continuum
Continuum is a somatic practice that returns the body to a fluid, dynamic, and resonant state through intuitive movement.
Founded by Emilie Conrad in the 1960s, Continuum Movement®(CM) is a somatic practice that combines breath, vocalization (sounding), and intuitive movement to tap into the fluid nature of the body. Modern life—with its impossible work expectations, oppressive structures, and unlivable environments—can disconnect the body from its inherently fluid, lively, and creative state. Through gentle explorations, CM practices teach us to move the body intuitively by listening to the language of sensation, while giving full permission to be guided by pleasure and ease.
Unlike other movement modalities that focus on physical form and external technique, Continuum teaches us to slow down and trust the body—regardless of how the movement appears on the outside. Continuum may be of particular interest to people who want to move their bodies in community without pressure or expectation about how the movement “looks.” In Continuum, we generally practice with eyes closed, lying on the floor, and emphasize trust, agency, and empowerment in movement.
Conrad was a student of anthropologist-dancers Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus, two of the most important dance-makers of the 20th century. Dunham and Primus integrated their anthropological and dance practices, drawing on ethnographic insights to shape movement, art, and performance. In this way, Continuum draws on a long lineage of resisting the objectification of the body by grounding into the details of ordinary experience, offering a practice to explore the many registers—including the biological, cultural, and unknowable dimensions—of existing in a human body.
See Offerings for current and upcoming Continuum workshops and classes.