Jun Akiyama is a Colorado-based improvisation artist who has also been actively studying and teaching the Japanese martial art of aikido for over 20 years. He is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Colorado, practicing body-centerered psychotherapy and social justice counseling.  His other interests include the Feldenkrais Method, photography, and Playback improvisational theater.

Curriculum Vitae: Contact Improvisation and Dance

2023

• Boulder, CO: University of Colorado, Boulder.  Facilitated seven classes focused on Aikido for Contact Improvisation course. [4 days]

2022

• Boulder, CO: Think Gravity – Dance Tank (link).  Curated by Anya Cloud and Karen Schaffman.  A celebration and reckoning of the form of Contact Improvisation, interrogated through anti-oppression lenses.  Co-facilitated the “Queering the Underscore” with Anya Cloud.  Durational (5 hour) performance with Ishmael Houston-Jones, Karen Nelson, Darrell Jones, Makisig Akin, Jose Abad, Ryuta Iwashita, elle hong, Eryn Rosenthal, Anya Cloud, Karen Schaffman, Skyla Miles, Caiser Le Boss, Lesly Rodruiguez, Rachel Halmrast, and Daniel Grove  [7 days]
• Bellows Falls, VT: RAM Jam (link).  Facilitated by Ryuta Iwashita, Anya Cloud, and Makisig Akin. [4 days]
• Oberlin, OH: Critical Mass, CI@50.  Co-facilitated session Agitating the Underscore with Ronja Ver.  Co-facilitated Underscore with Ronja Ver and members of Northampton Underscore group. [5 days]
• Berkeley, CA: Summer Contact Improvisation Jam. [3 days]
• Boulder, CO: University of Colorado, Boulder.  Facilitated seven classes focused on Aikido for Contact Improvisation course. [7 days]
• Boulder, CO: University of Colorado, Boulder.  Facilitated two classes for Somatics course [2 days]

2019

• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam (wcciJAM).  Participated in pre-jam teachers meeting.  Co-facilitated the Underscore with Ronja Ver  [7 days]
• Boulder, CO: Close Look (link): Created and performed solo piece, 「味見」

2018

• Boulder, CO: Naropa Somatic Arts Concert.  Created and performed two solo pieces, 「白翼・第一」, 「白翼・第二」
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam (wcciJAM). Co-facilitated two-day teachers meeting; performed with Keith Hennessy, Sue Stuart, Taja Will, and others [7 days]
• Seattle, WA: Orcas Island Jam. Facilitated Underscore & Underscore talk-through [5 days]

2017

• Boulder, CO: Naropa Somatic Arts Concert Performances.  Created and performed solo piece 「俳句」.  Co-directed show with Erin Schweber
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam, co-facilitated “Unraveling Assumptions in Contact Improvisation” lab with Ronja Ver [7 days]

2016

• Boulder, CO: Naropa Somatic Arts Concert Performances.  Created and performed solo 「母国」.  Created and performed duet with Gaelyn Hurd; Assistant co-director with Erin Schweber
• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Daniel Bear Davis), facilitated “Unraveling Illusions of Inclusivity” lab with Ronja Ver [9 days]
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam [7 days]
• Seattle, WA: Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation [7 days]
• Seattle, WA: Glimpse 3 (Nancy Stark Smith, Mike Vargas, Anne-Gaelle Thiriot, Anne Cooper, Anya Cloud, J. Akiyama, Karen Schaffman, Katherine Cook, Rachael Lincon, Ronja Ver, Yongwei Li) [3 weeks]

2015

• Mazomanie, WI: Mazopalooza [3 days] (taught “Aikido Principles in Contact Improvisation” class)
• Boulder, CO: Naropa Somatic Arts Concert Performance (creator & performer with Deb Silver, Jill Leversee, Celia DeVoe, Karen Jensen, Rachael Collins, J. Akiyama)
• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Aaron Jessup, Blake Nellis, Brad Stoller, Cathie Caraker, Krista DeNio, Kristen Greco, Tamin Totzke) [9 days]
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam [5 days]
• Portland, OR: Portland CI Jam (Shel Wagner Rasch, Stephanie Nugent), J. Akiyama facilitated Underscore [3 days]

2014

• Boulder, CO: Naropa Somatic Arts Concert Performance (performer with Deb Silver, Jill Leversee, Celia DeVoe, Karen Jensen, J. Akiyama)
• Portland, OR: Portland CI Jam (Alicia Grayson, Katarina Eriksson, Ralf Jaroschisnki), J. Akiyama facilitated Underscore & Talk-Through [3 days]
• Boulder, CO: “Limbs to Core in Spherical Space” workshop (Alicia Grayson)
• Detroit, OR: Breitenbush CI Jam [4 days]
• Boulder, CO: “Harnessing Momentum” workshop (Alicia Grayson)
• Springtown, PA; New York, NY: Glimpse 2 retreat & performances (Nancy Stark Smith, Mike Vargas, Anne Cooper, Brandin Steffensen, Chisa Hidaka, Elise Knudsen, Jen Polins, Jennifer Chien, Nancy Hughes, Patrick Crowley, Ronja Ver, Sarah Young, Yongwei Li) [3 weeks]
• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Aaron Jessup, Bastien Auber, Blake Nellis, Brad Stoller, Cathie Caraker, Krista DeNio, Kristen Greco, Tamin Totzke) [9 days]
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam [5 days] (J. Akiyama taught drop-in intensive; lead Underscore lab)
• Seattle, WA: Seattle CI Contact Lab (Alicia Grayson, Tamin Totzke, Brad Stoller, Alia Swersky, Aaron Swartzman, Karen Nelson, Cyrus Khambatta, J. Akiyama)
• Seattle, WA: Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation (Intensive: Kirstie Simson) [6 days]
• Seattle, WA: Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation Performance (Eric Nordstrom, Corrie Befort, J. Akiyama)
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (K. J. Holmes) [1 day]
• Boulder, CO: CI Dance Lab (Faciliated by Deb Silver, J. Akiyama; Rachael Collins, Karen Jensen, Celia DeVoe) [5 sessions]
• Willard, WI: GLACIER Performance (J. Akiyama duet with Greg Burdulis, J. Akiyama duet with Stephanie Nugent) [5 days]
• Arcata, CA: Synapsis CI Mini-Workshop (Leslie Castellano, J. Akiyama)
• Arcata, CA: Synapsis Cabaret Performance (Leslie Castellano, Cameron, J. Akiyama)
• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, Falling Leaves Jam [4 days] (facilitated lab “Aikido Principles in Contact Improvisation”)
• Seoul, South Korea: iDance [9 days] (taught workshop “Aikido Principles in Contact Improvisation”)
• Seoul, South Korea: iDance performances (solo, group with Mei Kuang Li, Chico Katsube, Zdenka Svitekova, Celine Bacque, Xiao Chu Yu), group (Celine Bacque, Bong Ho Kim, Chico Katsube, Shoko Kashima, Mei Kuang Li, Ru-Hong Lin, Xiao Chu Yu, Vollak Kong, A-reum Choi, Kyong-sun Seo, Zdenka Svitekova))
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (Nancy Stark Smith, Mike Vargas), J. Akiyama organized workshop [4 days]

2013

• Boulder, CO: “Falling into Flying” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)
• Boulder, CO: “Harnessing Momentum” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)
• Raasepori, Finland: Skiing on Skin Festival (Intensive: Ronja Ver) [5 days]
• Boulder, CO: “The Power of the Pelvis” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)
• Boulder, CO: “Fluidity & Receptivity Through the Joints” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)
• Boulder, CO: “Limbs to Core in Spherical Space” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)
• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Jules Beckman) [9 days]
• Berkeley, CA: West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam (Intensive: Daniel Bear Davis, Miriam Wolodarski, Ralf Jaroschisnki) [7 days]
• San Francisco, CA: Workshop (Cathie Caraker & Alicia Grayson) [3 days]
• Boulder, CO: Aerial Dance Festival (Gretchen Sprio, Steven Homsher) [5 days]
• Boulder, CO: “CI Trios” workshop (Alicia Grayson, Joanna Rotkin, J. Akiyama)
• Yuba City, CA: CI Ground Research [7 days]
• Kagoshima, Japan: iDance CI Festival (Chico Katsube, Shoko Kashima, Victor Choi-wo Ma, Mandy Ming-yin Yim, Bong-ho Kim, Celine Bacque, Ming-shen Ku, Mei Li, Ru-hong Lin, Rico, Miura 1-Go) [7 days]
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (Tim O’Donnell and Alicia Grayson) [2 days]
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (Katarina Eriksson)

2012

• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Research Retreat [9 days]
• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, July Jam [4 days]
• Boulder, CO: Aerial Dance Festival (Gretchen Sprio, Steven Homsher) [10 days]
• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, CI Ground Research [4 days]
• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, Falling Leaves Jam [4 days]
• New York, NY: Workshop (Benno Voorham) [1 day]
• Bay Area, CA: Glimpse Workshop, Retreat, & Performances (Nancy Stark Smith, Mike Vargas, Anne Cooper, Brandin Steffensen, Cathie Caraker, Jay Ruby, Jenn Chien, J. Akiyama, Ray Chung, Ronja Ver, Rosemary Hannon, Sue Stuart, Vitali Kononov) [3 weeks]
• Boulder, CO: “Lifting from the Ground Up” workshop (Alicia Grayson, J. Akiyama)

2011

• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, “Contact +/-“ Workshop (Nancy Stark Smith) [10 days]
• Plainfield, MA: Earthdance, March Jam [3 days]
• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Workshop: Chris Aiken, Angie Hauser) [9 days]
• San Francisco, CA: Workshop “Flying != Jumping” (Scott Wells) [5 days]
• Utrecht, Netherlands: Workshop (Barbara Pfund & Kees Lemmens) [1 day]
• Terschelling, Netherlands: Lief voor je Lijf Festival [5 days]
• Freiburg, Germany: Workshop  (Ray Chung) [5 days]
• Freiburg, Germany: Freiburg Festival (Intensive: Jörg Hassmann) [5 days]
• Ibiza, Spain: ECITE European Contact Improv Teachers Exchange [5 days]

2010

• Moab, UT: Moab Jam & Workshop (Intensive: Chris Aiken, Angie Hauser) [9 days]
• Boulder, CO: Aerial Dance Festival (Gretchen Sprio, Steven Homsher) [10 days]
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (Cyrus Khambatta) [3 days]
• Boulder, CO: Workshop (Mirva Mäkinen) [3 days]

2009

• Moab, UT: Moab Jam (Nancy Stark Smith) [5 days]