Ken Manheimer

Ken Manheimer has explored collaborative movement improvisation since encountering Contact Improvisation in 1979. Along the way he has studied with central movement improvisation teachers, extensively with Nancy Stark Smith (Contact Improvisation) and Susan Schell (Authentic Movement), among many others, and regularly practiced Contact Improv since 1985. For Ken, collaborative movement improvisation is an antidote to the physical and interpersonal stasis of everyday life.

Ken has shared his knowledge by teaching Contact Improvisation, the Underscore, Authentic Movement, and ensemble movement collaboration in various formats. These include frequent Sunday jam classes, one-on-one classes, dedicated weekend workshops, lab intensives, and large classes at dance festivals, like Interfusion from 2016 to 2018.

Ken has been a weekly participant of the DC Sunday jam since the mid-1980s, eventually helping to organize and then centrally coordinating the jam organization since the early 2000s. While studying with Nancy Stark Smith Ken became familiar with her project, the Underscore, before it had a name. Since late 2003 he has facilitated the Underscore monthly at the DC Sunday Jam, sharing these responsibilities with another jam organizer since 2022.

Ken has also attended the East Coast Jam four day regional Contact Improvisation retreat since its inception in 1987. He has helped to organize the ECJ, officially joining the Spring jam organizing team in 2006.

In addition to performing Contact Improvisation on many occasions, from 2008 to 2015 Ken performed and helped to develop a combination of choreographed and improvised dance aspart of the Nancy Havlik Dance Performance Group.

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