Music

1. Anir Leben Music

I have been writing songs and played music from a young age, started improvising in JAMs since the beginning of my CI practice, have studied the voice as an instrument as much as I could and my passion-devision with dance allowed me to, sang and improvised with DJs, Bands and my guitar wherever I could and hosted Circles for people to find their own voice and musicality for many years now. Music was my first love... it lead me through many different styles and approaches and nourished my curiosity for improvisation and exploration which expanded into Contact Improv.

2. Music in/for Contact Improvisation Dance?

There are strong opinions around the subject of music in CI JAMS and other settings. To some, they don’t want to have any other sound in the space then the mere audible reflections of the dancing – I’d like to call them „purists“. To others, they don’t feel inspired to dance without music and really want to have constant music input going, not so important which kind, maybe live – let’s call them the „music- dancers“. To some inbetweeners, they just don’t want to have the music with rhythm, so let’s call them the „atmospheric-sound-dancers“.

Then I believe there is some like me, who like to have a mix, let’s call them the „mixers“ I love silence in JAMS and I love some musical input with and without rhythm. If there is rhythm applied however, it „should“ to my physical ci-mind, be just one colour, not the constant ground for any kind of picture. And just like any other musical output, it is an art to provide/play music for Contact Improvisation that is not to be taken for granted. As a musician, you are just like a dancer in the space.

Sometimes you take space, sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you’re seen/heard, sometimes you’re not. Sometimes you fly high, sometimes low. Sometimes it has rhythm, sometimes not. Sound is the most dominating factor in a JAM. You can look away, but you will have a hard time to „listen away“. If the people who provide the music are aware of this and are trained in listening, it is the best multiple non-verbal conversation that we can experience, I believe!