Collaboratively created by certain members of the July 4th Earthdance Jam on July 5th, 2014, edited by Amy W. and Richard
A rarely-acknowledged but all-too-common phenomenon in the contact improvisation community is the Jam Crush. In the kitchen one night at the Earthdance July 4th Jam, a group of dedicated contact dancers dutifully assigned themselves the task of analyzing, weighing, sifting, and listing the characteristics of a Jam Crush. The results were at times humiliating, but utterly fascinating as well.
What is a Jam Crush? In brief, a Jam Crush occurs when you find yourself smitten by someone you have met at a multi-day contact improvisation jam. There is no single, reliable cure for a Jam Crush — but they are unlikely to cause you great harm, and are a normal and lovely, if occasionally pitiable, part of our contact improvisation community.
How do you know if you have a Jam Crush?
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You are acting goofy
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You are focusing on … this person, this Crush. And yet it’s unacknowledged by either of you.
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You inquire discreetly about their age or relationship status
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You suspect others may also have same Crush
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You worry your Crush doesn’t feel the same about you
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There may some inappropriateness to the Crush (e.g. too young, unavailable)
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You try to talk yourself out of this Crush
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You find yourself tracking your Crush through the dance space
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You’re tongue-tied around your Crush
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You involuntarily stare at them on the dance floor and then worry that they have noticed (and then look away)
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You eavesdrop on your Crush’s conversations and likewise, listen for their name in others’ conversations
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There is never an empty spot next to your Crush at meals
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Every time you try to talk to your Crush, someone else is hugging them
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You position yourself advantageously with respect to your Crush (on the dance floor and otherwise)
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You sit closer than you should but leave an awkward amount of space between you
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You want to sign up for a 1-on-1 but decide against it (too obvious)
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You go to a class you might not normally go to because your Crush is going
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You feel hopelessness after they leave the jam
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You ask “Are you going to dance camp?”
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You volunteer for extra chores or do a good deed in their presence
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When you receive anonymous touch you hope it’s your Crush
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You brush your teeth more than twice a day
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You look for opportunities to give them bodywork (and you don’t care if it’s unreciprocated)
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You tell yourself it’s impractical (e.g. distance, employment status, number of children, number of exes in the community, dietary status, height, is about to go to India)
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Dances with them are terrible due to any number of things (e.g. preoccupation, inferiority complex, erection, tremor, sweating)
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You struggle not to misinterpret moans and moments
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You attempt to establish your dance prowess in front of them (possibly by soloing extravagantly)
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You imagine coming to future jams with your mutual children in tow
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You will sustain uncomfortable body sensations just to be near them (full bladder, back hurting)
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Crush has a glow