TEACHER
marcus van duren
Marcus van Duren is a dancer, teacher and musician based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Marcus has intensively studied movement and dance since his discovery of contact improvisation in 2012. He has been teaching CI locally and internationally for more than 10 years. Marcus is an active member of the axis syllabus community and is currently an Axis Syllabus Teacher Candidate. For Marcus, teaching is not just about transmitting information, but also about creating a safe space for participants to explore, take risks and collaborate. The goal is not to give people a fresh catch but rather teach them how to fish, and leave them with a felt sense that can inspire further research. When it comes to teaching dance, Marcus specializes in merging the technical information of bio-mechanics with play, humor and ritual to create engaging learning experiences that aim to serve the whole person, not just the dancer.
MUSICIAN
craig berletti
Craig Berletti has been playing music for over 20 years. He specializes in trumpet, piano, and accordion. You can find Craig performing across the bay, teaching music, and tuning pianos. Reach out at https://www.berlettipiano.com/ & https://www.thebackdimplesband.com/ | venmo @craig-berletti
HOST
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.
