CONTACT COLLECTIVE INC PRESENTS:
AUSTRALIAN CONTACT FESTIVAL
A playground for Human Movement
SAVE THE DATE: 2nd – 5th October 2026
WHERE: At Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation centre, Northern End Pacific Parade, Lennox Head NSW 2478
OUR INTENTION
Contact Collective Inc intends to engage, exchange and promote collective expression through physicality and dance in the form of Contact Improvisation and other related improvisation arts.
We would like to gather Contact Improvisation communities in a light-hearted and supportive environment where we discover what’s possible when we collectively move in connection and attuned play.
We envision an annual CI National Festival that centres around the values of community, creativity, embodied connection and unity through dance. We would like to pay homage to the roots of CI whilst offering spaces to explore the edges of how CI blends with contemporary ideas. The festival would be centred around an egalitarian ethos supported by our dedicated teachers and space holders from Australia and beyond. There will be opportunities for participants to volunteer and contribute towards a collaborative and shared heart felt experience.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A National Gathering, a playground for human movement, offering a variety of classes held by teachers and facilitators. Classic go to’s such as the Underscore, Live Music Jam and Performance Jam. Labs to deepen technique and develop ideas in Contact Improvisation, all on a spacious sprung dance floor surrounded by water bodies and bushland.
A contained space surrounded by nature away from the hustle and bustle of the town where the CI communities can get together to exchange, learn, grow and connect to each other. There will be shared meals to foster a sense of togetherness and to encourage connection across communities.
The Mullumbimby community has much to offer. There is a regular Thursday Class and a special pre-festival Jam after it, as well as a regular Wednesday Night Jam “Nightshift” to consider prior and post Festival.
DATE/TIMES
The festival will start on Friday afternoon, the 2nd of October, arrival and check in time will be 2-5pm, with a CI class already scheduled from 3.30 until 5.30pm for those already checked in.
We will close the festival at 10.30 pm on the evening of Monday the 5th, with a PerformanceJam.
Stay tuned for the Program release!
Those staying onsite have the option to stay overnight on the 5th. Check out time will be 10am on Tuesday the 6th of October.
The festival will take place during the labour day long weekend of NSW and QLD school holidays. We recommend you to book flights early as It will be a busy period.
Tickets will be for a whole festival pass only.
LOCATION
Lennox Head is a lovely small village by the ocean. An upmarket town with various cafes and restaurants. There are no malls or franchise food outlets available.
Lake Ainsworth itself is a big tea-tree lake. We have direct access to the beach and lake from the Sports and Recreation Centre. It will be warm in Spring, however the water temperature would be unpredictable. Lennox Head offers some of the best surf along the coast for those interested in multi-activity time.
FLIGHTS
Ballina Airport in NSW is the closest, only 20 minutes away and perfect if you arrive on Friday morning and leave on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. The shuttle bus service from Ballina Airport to Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre requires booking in advance.
The shuttle service is Gilly Transfer 0477 215 943 or email [email protected]
We can organise the shuttles which would cost around $20 - $30 depending on the number of bookings. If you would like us to do so, please email us with “FLIGHTS TO BALLINA” in the subject field with your booked flight details in the email.
Coolangatta Airport in Qld is better serviced with more options for flights and shuttles available. Byron Easy Bus shuttle offers services that can take you directly to a local billeting/hosting’s houses. It is a lot more expensive and you will need to organise that on your own.
BILLETING AND TRANSPORT
We will create a Whatsapp group to connect visitors with locals who are able to host and drive. Those in the Whatsapp group will self-organize a space to stay and arrange transport accordingly.
Options include:
1. Being hosted for the entire festival.
2. The days before or after the festival.
3. Arranging transport with locals to and from the Festival.
4. Asking for a space on someone’s property to park your van.
5. Finding others to share a camp spot in a nearby campground.
ACCOMMODATION
Onsite Accommodation:
Beds at Lake Ainsworth are limited to 60.
Onsite Accommodation costs are an optional add-on from the Festival Ticket in the Trybooking link.
➢ Beach Side Lodge accommodates 30 people. Dorm style, single beds and bunks with 1 bathroom for up to 7 people. $170 p/p for the 4 nights
➢ Cottages and Villas accommodate 4 people. Two bedrooms with twin beds and 1 bathroom per accommodation. $330 p/p for the 4 nights
Each cabin or house has a full kitchen with stove, oven, fridge, dishwasher, couch, dining tables etc… Please see above link for configuration and photos. It will not be possible to book a specific villa or bed. Places will be taken by people who have booked a bed on a first come first serve basis.
Onsite accommodation is available exclusively to visiting dancers up to the 15th of June. After which we will notify local dancers and non participating family members to book via the Trybooking link.
Villas and Cabins will only be available for booking through us via Trybooking until the 5th of July 2026, after which bookings are self-organized directly with the Sport and Recreation Centre. This is due to the Sport and Recreation centre’s cancellation policy.
Beach House Lodge bunks and single beds will remain available via Trybooking until capacity is reached.
Offsite Accommodaton:
➢ Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation centre does not allow vans sleeping in their carparks and will monitor/prohibit that from happening. Therefore, if it is your desire to sleep in your van/camper/tent, etc please book as early as possible for a site at Reflection Caravan park 1 Km walk away from the sport and recreation centre Flat Rock tent park 9.5km drive away from the sport and recreation centre.
➢ Billeting with Locals through the provided Whatsapp Group.
➢ AirBnB’s and motels/hotels are an option although expensive.
We want to acknowledge and express our gratitude and appreciation for all the locals willing to commute. As a local dancer, you driving in and out every day is the reason why dancers from further grounds can join us here and dance with us!
FOOD
Breakfast
Breakfast will not be included.
People commuting or being hosted by locals will organise their own breakfast at home.
People staying on site will have the option to:
➢ order online groceries from Woolworth in Lennox (home delivered)
➢ Go into town (15 – 20 Minute walk)
➢ We are amid organizing for an onsite coffee cart offering various beverages and a few sweets.
Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner will be included.
There will be 7 meals from Friday Dinner until Monday Dinner which will be catered and delivered onsite. Gluten free and nut free meals with choices of Meat or vegan/vegetarian with bread and nuts on the side.
The catering company might not be able to cater to FODMAP, Celiac or medical dietary requirement.
NON DANCERS: for any family members staying onsite or offsite, but not participating in the festival, lunch and dinner can be provided and paid for through the Trybooking registration form.
COST/ TICKET
Ticket Bookings are available via the link here: https://www.trybooking.com/DIJMV
Tickets are for the whole festival only and are limited to 100 dancers.
Full Festival Ticket inclusive of 7 meals, lunch and dinner:
➢ $630 Early Bird/ Concession Price.
➢ $730 Full Ticket - after the 15th of June
Keep your eyes peeled and check your junk mail, just in case. And feel free to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages.
PROGRAM
Thus far we have expression of interest from teachers, facilitators and space holders from all over Australia, offering a range of classes for dancers of all levels.
We are in the midst of organizing the Festival’s program. We aim to release it as soon as it's ready via our Newsletter and Social Media Profiles as well as our beacons page.
CANCELLATION POLICY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Tickets are non-transferable.
Waiting List
A waiting list will be maintained for this event. If a ticket becomes available, it will be offered to the next person on the list.
100% Refund (processed upon request):
➢ available for any cancellation made before 1 July 2026.
➢ after this date and up to the festival start, a full refund is available only if the ticket is taken by someone else — either via:
– someone from the official waiting list, or
– a replacement found by the cancelling participant.
50% Refund (Processed after the festival):
➢ for cancellations made after 1st July 2026 for tickets not taken by someone else before the festival begins. This applies especially to cancellations due to circumstances beyond one’s control (e.g., illness, injury, family emergency).
No Refunds
➢ No refunds for non‑attendance (“no‑shows”).
➢ No refunds once the festival has commenced.
➢ No refunds for participants who choose to leave early or withdraw during the festival.
Extreme Weather, Natural Disasters, and Force Majeure
If the event cannot proceed due to circumstances outside the organisers’ control — including but not limited to floods, fires, extreme weather, venue damage, natural disasters, government restrictions, pandemics or other force‑majeure events — the organisers will:
➢ attempt to reschedule the event, and
➢ offer refunds to those unable to attend the new dates.
If the event cannot be rescheduled, ticket holders will receive a refund informed by the cancellation policy of Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation centre at the discretion of the organizers.
Contact Collective Inc. is not responsible for any additional costs incurred by participants related to the festival (e.g., travel expenses, accommodation, etc).
Illness and COVID‑Related Considerations
If you are unwell, please do not attend the event and notify the organisers ASAP.
➢ Standard refund rules apply unless your ticket is taken by someone else.
➢ If government health restrictions require the event to be cancelled or modified, the above force‑majeure policy applies.
Behaviour and Safety
Participants asked to leave due to unsafe, inappropriate, or disrespectful behaviour are not eligible for a refund.
Travel and Accommodation
The festival is not responsible to reimburse any travel, off site accommodation, or other personal expenses.
If you are booking accommodation directly through Lake Ainsworth after the 15th of July,
the standard cancellation policy of Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre will apply:
Booking Fees
TryBooking’s booking fees are non‑refundable.
INSURANCE
If you are an Australian or a Permanent Resident, you are covered by MEDICARE. If you come from abroad, we strongly recommend having travel insurance that includes health care in the event of emergency.
~ Abit About Us ~
Hamzah Mas
"I first stumbled upon Contact Improvisation in 2018 following a series of fortunate events in Newcastle on Awabakal Land—and I’ve been completely in love with the form ever since (huge gratitude my Newcastle CI community!). CI has become the heart of my movement practice and a place where curiosity, listening and play feel endlessly alive.
In 2025, I followed the call to embark on a six-month Contact Improvisation pilgrimage, travelling from Australia to North America, Europe and Bali. Along the way, I have been deeply inspired by how CI connects us—to ourselves, to each other, and across cultures—meeting in this beautifully liminal space of dance that goes beyond borders and words.
I am a multidisciplinary artist with a deep love for the improvisational arts, valuing creativity and community. I enjoy bringing people together and helping creative spaces grow where connection, experimentation and care can flourish. By pure happenstance, I bumped into Valentina at a jam in Mullumbimby—and here we are, joyfully committed to developing a community-centred national festival.
Currently, I’m based in Bellingen, where I teach and serve the local CI community in collaboration with Catriona. It would be an honour to serve the wider CI community across Australia and to gather in our shared passion for this dance that is Contact Improvisation. I look forward to dancing with you at this national gathering”
Valentina Gombi
"I’ve always been physical… I discovered Contact Impro in 2007 which, if you ask me, was far too late. I still wish I’d stumbled on it earlier.
Since then, I’ve danced through all the waves caused by moods, learning curves, health issues, injuries, and the ever‑changing CI community. I’ve danced at jams, workshops and festivals across Australia, Italy, the US and Canada. And I keep dancing.
The everchanging, infinite possibilities, trajectories and connections are what keeps me interested. The fun, inclusive, aware community is what feeds my soul.
After having to let go of a 25‑year passion for practicing and teaching Thai Massage, I’ve just found a different way to be of service to the CI community...
I’m not your typical artsy, multi‑talented creative, but give me a list, a plan, or a logistical puzzle and I’m on! My friends know how much I love bringing people together, organising things, hence the title: the ‘bring‑togetherer’.
So, when Hamzah casually asked me about a national gathering, I somehow heard myself say, “I’m up for organising one!” And that’s how I ended up diving head‑first into creating the Australian Contact Festival with him.
It turns out my problem‑solving brain and my organisational and logistical skills actually have a place I never expected."
Contact Collective Inc
Australian Contact Festival organisers
Hamzah and Valentina
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