Join The Castro Room for a playful evening of contact improvisation. This class will be taught by Sebastian Grubb with live jam music by Dan Gorelick.
A guided pre-jam class will be from 7:45 - 8:45p and then will flow directly into a jam until 10:00p. In class, we’ll explore themes of weight-sharing, counterbalancing, signaling, listening, and everything in-between. The jam that follows is an opportunity to continue researching your movement & relational curiosities that sparked from class. First-timers and experienced dancers are all very welcome!
*Class 7:45-8:45pm
*Jam 8:45-10:00pm
Come for the whole evening or feel free to drop-in to the jam anytime
Teacher:
Sebastian Grubb is an award-winning movement coach and dance artist based in Copenhagen and California. He teaches integrated movement technique to people of all kinds via personal coaching, weekly classes and deep-dive workshops. From 2007-2019 Sebastian choreographed, performed and toured contemporary dance works throughout the U.S. and internationally. This included 6 years as a principal dancer and teacher with AXIS Dance Company, which centers art-making around a diversity of bodies, including those with functional disabilities. From 2008-2024 Sebastian ran an outdoor workout company in San Francisco, then made Denmark his permanent home in 2025. He has been a long-term student of Scott Wells (improvisation and acrobatics) and Frey Faust (functional anatomy and dance research), among other influential teachers. He is the founder of Agile Beast and co-founder of Spiral Camp, both of which focus on making skills and techniques for dynamic movement accessible to all participants. He first encountered Contact Improvisation in 2006 by accidentally joining a Jam and has been hooked ever since. Learn more at www.sebastian.fit and www.bodywagging.dance
Musician:
Dan Gorelick is a Brooklyn and SF based musician who works with cello, voice, and synthesis to create expressive electronic soundscapes. His musical style is influenced by his upbringing as a classical cellist, improvisational jazz, and exploration in different forms of sound design. His performances integrate acoustic practices with various technologies to explore sonic possibilities between the two. IG @dqgorelick | venmo @dqgorelick.
Host:
Merrick Jacob is a lover of movement, continuously in awe of the body and its potential for delightful expression, wild creativity, & authentic connection. Influenced by her practices of contact improvisation, figure skating, acroyoga, and hand-balancing, she guides playful movement experiences as an opportunity for deep listening, research, and co-creation. Merrick hosts contact improvisation across the SF Bay Area. Say hi here: merrickjacob.com
About Contact Improvisation, Agreements, FAQS
First time?
Is it your first time hearing of this movement form? It can be defined in many ways. I love this definition from Ray Chung, “Contact Improvisation is an open-ended exploration of the kinaesthetic possibilities of bodies moving through contact. Sometimes wild and athletic, sometimes quiet and meditative, it is a form open to all bodies and enquiring minds.”Curious first-timers to experienced dancers are all very welcome!
What happens in class and do I need a partner?
Class is a time to explore themes of weight-sharing, counterbalancing, signaling, listening, and everything in-between in solo, duets, and as a group. Each teacher brings their own unique flavor to the class. No need to come with a partner. The teacher will facilitate pairing people together and switching partners throughout the class.
What's a jam?
This is an opportunity to continue researching your movement & relational curiosities that sparked from class or just to enjoy sharing creative movement space together. Dance, witness, investigate, have fun. Come & go as you please with care.
Price: $25 for Class + Jam
$10 for Jam only