Description
Times: 3-8 pm
Date: 26 September
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.
- 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.
Consensual interactions that abide by the 4 core agreements are fine. The space is body positive and queer inclusive. To respect the venue, nudity and sexual touch are not allowed.
- Confidentiality: Outside of the event, please refrain from identifying anyone else who you have met there when sharing your experiences, unless you have explicit consent. You may talk about what the facilitators share and identify them.
- Sovereignty: Notice what you need to step in, and step out of engagement and interaction. Try to invite a beginner’s mind, embrace discomfort and give yourself time and space to notice its impact on you. Ask for what you need and be explicit in your agreements around touch and sexuality, including safer sex practices.
- Consent: Move away from what you don’t want, and towards an authentic, full body yes. Practice empathetic connection to be aware of your own boundaries and the boundaries/limits of others. Give others time and space to consider any request you make of them, and receive a ‘no’ with grace and gratitude. Remember you are empowered to pause or stop any interaction when you feel unsure if it is the right thing for you at the moment.
- Participation: Everything we facilitate is an invitation. The most important experience of the workshop isn’t to take part in all activities, but to make the choice in the moment that best aligns with your truth, check-in with yourself and give yourself permission to change your mind, at any time.
Safety
This a summary of the safety protocol that we explain and practice each session prior to play-fighting.
- Universal safety rules and call-outs when we see a safety breach:
- Neck: no choke-holds (even those that may be accepted in wrestling & martial arts). No interaction above the neck (general wrestling rules).
- Knee: always keeping one knee on the ground, to keep the centre of gravity low (avoids injuries to ankles).
- Space: Those sitting around the circle can call out when the sparring people come too close to them.
- Ways of checking-in or pausing a fight due to concern
- Check*: calling this is a reminder for the play-fighters to do a mental check-in, coming momentarily from body to mind to ensure they are comfortable with the situation. Can be used when a watcher has a general concern.
- Pause: Can be called by anyone for a concern about boundary violation or safety risk.
- Stop/Red: Can be called by anyone for a concern about boundary violation or safety risk.
- Double tap the floor: by a play fighter who is non-verbal.
- Energy regulation to prevent overwhelm or getting carried away with the excitement and adrenaline rush
- Self check-in during warmup, bringing awareness to your present energy levels.
- Opening ritual and communicating personal boundaries before the play fight.
- Closing ritual and co-regulation / down-regulation after the round.
- This event is suitable for people who are comfortable in queer inclusive spaces with consensual touch.
- We hold it in a ground floor studio. There are toilets on the ground floor and on the first floor.
- We have assistants who can offer support in case of emotional or sensory overwhelm.
- There is no expectation of skills or physical ability.
- It is important to reflect that this is an activity that involves a lot of movement and physical contact with others, though intensity levels can vary widely.
- Generous £80
- Regular £65
- Reduced £50
Venue details
The exact address will be emailed to guests two days before the event.
The location is Brighton city centre, close to the train station.
Booking conditions
- Payment can be made by credit card, bank transfer, Google Pay or Apple Pay.
- Full payment is needed to secure a place.
- Refunds: available until 2 weeks before the event, less £10 administration and processing charge.
- Up to 3 days before the event, you can request to transfer your credit to a future event.
- No refund or credit is possible within 3 days of the event.
- Tickets can be resold at the price you paid, to someone else on the pre-registration waitlist or within our Telegram group, up to noon time on the day of the event.
- An email with venue details and other important information will be sent to you 1-2 days before the event.
- If you need to know the venue address sooner, please contact us.
Testimonials
Reviews from past attendees:
“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.”
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