Frequently asked questions.

Arriving time for participants: Registrations are between 13 – 15 on the 11th of March

Departure time for participants: 11h on the 18th of March

Soothe&Care team meeting : 14h on the 11th of March

Read the Rights and Responsibilities Here

We ask that everyone significantly limit their social exposure for 5 days prior to the event. Everyone is required to take a rapid test upon arrival. We will have tests available for purchase, and folks are also welcome to bring their own. Anyone who tests positive upon entry or who exhibits covid-like symptoms will not be able to attend (and our stated refund policy will apply regardless of Covid status). Vaccinations and masks will be optional during the event. We will create an agreement around social-distancing from others outside of the CAMP container, during the event (buying an ice cream in town is okay, but we will refrain from going clubbing!). We recognize this is a relatively lenient policy. Since the severity of covid is generally low for those who are vaccinated and boosted, we are mostly deferring to participants to assess their own risk tolerances.

During the week after the event we ask to contact the organization if you have any symptoms or test positive.

We also recommend to reduce social interaction the 3-4 days after the event or take a test.

We are limiting the group to 60 people total. We have dorm beds for a max of 45 people, and others are welcome to commute from nearby accommodations.

The event will be mainly facilitated in English. We plan to incorporate Spanish translation for those who may need that, and are currently exploring options to do so.

Welcome!

We try to offer a range of structured support systems, beyond our aim to build a culture of mutual support. A few examples are:

• Soothe&Care team – a guided group of individuals who undergo a special training in supporting others to feel more grounded. These volunteers make themselves available during the event, creating a network of support.
• Sharing Groups – during the opening circle we’ll have a moment to create pods, aka sharing groups, a buddy-system group who will meet, according to their needs (we have allotted 30min/day in schedule), throughout the event.
• Emergency Support Team – in case of an emergency!
• Couples’ Support

Although it is not necessary, we highly encourage any newcomers to Contact to take classes and go to jams before the festival to prepare yourself in understanding the essential physics and social dynamics of the form since this festival has its roots in the form. At the event we also offer a limited number of basic and more advanced CI workshops to ensure its continuity as one of our core practices.

 This document provided by CAMP has helpful information, including around travel: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tVaQsjxkK3jnMOiR_moWaIhxnbW-_n_b1o3if4vyl4/edit

Once you complete your payment you receive a message with a link to an spreadsheet to self organise share rides, take the same taxi from the airport… with other participants.

Thinks you might consider to bring: earplugs, bio soap, swimming trunks (not required for camp or zipolite but for the rest of mexico…), sun protection,  mosquito repellent and long sleeves cloth (is useful for mosquitos, sun, dance and roll, chilly…)

Towel (no need to bring lynen)

Comfy cloth to move and roll around, your favourite outfit…

Water bottle, special desired food…

Headlamp (highly recommended)

Cash (ATM in the are can often run out of money)

A book, a note book, contact cards, nice handcraft objects that you make, your favourite costumes, toys…

Planning to go to the mountains (you have to go trough them to arrive to Oaxaca)? Bring warmer cloth. Consider get ginger or motion sickness pills.

No, this event is not about sex or even sexuality. Expressions of sexuality, when consensual, are welcome as one of many authentic ways we have of connecting with ourselves, others and nature. If what you’re looking for is sex with no strings attached this is likely not your event. If you’re open to exploring intimacy with others in community and are open for this to include expressions of sexuality you’re likely to find a warm home with us.

Consent comes in different shapes and sizes and different cultures approach the subject differently. We at Touch&Play all agree that this is a super important subject and that without it we cannot safely connect with others. We do not however claim to have the perfect solution as to what way of expressing or requesting consent works best for everyone. Rather than radical and affirmative consent’s attempt at risk reduction, our focus is on the cultivation of individual and collective resilience. We believe there is fertile ground between “Hell Yes” and “Fuck No” and that attempt to divide the world into black and white risk missing the 49 shades of grey that lay between them. Our team as well as all other participants are there to help support your journey. At the same time we ask you to be responsible for your own well being and comfort. We do this knowing that this, according to identity and culture, will be easier for some than for others. To make sure that everyone is familiar with and has a chance to practice the more embodied approach to consent that we cultivate, the first two mandatory group sessions are geared towards this. If after reading this you feel you would like more clarity to be sure that you would feel safe with us please feel free to reach out!

We will all learn about “safe words,” which provide an easy way to communicate if someone is experiencing discomfort and if they want to slow down or stop. Safe words give us an opportunity to move at the pace of presence, or the speed of trust.

• You can always opt out of an experience you don’t want to be in. You can witness in a workshop if participating isn’t what you want to do.
• If you’re looking for a place to heal with a focus on past experiences this event is not designed for that. You will likely thrive in a different container.
• If you are interested in being around people who are exploring intimacy and practicing the following skills, you will likely love it here!
  • Identifying what you want (specifically around touch and intention) and asking for it
  • Noticing early stages of discomfort, fight, flight, or freeze and speaking up
  • Hearing and receiving challenging feedback without taking it personally
  • Recognizing when you want to be right and shifting your attention anyway to what you can learn in this situation
• On the first day we all learn and practice these 8 Steps to Creating the Intimate Explorations You Love. These include “Are you clear and present to make aligned choices in this moment?” and “What would you like for integration?” The culture of the festival supports people to ask themselves these questions and to practice speaking the answers before initiating intimate connections.
• If you come and you find yourself in a fight, flight, or freeze response. We have a Soothe&Care team – a guided group of individuals who make themselves available creating a network of support during the event.

There is absolutely no pressure or expectation to be sexual at all. This festival is oriented around somatic practices and communication techniques that can enhance intimacy and at the core consent is always paramount. This means you have agency at all times and get to choose how are you share space and time with others. This may include sexuality but there are so many other ways to share ourselves and discover connections.

First, to reiterate, there is no need or expectation to be sexual at this festival. If you do choose to be sexual we advocate clear honest communication about your sexual health. We do encourage participants to get tested before coming to the festival so that you have accurate information about your body if and when you choose to be sexually intimate. There are a few optional nude group activities such as “Liquid Love” which, if you do have an STD, we advise keeping underpants, swimsuit or other layer on for the safety of the group.

During our lifetime others will hurt us and we will undoubtedly hurt others. Most of the times this happens by accident and without ill will. Depending on the severity and intentional/non-intentional nature of the situation each case is handled differently. We train a Soothe&Care team who can be called upon for support who will be identifiable by bracelets worn throughout the event. We also have a team of varied health professionals who volunteer their services in cases of emergencies. In rare extreme cases we would call upon outside help and/or ask anyone who compromises safety in an egregious way to leave the event.

There is a diversity of relationship styles represented at the festival including monogamy. People come with or without their partners. Either way it’s important to have clear communication with your partner and clear agreements about physical, emotional and sexual boundaries during the event (and always 🙂)

Here’s a guide for Clarifying Agreements Before You Go Out To Play

We have had several participants and teachers who have neurological differences such as but not limited to autism, dyslexia, or ADHD. Given the level of non verbal communication in the contact improv community and intentional communication in the kink scene we have noticed that many people who are neuro-divergent gravitate to our festival. There is a lot of permission and respect for connecting outside the “norm.” The better you know what will support you and can specifically make requests, the more likely we will all have a successful experience together. Please email us to let us know if you have further questions.

We would love to support you in being here and partnering with your body’s wisdom and limits. Please email to let us know what might make it possible for you to join us. We are happy to support you with looking at logistic possibilities. We can also support you in clarifying what you’d love others to know about your body and abilities.

To avoid being inauthentic, which comes with its whole set of harms, we will say: there is no fully safe space, but there are safer spaces. In this festival, the organizers have delved deeply into examining race, and how white supremacy and colonized ways of being may manifest. That lens affects many of our decisions as we shape the structure, staffing, content, and facilitation styles at the event. While we unfortunately can’t prevent micro-aggressions completely, we will encourage white folks to compassionately give feedback to other white folks if they witness a racial harm – to build a culture of accountability and collective learning (folks of color are also welcome to give that feedback, but it is not expected for them to spend energy on educating white people). There will also be a BIPOC-only lunch or dinner discussion, as a supportive space to connect, check in, and process with one another. We read and consider the responses in the registration form carefully, around things that could make each registrant feel safer, more empowered, and engaged. Ideas may emerge based on those responses, to tend to a sense of safety for our BIPOC community members.

We will all be in bunk beds in shared dorm rooms. The rooms are comfortable and cozy. If you prefer a more spacious personal space, or have trouble sleeping around others, the commuter option may work well for you. Let us know if you’d like support finding other accommodations nearby.

We offer mainly vegetarian, as local and organic as possible, diverse buffet-style meals – and we aim to cater to everyone’s needs, so let us know what you need and we’ll check in with our Chef and we’ll get back to you – We hope you can feel supported with your food needs.

Sure!

contact@myhost:8890/mexicotnp