NORWAY
SILENT CONTACT RETREAT
8th Edition
16 TO 22 AUGUST 2026
NORWAY
SILENT CONTACT RETREAT
8th Edition
16 TO 22
AUGUST 2026
A week of Contact Improvisation without words.
Moving, resting, creating, coexisting in silence.
Inhabiting through touch, weight and gravity the ways to be together.
No words, No teaching, No performance.
Daily jams
Authentic movement
Dancing scores
What It Is
The Silent Contact Retreat is a week-long immersion in Contact Improvisation held in silence and in nature.
There are no classes and no verbal instruction. The days unfold through jams, authentic movement sessions, and dancing scores, with space to rest, eat, and be together without words.
Silence is the ground.
Contact Improvisation is the practice.
Presence is the invitation.
“I have seen willful students
Pre-Retreat Workshop (Optional)
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”
With Anjelika Doniy
A 4-day Contact Improvisation workshop
exploring listening, weight, and presence —
offered with or without participation in the retreat.
10% discount on the total if joining both events
How We Practice
Each day unfolds within a simple, shared rhythm. Time is given to movement, rest, and quiet presence.
Some spaces are completely open, others gently framed
by scores or minimal structures. There is no verbal teaching.
Attention is guided through listening,
and through the shared responsibility of the group.
Jams
Open movement space where participants are free
to enter, leave, rest, or return.
to enter, leave, rest, or return.
Attention is shared, the form remains open.
Authentic Movement
A focused practice.
Moving and witnessing in silence, with sustained presence and care.
Scores
Simple directions
that frame attention and choice.
that frame attention and choice.
Each score invites
a different level of commitment.
Silence
Silence is the ground of the retreat.
There is no speaking, no gesturing,
and no written communication during the retreat.
This shared agreement allows attention to settle, reduces social negotiation, and invites deeper listening — to self, to others, to nature, to space.
Silence is held collectively,
with care and respect.
“Silence is not emptiness. It is filled with presence: the presence of the body, the breath, the earth, the air, the subtle sounds that silence lets us hear.”
Ursula K. Le Guin
Who This Retreat Is For
This retreat is for dancers and movers with experience in Contact Improvisation.
You may be drawn to this retreat if you:
Are comfortable self-directing your practice.
Are curious about and committed to silence as a field for movement.
Value presence and practice over performance.
Appreciate shared responsibility and care.
This retreat is not suitable for complete beginners in Contact Improvisation.
The Place
Nordmarkskapellet
The chapel in the forest
The retreat takes place in a chapel built in 1933. Surrounded by the Nordmarka forest. An idyllic region filled with trees, quiet paths, and open sky.
We gather in a simple, warm space with wooden floors and natural light.
Nature is not a backdrop,
it is part of the practice.
The Team
Alessandro
Rivelino
Organization/Facilitation
Mario
Blanco
Organization/Facilitation
Ann Kristin
Foss Holten
Organization/Facilitation
Anjelika
Doniy
Facilitation
Practical Information
Dates: 16–22 August 2026
Location: Nordmarka, Oslo, Norway
Language: Silence (English before & after)
Duration: 7 days (optional Pre-retreat 4 days)
Group size: Limited
Food: 3 vegetarian meals
Accomodation: Camping, Room in chapel, Room in modern cabin
Pricing: Starting from € 400
Pre-retreat Starting from € 340
10 % Discount in total price if joining both events.
*Discounts are only applicable to non promotional prices.
Prices & Accommodation
All options include the full program, vegetarian meals, and accommodation for the duration of each event.
Silent Contact Retreat
Solidarity Price
Limited to 10 spots, for participants with limited financial resources. These 10 spots are supported.
Shared room or Tent (chapel)
€ 420
Standard Price
Tent (chapel grounds)
€ 480
Shared room (chapel)
€ 520
Modern Cabin (KSI)
The modern cabin offers more comfort and private room. Modern toilets, multiple showers, sauna and a private kitchen. Availability is limited.
Single room (KSI)
€ 650
Ready to join?
Registration is open. Places are limited.
Final confirmation of accommodation and price depends on availability.
We trust participants to choose the price that best reflects their current financial situation.
Pre-Retreat Workshop
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”
With Anjelika Doniy
Solidarity Price
Limited to 5 spots, for participants with limited financial resources. These 5 spots are supported.
Shared room or Tent (chapel)
€ 340
Standard Price
Shared room or Tent (chapel)
€ 430
Ready to join?
Registration is open. Places are limited.
Final confirmation of accommodation and price depends on availability.
We trust participants to choose the price that best reflects their current financial situation.
FAQ
What exactly is the Silent Contact Retreat?
The Silent Contact Retreat is an immersive experience where the research and pursue of silence — understood as a state that goes beyond the absence of words — unfolds through Contact Improvisation, Authentic Movement, and carefully curated scores.
Each element supports and amplifies the others, deepening states of presence, listening, and embodied awareness.
How do we support safety and clarity if we can´t speak?
Silence is never held at the expense of safety or care.
If communication is needed — whether due to an actual risk of harm or a perceived sense of unsafety, confusion, or the need to assert a boundary that cannot be conveyed otherwise — verbal communication is absolutely encouraged and expected.
Speaking in these moments is not a break of the practice, but an expression of responsibility toward oneself and the shared space.
Guidelines around silence, safety, and communication will be shared at the beginning of the retreat to support clarity and mutual care.
How do we communicate if we don’t speak?
In the Silent Contact Retreat, we cultivate silence as a shared field.
This means we are not aiming to communicate with each other, nor to replace verbal language with another form of intentional communication.
Silence is held so that attention can widen and listening can deepen — toward movement, sensation, space, and the relational field itself.
At times, through this cultivation of silence and open awareness, subtle forms of understanding may arise naturally. Without being sought or directed, moments of attunement, recognition, or shared orientation can appear. These moments are not a goal, but quiet treasures that sometimes reveal themselves within the practice.
What will a typical day look like?
Daily rhythm includes:
-
Open Jam, Arrive & exit as felt.
-
Authentic Movement, committed presence from start to end.
- Scores / focused jams, each score is a different invitation and commitment request.
Why silence? How does it work in practice?
Silence isn’t just absence of speech — it’s a shared field that expands awareness and communication beyond words. In The Silent Contact Retreat we open the Silence on the evening of the first day, and we stay in it until the last morning of the last day.
Do I need experience to join?
Yes — you should have contact improvisation experience (classes, jams, workshops), but mainly you should feel comfortable navigating a jam space independently.
If you are uncertain about your level of experience, we invite you to reach out for a short conversation so we can sense together whether joining is supportive for you and for the group.
Prior exposure to contemplative practices (meditation, stillness) is helpful but not required.
Can I end silence early? Or join the Retreat for a shorter time?
In normal circumstances, no.
The retreat is conceived as a continuous container, held collectively from beginning to end, and the shared silence is an essential part of that commitment.
However, well-being, safety, and individual needs always take precedence over this intention.
If you need to leave the silence, step out of the retreat, or receive emotional support, the organizing/facilitation team is available to meet you and support you in finding a good way forward.
Will there be music or instruments?
No. There will be no music, instruments, or guest musicians, and participants are asked not to bring or play music.
Music powerfully shapes rhythm and emotional tone. In this retreat we choose to explore the body, movement, and silence without an external guide, supporting an equal and shared field where no one directs the experience of others.
Is sexual or romantic contact permitted?
CI practice and the Silent Contact Retreat do not frame the container as a space for sexual encounters even if sexual energy is a natural part of human experience. Boundary awareness and consent are central, and respectful practice holds physical + emotional safety first.
We encourage participants to observe their experiences while remaining focused on the practices.
What about physical safety and consent?
Contact Improvisation is built on consent, mutual respect, and awareness. Touch isn’t automatic — it’s continuously negotiated through presence, movement, and non-verbal signals. And sometimes, through simply moving away from a situation, dance, or person.
However, as we mentioned earlier, Silence is never held at the expense of safety or care. If communication is needed — because presence, movement, and other signals are not getting being received — verbal communication is absolutely encouraged and expected.
Speaking in such situation is not a break of the practice, but an expression of responsibility toward oneself and the shared space.
What if I feel overwhelmed or need support?
Organisers are present to hold the container and support participants as needed. Retreat culture emphasises personal responsibility plus communal care — and support structures are shared early on so everyone knows how to ask for help or re-enter spoken communication if necessary.
Can I use my phone or digital devices?
Usually phone and digital use is not allowed for the retreat duration to uphold the contemplative field.
Specific compromises are proposed for particular circumstances (parents with young children, a relative with illness, etc)
Are meals included?
Yes, the retreat provides three vegetarian meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), tea, snack fruits and water; dietary needs are gathered on registration.
You are welcome to bring your own supplements/snacks.
What should I bring?
The usual things you will take to a dance retreat.
Clothes for movement (avoid zippers and metal accessories), layers for the weather, water bottle, and personal items. Sleeping bag for the Chapel rooms, and camping gear if camping.
What shouldn´t I bring?
Musical instruments
Clothes with legends (texts, distracting logos)
Noisy things (a noisy bottle, for example)
Camera
Is there a deposit, cancellation, or refund policy?
Yes, we require a non-refundable deposit corresponding to approximately 30% of the total retreat fee, payable within 21 days of receiving our welcoming email.
Deposit amounts
Retreat:
• Solidarity Price (€ 420 total) → € 130 deposit
• Standard Price (€ 480 – € 520 total) → € 160 deposit
• Modern Cabin (Single room) (€ 650 total) → € 200 deposit
Pre-Retreat Workshop:
• Solidarity Price (€ 340 total) → € 110 deposit
• Standard Price (€ 430 total) → € 150 deposit
A Spot on the retreat is only confirmed once the deposit has been received. We are unable to hold places beyond 21 days without prepayment.
The remaining balance is due no later than August 1st, 2025.
What happens after the retreat?
The retreat formally ends on August 22nd after lunch, around 14:00–15:00.
After closing, we will share a collective cleaning period, including both common and personal tasks, to prepare the venue for handover the following day. This process is part of our shared responsibility and usually takes around 2 hours.
Departure from the venue is expected around 18:00.
Staying longer
It is possible to remain at the venue (chapel and KSI) for the rest of the day and until the afternoon of August 23rd.
This option must be communicated and paid for in advance.
Food will be provided by the organisation; however, cooking during this extra time is self-organised by participants who volunteer for it.