Welcome

To the Somatics Festival 2019 archival website, celebrating the work of Janet Adler, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, and Nancy Stark Smith and the 45-year heritage of Contact Quarterly in Northampton, MA.

The Somatics Festival 2019 focused on the emerging work of Janet Adler, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Nancy Stark Smith and the 45-year heritage of Contact Quarterly in the l970’s-90’s in the generative landscape and culturescape of Northampton, Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley in the U.S.A. 

Why this place? How did the confluence of distinct disciplines and practices support their development? When did the work itself move beyond time and place to include so many global practitioners and teachers? And what was the role of Contact Quarterly as a disseminator of ideas and an archival resource? These questions and many more emerged and were addressed in conversations over the five-day period. 

The intention of this website is to offer free access to primary views around these dynamic fields of inquiry—the Discipline of Authentic Movement, Body-Mind Centering®, and Contact Improvisation—while archiving material and ideas for the future. We hope to expand participation, serve as a resource and inspiration, and further the role of contemporary media-making in communicating embodied practices.

Collaboration takes many forms. Curated by one person, on a low budget, with high expectations, the festival depended on multiple interconnected parts. Included were three featured guests, eleven additional presenters, five performers, eight archivists, nine visual artists, two introducers, and 200+ participants, hosted by five organizational partners and a stellar, mostly-volunteer staff, at three dedicated sites, with one supporting funder. Yes, yes, yes from many made this generous offering possible, including you who are viewing and may share the site with colleagues and friends.  Welcome.

Andrea Olsen, Festival Curator

January 2020