Consent is a co-creative process by which we decide what may and may not take place in an interaction.  Dance is a spectacular place to illuminate and practice these largely non-verbal negotiations.  Improvisatory dances such as contact improvisation and ecstatic dance are particularly poignant because there are relatively few set rules—most everything is up for creative interpretation.  If we get stuck in our heads this makes it more challenging, but if we consciously listen and trust our bodies then a magical coherence starts to take place, and the dance takes on a life of its own.

I have had the wonderful privilege of traveling this week with my wife and son in Mexico.  We don’t speak Spanish, so verbal communication with others is restricted.  There’s many people who do speak English, and simultaneously many of those people reaching out to us wish to sell us something; we are clearly tourists.  We find ourselves navigating between being gracious guests and holding our boundaries with clarity.  Spacing, facing, eye contact, timing, and movement quality are all key ways we communicate.  It’s uncomfortable and disorienting at times, but also really incredible how much can be navigated non-verbally.  Please join me to explore these elements in the Non-Verbal Boundaries and Consent BraveSpace Online Workshop on June 15th.

Last week my friend Kelsey and I illustrated ways of beginning and ending dances.  This week’s video is about boundaries; sometimes firm, often gracious, and almost always creative.