"Around the Whorl" and "Mary, Marry Merry Go Round"

REAson d'etre dance strives to provide artistic expression through movement, inclusive of age, ability, level, or background. We create, stage, and program dance works based on Contact Improvisation so we can utilize the inclusiveness that can be a part of this dance form. Our vision is for both professional dancers and everyday people to be inspired by and invigorated through Contact Improvisation. This mandate involves initiatives that work to dismantle racism, ableism, and other "isms" since their existence hinders us from achieving our mandate. We are committed to examining the art form of Contact Improvisation and acknowledging its history of inequity, ableism, and racism. We strive to engage in a continuing process of educating ourselves and acting for change. We believe that increasing accessibility breaks down barriers to dance, creating stunning humanity that is the heart of the artistic aesthetic we reach for. Our contact dance jams are the root from which all our programming grows. They are a mix of performance, research, rehearsal, and incubator. A musician improvises, sweeping dancers into explorations of different themes. We believe teaming Contact Dance with exceptional live music deepens the form. Our contact dance jams build community. It's about relationships, with the quality of communication being the aesthetic measure. Classes in functional movement help Contact Dancers move with ease and prevent injury. We see healthy movement as beautiful and