About the East Coast CI Jam

What is the ECJ?

The East Coast Jam (ECJ) is a five-day retreat on a large rural estate to practice Contact Improvisation. We've been gathering twice a year since 1987.

Our gathering is a jam, not a workshop. We recommend some familiarity with CI and comfort with learning by curiosity and exploration. Read below for more on what to expect.

Our Jam is a Collaboration Among Peers – Much Like a Dance

Warmups, workshops, performances, and other structures are initiated and lead by participants - jammers. We all gather for a daily "town hall meeting" to discuss and schedule whatever needs discussion and scheduling, introduce new arrivals, and generally connect as a group. To offset our costs, jam participation includes a one-hour community work shift. A few jammers are responsible for organizing the logistics before and during the event and facilitating the community meetings, but it is up to all the jammers to create and shape each unique jam.

Open jamming is our primary focus. Other activities typically include an Underscore, jammer-initiated classes and sessions, agreed-upon improv structures, group discussions, and so on.

All Experience Levels Welcome, But the Jam is Different From a Workshop

While all levels of CI experience are welcome, please be advised this is a jam-focused retreat and not a workshop or intensive. While classes are sometimes requested and offered spontaneously during the jam, we encourage beginners and those new to CI to take this into consideration when deciding whether or not the ECJ is the right fit. To that end, taking classes before the ECJ starts, or simply coming with a willingness to ask questions and to learn by exploration, could be a great way to feel more comfortable with this Jam-focused retreat.

Kids at the Jam?

We welcome children, but do not provide special programming or babysitting. Parents or guardians agree to be fully be responsible for their supervision. Kids under 12 get a discount on meals and accommodations.

Being At the East Coast Jam

See At-the-ECJ Details for various handy details.

When is the Next One, How Much Does it Cost?

Logistical details for each jam are in each jam-specific page.

What is Contact Improvisation (CI)?

CI is a kind of game or dance where people explore moving cooperatively, mutually organizing themselves around shared points of physical contact. In practice, CI is one of the best-known forms of postmodern dance, as well as a basis for dance gatherings: jams. See the Wikipedia CI entry for more.

ECJ Glimpses

Rejuvenation of Our Dance Floor

In 2017, after 30 years of gathering at Claymont, we recognized that the much-patched primary dance floor was worn beyond repair. Our host, the Claymont Society for Continuous Education, is a non-profit educational organization and community, without sufficient resources to completely fund the replacement, so we spearheaded an effort to raise funds and members of our community organized construction of a new floor. The new floor is terrific!

Special thanks all who helped with its construction!

Big thanks to kp_nine for putting this video together and Rattlemouth for the music!

Respecting Boundaries

Contact Improvisation is based around mutual cooperation rather than control. To work well it depends on mutual respect for one another's boundaries. All jammers agree to abide by our Boundary and Consent Guidelines.

For more reading on this topic, please check out Respecting Boundaries and the resources listed at the end of the Boundary and Consent Guidelines.

Claymont Court Retreat Center

The jam happens at Claymont Court Seminars and Retreat Center near Charles Town, West Virginia. Claymont Court is an almost 200-year-old estate featuring around 350 acres of woods, fields, farmland, and a Georgian-style mansion where the jam group resides. Near Harper's Ferry W.Va, it's about a 95-minute (65 mile) drive from Washington, DC. It offers an idyllic rural gathering in which to explore, dance, create and find new inspirations for movement and growth.

Claymont is available as a retreat center through the efforts of residents who are part of the evolving Claymont Society for Continuous Education. The society was founded by J.G. Bennett in the spirit of G.I. Gurdjieff's teachings, and the people are friendly, like-minded hosts for the East Coast Jam, with several members of their community participating over the years.

Address: Claymont Society Claymont Court Mansion Charles Town, WV 25414 - the specific location is the Claymont Mansion, where we reside during the jam. The primary dance space is a 1⁄2 mile countryside walk from the residence.

Pets

Claymont does not allow pets. Service animals are permitted.

Enroll in the ECJ Announcements Mailing List

Get emails for registration openings, special events and East Coast Jam developments.