Upcoming Events
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Northern Beaches Contact Jam
Saturday 7th Dec
5:30pm-7:30pm
Integral Aerial - Brookvale
$20 cash or transfer
Open to those who have previous experience in contact improvisation.Location: Integral - Aerial | Movement | Society. When you arrive, head up the stairs to the left.
There is also the option to join in for dinner afterwards at the nearby 4 Pines - a short walk away.
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Contact Improv Classes
Two Wednesday evening classes, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Dec 11th and Dec 18th
Integral Aerial - Brookvale
$30 per classOpen to all levels of experience.
With a balance of somatic exploration and technical skills, in these classes we explore themes of mindful movement, weight-sharing, counterbalancing, basing, flying, deep listening, and the art of jamming in a group context.
In these two classes we will also reserve time to explore ‘limited parameter scores’; artificial limitations put on the dance to encourage more creativity and help us discover new possibilities.Spaces are limited to a total of 12 participants, so bookings are essential.
Email info@luminousflow.com.au to reserve your spot.
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Movement Day
Saturday 21st December
Integral Aerial - BrookvaleJoin us for a full day or half-day of movement at the Integral studio in Brookvale.
Schedule:
Morning Session: 10am-12pm
Finding the Floor, a solo floorwork workshop led by Angi Bowles, which draws on Capoeira Angola, Aikido, acrobatics, contemporary dance, the Axis Syllabus and Fighting Monkey practice.Afternoon Session:
2pm-5pm: A Contact Improv focused Jam that will then lead into a CI laboratory.
Past Events
A non-chronological collection of past workshops, classes, retreats, and heartfelt collaborations.
Blue Mountains Movement Retreat
A Day of Connection, Movement, Music, Nature & Dance in the Blue Mountains
Retreat co-facilitated and photographed by Arkadiusz Kasperczyk.
Held at Happy Buddha Retreats, Wentworth Falls ✦ December 2023
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Join us for a day of Movement & Connection, at the tranquil haven of Happy Buddha Retreats in the beautiful Blue Mountains.
Deeply passionate about movement, connection, and nature, Lillian and Arkadiusz will guide us on a journey of exploration and play, through embodied movement practices and nature connection. All levels of experience are welcome.
How the day will flow
To begin, an invigorating class of Animal Flow ~ a ground-based, bodyweight movement practice that combines elements of yoga and animal-inspired movements
Light refreshments for lunch: fresh fruit, snacks, nibbles & chai
A mindful, guided meditative nature walk to a nearby waterfall, with the option to swim, dance and interplay with others. During this time, Arkadiusz offers to capture some candid moments in nature
An afternoon Contact Improvisation class, with a focus on how we can deepen our sense of kinesthetic empathy
Delicious and nutritious dinner, made by the loving cooks at Happy Buddha Retreat
A cosy evening Contact Improvisation Jam
Fireside music, song & connection into the late evening
The option to stay the night at Happy Buddha Retreats
~ About Your Hosts ~
Lillian Donnell is a multi-modal movement coach who has dived into many dynamic movement practices, including aerial silks, Latin partner dancing, functional mobility training, Animal Flow, and Contact Improvisation. She also facilitates workshops and co-creates events in the realms of ecstatic dance, aerials, fire dancing, playfighting, and live music + dance jams.
With over 10 years of teaching in the movement space, Lillian brings a calm and supportive energy to her classes. She loves to empower others to learn new skills, develop a greater sense of embodiment, and find that sweet spot between challenge and play.
Arkadiusz Kasperczyk is a passionate movement and bodywork practitioner, trained in the fields of Thai Yoga Massage and Zenthai Shiatsu. His love of movement, nature connection, and somatic awareness led him on the path to a deep practice of Yoga, and Contact Improvisation.
In recent years he began to hold space in these practices for others, and currently facilitates Silent Meditation Retreats at Happy Buddha Retreats in Blue Mountains.
Arkadiusz is also a renowned photographer, whose work has been exhibited in cities in Europe and around the world. He has a special interest in capturing nature and moments in motion.
Ecstatic Contact Series
In these workshops we explore how to find more movement freedom in ecstatic dance, and how to tap into a sense of embodied connection through contact improvisation dance.
Co-facilitated with Ali Hedone.
Held at Bondi Pavilion ✦ June 2023 ✦ July 2023 ✦
Photography & videography by @zaikoda.
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Where Free-flow Dance & Contact Dance Meet
Do you long for more freedom in the way that you move? Are you looking to unlock your creativity, expand your movement vocabulary, and discover new ways to express yourself through dance?
Join us for a unique workshop exploring free-flow dance, ecstatic dance, and contact improvisation. No dance background necessary.
What we will explore:
How to play with rhythm and musicality
Finding movement freedom
Techniques to invite more playfulness, expression and embodiment in ecstatic dance
How to dance like nobody's watching
The fundamentals of contact dance: how to communicate through touch, and build trust and connection to yourself and others
In a supportive and inclusive environment, with a mixture of guided exercises and open movement, you’ll have the opportunity to tap into your inner rhythm and explore new movement patterns.
We welcome you to join us at the end of the workshop for dance, drumming and fire-flow at Bondi Sunset Music.-----------
About Your Facilitators
Ali Hedone and Lillian Donnell are co-creators of The Flow Wave ~ Conscious Dance Events.
Ali brings her experience as a somatic sexologist, embodied dance practitioner and fire dancer, Lillian her experience as a teacher and facilitator of contact improvisation (CI), aerial arts, and Animal Flow. Together they bring their passion for ecstatic dance, CI, flow arts, movement freedom and somatic practices.
Image credit: @zaikoda
The Flow Wave ~ Conscious Dance Parties
Epic evenings of ecstatic dance, aerial arts, fire jamming, drumming, music, movement, and flow.
Co-facilitated with Ali Hedone.
Held at Integral - Aerial | Movement | Society, Brookvale
✦ Nov 2022 ✦ March 2023 ✦
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~ Welcome to The Flow Wave ~
Join us for a multisensory celebration of ecstatic dance, aerial arts, fire jamming, music, movement, and flow.
You are invited to feel, express and dance through a journey of sound, visuals and movement. Dance the night away to an irresistible mix of Afro House, South American, Arabic and sensual beats.
If you are an aerialist or fire dancer, you are also invited to express yourself in your flow arts practice.What’s included
Ecstatic Dance
Live Drumming
Aerial Performance
Flow Toy Space
Fire Jamming
Tribal & Sensual Beats
~ Dance and Flow with the Wave ~
Schedule
Doors will open from 7:30pm for you to explore the space and mingle. Be sure to arrive before 8pm for the official welcome. We will then have a guided practice to help us ground into our bodies, move with more freedom, and consciously connect with each other. Live drumming, tribal beats, and freestyle aerial and fire flow will then begin! The night will end with the invitation for a meditation in shavasana.
Flow Arts Jam
Are you an aerialist or fire dancer? You are invited to do what you love and flow during the evening. Wrap, spiral, drop and pose in the air, or dance and jam with fire, while ecstatic and conscious beats play. No need for a choreographed performance. This is a chance to feel into your flow arts practice; to find joy in expressing yourself and in flowing with the music.
Are you a drummer? You are invited to bring along your drum and join in with some experienced drummers who will be leading us in energetic rhythms.
None of the above? Join in for a night of ecstatic and conscious dancing, and enjoy the drums, aerial and fire flow!
Conscious Event
Please note this is a drug and alcohol free, conscious event.
About your facilitatorsThe Flow Wave is the co-creation of Ali Hēdonē & Lillian Donnell, inspired by their combined experience and shared love of ecstatic dance, flow arts, somatic and consciousness-raising practices, aerial arts, yoga, fire play, contact improvisation, and event creation.
Looking for footage from the last event? Check out @theflowwavecommunity
Playfest Retreat
Workshops in Contact Improvisation and Animal Flow at Playfest - A Movement Arts & Nature Retreat run by A Gypsy’s Edge.
Held at Wiseman’s Ferry, NSW
✦ Oct 2023 ✦ Oct 2024 ✦
Photos and images by Arkadiusz Kasperczyk, Pedro Ribeiro, & Divya Gordon.
Contact Improvisation Dance
Workshops, classes and jams in contact improvisation, held on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
With a balance of somatic exploration and technical skills, in these classes we explore themes of mindful movement, weight-sharing, counterbalancing, basing, flying, deep listening, and the art of jamming in a group context.
Held at Manly, Curl Curl, Brookvale, & HUM Studio Dee Why.
✦ Ongoing since September 2022
Live Music + Contact Improv Jams
Spaces created with intention.
Live Music jams with dedicated musicians to accompany the dance:
✦ Hamzah Mas & Mia Burlinson, Feb 2023, Ultimo
✦ Joe West, May 2023, Ultimo
✦ Alex Apt and Aviva Pinkus, Aug 2023, Bondi
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Live Music and CI jams where anyone can join in the musical jamming:
✦ Ongoing since November 2023
Co-facilitated with Aviva Pinkus, thanks to the generosity of our venue, Church Street Studios, Camperdown.
Luminous Presentation Nights
These events were inspired by my beautiful connections: friends who were fascinated by and incredibly knowledgeable about diverse topics - art, science, design, sociology, relationships, human potential, spirituality, literature, music…
In these curated evenings, I asked these individuals to present for 20 minutes on a topic they were passionate about.
Take a look at the descriptions below.
Held at Integral Aerial, Brookvale and HUM Studio Dee Why.
✦ Feb 2022 ✦ June 2022 ✦
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Pain - Is It All In Your Head? Why are some people able to experience high levels of pain, while others crumple at a paper cut? What makes some injuries incredibly painful, and others hardly noticeable? A myotherapist, aerial coach and ex-pro dancer's approach to understanding pain, and how we can improve our relationship with it. Melanie Allen
Connection and Communication, Speech and Dance. It is innately human to communicate and to seek to connect with others. How does connection happen in partner dancing, and are there parallels between partner dance and conversation? Let's unpack the components of language and dance, including the concept of “lead and follow” and gender dynamics. Tallulah Bur
The Art of Cartography. A swashbuckling adventure into the history and meaning of maps - how have humans recorded directions and chartered territories in the past. What do maps reveal about ourselves, and where might maps be leading us in the future? Ian Gunn
Radical Movement. Are standing desks and a daily trip to the gym enough to mitigate the effects of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle? An exploration into natural movement, and how moving more, and moving better, requires radical acts of subversion. Lillian Donnell
The Fine Line Between Extreme Beauty and Alienisation. How have beauty standards changed over time, and is social media warping our views on what is considered beautiful? A plastic surgeon's take on the ethics of cosmetic procedures and the psychology of beauty. Dr Simone Matousek
What Do You Think? A neuroscientific exploration into how thoughts become mental images. How do we see and hear what we’re thinking about? Why don’t mental images look the same as real ones? And how do we measure what’s happening in our heads to begin with? Alexander Sulfaro
Somatic Sexology. Our experience of sexual pleasure is not fixed. How challenging our conditioned beliefs, connecting with our bodies and emotions, and somatic-based sex therapy can help us reclaim full body pleasure. Ali Hēdonē
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Embodiment Psychology – Hack Your Body-Mind Our heart beats faster, we start to sweat, our pupils dilate, our legs shake, our breath quickens… What is going on in our body when we are afraid? And what goes on when we are at ease, open, happy, and confident? Going beyond ‘the power pose’, let’s dive more deeply into postural psychology and body language, and how we can use it to improve our emotional well-being. Stephanie Thompson
So You Want to Start a Startup You’ve got the idea and you've started the business, but what’s next? How does a startup get funding for growth, and what are investors, banks, or grant providers looking for when they consider giving it to you vs another budding business? Let’s look at case studies of diverse, successful startups and find out what made them stand out from the competition. Malcolm Donnell
EDM meets Contemporary Dance The world of contemporary dance performance has changed. Goodbye Tchaikovsky, hello Daft Punk. We might be sitting on soft supportive chairs, but a rhythmic excitement builds in us as we feel the vibration of the beat in our chest and the cinematic anticipation of the drop, and as we watch dancers fiercely move to the electronic pulse. Let’s explore the elements of electronic dance music, social connection, crowd dynamics, and dance performance. Alex Gilley
Know Your Rights In contemporary Australian society, what human rights do we actually have? How does the law protect us from discrimination? Learn from Tallulah, who works at the Australian Human Rights Commission, about common myths and misconceptions, and the importance of knowing our rights. Tallulah Bur
Sound Healing Can vibration really heal us? Sound healing, or vibrational sound therapy, is on the rise in modern wellness spaces, but has a long history. Becc will give us a live demonstration of the instruments used in sound healings, and discuss the subjective and scientific reasons behind why many find it so powerful. Becc Gray
Inhabiting the Body
~ A Contact Improvisation Laboratory into the Assisted Body Scan ~
A collective investigation into how touch can enhance our bodily awareness, and how, in turn, this can shape how we move and dance.
Held in Balgowlah, Sydney
✦ Sept 2024
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Inhabiting the Body is a collective investigation into how touch can enhance our bodily awareness, and how, in turn, this can shape how we move and dance.
Date: Saturday 28th September, 2024
Time: 11:30am-3:30pm
Where: Transform Pilates Aerial Yoga Studio, Balgowlah
Please note: this workshop is for those who are familiar with either dance improvisation or contact improvisation.
More details + preparation:
The inspiration for this laboratory comes from a number of somatic practices, including: meditation, yoga nidra, body scanning, Authentic Movement, bodywork, and contact improvisation.
In a supported space, with an extended sense of time, we will take turns assisting each other in a body scan. We will investigate the following:
How we can cultivate a sense of total body awareness through mindfulness and intention
How touch can change our experience of the body scan, and whether it can enhance the sense of our body from the inside (i.e. our sense of interoception)
Whether we can maintain this sense of total body awareness in solo movement, and how it shapes our ability to sense our body positioning in space (i.e. our sense of proprioception)
How this awareness may translate to dancing in contact with others; the final hour will be reserved for open dancing.
At specific moments, we will discuss what we have researched, and at others we will be in silent dance, witnessing, or assisting. Before we begin the assisted body scan practice, we will take time to discuss consent, communication, injuries, and preferences in touch.
In the weeks or days leading up to the laboratory, try a lying down body scan. This is both to prime your somatic awareness and focus, and to be able to more accurately distinguish the difference between a solo and touch-assisted body scan. This could be guided (e.g. through audio on YouTube, Spotify etc.), or self-guided.
For those looking for a deeper dive into the more spiritual side of somatic awareness, meditation, and the wisdom of the body, I highly recommend the book and practice Somatic Descent by Reginald Ray. You can find the accompanying audio here.
What to bring:
An optional yoga mat (there will be some in the space)
A light cushion or towel for the head
Other cushions if needed for knees, lower back etc.
Movement Jam at Shelly Beach
Acro-yoga, DJs, dance, contact improv, slacklines, & fire twirling.
Shelly Beach, Manly NSW
✦ Jan 2024
Embodied Flow
~ A workshop exploring Contemporary Dance, Zenthai Bodywork, and Contact Improvisation ~
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Join us for a workshop designed to help you get into a state of embodied flow and connection. We will be exploring three complementary modalities: Contemporary Dance, Zenthai Shiatsu Bodywork, and Contact Improvisation. Open to all levels of experience.
✦ Date: Saturday October 19th
✦ Time: 1:15pm-6pm
✦ Where: Curl Curl Sports Centre, Main Hall~~~
◈ Contemporary Dance & Floorwork with Fra Gozdek ◈
After warming up the body, we will explore how to move with more grace and fluidity: up, down, and across the floor, using techniques and movement patterns derived from contemporary dance. Fra will guide us on how we can blend technique with improvised expression.
◈ Zenthai Shiatsu Bodywork with Emma Wilkinson ◈
Zenthai Shiatsu is a fluid and dynamic form of remedial & energetic bodywork therapy, seamlessly blending the traditional somatic understanding of Zen Shiatsu with Traditional Thai Massage and Osteopathic techniques. Loving awareness and focused intention are fundamental threads of this practice that weave together to create space for deep surrender and for the body to remember its’ innate blueprint for healing
Emma will guide us through a simple yet therapeutic bodywork sequence where you will have the opportunity to both give and receive.
◈ Contact Improvisation with Lillian Donnell ◈
Contact Improvisation is a mindfulness-based movement and dance practice, involving two or more people engaging in a physical dialogue through deep listening, touch, and shared weight.
Lillian will guide us in exercises to help us embody the fundamental techniques and somatic qualities of contact improvisation, before leading the group into an open dance, or jam. This will be a space for us to move in solo dance or connection with others, with a curious awareness of what our bodies have absorbed through each modality explored in this workshop.
~ More details ~
You are welcome to arrive at 1pm for a 1:15pm start. We will take about an hour and fifteen minutes to explore each modality, with a 15 minute break in between.
This workshop is quite physical, though open to all levels of experience. Every exercise is given as an invitation; everyone is encouraged to listen to what their own body needs in that moment, and participate according to their wishes and capacity.
~ What to Bring ~
Comfortable clothing, with no or minimal zips, buttons, or metal tags.
Layers for receiving Zenthai bodywork
Water bottle
Snacks to have in breaks
A yoga mat or blanket to lie upon when receiving Zenthai bodywork
1-2 cushions
~ About Your Facilitators ~
Francesca Gozdek is an Italian freelance dancer, teacher, performer, and choreographer. With a background in jazz, classical, modern and contemporary, she has been teaching dance from the age of 17, and complements her dance practice with certifications in yoga, pilates, and sports coaching. Her style is fluid and expressive, with a focus on floorwork.
Emma Wilkinson is a somatic kinesiologist, bodyworker and facilitator of experiences designed to cultivate conscious connection. At the core of her offerings are the intentions to support you to alchemise pain and challenges into embodied wisdom, empower you to embody your highest potential and deepen your relationship with the pulse of your intuition and body wisdom.
Lillian Donnell is a multi-modal coach of dynamic movement practices, including including aerial silks, functional mobility training, Animal Flow, and Contact Improvisation. She also facilitates workshops and co-creates events in the realms of ecstatic dance, aerials, fire dancing, playfighting, and live music + dance jams. Her passion lies in helping those who are yearning to move with more freedom in their lives, developing skills of strength, awareness & fluidity, and challenging limiting beliefs about how one can be in the world.
Body & Breath :: Transformational Tools for Authentic Relating
I invited the incredible breathworker, bodyworker and groupwork facilitator Jaime-Lee Hind to Sydney to lead this event.
Deep, powerful and transformative.
Led by Jaime-Lee Hind
Held at The Authentic Living Centre, Darlinghurst
✦ Jan 2024
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Move through your past wounding and embark on a powerful transformative journey of healing with Body & Breath ~ an immersive three-day workshop held within a safe and loving container.
Together we will delve into the potency of breathwork, movement, and the relational field, to pave the way for authentic, hearted centred connection.
~ A Deeper Form of Healing ~
In the realm of our relationships, we often find ourselves activated or triggered by emotions that extend beyond the present moment; they echo from the past. Interactions with friends, partners, colleagues, or family might trigger a core wound. The key lies in recognising and gaining clarity around these emotional echoes; distinguishing what belongs to the past and what is unfolding in the present.
So often, we are led to believe that we should pull away from relationship when we are activated by the past. The messaging we often receive is that we need to deal with our pain alone.
Does this make sense, given that the damage that originally occurred was often in the dynamics of relationship? What if, instead, these moments of being triggered were opportunities for deeper connection. What if, in a secure and loving container, we could allow our past stories to be fully acknowledged and our emotions to be fully felt, as we pave the way for a profound reconnection with the present.
In Body & Breath, we use the deeply powerful and transformative tools of breathwork, embodied movement, and the strength of a heart-centred group to do just that. On a collective journey, and in a safe, nurturing space, we will witness and discover the ways that the relational field can be the source of potent, transformational healing.
~ Who this is for ~
This workshop is open to anyone who is longing to move through past triggers, wounds and limiting patterns, and discover what it really means to connect from our most embodied, open-hearted, present self.
Whether you are new to breathwork, Groupwork or have previous experience with either, you are welcome on this transformational journey towards a deep sense of authentic, heartfelt connection.
~ How the Workshop will Flow ~
Day 1: Friday Evening ~ Connection & Movement, 6:30pm-9pm
On Friday evening we will arrive together in the space, fostering connection to ourselves and each other through embodied movement practices that open up channels of expression and self-discovery.
Day 2: Saturday ~ Relational Breathwork, 9am-5pm
On this day we will experience the profound impact of breathwork in a supportive group setting.
We will be taking lots of time with the breathwork, so there is plenty of room to go deep into your individual process. Pairing up, you have the experience of sitting with someone while they breathe, and after a lunch break they will sit with you while you breathe.
This form of breathwork, Rebirthing, has its origins with Leonard Orr, and is open and beneficial to those who have never tried breathwork before, and to those who have had many sessions. We will be using intentionality and attention, with a full, conscious, connected breath. Our 'sitter' will support us with their presence and witnessing, and in any practical needs that may arise throughout the session. Together, we will practise holding deep, caring space for each other, with facilitated guidance on how to offer this kind of support, and instruction on how to breathe.
Day 3: Sunday ~ Relational Groupwork & Integration, 9am-5pm
Life happens in relationship. This day is an opportunity for us to dive deep and integrate the previous day’s breathwork through Groupwork and movement. We will be developing skills to clear blocks to deep relating, share from our most embodied and authentic self, and unfold into heart-centred connection.
When we come together in the safe container of a group willing to connect through the heart, we can rapidly transform limiting patterns and be freer to move through life the way we truly desire. Groupwork can take our potential for growth to the ‘next level’; in a group it is harder to hide the habits that no longer serve us. Through the grace and potency of a group of people dedicated to return to their hearts, we are well supported to traverse the darkest parts of our internal terrain, and come into the deeper truth of who we really are.
~ Key Themes Throughout the Workshop ~
Resolving Unresolved Issues: Utilising rebirthing techniques to bring the unconscious to the conscious, allowing for the resolution of unresolved experiences.
Relational Field Exploration: Understanding how the breathwork session extends into the relational field. Learning to differentiate past triggers from present experiences and navigate them within the safety of the group.
Moving through Triggers: Cultivating the ability to stay present in challenging moments, recognizing triggers as opportunities for connection rather than isolation.
Healing in Relationships: How healing can occur within the relational field, transforming damage into growth and connection.
~ About Your Facilitator ~
Jaime-Lee Hind is a Breath and Bodyworker living and practising on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Committed to embodied and authentic connection, and with over two decades of experience in Rebirthing Breathwork, Bodywork practices, and Groupwork, Jaime powerfully guides individuals and groups to dive deeper into themselves with love and curiosity.
"A few months ago, I attended one of Jaime‘s Breathwork workshops, and the experience was much deeper and profound than I was expecting…. For me to be able to have such a deep experience and tapping into some old emotions that were stuck in my body and subconscious, It required a facilitator that doesn’t shy away from big emotions, and instead can go there with you, and Jaime was able to hold this for me." - Jason
"Jaime is such a skilled facilitator that can pinpoint exact needs of participants. I love surrendering into her wisdom of that. Jaime takes me on journey of gently arriving in space in myself, then from there to drop into inner worlds and to come back to the outside." - Alec
Jaime is also the founder of Embodied Therapeutics, offering ZenThai Shiatsu, Aquatic Bodywork, KaHuna, Breathwork, Contact Improvisation Dance, Liquid Dance and Floating Soundbaths.
Jaime will be supported by Chris O’Brien, a Sydney based Rebirthing facilitator.
Aerial Silks
Coaching aerial silks since 2011, and practicing and performing since 2009, primarily at Integral - Aerial | Arts | Society in Brookvale.
Since 2020 I have offered specialised events at Integral, e.g. back to back workshops in aerial silks and contact improvisation.
