Performer Feature | Jessie Q is Contact Enchantment

World traveler, dedicated movement artist and beautiful spirit. Jessie Quon is on the world stage of contact juggling and she is bringing all that talent home to Calgary for her 3rd year at the Light and Motion Festival.

First consumed by the art of Contact Juggling in 2003, she hasn’t lost any luster for this form of contemporary object manipulation. Her background in Martial Arts and Contact Improvisational Dance has strongly influenced her work as a Contact Juggler. Her unique base of knowledge has contributed to the distinct style which has brought her success as an entertainer.

Miss Quon began her education in yoga and traditional Asian massage modalities in 1997. Everything from Breema and Traditional Thai Massage, to the completion of two diplomas of Acupressure in the Shiatsu and Jin Shin Do. Her interest in movement arts and prop manipulation have always added an element of playfulness to her work. The result is a deep understanding of the human body-mind energy system and a set of tools that she integrates seamlessly with the ease and grace of a dancer.

Check her out at the Creative Body Temple

Contact juggling, as it is most widely known, was founded by and originally coined “Dynamic Manipulation” by the Guru of contemporary object manipulation Michael Moschen. It is a movement art whereby the ball(s) appear to defy gravity in various illusions. The classic format of manipulation of acrylic balls with open hands has since evolved to include non-traditional methods, even off the body maneuvers. Contact juggling has become its own evolving entity, as jugglers and movement artists continually push the envelope of this relatively new artform.

In this intro workshop, we will cover the basics for starting out, from techniques to resources and where to get balls. Balls will be provided up to 18 people.

Contact Dance is a movement practice based on the point of contact and the spaces in between two (or more) interacting objects. Contact provides a starting point for exploration through movement improvisation, where the quality of contact can roll, press, slide, and change dynamically and creatively. A characteristic form of post-modern dance, it is based on principles of kinetic awareness, weight transfer, and laws of motion.
We’ll be covering the basics of safety, rolling, falling, level changes, counter balance and weight exchange through kinetic explorations and partner exercises.

Click here to get your ticket to this years’s festival.

In this workshop we’ll be learning how to breathe and relax in the spirit of mutual support. Taking elements from Thai Massage, partner stretching and Acroyoga, I will guide you through a session designed for jugglers and acrobats. All the techniques are incredibly simple and easy to apply when the basic principles of body weight and leverage are used. With playful exploration, learn to find your body’s unique way of supporting and being supported. Partners not required.

This video shows her contact juggling in the garden of San Kampeang Hotsprings, in Northern Thailand.