My own interest and engagement in this experiment is to have the opportunity to share that which calls me to the jam. My questions include:

What is happening energetically when we are in a state of physical consensual communion with another/others? Where do the barriers naturally come in and where they dissipate? What defines awake: immediate, constant, surrender, compassion, powerful, vulnerable, aggressive, undetectable, undeniable, integral and paradoxical?

Research Proposal – Ki Dialogue

Just as contact improvisation can be perceived as a series of dance moves, tricks and learnt acrobatics, Aikido can also be seen as a sequence of martial techniques likened when performed well, to a dance. The reality for me however, is that the essence of these two art forms could not be further from this understandable misconception. It lies somewhere in the intimacy of a graceful oblivion which, when I try to think through, conceptualise or anticipate often becomes mechanical, uninspirational and cumbersome instead of vital, frank and breathtaking.

In this class/lab we will explore:

• unilateral/multi-directional Ki extension
• directional awareness/clarification
• a touch based sense of bodily articulation
• injury prevention
• awareness of muscle tension/relaxation and its clear links with mental tension and or projection
• principles of traditional Ki Aikido in order that we might then bring them with us to the jam
• surrender to the naturally occurring oscillations of contrasting forces that arise from the act of two bodies moving together

As well as Koichi Tohei’s principals of non-hierarchy and universal love, in my experience trickery, disappearance, play and seduction are all woven into the art of peace.

This class/lab will be held similar to a traditional Aikido dojo class, consisting of the formal exploration of martial techniques including immobilization.

Read Richard Sarco-Thomas’ biography

In Touch and Play I would like to create a space for exploring the “strong dance”, in which I want to integrate my 20 years experience in different martial arts forms (Judo, Aikido, Savate/Kickboxing and Boxing. It could be called a fighting laboratory, which provides a high state of awareness and presence to ensure a safe and joyfull experience for all participants,especially for people, which are not used to play with their “stronger energies” pushing, wrestling, jumping on each other can be part of the vocabulary…

Bad Contact

I would also like to explore “Bad contact”, in which we could each explore stretching the limits of dancing with our partner, including the use of lips, teeth, unusual areas of the body (or even tearing off each others clothes or slapping)

Read Ulli Wittemann’s biography