It is hard to define because it can take many different forms depending on the people doing it, so you usually have to combine a couple of people definitions to get a good feel for it. Here is one of the better descriptions we've seen so far:
Contact Improvisation is a moving massage. It is a dance that fine tunes your senses and wakes up your ability to listen and respond to what is happening in the moment. If you could do Aikido, surf, wrestle and dance at the same time, you would have an idea of what Contact Improvisation feels like. What makes Contact different from other dance is that partners are often moving in and out of physical contact while rolling, spiraling, springing and falling. They find ways to "enjoy the ride" and improvise while mutually supporting and following each others movements. The dancing is unpredictable and inspired by the physical and energetic contact the partners share. - Ernie Adams
The above gives about half of it - mix in sizable amounts of stretching, classic massage, partner dancing, stillness, partner yoga, restfulness, playfulness and laughing and the picture is close to complete. Also, each person is different and will tilt more towards some things. That's the good thing - you have the freedom to dance as you wish - you don't have to contain who you are into a limited box that someone else determined for you.
This article in the Village Voice does a pretty good job at describing it, and if you're new we recommend you read it.
History
Contact began over thirty years ago at Oberlin College in Ohio and has spread across the U.S. and the globe. You can read about the origins at Wikipedia, in this article in the Village Voice and at this Oberlin College page.
Other links
If you Google contact improv, you will get thousands of hits. These are the links we recommend most:
Contactimprov.net - global directory of Contact Improv groups, jams and classes
Contact Quarterly - a quarterly journal of Contact Improv articles
Earthdance - a center in Massachusetts largely oriented towards Contact Improv
Contactimprov.com - world events map, photos, videos, discussions, announcements, and hundreds of Contact Improv links
Martinkeogh.com - schedule, interviews and writings of one of the top teachers of Contact
Contactimprov.tribe.net - events, photos, listings, and discussion topics related to Contact Improv
Contact Improv events - over 100 weekly Contact Improv events around the world
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