The Art of Play: Play fight & Contact Improvisation (Brighton, 26 Sep)

In this workshop we’ll combine the dynamic exchanges of play-fighting with the listening practices of Contact Improvisation. Expect games, movement scores, and partner explorations that invite you to experiment with touch, negotiation, support, challenge, and spontaneity.

We’ll explore how play can deepen our awareness of ourselves and others while fostering confidence, creativity, and connection.

The extended play fighting workshop includes:

Stretching and warm up exercises combining contact improvisation techniques

Consent and boundaries practices with both verbal and non-verbal communication

Skills learning and sharing to level up your play fighting game

Approx 90 minutes of held play fighting rounds

free-flow time to dance CI, play fight, cuddle and body-work.

Facilitated by:

Roy Graff

Roy is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and relationship coach who draws on his training in Psychosynthesis psychotherapy, Radical Honesty, Non-violent Communication and Wheel of Consent training to offer coaching and mentoring to individuals, couples and polycules. He can help you with relationship issues, honesty and authenticity in relating, life transformation and major life crises.

Roy has been facilitating play fighting workshops and consent workshops since 2022 in London, Manchester, Brighton, Nottingham and Bristol as well as festivals in the UK and Europe. He has personally used play fighting to process and heal his own trauma around violence and aggression.

Marie Chabert

London-based Contact Improvisation teacher, choreographer and performer with over 20 years of experience in the practice. She holds a BA in Contemporary Dance from London Contemporary Dance School and an MA in Creative Practice from Trinity Laban and Independent Dance. She has taught at CI Goldsmiths, London Contemporary Dance School, the National Centre for Circus Arts, Contact in Paradise (Austria), and festivals across Europe.

She completed the Contact Improvisation Teacher Training with Dani Schwartz and Eckhard Müller in Freiburg. Marie curates the Women's Touch workshop labs and the Monday CI Jam at Mill Co., bringing a multidisciplinary approach to Contact Improvisation, performance and embodied practice.

Testimonials

Reviews from past attendees:

A review of a play fighting and temple combination event

Carla’s play fighting experience

“That was an absolutely amazing experience. Rest assured I’ve been telling everyone about it and they all want to come (and are a bit scared). I loved the way you could engage with it from so many angles — authentic relating, comedy, catharsis, eroticism, gender politics, you name it. So much fun, and so freeing. I’m gutted I can’t come back sooner.

Thank you!!!”

Anouchka

“Play Fighting workshop was everything I had hoped for: well-organised, fun, energetic and intense. It was lovely to witness a variety of play fighting styles from competitive to sensual to almost erotic (had I stayed for the optional Temple, I’m sure eroticism would have been the main energy ingredient). I was pleased to see how quickly a bunch of standers are able to authentically connect with each other on a wide range of levels within the safety of the play space. Kudos to the organisers, for their excellent team work and professionalism. I can highly recommend to anyone to attend it.”

Kristina

“It was with great anticipation that I went to the Play fighting workshop and temple. I was not disappointed it provided a space for me to be physical, powerful and playful with others. Wrestling, pushing, grabbing, snarling, rolling around – I loved it. A place to let out my inner animal without inhibition. I came away more confident and grateful to experience this part of my erotic nature with others. I learned so much about myself thank you.”

Dee

“I was quite apprehensive before attending, but it couldn’t have been a nicer or more welcoming and inclusive experience, with great care taken of every participant and a carefully-structured build-up to the more intense stuff. We were regularly reminded of choice and consent (also safety), but not in a way that interfered with enjoyment. A lovely experience altogether.”

Matt

“Thank you for providing a safe and welcoming space to explore play fighting for the first time. I felt comfortable throughout to explore movement and touch in the warm up exercises and supported to try a play fight. the rules were easy to follow and everything felt intuitive. Such a warm and supportive group of people to share and try something new.”

EJ

“I felt the workshop was very well presented and it demonstrated how best we should both control our emotions and desires.”