TEACHER
keith hennessy
Keith Hennessy MFA, PhD, is a frolicker, imperfectionist, and witch working in dance, performance, arts production, writing, teaching, affordable housing, sexual and political healing. Keith started dancing CI in Montréal in 1979. He's still at it, critically, playfully. Raised in Canada, living in Ramaytush Ohlone territory (San Francisco) since 1982, his ancestry is Irish and French. Prioritizing improvisation, ritual, and collaboration, Keith and friends instigate queer embodied experiences that respond to political crises. Hennessy directs Circo Zero, co-founded the culture spaces 848 and CounterPulse, and was a member of Sara Mann’s Contraband. Keith’s work is widely published and presented. Recent appearances include a mini book within the new series Dance History/s (Wesleyan Press, 2024), touring TRY to ImPulsTanz in Vienna, teaching CI in Ukraine as dancer solidarity, and waterdancing in Bacalar, Mexico and Oakland. Awards include Guggenheim and USArtist Fellowships, NY Bessie, and Bay Area Izzy. www.circozero.org
MUSICIAN
graham keeton
Graham Keeton is a Berkeley-based musician and composer. They are forever interested in spontaneity in collaboration, indeterminacy, improvisation, as well as new paths of expression through media and technique. Graham has created chamber, electronic, and multimedia pieces, and performed live as an improviser around the Bay Area. They believe in ghosts.
Organizer
merrick jacob
Merrick Jacob is a lover of movement, continuously in awe of the body and its potential for delightful expression, wild creativity, & authentic connection. Influenced by her practices of contact improvisation, figure skating, acroyoga, and hand-balancing, she guides playful movement experiences as an opportunity for deep listening, research, and co-creation. Merrick teaches & hosts contact across the SF Bay Area and beyond.
