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International Contact Improvisation Dance Festival in Provence
July 18-24, 2026 - Rustrel - Vaucluse - France - 16th Edition - SUMMER
Contact Improvisation • Workshops • Jams • Underscore • Live Music • Ecstatic Dance • Nature
The 16th edition of the Contact Improvisation Dance Festival in Provence takes place in Rustrel, one of the most beautiful villages in France, located north of Apt at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse. A unique 7-day immersion for 35 participants to explore dance and movement through high-quality workshops, jams, live music and many other experiences to share together.
Practical information
• Open to everyone who wishes to share, discover or deepen their practice of Contact Improvisation. The festival welcomes all levels, from beginners to advanced and professional dancers.
• Dates and schedule: From Saturday July 18 (afternoon) to Friday July 24 (midday).
• Limited places: Maximum 35 participants, accepted in order of registration.
• Location: Rustrel, in Provence. A professional dance space with a high-quality wooden dance floor.
• Meals: Delicious vegetarian meals prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible.
Our local cook Adeline will take care of us throughout the week. Her culinary talent and creativity are simply outstanding.
FESTIVAL PHILOSOPHY
This festival was born from the shared vision of a brother and sister united by their passion for dance.
Mercè Nebot, who has been living in Provence for more than 20 years, and Pep Nebot, based in Barcelona, joined their energies to create a space for sharing, creativity and the beauty of movement.
At each edition, participants from different countries come together, creating a rich cultural exchange around art, dance and creativity.
Our approach
During the festival, we place special attention on several key elements:
• High-quality teaching, with internationally renowned teachers.
• A small group experience.
A small group sharing an intimate and meaningful human journey over the course of a week. We aim to nurture a sense of belonging and community, within an inclusive, generous and supportive environment.
• Connection with nature, surrounded by the beauty of Provence’s landscapes and charming villages.
• Cultural exchange between local and international participants.
Through experience we have seen how bringing together people from different cultures and life paths creates a spiral of creativity, learning and self-discovery.
• Living Contact Improvisation in its essence, guided by its core principles:
respect for oneself and others, group awareness, safety and creativity, movement with gravity, touch, presence, attention and self-knowledge.
Structure of the intensives
INTENSIVE
BASTIEN AUBER
Presence, Grace, Mystery
This workshop will open space for some of the most precious things of Contact Improvisation.
It is directed for everyone that wants to be there.
It will suggest that experience is born by witnessing yourself, being attentive, but not heavy.
By making partnership with gravity we have the gateway for the playfulness, the force of life that crosses us all.
You know, any mo-ve-ment is a precious thing, I would say that even if you repeat it, it will be new.
Presence is always here, we just tune attention to empower it.
I like to invert the assumption that we dance, for the one who says that we are danced.
Let's embody this surrender and enjoy the poetry that is behind words.
Your first task is to lower your expectations, but knowing that we will consider dance itself as a teacher, and the floor and the sky will be available to dance with.
More bodies will appear, we will have the grace of improvisation inside the clearest bases.
Welcome.
Bring yourself.
As you are.
INTENSIVE
ADRIAN RUSSI
Full of swing, light and grounded: Waves Riding
Is there anything more enjoyable than finding a common flow without any noticeable effort, following each other unquestioningly in a duet and then being deeply nourished and wondering about how this was possible?
The magic of the present moment has a major part in such an event. Each time it occurs, it is a great gift and demands great devotion to the here and now.
In the five days that we dedicate to “Wave Riding”, we deepen our ability to engage with the current moment, trust our body's impulses and focus our attention where it is helpful. In addition to this inner work, the focus is on learning differentiated movement techniques. We practise following gravity and momentum, making use of them and finding our way through falling and swinging into a dance that ultimately consists of many smaller and larger wavelike movements. Sometimes these are felt internally and can barely be seen from the outside - as in small dance, for example - and sometimes they become very spacious through large rebound movements.
Sensing with precision and differentiation, translating impulses into movement and leaving enough room for the dynamic - this will be in fact the main challenge for us to ride the wave of shared movement and enthusiasm.
The inner work and the technical movement work will again go hand in hand in this workshop. The distinction is rather fluid or even artificial - very much in the spirit of the BodyMind.
FOOD
🍃 Adeline – healthy, local and flavorful cuisine
Throughout the festival, Adeline, our local cook, will delight us with light, nourishing vegetarian meals, served at lunch and dinner.
🌿 Fresh and organic ingredients
Her dishes are prepared with seasonal ingredients, sourced from local farms and organic agriculture, bringing freshness, color and authenticity to every plate.
✨ Food that nourishes body and soul
With generosity and passion, Adeline offers a cuisine that is simple, vibrant and balanced, perfectly aligned with the spirit of the festival. 🍽
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
With accommodation at Rustrel Castle (only 30 beds available)
• Early Bird until June 10, 2026: €495
• After June 10, 2026: €535
Without accommodation at Rustrel Castle
• Early Bird until June 10, 2026: €415
• After June 10, 2026: €455
To reserve the place, you must pay the deposit of €100, and the rest can be transferred or paid in cash at the event.
What is included in the price:
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Accommodation in Rustrel Castle in shared rooms. People will be distributed as they register. (for those who pay the price with accommodation).
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All lunches and dinners, with organic vegetarian cuisine.
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Use of the common spaces of the castle, dining room, bathrooms, terraces, etc.
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All workshops and jams.
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Liability insurance.
What is not included in the price:
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Breakfasts. The dining room of the Castle will be available to all participants, sleeping in the castle or not. Also, coffee and tea will always be available to everyone. 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.
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