BALI
MOTION
FEST
Contact Improv
Embodied Intelligence
ARTEM MARKOV
Sima | Roman Singh |
Monique Salez | Kaela Atleework | Nurvitria M. | Thoriq Cravo
DEC 19-22, 2025 SIDEMEN, BALI
Gather with us as we bring to life the 1st annual Bali Motion Fest.
This 4 day festival is rooted in Contact Improv and weaves together a diversity of supportive movement practices for developing embodied intelligence.
partnership with
WHY BALI MOTION?
Bali Motion is a sanctuary for us to gather with our people, from all over the world, to express, connect and grow through movement, stillness and dance.
This festival uniquely boasts over 30 workshops, classes and jams for all levels, giving you ample options for leveling up your body intelligence and CI dance skills.
Experience the essential flavours of the rich Bali Contact scene in the lush, rolling wilderness of central Bali.
Whether you’re craving a high-energy, immersive learning experience, or a slower paced journey filled with rest, integration and time with friends, Bali Motion Fest invites you to choose your own adventure. We just provide the canvas.
You will experience
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A serious levelling up with CI fundamentals
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High level facilitators form all over the world
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A depth of diversity and connection amongst new and old friend
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Ample opportunity for meditation and reflection
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An incredible diversity of supportive movement training for:
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Somatic & kinaesthetic awareness
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Listening and relating in dance
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Freedom of movement
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Developing fluid strength
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LINE UP
Come learn from our featured international CI Instructor as well as Bali’s beloved resident CI/Movement teachers and facilitators
ARTEM
MARKOV
HEADLINER
Russia/Thailand
Contact Improv | Somatics
Artem has been engaged in Contemporary dance field since 2002. He worked as a dancer in Ufa (Russia) in performance group “White Label” 2004-2006. From 2006, he started dancing Contact Improvisation. He has been teaching CI since 2008. Artem is contact teacher he taught in many festivals such as: Dancefulness: Ukraine Festival of Contact Improvisation (2013), Ibiza Contact Festival (2015), Italy Contact Festival (2017, 2024), Israel Contact Festival (2019). In parallel, Artem has been engaged in body-work and movement therapy since 2006. He had started to participate somatic workshops and finally he decided to learn somatic professionally. Artem is educated in two somatic universities Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy (IBMT dip.) and SomayicBody Training. He teaches at the SomayicBody Training program, and also he conducts his own somatic courses.
TEACHER
Sima
Crimea
Contact Improv | Contemporary
Dancer, teacher of Contact Improvisation and Performance. Facilitator of weekly jams. Organizer of festivals, workshops, intensives, and other creative projects. Her focus is on creating and developing the Contact Improvisation community in Bali. Since 2019, she has been building the CI community in Crimea. Bringing people together and creating a space for the development of CI is her passion and mission. Currently, she is inspired by the history of CI. She delves into its origins, analyzing what's happening now, with new trends and proposals in this environment. In addition to CI, her interest and development are focused on techniques: Axis Syllabus and Gaga. Her first encounter with Contact Improvisation and a lifelong love happened in 2012. From the age of 7, she studied Contemporary Dance. She studied at the Jazz-Modern School-Studio of Nikolay Ogryzkov in Moscow, at the School Of Modern Dance of Natalya Fiksel. She has attended numerous intensives, workshops with foreign teachers. She worked in various theaters in Moscow in productions by Vladimir Chekasina, Natalya Fiksel, Sergey Starostin. She worked at the "Jungle Dance Theatre" in India, in the company "Daniell Alnuma Dance Theater Company" in France. For five years, she worked as the chief organizer of the concert venue "Ash Arambol" in India.
TEACHER
Roman
Singh
Russia/Bali
Floorwork | Soft Acrobatics | Partnering
Roman has been dancing and teaching contact improvisation for about 15 years. It's more than a hobby; it's his passion and his profession. He travels extensively, sharing his love for contact improvisation by teaching in various cities and countries. He is now based in Bali with his movement research project, "Seamless." Here, he increasingly teaches floorwork and soft acrobatics. His project is dedicated to popularizing contact improvisation as a beautiful and technical discipline. He also focuses on building bridges between contact improvisation and other movement artists, exploring and showcasing the beauty of different approaches to movement.
TEACHER
Monique Salez
Canada
Ecosomatics | Body Rhythm | The Body As Storyweaver | The Animal Body
Monique Salez was born to outcast and wanderer lineages. A 1st generation born in the Territory of Kwanlin Dun (Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada) who has made Victoria BC Canada the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples her creative home for many decades. Over 26 years as a dance teacher/choreographer/performer, somatic facilitator, storyweaving director & cabaret creator, Monique consistently leans into strengthening the muscle of expression in her students, thus allowing the bodies inherent desire to reveal its deep longings to surface, to be witnessed & then alchemized. Since 2017 Monique has been called in by cross cultural community to weave diverse stories of place, belonging, identity, reconciliation into cross cultural theatrical pieces. This practice of Storyweaving is the subject of an MFA to begin in 2026. Since 2020 Monique was called to “hang the bones” in a dream & thus began her training & continued journey as a Systemic Constellation Work (SCW) facilitator – group & individual. “Whether dancing, directing, weaving, dreaming, writing, walking in the forest or facilitating a circle…it appears life is dancing me and I try to follow the lead & be an enthusiastic partner!”
TEACHER
Kaela Atleework
USA/Bali
Authentic Relating & CI |
Evolutionary Movement |
Ensemble & Somatic Synergy
Kaela is an experience designer, a human connection researcher, and above all – an embodied person. In the last decade, she has facilitated groups in over 17 countries, and has a deep passion for researching ways to “together better.” Kaela teaches/guides fulltime professionally and has a background in community building, social psychology, and somatic relating. Kaela’s teachings features practices that range all the way from somatic (ie: contact dance & bodywork) to synergetic (focused on intimacy and group cohesion). She is deeply interested in the overlap of relational art forms like Authentic Relating and social free-form movement practices like Contact Improv. Her workshops are often described as “intimate, playful, and highly interactive.
TEACHER
Nurvitria
M.
Indonesia
Emotion and Energy in CI | Jam Host
Nurvitria is an impact strategist, systemic coach, and movement practitioner with 15 years of experience leading sustainable projects in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. In the past 6 years, she has turned toward embodied leadership, believing that reconnecting with our bodies is key to navigating complexity and fostering change. With training in Contact Improvisation, Ontological Coaching, and Body-Mind Centering, she blends systemic intelligence with deep somatic practice. She also facilitates intuitive dance and sonic journeys under lush.movements. At Bali Motion Festival, she will host jams and teach on energetics and emotions in Contact Improvisation, inviting participants into embodied exploration.
Thoriq
Cravo
TEACHER
Indonesia
Yoga | Handstands | Capoeira
Thoriq began his journey in movement at the age of four through Martial Arts, specifically Capoeira. Following his family’s path, he moved from Java to Bali, where he was introduced to a new culture and community through Yoga and self-awareness practices. At fifteen, his brother challenged him to stand on one leg for 20 breaths. Struggling with pain and imbalance, Thoriq realized the importance of staying connected with himself and finding balance through discomfort. This moment shifted his perspective on movement—from an external fight to an internal journey of awareness, a principle that continues to guide his yoga practice today. Over the years, the wisdom of yoga reshaped his principles and values. With more than a decade of training and an RYT 200 since 2020, Thoriq now teaches at The Yoga Barn Ubud, specializing in Arm Balances, Inversions, and dynamic Hatha/Vinyasa flows accessible to all levels. Beyond yoga, Thoriq has been a Capoeira Senzala Indonesia instructor since 2016 and shares Afro-Latin Social Dance, especially Salsa, with the Ubud community. In 2024, together with his brother and mentor Sugeng Madeira, he co-founded Cakrawala Academy, dedicated to healing, recovery, and next-level training in Yoga, Dance, Martial Arts, and Healing Arts.
OUR WORSHOPS
We will run 3 streams of classes over 4 days
CI | Soft Acrobatics | Contemporary | Somatics | AR | TEA
~ CI content will cover 70% of our schedule and will include classes, jams and labs
~ Enjoy sunrise Tea ceremony & morning movement practices
~ Our evening jams will feature live music & Tea service
DAILY SCHEDULE EXAMPLE
The schedule is subject to change. The final version will be announced closer to the dates.
LEVELS OF CLASSES
This festival welcomes participants of all levels of experience
BEGINNER
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
PRICE AND SIGN UP
EARLY BIRD TICKETS (LIMITED), available till September 30th
EARLY BIRD Festival Ticket (No Accomm.)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, and 2 meals per day (Lunch and Dinner)
6,5 mil IDR
~390 USD
LIMITED OFFER
EARLY BIRD Festival Ticket (3/4 Pax per room)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, 3 meals per day, and a bed in a triple or quad shared room. PLEASE NOTE: One bed will be a double, and one or two beds will be twin
7,5 mil IDR
~455 USD
LIMITED OFFER
EARLY BIRD Festival Ticket (Double Shared Accomm.)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, 3 meals per day, and a bed in a double or twin shared room
8,5 mil IDR
~525 USD
LIMITED OFFER
REGULAR TICKETS
REGULAR Festival Ticket (No Accomm.)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, and 2 meals per day (Lunch and Dinner)
7,5 mil IDR
~455 USD
REGULAR Festival Ticket (3 /4 pax per room)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, 3 meals per day, and a bed in a quad shared room. PLEASE NOTE: One bed will be a double, and one or two beds will be twin
8,5 mil IDR
~525 USD
REGULAR Festival Ticket (Double Shared Accomm.)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, 3 meals per day, and a double or twin bed in a shared room
9,5 mil IDR
~585 USD
REGULAR Festival Ticket (Private Accomm.)
Ticket price includes full access to all workshops and activities, 3 meals per day, and a double bed in a private room
LIMITED
12,5 mil IDR
~765 USD
Prices exclude ticketing system and currency transaction fees
REFUND POLICY
Your Bali Motion Fest Ticket is fully refundable, no questions asked, up until November 18, 2025. Megatix (the ticketing system) will keep whatever fees that they charged for the ticket. After November 18, 2025, we will not be able to provide a refund. However, "Xcover" offers 3rd party refund protection to customers who may need a refund under special circumstances. You can purchase Xcover protection during checkout. It’s very important to ‘View Terms’ before purchasing Xcover protection. To prevent scalping and reselling tickets, name changes outside of the Megatix system are NOT permitted and will be denied at the door. If you need to change the guest name on your ticket, please contact the organizers to complete the name change process.
COMPLIMENTARY EVENTS
Make sure to plan enough time in Bali – the festival is just the highlight of the season!
We’re organizing plenty of opportunities for you to learn and connect with the festival teachers and community. Ideally, plan to be in Bali from December 10 to January 10 to make the most of the experience.
We’re planning a Festival Afterglow in Amed (December 23–26) by the ocean, where we'll continue dancing on land and in the water, as well as enjoying snorkeling, freediving, and nature exploration.
Then we return to Ubud, Bali’s contact improvisation hub, where our headliner will lead a 3-day CI Intensive (December 28–30).
On top of all that, you’ll have access to an abundance of weekly events – over 20+ Contact and Ecstatic Dance gatherings, Water Contact Jams, Aquatic Bodywork, Acroyoga, Tea Gatherings, and explorations around Bali with the community.
Details and tickets for complimentary events ~TBA.
All festival participants will join the WA group with all local community announcements.
LOCATION & SURROUNDINGS
Our festival site is an absolute oasis nestled in the heart of Bali, the village of Sidemen.
We are surrounded by rolling hills, terraced rice paddies and the refreshing crystal waters of the Udam River.
DANCE FLOOR
Our site comes with 3 ideal dance floors and boasts all the amenities for comfort, ease, beauty, play & rest.
ACCOMMODATION
You'll have an option to get ticket with or without accommodation.
Cozy, beautiful and quiet rooms will be ready for you to rest and recover or enjoy some alone time during the festival.
Each room has comfortable beds, an en-suite shower and a stunning patio view. The design blends Balinese style with modern comforts to give you the best experience.
Accommodation will be on the festival site or at neighbouring resort.
You can choose between single or shared rooms with a double or twin bed.
FOOD
Each day we will enjoy 3 nourishing meals together, cooked onsite by a Balinese chef.* The food is delicious, high quality and abundant and will be served in buffet format.
Breakfast is Light | Lunch is Vegetarian | Dinner will include Meat/Fish options.
We will be happy to accommodate your dietary needs or allergy restrictions. By your request we'll make sure to cover vegan, gluten free, dairy free options.
*Breakfast is not included for OFF-SITE participants. Breakfast is included in most neighbouring resorts.
OUR FACILITATION APPROACH
We highly value the cultivation of a deep sense of belonging among participants
as we foster personal agency and responsibility alongside care of others.
Through our facilitation, we endeavour to create a space where safety dances with bravery and personal expansion is tempered by self-regulation.
And together, on this ‘Tender Edge’ as our friend Rick Smith likes to say, we coalesce in the magic and exploration of movement, connection and Self.
YOUR HOSTS
Jess Blue
Over the past 4 years, Jesse has steered thousands of dancers, jammers, festival goers and retreat participants through transformative Contact Improv (CI) journeys and workshops in Canada and Indonesia. Combining decades of yoga, aquatic bodywork, dance, IFS and leadership training, Jesse weaves together Contact Dance experiences that bring out the emotional, relational, somatic art acrobats in participants. Jesse finds delight in witnessing dancers connect the dots and find new pathways to Flow State and deeper connection to Self as he shares the language of CI. Jesse’s calm, clear and playful leadership style creates a real sense of safety and embodied understanding of the complex interplay of technical skills, relational components and inner dialogues that commonly stir in a Contact space.
Ksenia Grech
For the past 6 years, Ksenia has called Bali home, exploring herself in the world of movement and body intelligence. She enjoys communities of like-minded people, united by their passion for exploring the limitless potential of the human body and mind. With a background in acroyoga, Ksenia weaves its principles into her dance practice, embracing a mix of movement styles that inspire fluidity, strength and connection. Ksenia is also a professional graphic designer. All visuals for this festival, from the website, posters to the merch, are created by her. Beyond her personal practice, she has spent 5 years curating experiences, organizing festivals, retreats and other group events. Her greatest inspiration lies in creating meaningful moments and fostering the communities she holds close to her heart.
WHAT'S INCLUDED ++
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3 meals per day (2 if you stay offsite)
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Drinking water, Coffee, Tea
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Accommodation (You can purchase tickets without accommodation included)
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Options of 32 workshops, jams & labs (you’ll have to choose!)
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Daily jams!
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Personalized coaching during labs
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Morning embodiment practice
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Morning and evening tea service
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Live ambient music performances
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Refreshing river dips
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The serenity of surrounding nature
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED ––
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Flights and transport to the festival site
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Extra drinks and food orders
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Spa and extra resort services
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Laundry service
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Breakfast, if you stay offsite
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Private workshops with teachers
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Festival merch
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After glow gatherings and Post Fest Intensive ticket
