Exploring the Dynamics of Contact Improvisation: A Discussion on Ecology of Practices with John Vervaeke, Seth Dellinger, and Ken Manheimer

In this episode, first released on Seth Dellinger's Move with Seth YouTube channel, John Vervaeke, Ken Manheimer, and Seth Dellinger explore the concept of "ecology of practices" through the lens of contact improvisation. They discuss the modern "meaning crisis" caused by societal disconnect and fragmentation, advocating for shared agency and transjective participation to address these issues. Manheimer's experience in contact improvisation reveals its potential for co-creation and mutual discovery, emphasizing the need to extend rationality beyond traditional bounds. This conversation showcases contact improvisation as a vital practice for fostering sacred participation and confronting the meaning crisis.

Seth Dellinger is a movement practitioner, embodied dialogue facilitator, and the host of the Move with Seth podcast. He is passionate about cultivating presence, empathy, and meaningful connections through mindful movement and conversation.

Ken Manheimer is a long-time practitioner and coordinator of contact improvisation in Washington, D.C. He is also a computer programmer with a deep interest in the intersection of movement, dialogue, and personal growth. Ken is dedicated to fostering community and exploring the transformative potential of shared experiences.

Glossary of Terms

Ecology of Practices: A framework for understanding the coordinated use of diverse practices to enhance cognitive flexibility and combat self-deception.

Contact Improvisation: A dance practice emphasizing physical interaction and mutual responsiveness without predetermined steps or movements.

John Vervaeke:

Website: https://johnvervaeke.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

X: https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VervaekeJohn/

Seth Dellinger:

Website: https://sethdellinger.com/

Ken Manheimer:

Website: https://myriadicity.net/

Resources

Join our new Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke

The Vervaeke Foundation - https://vervaekefoundation.org/

Awaken to Meaning - https://awakentomeaning.com/

John Vervaeke YouTube

Awakening from the Meaning Crisis https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLND1JCRq8Vuh3f0P5qjrSdb5eC1ZfZwWJ

Vervaeke, J., & Mastropietro, C. (2021). Dialectic into Dialogos and the Pragmatics of No-thingness in a Time of Crisis. Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture, 5(2), 58-77. https://eidos.uw.edu.pl/dialectic-into-dialogos-and-the-pragmatics-of-no-thingness-in-a-time-of-crisis/

Chiappe, D., & Vervaeke, J. (2018). The Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 27(4), 400-409. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00337

Chiappe, D., & Vervaeke, J. (2020). The enactment of shared agency in teams exploring Mars through rovers. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 1-25.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11097-021-09791-6

Chiappe, D., & Vervaeke, J. (2021). Distributed cognition and the experience of presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.689932

East Coast Contact Improv Jam - https://eastcoastjam.com/

Contact Quarterly. (2022, November 5). Magnesium (1972): Official Trailer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gEfVJBhwrQ

Homsher, S., & Humphrey, J. (n.d.). Steve Homsher and Jess Humphrey in a playful contact improvisation [Video]. YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuOmuDF1C5g&t=0s

Quotes

"The basic idea behind the Ecology of Practice is...a way of trying to deal with...our cognition, which isn't just our knowing, it's our entire sense-making apparatus." - John Vervaeke [00:03:20]

"Contact improvisation...it's an experiential thing that you do in a deep way with someone else where neither person is leading." - Ken Manheimer [00:09:14]

"Participatory knowing is the deepest grounding kind of knowing that makes all the other kinds of knowing possible." - John Vervaeke [00:15:00]

Chapters

[00:00:00] - Introduction

[00:03:00] - Exploring the Ecology of Practices

[00:09:14] - Contact Improvisation and Participation

[00:23:00] - Merging Verbal and Non-verbal Communication: Integrating Communication Modes

[00:33:00] - Shared Agency and Practice Intimacy

[00:43:00] - The Meaning Crisis and Falling in Love with Being

[00:55:00] - Exploring Rationality Beyond Logic: Insights from Cognitive Science and Buddhism