Orienting Guidelines for the Jam in Bellingham

We would like to start these orienting guidelines with a note about the nature of jams in the way we experience them: Contact Improvisation Jams are a place of creation, abundance, improvisation, and play. It can be a wild place where unknown territory about ourselves in relationship to the wider world can be discovered. There is enormous potential to meet the things that are uncomfortable
and triggering (awkwardtunities). We are bound to meet our early attachment material. To allow for these experiences, we need to let go of control and hone our capacity to be human together. Jams are not
totally safe by nature. If they were nobody would be here.

How can each of us contribute to a space that supports this spirit of personal creation and discovery while at the same time supporting a collaborative environment where we are watching out for each
other? We believe that this does not happen by writing a behavior policy listing everything that could go wrong, nor by separating “good” from “bad” people.

We would like to expand the often discussed “first rule”: to be responsible for yourself. We think that this isn’t enough. In a jam space that allows for big and intense experiences, we need to be responsible for more than just ourselves. At least some of us need to; The capacity for responsibility varies. Newer dancers often lack boundaries and the stimuli of a jam can be overwhelming and very uncomfortable. They need support from more mature dancers who can support the innocent state of newcomers.

Here are a few practical directions about what to do when you encounter discomfort. All of these awkwardtunities are a chance to get to know yourself and the people in the community better:

- If you feel uncomfortable in a dance you can try any or all of these ways to change the dance:
• Acknowledging that you feel uncomfortable is the first step.
• Change your position, proximity, rhythm, or attention.
• Simply remove yourself from the dance.
• Tell your partner how you feel.
• Move toward other dancers. Become a trio, quartet, or more.
• Play.

- If you see a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable:
• Joining the dance is a way to get a better understanding of what is going on and to change the situation.
• If what is bothering you seems dangerous or egregious you can intervene by speaking out.

- If you see a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable and you’re not sure what to do, connect with an organizer or another dancer that you experience as grounded. Share your discomfort with them. Sometimes the surfacing discomfort might be more about you. Differentiating what is going on is key to deciphering projections, and sharing your discomfort
is essential. If both people feel it would be a good step to intervene, do it.

- If you feel the desire to teach a “beginner” during a jam, please consider your motivation and why you feel the need to tell someone what to do. Teaching moments can be beneficial when they are clearly requested and help you find your way back into improvisation.

- If the uncomfortable situation has passed, you can still follow up later with the person you were dancing with or the people you witnessed.

Talking about discomfort can be hard. Feeling discomfort can be hard. Sharing discomfort can be hard. Doing something about it is radical. But the good thing is, we have all felt discomfort at some point at every jam. Knowing that we are all in this together can help us to be more vulnerable and ultimately create an environment of human allies.

Carmen & Rajendra