Practice Contact Improvisation by learning new skills and tuning your awareness towards spontaneous dance-making in this 6-day intensive with Sarah Young (USA) & Angela-Mara Florant (Germany). Open to all levels.

Where: Ponderosa², Gutshof 3, 16248 Lunow-Stolzenhagen, Germany

When: 13–19 July, 2026

This is a 6-day Contact Improvisation intensive led by Sarah Young & Angela-Mara Florant. Sourcing research from CI originators, Nancy Stark Smith and Steve Paxton, and our own decades of practice in the form, we build on
practical physical studies and ways of tuning our awareness towards spontaneous dance-making. 

It is a residential experience in the Germany countryside, one hour train ride from Berlin.

~~Whether it’s sunlight glimmering off the pond or a dance that takes a surprising turn, we catch the flickering moments and ride the mystery.~~

We’ll dive into studies of momentum, gravity, weight-sharing, rolling, spiraling, and falling; our reflexes at work in Contact Improvisation. To train, each day we’ll drop into subtle physical choice-making with the Feldenkrais Method®, Contemplative Dance Practice, and Body-Mind Centering® with guest teacher, Saliq Savage. (No prior experience with these modalities necessary.)

In the evenings, we’ll continue with jams and group scores, and dip into CI history. An Underscore with live music concludes the intensive. There’s time throughout for enjoying delicious meals, swimming, and walks in the
countryside.

This intensive is for those wanting a facilitated focused study of Contact Improvisation and is best suited for those with some previous
CI jam and/or class experience. You should already know how to reach your hands towards the floor when falling and be responsive to your own self-care needs. We ask that you come ready to contribute positively and collaboratively to the group dynamic.

The price of the intensive includes accommodation in a shared dormitory, studio or in your own tent, a simple breakfast, and lunch and dinner—prepared by our onsite chef. Healthy vegetarian and vegan options available.

It’s also possible to join only for the weekend.

How to register:
6-day Registration:  www.ponderosa-dance.de/event/finding-the-sparkle-6-day

Weekend Registration:  www.ponderosa-dance.de/event/finding-the-sparkle-weekend

Costs for participants:
6-Day Pricing:  Early Bird until 15 May: 620€ to 1100€ (sliding scale)
After 15 May: 860€ to 1100€.   
Weekend Pricing:  Early Bird until 15 May: 240€ to 500€
After 15 May: 360€ to 500€. 
Scholarship & Work-Exchange opportunities available.

Contact details:
Sarah Young:  cooscafe@gmail.com
Keira Sinclair:  utopia@ponderosa-dance.de

For further information, please visit https://www.ponderosa-dance.de/event/finding-the-sparkle-6-day

For more dance INTENSIVES, visit https://dancingopportunities.com/category/dance-intensives/