Mazopalooza! | The Rumpus Room

UPDATE: WE ARE FULL! Please contact mars at wildrumpuscircus@gmail.com if you wish to be placed on a waiting list.

Mazopalooza is a dance festival which has been quietly thriving in the dead of winter in a tiny town in Southwest Wisconsin for nearly two decades! We’ve filled the streets, galleries, community spaces and storefronts of Mazomanie (WI) with spontaneous physical composition; enjoyed exquisite afternoons of focused movement; explored aerial, vocal, musical, silent, site-specific, physical, theatrical and contact-based improvisation, welcomed the curious via free classes and performances, and accrued rich memories of retreat and reconnection in a peaceful, beautiful rural setting. It is always a delight to witness new eyes opening to the lifelong practice and joyful play of improvisational movement, and to welcome back old friends for whom Mazopalooza has become a New Year’s tradition. Here are some photos from past ‘paloozas. Mazomanie is a lovely small town in Southwestern Wisconsin’s Driftless region, about 25 mi. west of Madison. Cozy local accommodations are available for a small fee on a first-come, first-served basis!

This year, we’re going to keep it very, very simple. We’re planning an easygoing long-weekend of open Contact Improvisation practice (Jamming), with warm ups and perhaps some other special offerings, led by some wonderful members of our regional community of dancers.

Housing and meals are available! Between local homestays and renting the fabulous Sugarland farmhouse, we should have space for about 20 folks in beds. You might be sharing a double, and some housing options feature cats and dogs, so let me know your preferences (and allergies) when

you register. There is also sleeping space (but no

shower or kitchen) available at the Rumpus Room, and some Madison-based dancers might also be able to put you up.

Post-pandemic protocols: All participants must be vaccinated against COVID-19, and we strongly encourage you to get the latest booster. Please stay home if you’ve got Covid symptoms or other illnesses you might share when in close contact with others. At this time, the level of transmission in our county is low. If it remains so, masks will be optional/not required. And if it climbs, we will keep you posted of changes to our strategy.

Here’s the preliminary schedule:

Friday Jan. 5, 1:00 p.m. arrival, introductions, warm up, jam. 5:30 p.m. dinner break. Later: studio space available for evening play!

Saturday Jan. 6, 10 a.m. opening circle, warm-up, jam. 12:30 lunch break. 2:00-5:30 warm-up, jam. 5:30 dinner break. Later: studio space available for evening play!

Sunday Jan. 7, 8:30 a.m. Guided warm-up, jam. 11 a.m. Eat leftovers! Clean up! Head home!

What’s it going to cost? $25/night for housing with breakfast, $20 per dinner (Friday, Saturday) and $10 for Saturday’s lunch. Dancing, studio activities and SNACKS are by donation, by check or cash when you arrive! Suggested: $100 for the whole weekend, $30 Friday or Sunday, $50 Saturday.

contact improvisation dance