International Festival of Contact Improvisation & BUTÔ Dance in Provence
October 27 - November 1, 2025 - Rustrel (Vaucluse) - XIV EDITION (AUTUMN)
Contact Improvisation, Butoh, Performances, Intensive Workshops, Jams, Underscore, Live Music, Nature.
The 14th edition of the Provence Contact Improvisation Dance Festival will take place in Rustrel, one of the most beautiful villages in France, located north of Apt and at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse. For 7 days, for 35 participants, come and experience a unique immersion in dance and movement through quality workshops, jams, live music, and many other activities to share.
For this 14th edition, we are expanding our exploration laboratory by inviting the art of Butoh, opening up new sensory and poetic perspectives to enrich our dance practice:
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The event is open to anyone who wishes to share, learn, and deepen their knowledge of Contact Improvisation Dance. The space is open to all levels, from beginners to advanced and professional dancers.
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Days and times: From Monday, October 27th afternoon to Saturday, November 1st afternoon.
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Places available: Limited to 35 and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Location: Rustrel (Provence). Professional dance space with a high-quality wooden dance floor. Meals:
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Vegetarian meals prepared with fresh, quality products, sourced locally whenever possible. Adeline, our local cook, will delight us !
FESTIVAL PHILOSOPHY
This festival was born from an initiative between a brother and sister and their passion for dance. Mercè Nebot, who has lived in Provence for 20 years, and Pep Nebot, who lives in Barcelona, joined forces to create this space for sharing dance, creation, and beauty.
Each year, people of different nationalities have gathered for the Festival, particularly from France and Spain. However, each year other nationalities join us, which is very enriching and helps build a cultural bridge around art, dance, and creativity.
At this festival, we want to prioritize certain approaches:
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Quality teaching in Contact Improvisation dance to promote greater body awareness;
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Welcoming a small group who will experience an intimate and profound human adventure together for a week. We aim to generate a sense of belonging and a sense of community by creating an inclusive, generous, and supportive environment;
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Being in contact with nature and surrounded by the beauty of the landscapes and charming villages of the heart of Provence.
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Cultural exchange between local and international participants; We have already experienced on numerous occasions that when people from different cultures and life experiences come together, we all grow in a spiral of creativity and self-knowledge;
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Live Contact Improvisation in its essence, with its living principles, present at all times: self-respect and respect for others, a sense of group, safety and creativity, gravitational movement, contact, attention, and self-knowledge, among others.
STRUCTURE & CONTENT OF INTENSIVES
Butoh Intensive: “Towards Dancing Like a Flower” – Maki Watanabe
The founder of Butoh dance, Tatsumi Hijikata, said,
“Butoh is a corpse standing with all its strength.”
And the other founder, Kazuo Ohno, said,
“Butoh is the dream of a fetus.”
Through Butoh dance, we can explore our body, our presence, as they are.
By observing rain, wind, animals, insects, stones, etc… things from nature,
we try to dance life and death, shadow and light, with our own body.
As if we were trying to discover our resemblance to a flower.
As if we were trying to open a flower petal, one by one.
The workshops take place through different kinds of work such as observing the body: the organs, the bones, the liquid state, the points, the lines, etc… breathing exercises, walking and its relation to the ground, research with imagination, etc… And dances with different themes, and free dances in improvisation.
These intensive workshops are open to everyone.
It is an initiation, an exploration, an invitation into Butoh dance.
Maki Watanabe
The Japanese word butō (舞踏) combines two ideograms: bu ("to dance") and tō ("to tap the ground"). Used since the 19th century to refer to foreign dances introduced to Japan, in the 1960s it became the name of an innovative dance-theater founded by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ōno. Born out of the sociopolitical upheavals of the post-war period and nurtured by the European avant-garde, butō breaks with stage traditions such as Noh and Kabuki. Steeped in Buddhism and Shinto, it favors slowness, poetry, and minimalism, addressing universal, sometimes taboo or grotesque themes. Without a rigid style, it seeks above all to explore the mind, the relationship to the cosmos, and the place of being in the universe.
Contact Improvisation and Expanded Points of Attention - Pep Nebot
In my classes, we will seek a balance between solid technical work in Contact Improvisation and the integration of additional points of attention that can enrich and inspire our dancing.
On the technical side, I am particularly drawn to exploring the continuum of weight-sharing between two moving bodies, the unpredictability and adaptability of movement, and the ongoing, clear dialogue between partners. Flying and falling are integral to our technical exploration, approached with care, safety, and mindful attention. These fundamental principles — the contact with the floor, the moving point of contact in a duet, the sense of shared weight, and the direction of movement — are endlessly rich and will remain our foundation.
On top of this base, we will introduce other points of attention to see how they shift, deepen, or transform our dance. For instance: What happens when we focus our gaze into the far distance, or onto something just a few centimeters away? What happens when we remain highly permeable to the presence and potential influence of other dancers in the room, beyond our immediate partner — allowing their energy, movement, or rhythm to subtly seep into and reshape our duet? When we focus our attention in having a secret trio while ? How does our CI change if we give “super-powers” to our hands (or other part of our body), letting them lead and inspire the movement? How is our dance influenced by the awareness of performing in front of an audience, or being in a stage-like situation?
Through these explorations, my aim is twofold: to deepen our understanding and embodiment of Contact Improvisation’s core principles, and to open new pathways that expand our daily CI practice. Ultimately, we will discover how subtle shifts in attention can reveal fresh possibilities and bring new textures, colors, and inspirations to our shared dancing.
Contact Improvisation – From Organic Movement to Connection
with Mercè Nebot
This Contact Improvisation class invites you into a somatic exploration of movement, where dance takes root in a deeper connection with the body’s organic and tissue structures.
We will take time to sense how bones, muscles, fascia, and fluids support and nourish movement, and how listening to them with attention can open new qualities of presence and relationship.
Through this inner awareness, we will explore how our internal dynamics meet the outside world, subtly shaping our dance and our interactions with others.
Movement quality will deepen, gaining finer textures, greater attentiveness, and an expanded sensitivity.
Blending the principles of Contact Improvisation with somatic awareness, this work opens the doors of perception and invites our dances to be infused with an intimate, vibrant connection.
Open to all levels — no previous experience required.
Adeline: Wholesome, Local, and Full of Flavor
Throughout the retreat, Adeline, our local cook, will delight us with vegetarian meals — light, nourishing, and full of energy — served for lunch and dinner.
Fresh and Organic Ingredients
Her dishes are crafted with seasonal produce, sourced from local farms and organic agriculture, bringing freshness, color, and authenticity to every plate.
Food that Nurtures Body and Soul
With generosity and passion, Adeline invites us to enjoy a simple, vibrant, and balanced cuisine, perfectly aligned with the spirit of the retreat.
ABOUT RUSTREL
Rustrel is a village located north of Apt and at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse. Its open-pit ochre quarries, fully exploited in the past, have enriched the area and continue to attract tourism, along with those of the "Colorado Provençal." Its dirt trails allow visitors to discover eroded cliffs with more than 20 shades of ochre, hoodoos, and more. They date back to the Cretaceous period and are composed mainly of ochre sand, white sand, and ferruginous crust.
A privileged environment: The Colorado Provençal covers more than 30 hectares in the Luberon massif, about 10 km from Apt. Marked trails lead through old ochre quarries with more than 20 shades of ochre. The site includes the "Cirque de Barriès", the "Cirque de Bouvène", settling ponds, fairy chimneys (dangerous area prohibited by municipal decree), the "Sahara", and the bed of the Dôa (a small local river). The GR 6 long-distance hiking trail crosses the site. The ochre colors of the Provençal Colorado contrast with the green shades of the vegetation and the white of the surrounding limestone massifs.
To get to Rustrel: From Avignon:
Bus Line 915 Avignon-Apt
Then Bus Line 916 Apt-Sault --- Get off at Rustrel.
ACCOMMODATION
12th-century Château de Rustrel located in the village center This 12th-century castle has recently been restored and is continually updated every year. Nevertheless, it's a truly royal experience, with dinners in the amphitheater at the foot of the castle in fine weather, rooms for 2 and dormitories with 3, 4, and 6 beds, and a large common room on the ground floor. As it's located in the center of the village, it's also a great opportunity to take a stroll around the oil mill or simply listen to its footsteps echoing through the cobbled streets. We'll have the chance to stay together in this historic building and meet there for each meal to share unforgettable moments.
PRICES
Rates WITH accommodation at Château de Rustrel (only 30 beds):
Early Bird until September 30, 2025: €440
After September 30, 2025: €480
Rates WITHOUT accommodation at Château de Rustrel:
Early Bird until September 30, 2025: €370
After September 30, 2025: €410
To reserve a place, a deposit of €100 is required. The remainder must be paid at the event, preferably in cash.
What's included in the price:
Accommodation at Château de Rustrel in shared rooms. Guests will be allocated as they register (for those paying the price with accommodation).
All lunches and dinners, featuring organic vegetarian cuisine.
Use of the castle's common areas: dining room, bathrooms, terraces, etc.
All workshops and jam sessions. Liability insurance.
What is not included in the price:
Breakfasts (the castle's dining room will be available to all participants). Coffee and tea will always be available, and a refrigerator will also be made available to all participants.
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
To reserve your place, you must register in the registration form and pay the deposit of €100 to confirm your reservation; the balance will be paid by bank transfer before the event or paid in cash on the first day of the event.
The deposit can be transferred to a Spanish or French bank, or via PayPal:
• Spanish bank: IBAN: ES47 0081 0900 8000 0334 3240 SWIFT: BSABESBBXXX (Owner: José Nebot Muns)
• French bank: IBAN: FR76 1390 6001 4200 1891 0602 595 / BIC: AGRIFRPP839 / Association Corps Raccords
• PayPal: emotionbodies@gmail.com If you choose to pay via PayPal, a commission is applied, which can vary from €5 (Eurozone) to €20 (Israel, for example). Due to these large amounts, we will ask you to pay us this commission in cash at the festival. Thank you for your understanding
When transferring, write "your first and last name + Festival Provence" in the concept. For international transfers, make sure the amount sent is exempt from bank commissions.
Contact and information:
Contact in France: Merce Nebot +33 666124365, corpsraccords.asso@gmail.com
Contact in Catalonia: Pep Nebot +34 685166358, info@emotionbodies.com
CANCELLATION POLICY: If the workshop is canceled for a reason attributable to the organization or beyond its control, the organization is obligated to refund the full amount paid by the participant. If the participant cancels, we regret that we cannot issue any refunds, due to all the administrative work and to ensure the sustainability of the event. Make sure you have the dates available.
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION: In accordance with current regulations, we inform you that your personal data will be incorporated into a file owned by E Motion Bodies Handstand. You may exercise your rights of access, rectification, cancellation, and opposition by writing to emotionbodies@gmail.com.
IMAGE RIGHTS: By completing and submitting this form, you authorize Associació E Motion Bodies Handstand to take photos of you to illustrate the material disseminating the activities carried out. The images may be distributed on any medium (TV, press, internet, external media, promotional material, social networks, etc.). Distribution may only be carried out free of charge and for the purpose of disseminating the activities of Associació E Motion Bodies Handstand. This authorization is completely free of charge and you agree not to claim any compensation, payment and/or indemnity in exchange for the authorization agreed with Associació E Motion Bodies Handstand for the use of your image or the person you represent.