Moti (Mark) Zemelman, MFA, began practicing Contact Improv 34 years ago in 1988. Over the past 26 years he has taught and performed across USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Europe and Israel. In 2008-09 he taught as Dance Professor at the Instituto Naciónal de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Moti has been both a teacher and a board member at Earthdance Retreat Center in Plainfield, MA where he also co-directed the annual Touch&Play Festival for six years.  He was an original member of Wire Monkey Dance Company (Holyoke, MA) and is a featured dancer in Sanford Lewis' documentary film about CI "An Intimate Dance." As a musician Moti plays vocal-electronic music for Contact Jams and in 2007 released his debut CD, Doorwaves.  He also designs and moderates the international Contact Improv resource website www.contactimprov.com

Moti's respected and beloved teachers in the various movement arts have included: Nancy Stark Smith, Andrew Harwood, Ruth Zaporah, Danny Lepkoff, Felice Wolfzahn, Fred Donaldson, Vera Orlock, Martin Keogh, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Ricardo Puccetti, Daniel Trenner, Keith Hennessy, Alito Alessi, Sue Morrison, and many more...

Click Here for Moti's workshop descriptions

1993 -95 - M.F.A. Virginia Commonwealth University
1987 -92 - B.F.A. Indiana University
1988 - Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1985 -87 - Art Institute of Chicago

2022:
Sirius Community, Shutesbury, MA
Bill Young Studio, New York, NY
Casco Bay Movers Dance Studio, Portland, ME
Sidestream Studio, 74 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT
Mythaca Festival, Van Etten, NY
CAMP, Playa Zipolite, Mexico
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica

2021:
Mythaca Festival, Van Etten, NY
Green River Swimming and Recreation Area, Greenfield, MA
Earthdance, Plainfield, MA

2020:
Dance New England, Virtual classes - ZOOM
ABCD (Another Bad-Ass Corona Dance) Virtual classes - ZOOM
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica

2019:
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica
You-topia, Brooklyn, NY
The Foundation of Light, Ithaca, NY
Burlington Annual Contact Jam, Burlington, VT
Sirius Community, Shutesbury, MA
Tainted Creative Studio, Hartford, CT
Avante Dance Studio,Portland, Maine
Dance Loft on 14, Washington DC

2018:
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica
La Flor de Paraíso, Costa Rica
CORE Dance Company, Decatur, GA
St. John's Episcopal Church, Arlington Center, MA
Boston Spring Jam, Boston, MA

2017:
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica
CORE Dance Studio, Decatur, GA
Dharmalab Community Center, Vancouver, Canada
Maine Studio for Tai-ji, Portland, ME

2016: 
Riverflow Yoga Studio, Manchester, NH 
CORE Dance Company - Workshop & Masterclasses, Atlanta, GA
University of Costa Rica - Dance Department, San Jose
Avante Dance Studio,Portland, Maine
Goddess Garden Eco Retreat, Cahuita, Costa Rica

2015: 
Dovercourt House Studios, Toronto, Canada
Unifier Festival, Classes - Tolland, MA
Ancient Healing Arts Yoga Studio - Workshop, Lebanon, NH
CORE Dance Company - Workshop & Masterclasses, Atlanta, GA

2014: 
CORE Dance Studio, Decatur, GA
Massachusetts Dance Festival, Amherst, MA
Main Street Yoga Studio, Madison, WI
OuterSpace Studio, Chicago, IL
Watertown Arts Center, Watertown, MA

2013:
Bhakti in motion Studio,Portland, Maine
Studio Veintinueve Cuatro, San Jose, Costa Rica

2012: 
Mazopalooza Dance Festival, Mazomanie, WI
Moab Jam Co-Facilitator, Moab, Utah

2011: 
eSpacioAbierto, Mexico City, Mexico
CONARTE, Monterrey, Mexico
Earthdance, Plainfield, MA
Academy of Muses Studio, Ithica, NY
Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
Studio Libelula, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico

2010: 
Boston Winter CI Festival, Cambridge, MA
Fairfax, CA Workshop, Fairfax, CA

2009: 
CONARTE, Monterrey, Mexico
Morelia, Mexico
Lila Lopez Dance Festival, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

2008: 
Laborarme (sponsored by INBA), Mexico City, Mexico
Contact Improv in Paradise, Villa Sumaya, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala - Week long retreat

2007:
Legitimate Bodies Dance Co.,Birr, Ireland
Northumbria University, Newcastle, England
Guthlaxton College, Leicester, England
Dancexchange, Birmingham, England
Bristol, England
Earthdance, Plainfield, MA
Daghdha Dance, Limerick, Ireland
Circuit-Est, Montreal, Canada
Centro El Encuentro, Oaxaca, Mexico
Centro de Investigación Coreográfica, Mexico City, Mexico
Instituto de Psicologia Profunda, Mexico City, Mexico
Conduit Dance Studio, Portland, OR
Grassroots Studio, Seattle, WA
Studio 303, Montreal,Canada
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Performática - Foro Internacional de Danza Contemporánea, Puebla/Cholula, Mexico
Contact Improv in Paradise, Villa Sumaya, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala - Week long retreat
Windfall Dance Studio, Bloomington, IN
Strategies for Amazing Dances - Workshop, Madison, WI

2006: 
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Zodiak - Z in Motion Festival, Helsinki, Finland
Studio 303, Montreal,Canada
Earthdance, Plainfield, MA
Writing, Yoga, & Movement, Villa Sumaya,Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

2005: 
Freiburg Contact Festival, Freiburg, Germany
Western Mass Moving Arts Festival, Earthdance, Plainfield, MA
8th St. Studios, Berkeley, CA, "Tuning-UP: Light Body, Sound Body"
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

2004: 
Mazopalooza Festival, Mazomanie, WI, Principal teacher
Earthdance Retreat Center,Plainfield, MA. - Falling Leaves Jam Teacher
Studio Pauline de Groot, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Northampton Center for the Arts, Northampton, MA, "Lifting and Landing"

2003:
Centrum Heel en Al, Schoorl, Netherlands, "Dancing in the Dunes"
7th Annual Richmond Contact Improv Jam - Principal teacher
2nd Annual Israeli Contact Improv Festival, Jerusalem, Haifa & Tel-Aviv
1st Annual Portsmouth Jam, Portsmouth, NH - Principal teacher
Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, Visiting Artist

2002: 
Earthdance Retreat Center, Plainfield, MA "July 4th Jam" Facilitator
Trinity College, Hartford, CT, Visiting Artist
Hampshire Shakespeare Company, Amherst, MA. "Movement for Theater"
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT Visiting Artist

2001: 
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School, Hadley, MA,Visiting Artist
Body, Mind, And Soul Studio, Maui, HI, Visiting Artist

2000: 
Earthdance Retreat Center, Plainfield, MA "Drawing and Movement"
Emerson College, Boston, MA, "Movement for Theater"

 

2010 Montreal Jam Performance at Studio 303 - Performed with Catherine Lessard and Andrew Harwood 
2007-2008 Silver Swimmers
2007 Barebones (Benefit Concert for SFADI), Live Music, Velocity Dance Studio, Seattle, WA, May 13
2005 Earthdance Gala - "Up Grow When I?", Solo in Earthdance fundraiser. A.P.E., Northampton, MA Apr.2
2005 Choreographer's Showcase - Northampton, MA, "Up Grow I When?", Jan. 20-21
2005 Fermata Alma-mater Frittata - Mazomanie, WI, Improvised duet and music solo.
2004 We're Going to the Therapist - Lead role in Mini Musical writen and directed by Rene Lewis Phister, A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton, MA. May 4 -6
2004 Israel Dance Festival Showcase - Tzavta Theater, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Jan.1
2003 Dune Improvisation - Findhorn Foundation, Scotland. Outdoor site-specific group improvisation at the annual E.C.I.T.E. (European Contact Teacher's Exchange), July 26
2002 Friendly II - Muiderport Theater & Studio Pauline de Groot, I.D.E.A. (International Dance Exchange Amsterdam), The Netherlands. Week long collaboration of dancers, musicians, and visual artists exploring interdisciplinary improvisation, Dec 1-7
2002 ...And She Cried Wolf - Trinity College, Hartford, CT.& A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton, MA, Dance/theater/femenist intepretation of the popular fairy tale, "Little Red Riding Hood". Directed by Trinity Dance Prof. Lesley Farlow. Oct. 24 - 26
2002 Earthdance Improvisors - Memorial Hall, Shelburne Falls. Mar. 30
2002 Fertile Ground - A.P.E. , Northampton, MA Featured performer Mar. 24

2002 Holyoke Arts Walk Parade, Holyoke, MA, August 19,
2001 Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA, "Endangered Species", , Oct. 18-19,
2001 Noho Center for the Arts, Northampton, MA, Sep. 28-29, Oct. 5-6,
2001 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA "Endangered Species", Sep 13,
2000 A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton, MA, "Crank It Out" Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 17-18
2000 The Dance Complex, Cambridge, MA, Jul. 21-22

2010 NYC Dance Parade - New York, NY
2007 Jacques Brel, Commonwealth Opera Co., Smith College, Northampton, MA, Jun.1-3
2005-07 First Night, Northampton, MA, Dec.31
2005 Mortal Beasts and Deities, Geer Village Retirement Home, North Canaan, CT
2005 Better World Festival, Northampton, MA, June 18 -19
2005 Set in Motion - M.F.A. Thesis Dance Concert - Northampton, MA, Stiltwalker in Madelyne Camera's thesis piece, "Grande Balancing Act" Feb. 10 -12 
2004 One World Fair, Cummington, MA, Sep..20
2004-05 Taste of Northampton, Northampton, MA, Aug.15 -16
 

ABCD Jam (Arising Braver Contact Dance) Montague, MA
V.I.D.A.M. (Valley Improvisational Dance and Music) Northampton, MA
Portland, Maine Jam, Bhakti Studio, Portland ME
Mexico City Jam, Centro de Investigacion Coreografica, DF, Mexico
New Paltz NY Jam, Marblehead Arts Center, New Paltz NY
London Jam, Moving East Center for Dance, London, UK
Montreal Jam, Studio 303, Montreal, Canada
Boston Improv Jam, Cambridge, MA
Northampton Jam,- Northampton, MA
Earthdance Jam - Plainfield, MA
Mazopalooza Festival - Mazomanie, WI
8th Street Studios - Berkeley, CA
Dance New England - Poland Springs ME
Studio Pauline De Groot - Amsterdam, The Netherlands