Surface.  She also leads a series of movement workshops for non-dance populations rooted in the philosophy that all bodies can benefit from movement. Whether it’s working with the professional or aspiring dancer or leading workshop and performance residencies for trauma survivors, older adults, persons with differing abilities or at-risk youth, Green fosters creativity, physicality, and healing beyond the stage. 

She is the Artistic Director of the professional dance company Valerie Green/Dance Entropy and founder of Green Space Studio, an unparalleled dance hub in Queens. She has been an active dancer, choreographer, and movement educator in the New York City dance community since 1995.

ABOUT THE NOMADIC COLLEGE

OVER-PREPARED,UNDER-STRUCTURED

The NC is an itinerant school for the principle study and application of The Axis Syllabusⓒ. Rather than a festival, or celebration, The NC is what it’s title suggests, an intensive study context. The study of the AS is meant to empower the individual to defend and promote their own health and the health of those they might be responsible for, in other words to sponsor responsible autonomy.

Our Philosophy is:

Conscientiousness towards commitments, self organization and voluntary participation. As below, so above.

As organizers, we seek to adapt and integrate the NC into the local conditions we find at the venue. The living and working conditions we search for are as low cost as possible, to permit as many people as possible to participate for as long as possible. These options usually entail communal living, which offers an opportunity to practice practical coordination/collaboration, mutual respect and the mature maintenance of hygiene. Participants arrive with the awareness that they are expected to take initiative to alter their circumstances if unsatisfactory, to conserve their health and strength for the intensive demands of the study of The Axis Syllabusⓒ and adapt to the challenges inherent in sharing spaces and resources. If people have the means, they are always welcome to organize living spaces for themselves.

At the NC, we organize a few pre-scheduled extra curricular events. Our idea is to leave time open for spontaneous initiatives. Alternative meetings, conferences, jams or performances can be organized on a consent basis with/among the participants during the NC.

True to our ethic of sponsoring responsible community behavior, as well as maintaining the NC prices low, all participants will be expected to participate in general clean up and maintenance of the common areas. We generally choose our team members from participants who are the most helpful and responsible.

Class time (and possibly meals) are the ONLY organized obligatory time, giving the participant full license to organize social moments, offer each other their healing expertise or practical counsel, hang out or exchange with whomever they choose.

The 2-week curricular arc of the NC usually starts with details and micro moments, gradually becoming longer and more demanding motifs and phrases, and ending with a renewed look at detail, and a creative laboratory meant to give time and space for the guided development of a personal practice or performative ideas.

BREAKDOWN OF FEES:

COST PER CLASS

Tuesday to Sunday, 2 hours / day (12 hours total)

$140 per class selected

ROOM & BOARD COST

Earthdance offers a sliding scale payment for participation in this event, please take a moment to reflect as you decide on where you best fit. Your level of contribution is self selected and does not need to be advocated for. However, we invite you to remember this contribution is currency and we ask that you stretch where you are able so that those who cannot stretch as far of a financial distance may also have potential access to community events. As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership, both currently and anticipated in the future
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances
• Earthdance is a community and rental funded organization which recently, historically and uniquely through the Covid-19 pandemic has struggled to have viable income

For Class Descriptions And Teachers Click Here

Femina Kinetica: The Female Body in the Motion of Contact-Improvisation is an intensive workshop tailored to explore the nuances of the female body through the practice of Contact-Improvisation. This immersive experience is ideal for those looking to enrich their understanding of movement and connectivity, emphasizing the expressive potential of the female form in motion. 

Designed by Valerie Sabbah, Femina Kinetica is an invitation to engage deeply with the singularity of your female body, discovering how its unique biomechanics influence your movement, presence, and interaction with your Contact-Improvisation practice.

In Femina Kinetica, you will engage with Contact-Improvisation as a powerful gateway for getting closely acquainted with your personal physiology and kinetics. Carefully curated sessions will blend theoretical knowledge of female biomechanics with the playful study of weight, gravity and moving bodies notorious to Contact-Improvisation. 

Your body, in this context, becomes the landscape and architecture for a deliberate and precise self-study—encouraging a respectful and curious engagement with its capabilities and learning to read its signals and adapt accordingly. This personal journey not only enhances your practice in CI but also fosters a greater appreciation and understanding of your female body.

Although assembled as a deep solo study, the female-body group container of Femina Kinetica will naturally give rise to essential collective insights. This support will lead your solo towards the pathways of optimizing a heightened and autonomous lucidity of expressiveness, efficiency and creativity within your female-bodied dance.

Femina Kinetica leverages the benefits of a female-body container to deepen the study of the female body in motion.  It is specifically designed for those with female bodies, creating a nurturing and empowering environment that highlights the diversity, strength, and fluidity inherent in the female form. The shared experience of like-bodied participants enriches the learning process, enabling a deeper, collective exploration of movement that is tailored specifically to female biomechanics.

Femina Kinetica is a call to those who are inspired to dive into a transformative exploration and deep study of The Female Body in the Motion of Contact-Improvisation. 

We hope this to be a nourishing and liberating experience for those who identify or have identified with womanhood or being female-bodied. We welcome and encourage cis-women, trans women/men, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. We want to be transparent that this space will offer a focused workshop on only the female anatomy in CI. If you do not have female anatomy, you are welcome to explore how your body is connected to the female anatomy in this workshop. This is a space for those who feel comfortable in spaces centering female body identity to join us. Cis-men, we ask that you not attend this event.

If you have any specific questions about this offering, email Valerie at valeriesabbah@gmail.com

“Femina”, Latin for “woman” in Latin, referring to female humans. “Kinetica” is derived from “kinetic,” relating to motion. “Femina Kinetica” could be interpreted as “the study of the woman in motion” or “the dynamics of the female body.” 

SHARE OUR FACEBOOK INVITE!

Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, and Departures.

• Arrival and Onsite Check-In: The welcoming will commence for participants on Friday, August 2nd from 4:00pm-7:00pm. Dinner is at 6-7pm.
• Opening Circle: Friday, August 2nd at 7:30pm after dinner.
• Full House Clean: Sunday, August 4th at 2-3pm (after Lunch from 1-2pm).
• Departure: All participants will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, August 4th.

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance offers a sliding scale payment for participation in this event, please take a moment to reflect as you decide on where you best fit. 

Your level of contribution is self selected and does not need to be advocated for. However, we invite you to remember this contribution is currency and we ask that you stretch where you are able so that those who cannot stretch as far of a financial distance may also have potential access to community events. As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership, both currently and anticipated in the future.
• The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other intersection marginalizations for you and your family.
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances. 
• Earthdance is a community and rental funded organization which recently, historically and uniquely through the Covid-19 pandemic has struggled to have viable income.

PRICING

Earthdance Gratitude Lodge

Financially Wealthy ($675)

Financially Abundant ($550)

Financially Stable ($425)

Financially Coping ($375)

Financially Strained ($325)

Camping

Financially Wealthy ($650)

Financially Abundant ($525)

Financially Stable ($425)

Financially Coping ($350)

Financially Strained ($300)

Commuting

Financially Wealthy ($625)

Financially Abundant ($500)

Financially Stable ($400)

Financially Coping ($325)

Financially Strained ($275)

Equity & Access Tickets 

Although we’re not able to offer any full scholarships this year, we’re excited to offer up to 3 FULL JAM Equity & Access Discounts to individuals who feel part of an underrepresented and/or marginalized group in CI and have a relationship with CI.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge, and can feel vulnerable.

APPLY HERE! Application deadline is July 26th.

For those who do not identify as marginalized and are in a represented group of CI, we invite you to stretch in your payment to help support those who cannot stretch and create a more diverse jam experience for all. 

Note: While Earthdance is making efforts to better support Equity & Access at all its events, this jam offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

• Reduced pricing offered to people self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized in CI.
• Classes and discussions that aim to bring up the level of awareness and inclusion at the jam as a whole
• Affinity spaces (jams, discussions, etc.) for particular groups of people to connect, share CI space together, and rest from the pressures of being in a minority status at the jam.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food..

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to event offerings including food, but no housing accommodations.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other participants.

Nine Mountain is NOT available.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (July 19th) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days from the start of the event.

Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after cancellation dates.

Health Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other Summer Jam participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Jam Guidelines

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIO

Valerie Sabbah

Valerie Sabbah is a Montreal-based choreographer, teacher, and psychosomatic therapist. Her 17-year CI practice and research draws specifically from FIGURE SPACE, a 4 year-training with Steve Paxton (Material for the Spine) and Lisa Nelson (The Tuning Score). This profound training has reshaped her approach to viewing the body in motion, embracing a 360-degree and spherical perspective that captivates her curiosity about the body’s natural reflexes and how the body will or will not respond in states of perceived urgency.

At the heart of Montreal’s CI scene, she curates dynamic CI programming at White Wall Studio. Her offerings include varied-level weekly classes, engaging jams, and master class intensives featuring celebrated guest teachers like Mark Young, Kristen Lewis, and Stu Philipps.

Attuned to guiding women toward grounding back into their bodies and developing personal strength, as a somatic psychotherapist, Valerie’s sessions weave together CI, BMC, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, and Art-Therapy. With CI as her focus, her movement therapy work encourages women to anchor themselves in their physicality and cultivate resilience and autonomy.

Intrigued by the essence of spontaneous composition, Valerie explores how performance environments can deepen the practice of Tuning, promoting an intense, embodied experience that enhances creativity through the body’s innate survival instincts. She instinctively creates fertile playgrounds for artists to meet, gather, create, collaborate, and showcase their work. Her curatorial approach proposes a highly visual and surrealistic universe, centered on the expression of the female body: stereotypes, clichés, oppression, the feminine, the wild, and the infinitely complex and multifaceted forms it can take.

Currently, Valerie’s research in Contact Improvisation focuses on how intimate familiarity with one’s biomechanics and unique structural nuances can transform the CI dance into playful, rigorous, and expansively responsive state. She is captivated by how understanding your own body’s interactions with gravity, space, and other moving bodies can revolutionize personal expression within the art form. 

Her workshops and classes are designed to be immersive experiences, where participants are encouraged to explore their boundaries and develop a nuanced appreciation of their own bodies in motion. Deeply dedicated to psychosomatic wellness, her teaching approach resonates with profound societal themes. She advocates for healing through movement and self-expression, inviting individuals to delve into her world of motion, emotion, and transformation, whether through teaching, therapeutic sessions, or artistic projects.

Join us for EarthSing, a co-creative gathering of song, ritual, and embodiment. Our workshops  and shared practices include improvisational singing, somatic practices, folk songs, song circles,  invocations, and musical embodiment. Singing together in this way can open the heart, the voice,  and get the creative channels flowing!  

Singing together is a ritual, and song has been part of collective ritual practice across time and  place. In this gathering, we will explore the capacity of the voice to connect us more deeply to  ourselves, each other, and the land.  

Each morning we will ground into our bodies and the earth through somatic practices and  connection to land, followed by a group morning session with a master song leader. Throughout  the day there will be workshops and jams from facilitators and community members, with  encouraged flexibility for integration, play, and personal practice. The evenings will feature our  collaborative rituals and fireside music jams.

Come sing and play together this Summer! Everyone is welcome, from experienced singers to  complete beginners. 

10% of our profits will go to Ohketeau Cultural Center, a Native founded and run cultural center in Western Mass. 

SHARE OUR FACEBOOK INVITE!

Arrival, Onsite Check-In, Opening Circle, and Departures

• Arrival/Check-In: Thursday, August 15th from 4-7pm front of the Farmhouse. Dinner is 6-7pm. Workshop at 7:15pm.
• Opening Circle/Introduction: Friday, August 16th at 10am. We request that ALL participants attend the Opening Circle.
• Weekender: Arrivals by Friday 6pm, Dinner from 6-7pm.
• Weekender and Saturday Drop-In: Registration check-in and breakfast on August 17th 8-9am.
• Saturday Drop-In: Departures by 10pm on August 17th.
• Closing Circle: Sunday, August 18th 12:30pm-1pm, Lunch 1-2pm.
• Final Clean: Sunday, August 18th at 2-3pm.
• Departure: All participants (Full and Weekender Tickets) will depart after the final group clean at 3pm on Sunday, August 18th.

Our Fees Explained

Earthdance offers a sliding scale payment for participation in this event, please take a moment to reflect as you decide on where you best fit. 

Your level of contribution is self selected and does not need to be advocated for. However, we invite you to remember this contribution is currency and we ask that you stretch where you are able so that those who cannot stretch as far of a financial distance may also have potential access to community events. As you choose your rate please consider the following factors:

• Your access to income and wealth, as connected to family and partnership, both currently and anticipated in the future.
• The historical, systemic impacts of wealth accrual based on culture, race and other intersection marginalizations for you and your family.
• The regional ease of your attendance, while some community members can drive to Earthdance, others will need to consider tuition based on their ability to travel longer distances. 
• Earthdance is a community and rental funded organization which recently, historically and uniquely through the Covid-19 pandemic has struggled to have viable income.

PRICING

GRATITUDE LODGE

$725 – Financially Wealthy

$600 – Financially Abundant

$500 – Financially Stable

$425 – Financially Coping

$375 – Financially Strained

CAMPING

$700 – Financially Wealthy

$575 – Financially Abundant

$475 – Financially Stable

$400 – Financially Coping

$350 – Financially Strained

COMMUTER

$675 – Financially Wealthy

$550 – Financially Abundant

$450 – Financially Stable

$375 – Financially Coping

$325 – Financially Strained

*** Referral discount of $50 when you register! Email programming@gmail.com with both of your names.

WEEKENDER (FRIDAY starting at 6pm through SUNDAY)

$625 – Financially Wealthy

$475 – Financially Abundant

$375 – Financially Stable

$300 – Financially Coping

$250 – Financially Strained

SATURDAY DROP-IN

$475 – Financially Wealthy

$350 – Financially Abundant

$250 – Financially Stable

$175 – Financially Coping

$125 – Financially Strained

Equity & Access Tickets 

Although we’re not able to offer any full scholarships, yet we’re excited to offer up to 3 E&A Discounts to individuals who feel part of an underrepresented and/or marginalized.  We know that for those who come from marginalized populations showing up to spaces filled with primarily privileged groups can be a challenge, and can feel vulnerable.

Apply Here!  Application deadline has extended to August 12th.

For those who do not identify as marginalized and are in a represented group, we invite you to stretch in your payment to help support those who cannot stretch and create a more diverse jam experience for all. 

Note: While Earthdance is making efforts to better support Equity & Access at all its events, this jam offers particularly strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion through:

• Reduced pricing offered to people self-identifying as being underrepresented and/or marginalized.
• Classes and discussions that aim to bring up the level of awareness and inclusion at the jam as a whole.

Housing Options

Gratitude Lodge at Earthdance Tickets

Includes a bed in the Gratitude Lodge, event offerings, and food during the event.

The Gratitude Lodge (a.k.a. the Earthdance dorm) is the main lodging facility, connected to the Farmhouse by a short wooded trail. The lodge includes large and small rooms featuring dormitory-style bunks and beds (twin & queen size) and is included in the base event cost. Beds are available on a first come basis.

Camping Tickets

Includes a spot to camp at Earthdance, event offerings, and food during the event.

Commuter Tickets

You will have access to the event offerings including food for the event.

Commuter Health Care: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other event participants.

Cancellation Policy

Refund available up to 14 days (August 1st) before the event less a $75 processing fee. 

No refunds available less than 14 days (After August 1st) from the start of the event.

Partial refunds might be given if a cancellation takes place under extenuating circumstances (e.g. a death of a 1st or 2nd degree family member, serious non-preventable illness or accident requiring hospitalization). Refunds in such cases remain at the discretion of the local organizers and will be decided on a case to case basis according to the timing of the cancellation and other factors. We do not offer refunds if you catch a cold, the flu or COVID after cancellation dates.

Health Precautions

No specific requirements on vaccination status are needed to attend this event. Please take adequate measures to limit your exposure in the days before arriving. If you are feeling sick, or have a known close exposure to someone with COVID in the past 5 days, please sit this one out to keep the community well. 

COMMUTERS: We ask that you please use caution when commuting and limit, if possible, to just commuting to and from your home and Earthdance, staying away from large crowds to maintain the health and well being of the other participants.

Participant Community Support

Earthdance runs as a​ community, thus part of the participation is that all individuals contribute to 1-2 work shifts (typically meal cleans) throughout the event and participate in a final house clean on the last day of the event. These are great ways to connect more with your fellow participants and Earthdance staff, and to feel more at home in the Earthdance buildings & grounds. Your contributions to this collective caring of this space are invaluable!

Earthdance’s buildings are ADA accessible. More info here.

Earthdance’s Nudity Policy

HOST BIOS

Emmett Charno

Emmett Charno is an educator, facilitator, interdisciplinary artist, performer, and producer bringing magic and play to everything they do. They create events and spaces that are committed to radical self expression and inclusion, especially for those often held in the margins. Emmett has been facilitating group vocal improvisation for over ten years, and has trained with master teachers Bobby McFerrin, Meredith Monk, and Rhiannon among others.

They create and collaborate on movement, vocal music, harp, looping, costume, and narrative installation. In the daytime, Emmett is a reading specialist in NYC teaching elementary school age children to read in private practice and in schools. In the nighttime, Emmett performs and produces interdimensional narrative drag and character based improvisational vocal looping. Emmett is passionate about science fiction, sex positivity, social justice, literacy, fairy houses, outsider art, and magic. 

IG: @excessmaterials www.charnoeducation.org 

Leela/Lu Kelley

Leela/Lu Kelley is a somatic practitioner, astrologer, ritualist, song catcher, and witch clown.

Leela brings a nurturing, creative, embodied, trauma-informed and playful energy to all her offerings, including workshops, rituals,  and 1:1 work. She loves the intersection of deeply rooted somatic awareness with expansive states of magic and transformation. She has a background in contact improv, clowning, ritual performance, burlesque, and somatic healing.

Lu loves to sing and make sounds, to catch songs coming from the land as an act of reciprocity with Source. As part of the organizing team for EarthSing, she will be leading somatic/movement practices and facilitating song witchery.

You can learn more about her at leelakelley.net or IG @5th.house.venus 

Marie/Murry

Marie/Murry is a song weaver, dream teacher, death doula, & cosmic clown. They paint space with ruminative, playful and etheric sonic strokes. Both a contact dancer & vocal improvisor, the union of movement and sound is at the core of their practice of somatic instrumentation.

Hailing from the Northeast woodlands of Western MA, Marie/Murry carries the gentle & fierce landscapes of the forest in her voice. Involved with several musical projects, most dear to her heart are Tender Spot, her witchpunk project, and Eerie Muse, her folk project, both streaming on Bandcamp. Marie/Murry’s passions include poetry, forest bathing, singing with the wind, dream interpretation, herbalism, queerness and clowning. Marie/Murry is part of the organizing team for EarthSing.

IG: @maythemuses

SONG LEADER BIOS

Paris Kern

Paris’s musical journey took a significant turn in 2011 when she attended a weeklong Circlesinging workshop led by Bobby McFerrin. She continues her studies with  two of his collaborators from his group Voicestra, Judi Vinar and Rhiannon.  Prior to this, she had been immersed in traditional Anglo Celtic and folk music, performing in coffeehouses and concerts. However, the experience of Circlesinging opened her eyes to the joy of improvisation and the unique sense of community it fostered. This newfound freedom of expression led her to co-found VoiceExchange in 2013, an a cappella group dedicated to leading monthly Circlesinging sessions in the Baltimore and Washington DC area.

Even amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paris and her group found innovative ways to continue their musical journey. They adapted by improvising and recording Circlesinging sessions, maintaining their connection with participants through biweekly online circles for over a year. Those recording will shortly be released as an album”Full Circle”. 

Their journey exemplifies the transformative and healing power of music and the resilience of community in the face of adversity.

Now residing in Vermont, Paris continues to lead Circlesinging sessions in Putney and occasionally co-leads circles in Boston with other vocal improvisers.

Youtube video about Circlesinging. 

Jordan Mudd

Jordan is a musical facilitator, community songwriter, ritualist, and prayerful activist. His father taught him that you never need a “reason” to sing besides the joy of it. Improvisational music spaces shifted his understanding of music from something to be witnessed to something to be experienced. Through songleading in social movement spaces, he saw how lifting our voices together can create unity, trust, and presence. And a growing “apprenticeship” in grief work has shown him how singing can guide us into and out of the depths of the soul.

He is a co-founder of Boston-Area Singing Circles, where he leads circles and rituals that inspire deeper connection to ourselves, each other, and the Earth. His life work is to use song as a tool for personal, collective, and spiritual liberation. http://www.bostonareasingingcircles.com/

Aya Mares (she/they)

Workshop Co-Facilitator “Sonic Ecology: Intimacy w/Earth Through Sounding”

I’m a steward of the earth and I’m realizing that part of that stewardship is song. I know there was a time when earth sang louder and more multitudinously than earth sings now. I understand there’s no going back and I’m curious about adaptation in this time of collapse. Part of my schema of adaptive modalities inside of collapse is collective sounding as a way to channel earth through our earth bodies with sound. Where do I see this going? Channeling trees in places where there are no trees (so we become the overwhelming memory of trees), channeling water in places where there needs to be a flood. I’m currently seeding these possibilities as a co-facilitator of an experimental sounding space called Storm Hag that gathers monthly in so called Greenfield, MA. I live near there as a renter of white settler colonial descent who’s committed to connecting to my way back ancestors of the british isles to support me in joining a vast mycelial effort to hospice* the current crumbling capitalist colonial project of this place. *Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira

Amy Mares (they/them)

Workshop Co-Facilitator “Sonic Ecology: Intimacy w/Earth Through Sounding”

My imagination is folkloric. I’m deeply committed to the power of story and pedestrian theater as a way to arrive again and again in our bodies. I’m a perpetual gardener which 

I experience as an extension of my archetypal librarianship- listening, gathering seeds, planting the seeds, and encourage their unfurling into the world. I’m a co-facilitator of Storm Hag, an experimental sounding space.