Contact Improvisation-Inspired Score & Jam: Beyond Saudade
Creativity, discovery, playfulness, learning, physicality, and connection
No prior experience with Contact Improvisation required
All are welcome
Closed captioning provided on advance request
We have a Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245793376703862/
Creativity, discovery, playfulness, learning, physicality, and connection
No prior experience with Contact Improvisation required
All are welcome
Closed captioning provided on advance request
We have a Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245793376703862/
WHEN
Saturdays, 9:45am-11:00am PST (UTC-8). Optional group discussion about Score & Jam for 30 minutes after each session, followed by general discussion.
*ZOOM LINK is posted here, and in our Facebook Group and Facebook weekly event page the morning of each session.
--------------------------->
ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84955745680
Meeting ID: 849 5574 5680 . Waiting room. No Password.
—--
Score of the week for 2/18/25:
Sweet Peas Towards Touch
Mover(s) and Watcher(s)
The Mover(s) are the little tendrils of a Sweet Pea. When a tendril of a Sweet Pea touches a supporting structure, it curves in the direction of the support and coils around it. It grows and moves towards and around touch. The Watcher(s) benevolent eyes are the light, little suns, under which’s condition the tendrils can move and grow.
The Mover(s) grow towards touch. The Watcher(s) can equally get touched by the Mover(s) growth and movements and thus start to move in their own patterns of growth. We just have to make sure, that there is always light to the process, so that there are Watcher(s) witnessing the moving and growing tendrils of the Sweet Peas. At least there must always be one Mover and one Watcher. So if you are the last Watcher, you should at least wait for another Watcher before you become a Mover again. (Note: depending on how many people join the score, we can also say e.g. at least always two Movers and two Watchers.)
You can move in your habitat, maybe connecting to yourself and your body, while starting to move gently and sensing where your body touches surfaces or objects. When a surface or object or even one of your own body parts catches your interest, you can start to grow and/or move towards it. You can see what you touch or what touches you on a physical level but as well on a visual or affective level, so you maybe want to coil around something or embrace it with your eyes, or your heart. What responds to you or to what do you respond and how you can move or grow towards it.
When watchers become touched by what they see or they get into contact with something which something or catch interest in a contact, they can start to respond to that stimulus and take it with them and move with it or grow or move towards it until we are an intertwined Sweet Pea garden, but remember to be aware that there is always light to make possible the growth of the Sweet Peas. Sweet Peas can only grow in the light.
Suggestions and Impulses
The Mover(s) can close their eyes in the beginning (or even throughout their dances) to feel the sensation of their tendrils sensing touch.
Any part of your body can be a tendril, not just your peripheries, also your back or your belly or your body as a whole.
Is there a difference in being touched or by touching in terms of initiating growth towards the touch/the contact?
You can move away from the touch to sense better what it means to move or grow towards touch. How can you grow towards touch?
Is there a difference in growing towards or around touch or moving towards/away from touch?
If you are a Watcher, imagine how wonderful that you can participate in this process! You can observe the Sweet Peas growth, it is a rare coincidence!!
The Watcher(s) can experiment their qualities and ways of watching and relating. They are holding the space for the Sweet Peas searchings, findings and growth. How can you relate to the Sweet Peas growth, what is your movement to it. Can you move to it? What moves you while watching their growths? What is your sensation while observing them?
You can also see with your ears, or touch with your eyes, or sense with your nose, etc.
Thigmotropism: this score is related to positive thigmotropism, it could be extended with negative thigmotropism, as another additional option of choice: moving away from touch or contact. Then it would be a score related to moving towards or away from contact.
------
*Voting for the "Score of the Week" goes on all week here: https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore. The "winning" score is posted at that link at 5:00pm PST (UTC-8) the day before each session.
*Please see "Expectations" and all other info here before arriving.
*No arrivals after 10:00am PST (UTC-8) Saturday.
*Closed captioning available by request. Please contact me by 5pm PST (UTC -8) the day before each session if you want it, using the form at the bottom of this page.
WHY:
Contact Improvisation-inspired online dancing can create moments of great creativity, discovery, playfulness, learning, physicality, and connection. It is not the same as CI, and you don't need to "know" CI to participate.
When I first started trying to “do CI” online, I often felt sad or frustrated. I felt “saudade,” “…the recollection of feelings, experiences, places, or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, and well-being, which now trigger the senses and make one experience the pain of separation from those joyous sensations” (Wikipedia - one of many possible definitions).
But now I love my CI-inspired online dancing. Why?
Beginning in April, 2020 I organized a series of 5 online lab sessions for CI teachers, facilitators, and hosts. We used scores (A.K.A. exercises, experiments, provocations, instigations, structures, procedures) and discussion to help us discover the opportunities in CI-inspired online dancing, and to overcome some of the obstacles. Notes from those labs are here: Notes from labs.
CI-Inspired Weekly Score & Jam sessions aim to create more dance to love, and dance to gather tools and strength. To see a list of observations about online dancing, and questions and desires about how these observations can improve the future of CI, go here.
WHAT
Each session follows this format, Saturdays, time zone PST (UTC - 8):
•9:45am-10:00am: Arrival, orientation, Q&A about the "Score of the Week" (see below), tech check, personal warmup.
•10:00am: Session is closed. NOTE: No late arrivals.
•10:00am-10:05am: Welcome from host, intros
•10:05am-11:00am: Dancing in at least two "rooms." 1) the Score Room, for focused exploration of the "Score of the Week," 2) the Jam Room, for dancing without the Score. You can come and go between rooms as you wish. (See “Breakout Rooms” under the “USING ZOOM” heading below.)
•11:00am: "Goodbyes" from those who are leaving.
•11:00am-11:30am: Optional group discussion about Score & Jam.
•11:30am-whenever last person leaves: Optional general discussion.
EQUITY AND ACCESS
There are many barriers to participation in the sessions, and those barriers are most likely especially high for those people who face inequity in participation not only in CI but in the world at large. I welcome any reflections about the equity of the sessions, and any ideas for increasing the equity of the sessions. Closed captioning is provided on request for welcome, intros, and the after-dance discussion, 11-11:30. Chat to the host is also open throughout. The sessions are offered at no cost and without a request for donations. I also welcome offers to co-lead, or to take over leadership, from those identifying as belonging to a group underrepresented in CI. Please consider equity and access in designing and facilitating proposed scores.
EXPECTATIONS
Arrive before session gets closed. Session closes at 10:00am PST (UTC-8).
BEFORE ARRIVING, PLEASE DO THREE THINGS:
1) Read the community agreements below
2) Ensure that you are familiar with using the 6 features of Zoom listed below, on your device. All devices are welcome. Detachable or wireless webcams, and smaller devices like phones, tablets, or laptops offer the possibility of changing camera orientation. Joining by desktop computer is fine too.
Come early during “tech check” time and ask if you need help to learn these Zoom features:
• Stop video/Start video
• Hide Self-view
• Hide non-video participants
• Gallery view/Speaker view
• Mute/Unmute
• Pin video/Unpin video
3) Read the "Score of the Week" before arriving. It is posted at 5:00pm Pacific Time the day before each session (voting opens each Wednesday), here: https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore
You can ask questions about the score during arrival and orientation time, 9:45am-10:00am.
COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS
By participating in CI-Inspired Weekly Score & Jam: Beyond Saudade
(“Score & Jam”), you agree to the following.
These agreements are part of an effort to create a safer space where community awareness and care are foremost.
* I agree to treat others with awareness and care to the best of my ability, including not capturing/taking photos or video, and not engaging in unsafe, unhealthy, or harassing behaviors towards others.
* I understand that my image and surroundings may be viewable by others in the Zoom meeting, and that sounds in my space may be heard, unless I stop my video and/or mute my audio.
* I agree to take care of myself to the best of my ability, and I acknowledge that I [and any children I am responsible for] participate at my own [our own] risk, and I agree to the liability waiver below.
* Please promptly notify the Score & Jam host about any unhealthy, unsafe, or harassing action by a participant. The host will engage in discussion with the participant and take any action deemed appropriate, including temporary or permanent suspension from participation.
* I agree to ask the host for clarification of any of these agreements if they are unclear to me.
Liability Waiver:
By participating in Score & Jam I release and hold harmless Zach Pine, and their legal representatives and assigns, from any and all actions, causes of action, claims or any liabilities whatsoever, known or unknown now existing or which may arise in the future, on account of or in any way related to or arising out of my participation. This waiver also applies to any children accompanying me.
HOW TO VOTE FOR THE WEEKLY SCORE, OR PROPOSE A SCORE
Go to the link (no login required): https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore
Enter your name and click “Join.” Use up to three votes, using "dots" to vote for the one or ones you like the most. You can change your votes at any time. Votes are tallied at 5:00pm Pacific time the day before each session, and votes are then cleared.
Use "Add a Card" if you want to suggest a score. Please consider equity and access in designing and facilitating proposed scores. Scores can be suitable for a “roomful” of dancers, or for designated groupings such as duets, trios, etc. in Breakout Rooms.
If you propose a score and it is chosen, you are expected to arrive promptly at the start of the session (9:45 PST UTC-8) to answer any questions about the score.
Score submissions are moderated by the organizer(s).
Each week, three previously voted-upon candidate scores are put forward, and if there are any newly submitted scores that have never been candidates, one is included in the voting, on a first-submitted first-included basis.
A queue and record of past and newly-submitted scores is kept at: https://tinyurl.com/weeklyscorequeue
SOUND
You are generally invited to leave your microphone UNMUTED, unless there is excessive sound in your space, for privacy reasons, or unless muting is part of the score. Sharing the sound of our dancing helps us to share ourselves and our spaces. Please don’t engage in verbal conversation unless that is part of the score. You can turn down or turn off your own speakers if you prefer to hear no sound. There is no music (except the music of our dance sounds!)
WITNESSING (FOCUSED OBSERVATION AND LISTENING)
Witnessing is an integral part of many CI classes, workshops, and jams. You are invited to witness during Score & Jam, with an awareness of the impact that your witnessing has on others. For example, placing your face close to your camera can be disconcerting for others. It is also possible to witness with your own video stopped.
WHEN YOU ARE NOT DANCING OR WITNESSING
In the Jam Room, we ask that you turn off your video camera whenever you are out of view of your camera, or if you are in view of the camera and are neither engaged in dancing nor witnessing, by using “Stop video”. That makes you, temporarily, a "Non-video participant." Then, when others take advantage of the “Hide non-video participants” Zoom feature, they are treated to a screen full of actively engaged people, without empty rooms, still profile photos, or video of people not engaged in the dance.
CHAT
Chat is enabled only for communication with the host.
USING ZOOM
Joining the “meeting”: To join in, you need to have the (free) Zoom application on your device, but you do not need to sign up for a Zoom account or need to login to Zoom. If you don’t have Zoom installed on your device, and you try clicking the clicking the meeting link, it will prompt you to download or install Zoom right then. So ahead of time, it’s best to install it ahead of time using this link: https://www.zoom.us/download . (On computers, the application is called “Zoom Client for Meetings.” If you search for ZOOM in the app store, it will be called “ZOOM Cloud Meetings, Meet Happy.”)
When you first click the link to join, Zoom will give you two options: “Join without Video” or “Join with Video.” We hope you’ll click “Join with Video” so you can be seen while you see us when you enter. You can always stop and start your video later (see below).
On a smartphone only, after you initially click the link to join, and join with video, you will be prompted “To hear others, please join audio” and given two options: “Call using Internet Audio,” or “Dial in.” Best sound is “Call using Internet Audio.”. If you click “cancel,” then you get no sound.
Stop Video/Start Video: We ask that you turn off your video camera whenever you are out of view of your camera, or if you are in view of the camera and are neither engaged in dancing nor witnessing. On a computer, near the bottom left you will see an icon that looks like a video camera. You can use that as a button to turn your video camera on and off. A red line diagonally through the camera icon means your video is currently off; no red line means it is on. (On mobile, tap the screen to see the buttons, including the stop/start video button, at the bottom of your screen.)
Hide non-video participants: You will probably see some black rectangles (no video) in the grid with names inside, or still photos (profile pictures). Those are “non-video participants,” including people who have temporarily stopped their video. On a computer, you can hide all those by clicking inside the black rectangle, then clicking on the menu item “Hide Non-Video Participants.” (On mobile, you can't do this.)
Gallery View: “Gallery View” places everyone’s video in a grid on the screen. If you are not seeing the gallery view, look near the top right on a computer and click the icon that has nine little squares in a square pattern (sometimes with the words “Gallery View.”) It can be confusing because when you are in Gallery View, the words at the top right say “Speaker View”.) (On mobile, swipe left and right to see grids with up to 4 participants.)
Mute/Unmute your microphone: As noted above, you are invited to leave your microphone UNMUTED, unless there is excessive sound in your space, or for privacy reasons. On a computer, near the bottom left you will see an icon that looks like a microphone. You can use that as a button to turn your microphone on (unmute) and off (mute.) A red line diagonally through the microphone icon means your microphone is currently muted; no red line means it is unmuted. (On mobile, tap the screen to see the buttons, including the microphone button, at the bottom of your screen.)
Breakout Rooms: We use two different “rooms” for dancing: one for focused exploration of the score of the week (the Score Room), and the other for dancing without the score (the Jam Room). You can move back and forth between rooms as you wish. When in the Breakout Room (Jam Room), you can click "Leave Room" at the lower right to go back to the Main Meeting (Score Room). After clicking “Leave Room,” be sure to click “Leave Breakout Room” rather than “Leave Meeting!” (On mobile, tap the screen and use "Leave" at the top right. Then tap “Leave Breakout Room” rather than “Leave Meeting.”) To re-join the Jam Room (Breakout Room) at any time, click “Join Breakout Room” at the bottom of your screen. (On mobile, tap screen and tap blue "Join Breakout Room" icon at top left.)
Pin video/Unpin video: Click on anyone’s video image and select “Pin Video” on the popup menu. This makes their image larger and easier to see on the screen. You can click on “Unpin Video” to unpin them, then go back to Gallery View to see everyone in a grid, where you can pin someone else, or pin them again. Alternatively, without unpinning them, you can also go back to Gallery View, and from there you can make the same person’s image large again by clicking on “Speaker View” at the top right, or you can pin someone else (replacing the prior pinned person).
Saturdays, 9:45am-11:00am PST (UTC-8). Optional group discussion about Score & Jam for 30 minutes after each session, followed by general discussion.
*ZOOM LINK is posted here, and in our Facebook Group and Facebook weekly event page the morning of each session.
--------------------------->
ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84955745680
Meeting ID: 849 5574 5680 . Waiting room. No Password.
—--
Score of the week for 2/18/25:
Sweet Peas Towards Touch
Mover(s) and Watcher(s)
The Mover(s) are the little tendrils of a Sweet Pea. When a tendril of a Sweet Pea touches a supporting structure, it curves in the direction of the support and coils around it. It grows and moves towards and around touch. The Watcher(s) benevolent eyes are the light, little suns, under which’s condition the tendrils can move and grow.
The Mover(s) grow towards touch. The Watcher(s) can equally get touched by the Mover(s) growth and movements and thus start to move in their own patterns of growth. We just have to make sure, that there is always light to the process, so that there are Watcher(s) witnessing the moving and growing tendrils of the Sweet Peas. At least there must always be one Mover and one Watcher. So if you are the last Watcher, you should at least wait for another Watcher before you become a Mover again. (Note: depending on how many people join the score, we can also say e.g. at least always two Movers and two Watchers.)
You can move in your habitat, maybe connecting to yourself and your body, while starting to move gently and sensing where your body touches surfaces or objects. When a surface or object or even one of your own body parts catches your interest, you can start to grow and/or move towards it. You can see what you touch or what touches you on a physical level but as well on a visual or affective level, so you maybe want to coil around something or embrace it with your eyes, or your heart. What responds to you or to what do you respond and how you can move or grow towards it.
When watchers become touched by what they see or they get into contact with something which something or catch interest in a contact, they can start to respond to that stimulus and take it with them and move with it or grow or move towards it until we are an intertwined Sweet Pea garden, but remember to be aware that there is always light to make possible the growth of the Sweet Peas. Sweet Peas can only grow in the light.
Suggestions and Impulses
The Mover(s) can close their eyes in the beginning (or even throughout their dances) to feel the sensation of their tendrils sensing touch.
Any part of your body can be a tendril, not just your peripheries, also your back or your belly or your body as a whole.
Is there a difference in being touched or by touching in terms of initiating growth towards the touch/the contact?
You can move away from the touch to sense better what it means to move or grow towards touch. How can you grow towards touch?
Is there a difference in growing towards or around touch or moving towards/away from touch?
If you are a Watcher, imagine how wonderful that you can participate in this process! You can observe the Sweet Peas growth, it is a rare coincidence!!
The Watcher(s) can experiment their qualities and ways of watching and relating. They are holding the space for the Sweet Peas searchings, findings and growth. How can you relate to the Sweet Peas growth, what is your movement to it. Can you move to it? What moves you while watching their growths? What is your sensation while observing them?
You can also see with your ears, or touch with your eyes, or sense with your nose, etc.
Thigmotropism: this score is related to positive thigmotropism, it could be extended with negative thigmotropism, as another additional option of choice: moving away from touch or contact. Then it would be a score related to moving towards or away from contact.
------
*Voting for the "Score of the Week" goes on all week here: https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore. The "winning" score is posted at that link at 5:00pm PST (UTC-8) the day before each session.
*Please see "Expectations" and all other info here before arriving.
*No arrivals after 10:00am PST (UTC-8) Saturday.
*Closed captioning available by request. Please contact me by 5pm PST (UTC -8) the day before each session if you want it, using the form at the bottom of this page.
WHY:
Contact Improvisation-inspired online dancing can create moments of great creativity, discovery, playfulness, learning, physicality, and connection. It is not the same as CI, and you don't need to "know" CI to participate.
When I first started trying to “do CI” online, I often felt sad or frustrated. I felt “saudade,” “…the recollection of feelings, experiences, places, or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, and well-being, which now trigger the senses and make one experience the pain of separation from those joyous sensations” (Wikipedia - one of many possible definitions).
But now I love my CI-inspired online dancing. Why?
Beginning in April, 2020 I organized a series of 5 online lab sessions for CI teachers, facilitators, and hosts. We used scores (A.K.A. exercises, experiments, provocations, instigations, structures, procedures) and discussion to help us discover the opportunities in CI-inspired online dancing, and to overcome some of the obstacles. Notes from those labs are here: Notes from labs.
CI-Inspired Weekly Score & Jam sessions aim to create more dance to love, and dance to gather tools and strength. To see a list of observations about online dancing, and questions and desires about how these observations can improve the future of CI, go here.
WHAT
Each session follows this format, Saturdays, time zone PST (UTC - 8):
•9:45am-10:00am: Arrival, orientation, Q&A about the "Score of the Week" (see below), tech check, personal warmup.
•10:00am: Session is closed. NOTE: No late arrivals.
•10:00am-10:05am: Welcome from host, intros
•10:05am-11:00am: Dancing in at least two "rooms." 1) the Score Room, for focused exploration of the "Score of the Week," 2) the Jam Room, for dancing without the Score. You can come and go between rooms as you wish. (See “Breakout Rooms” under the “USING ZOOM” heading below.)
•11:00am: "Goodbyes" from those who are leaving.
•11:00am-11:30am: Optional group discussion about Score & Jam.
•11:30am-whenever last person leaves: Optional general discussion.
EQUITY AND ACCESS
There are many barriers to participation in the sessions, and those barriers are most likely especially high for those people who face inequity in participation not only in CI but in the world at large. I welcome any reflections about the equity of the sessions, and any ideas for increasing the equity of the sessions. Closed captioning is provided on request for welcome, intros, and the after-dance discussion, 11-11:30. Chat to the host is also open throughout. The sessions are offered at no cost and without a request for donations. I also welcome offers to co-lead, or to take over leadership, from those identifying as belonging to a group underrepresented in CI. Please consider equity and access in designing and facilitating proposed scores.
EXPECTATIONS
Arrive before session gets closed. Session closes at 10:00am PST (UTC-8).
BEFORE ARRIVING, PLEASE DO THREE THINGS:
1) Read the community agreements below
2) Ensure that you are familiar with using the 6 features of Zoom listed below, on your device. All devices are welcome. Detachable or wireless webcams, and smaller devices like phones, tablets, or laptops offer the possibility of changing camera orientation. Joining by desktop computer is fine too.
Come early during “tech check” time and ask if you need help to learn these Zoom features:
• Stop video/Start video
• Hide Self-view
• Hide non-video participants
• Gallery view/Speaker view
• Mute/Unmute
• Pin video/Unpin video
3) Read the "Score of the Week" before arriving. It is posted at 5:00pm Pacific Time the day before each session (voting opens each Wednesday), here: https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore
You can ask questions about the score during arrival and orientation time, 9:45am-10:00am.
COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS
By participating in CI-Inspired Weekly Score & Jam: Beyond Saudade
(“Score & Jam”), you agree to the following.
These agreements are part of an effort to create a safer space where community awareness and care are foremost.
* I agree to treat others with awareness and care to the best of my ability, including not capturing/taking photos or video, and not engaging in unsafe, unhealthy, or harassing behaviors towards others.
* I understand that my image and surroundings may be viewable by others in the Zoom meeting, and that sounds in my space may be heard, unless I stop my video and/or mute my audio.
* I agree to take care of myself to the best of my ability, and I acknowledge that I [and any children I am responsible for] participate at my own [our own] risk, and I agree to the liability waiver below.
* Please promptly notify the Score & Jam host about any unhealthy, unsafe, or harassing action by a participant. The host will engage in discussion with the participant and take any action deemed appropriate, including temporary or permanent suspension from participation.
* I agree to ask the host for clarification of any of these agreements if they are unclear to me.
Liability Waiver:
By participating in Score & Jam I release and hold harmless Zach Pine, and their legal representatives and assigns, from any and all actions, causes of action, claims or any liabilities whatsoever, known or unknown now existing or which may arise in the future, on account of or in any way related to or arising out of my participation. This waiver also applies to any children accompanying me.
HOW TO VOTE FOR THE WEEKLY SCORE, OR PROPOSE A SCORE
Go to the link (no login required): https://tinyurl.com/weekendciscore
Enter your name and click “Join.” Use up to three votes, using "dots" to vote for the one or ones you like the most. You can change your votes at any time. Votes are tallied at 5:00pm Pacific time the day before each session, and votes are then cleared.
Use "Add a Card" if you want to suggest a score. Please consider equity and access in designing and facilitating proposed scores. Scores can be suitable for a “roomful” of dancers, or for designated groupings such as duets, trios, etc. in Breakout Rooms.
If you propose a score and it is chosen, you are expected to arrive promptly at the start of the session (9:45 PST UTC-8) to answer any questions about the score.
Score submissions are moderated by the organizer(s).
Each week, three previously voted-upon candidate scores are put forward, and if there are any newly submitted scores that have never been candidates, one is included in the voting, on a first-submitted first-included basis.
A queue and record of past and newly-submitted scores is kept at: https://tinyurl.com/weeklyscorequeue
SOUND
You are generally invited to leave your microphone UNMUTED, unless there is excessive sound in your space, for privacy reasons, or unless muting is part of the score. Sharing the sound of our dancing helps us to share ourselves and our spaces. Please don’t engage in verbal conversation unless that is part of the score. You can turn down or turn off your own speakers if you prefer to hear no sound. There is no music (except the music of our dance sounds!)
WITNESSING (FOCUSED OBSERVATION AND LISTENING)
Witnessing is an integral part of many CI classes, workshops, and jams. You are invited to witness during Score & Jam, with an awareness of the impact that your witnessing has on others. For example, placing your face close to your camera can be disconcerting for others. It is also possible to witness with your own video stopped.
WHEN YOU ARE NOT DANCING OR WITNESSING
In the Jam Room, we ask that you turn off your video camera whenever you are out of view of your camera, or if you are in view of the camera and are neither engaged in dancing nor witnessing, by using “Stop video”. That makes you, temporarily, a "Non-video participant." Then, when others take advantage of the “Hide non-video participants” Zoom feature, they are treated to a screen full of actively engaged people, without empty rooms, still profile photos, or video of people not engaged in the dance.
CHAT
Chat is enabled only for communication with the host.
USING ZOOM
Joining the “meeting”: To join in, you need to have the (free) Zoom application on your device, but you do not need to sign up for a Zoom account or need to login to Zoom. If you don’t have Zoom installed on your device, and you try clicking the clicking the meeting link, it will prompt you to download or install Zoom right then. So ahead of time, it’s best to install it ahead of time using this link: https://www.zoom.us/download . (On computers, the application is called “Zoom Client for Meetings.” If you search for ZOOM in the app store, it will be called “ZOOM Cloud Meetings, Meet Happy.”)
When you first click the link to join, Zoom will give you two options: “Join without Video” or “Join with Video.” We hope you’ll click “Join with Video” so you can be seen while you see us when you enter. You can always stop and start your video later (see below).
On a smartphone only, after you initially click the link to join, and join with video, you will be prompted “To hear others, please join audio” and given two options: “Call using Internet Audio,” or “Dial in.” Best sound is “Call using Internet Audio.”. If you click “cancel,” then you get no sound.
Stop Video/Start Video: We ask that you turn off your video camera whenever you are out of view of your camera, or if you are in view of the camera and are neither engaged in dancing nor witnessing. On a computer, near the bottom left you will see an icon that looks like a video camera. You can use that as a button to turn your video camera on and off. A red line diagonally through the camera icon means your video is currently off; no red line means it is on. (On mobile, tap the screen to see the buttons, including the stop/start video button, at the bottom of your screen.)
Hide non-video participants: You will probably see some black rectangles (no video) in the grid with names inside, or still photos (profile pictures). Those are “non-video participants,” including people who have temporarily stopped their video. On a computer, you can hide all those by clicking inside the black rectangle, then clicking on the menu item “Hide Non-Video Participants.” (On mobile, you can't do this.)
Gallery View: “Gallery View” places everyone’s video in a grid on the screen. If you are not seeing the gallery view, look near the top right on a computer and click the icon that has nine little squares in a square pattern (sometimes with the words “Gallery View.”) It can be confusing because when you are in Gallery View, the words at the top right say “Speaker View”.) (On mobile, swipe left and right to see grids with up to 4 participants.)
Mute/Unmute your microphone: As noted above, you are invited to leave your microphone UNMUTED, unless there is excessive sound in your space, or for privacy reasons. On a computer, near the bottom left you will see an icon that looks like a microphone. You can use that as a button to turn your microphone on (unmute) and off (mute.) A red line diagonally through the microphone icon means your microphone is currently muted; no red line means it is unmuted. (On mobile, tap the screen to see the buttons, including the microphone button, at the bottom of your screen.)
Breakout Rooms: We use two different “rooms” for dancing: one for focused exploration of the score of the week (the Score Room), and the other for dancing without the score (the Jam Room). You can move back and forth between rooms as you wish. When in the Breakout Room (Jam Room), you can click "Leave Room" at the lower right to go back to the Main Meeting (Score Room). After clicking “Leave Room,” be sure to click “Leave Breakout Room” rather than “Leave Meeting!” (On mobile, tap the screen and use "Leave" at the top right. Then tap “Leave Breakout Room” rather than “Leave Meeting.”) To re-join the Jam Room (Breakout Room) at any time, click “Join Breakout Room” at the bottom of your screen. (On mobile, tap screen and tap blue "Join Breakout Room" icon at top left.)
Pin video/Unpin video: Click on anyone’s video image and select “Pin Video” on the popup menu. This makes their image larger and easier to see on the screen. You can click on “Unpin Video” to unpin them, then go back to Gallery View to see everyone in a grid, where you can pin someone else, or pin them again. Alternatively, without unpinning them, you can also go back to Gallery View, and from there you can make the same person’s image large again by clicking on “Speaker View” at the top right, or you can pin someone else (replacing the prior pinned person).
CONTACT FORM TO REACH ZACH PINE, ORGANIZER