Larp House Presents: Strictly Between Us

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Join us on November 4th, 2023

 

Strictly Between Us is for roleplayers who want to move and dancers who want to tell stories. It blends the expression of partner dance with the emotional storytelling of larp. Strictly explores the dynamics of a relationship either coming together or falling apart, by playing with the physical and emotional connection between two people.

The game eases players into character with dance exercises exploring emotion through movement. Over three sets of scenes, players will work through their feelings about their dance partner, before getting to show off in the community jam where they will put their sentiments in motion for an audience.

So put on your dance shoes, learn about the blues community, listen to some incredible music, and dance your heart out!

What

A live action game that is also a beginner blues dance workshop.

Duration: 4 hours. 2 hours workshop and dance instruction, then 2 hours play

Players: 2 to 24 players

Written by Eli Seitz, Kristen Dabney, Julie Brown

Organized by Jon Cole

Dance Instruction by Riley Karbon

Admin support from Katherine Shane and Olivia Montoya

Special Thanks to Lindy Bowen and Collectively Blue

Two femmes dance in closed position at a dance event, surrounded by other dancers. The person leading is a AAPI femme with long dyed blonde hair in a patterned blouse. The person following is a white femme with dark bobbed hair in a patterned top and white skirt.

Story

This larp is mostly played as a duo, though you will likely dance with other people. This key duo relationship can be any strong relationship that might attend a social dance together. It certainly need not be romantic in nature. Part of the workshop will be helping every attendee to find a partner to create a character and dance with. With that partner you will choose one of two story frameworks for the relationship you’d like to explore with your characters.

  • Getting Together is about maybe getting together, and is lighter and more joyous in tone.
  • Moving Apart is about maybe splitting apart, and is heavier with a melancholic tone.

Dance Instruction

The play of this game is done through blues dance and no prior dance experience is needed to have a great time. We are providing an hour of professional instruction for all attendees, in addition to more practice and teaching during the workshop.

We are very excited that Riley Karbon has made time in her schedule for Strictly, as she is in high demand as the head teacher at local blues dance organization Collectively Blue. Riley has years of experience as a dance instructor and is known for her accessible teaching style and prosocial philosophy of dance communities.

When

November 4, 2023, from 1:30–6:00 PM

Where

Center for the Performing Arts, 3754 Pleasant Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409

We will be in one of CFPA’s spacious dance studios with floor to ceiling windows and a well maintained wooden dance floor.

Metro Transit routes 6, 11, 18, 23C stop nearby. Street parking available.

A wide angle view of a wooden floored dance studio with floor to ceiling windows along one wall.

Tickets

Get a ticket by filling out the Strictly Between Us registration form. Once you have a ticket you don’t need to do anything else besides show up to play!

This event has a sliding scale ticket price, from $10–$30 depending on your situation. You can pay the ticket price via paypal when you register.

We strongly prefer that people sign up in advance for this event. As such, the door price for a ticket will be $5 higher, for example $25 instead of $20.

Multiple dancing duos compete at North Star Blues, in front of an audience and judges. One partnership is centered in the frame, the two dancers make eye contact while in closed position. The leading person is Black and masc, wearing a yellow polo and black pants. The person following is a white femme in a polkadot top and red skirt.

Structure

Workshop 2hrs, Play 2hrs.

Strictly Between Us explores the evolution of a relationship over three nights of social dancing. Each night begins with a free play time, where players explore the relationship with their partner, followed by water cooler time where the group mingles across pairs, and finally a community jam session where couples can showcase their development through dancing. At the end of the third night the duo will know whether they stay together or move apart. Play concludes with a brief epilogue.

What is Blues Dance?

Blues dance always begins in close embrace, with chest to chest physical contact akin to a hug. Blues dance focuses on improvisation, connection, and musicality, with little emphasis on memorizing complex footwork. The accessibility of blues dancing invites a variety of people to dance, regardless of age, ability, or skill level. Blues dance encourages independent expression both as an individual dancer and in a partnership regardless of role. This individual expression within a partnership is part of what makes it a great fit for larp.

Blues was created by African-Americans and is rooted in their experiences in the United States. Historically and currently, that experience is influenced by oppression—first by enslavers and perpetuated through systemic racism. Blues music and dance was created and popularized by the Black community, as a way to express independence and feelings from joy to heartbreak.

Blues music has its roots in African American work songs, spirituals, and folk music from the 1860s. Blues dance started in the American South, primarily in bars, house parties, and juke joints. Over time, blues dancing spread internationally both as a music style and a dance style.

Content Notice

Relationships forming and breaking apart.

This is a highly physical game where dancing is as much a form of communication as words. Blues dance always begins in close embrace, with chest to chest physical contact that is akin to a hug. The basics of this improvisatory dance style will be taught during the workshop so no prior skill is needed to play!

Calibration and Consent Tools

This game will use Cut, Break, Tapout which will be reviewed and practiced prior to play. Following play, we will debrief our experiences and shed the roles we assumed for the game. The debrief is encouraged, but not required.

Players will need to verbally ask one another to dance. During the workshops we will teach and practice how to non-verbally ask to change the point of contact being used to maintain connection while dancing, and answer non-verbally was well. Players are always welcome to revert to verbal requests.

Costuming

This game is set at a 21st Century social dance. Consider the following priorities in order as you consider your costuming:

  1. Thick socks you don’t mind getting dirty, or sturdy leather-soled shoes. This dance style needs slightly slippery feet and dancing in socks is the most accessible way to achieve this.
  2. Good hygiene can both boost your confidence and your partner’s comfort. Please avoid perfume, cologne, and other scented products since you won’t know who is sensitive to smells.
  3. Comfortable to move in for long periods of time. If you are a sweaty person, bringing an extra shirt to change into halfway is a good idea. Pick absorbent materials rather than sweat-wicking.
  4. Spiffy duds because your character wants to look their best at this social event. To be clear, we’d rather have you in your most casual sweatpants than miss you entirely!

Damon and Kelsy Stone dance together in open position in the corner of the dance floor. They are in the midst of a lean and look breathless and intense in their focus. Damon is masc and Black with a bald head and glasses, he wears a navy suit. Kelsey is a white femme with shoulder length brown hair who is visibly pregnant, and wearing a stretchy blue dress and her white dance shoes.

Other Information

COVID-19 Policy

Attendees need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted to the extent recommended by the CDC for their demographic group. Bring proof of your vaccination status for inspection during check in, which could be your card, a picture of it, or a document on your phone. Our policy means you will need to have had the 2022 bivalent booster at least two weeks before this event or we will turn you away at the door. We strongly encourage you to get the 2023 monovalent booster before you attend, but aren’t requiring it yet because of the relatively short amount of time between vaccine release and this event. Please reach out if you have any questions about our policy.

N95 respirators or better are required, and we will have a few to share. We will be playing in a large and well-ventilated room and bring our own CR box to run. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home. If you are able to, take a rapid test before arrival.

Accessibility

This game requires dancing to music. Without making any accommodations, we would expect attendees to be able to stand for long periods, walking, vision, hearing, and athletic movement. Please reach out, as we would like to be able make accommodations for anyone who cant do all those things consistently.

Our venue is on the third floor, and is climate controlled. The building is ADA compliant. Our playspace has plenty of seating. There are two non-gendered restrooms near the playspace.

Water will be available, and we recommend bringing a water bottle for your ease of access. No food will be provided.

Social and Evening Dance Event

The evening of Strictly Between Us just so happens to be the November blues dance house party hosted by Collectively Blue. Join Riley, Jon, and your new dance chums for an evening of social blues dance, no characters needed. Lock in your learning and meet new friends. Show up at 7:30pm at the 30-minute refresher dance lesson, then enjoy music from 8:00 pm-midnight by the fabulous local blues DJs! Collectively Blue parties are $5 to attend and are BYOB. Collectively Blue events require covid vaccination, and offer N95s but do not require them.

Between the end of the game and the start of the party some folks will get food together to continue to hang out at Hola Arepa. Hanging out afterwards is totally optional, and we think it’s fun to get to know your fellow players as people, not just as their characters. Folks who didn’t attend the event are welcome to attend this part.

A full dance floor at a dance event. In the center of the frame four femmes dance solo, riffing on one another's moves.

Contact

Contact us with any questions or concerns!

Image Credits

Photos by Ben Hejkal

Two fat Black people dance in close embrace under a shady picnic pavilion at a park. The masc person leading has a mustache and glasses and is wearing a tshirt and jeans. The femme person following is smiling, wears a flowing top and leggings.

Larp House Presents: Hell Is Other Vampires

a red-tinted full moon

REGISTER HERE
Join us on September 2, 2023

It’s 1993, when grunge music is all the rage, hacker kids are dialing up to this new thing called “the Internet,” and discontentment ripples through the secret world of the vampires.

In Chicago, Prince Lodin has dominated the vampires here for decades and kept various factions at bay. However, his days of dominance and absolute monopoly are numbered, and there are whispers of a revolutionary plot against his iron-fisted reign.

As a downpour pummels the streets outside the crumbling ruins of the City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, a small cabal of vampires gather inside to wait out the storm and plot to overthrow the Prince. That is, if they don’t all kill each other instead…

What

Hell Is Other Vampires is a larp about, well, vampires, but also an interpersonal drama about whether the group can put aside their personal problems to achieve their common goal, or if they succumb to petty squabbles instead.

Tone: A supernatural goth early ’90s gritty drama

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of vampire media such as The Daybreakers or Interview with the Vampire, with a touch of No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre and Reservoir Dogs. The setting is within the World of Darkness franchise of games, but no prior knowledge of the system or franchise is necessary to play.

Run Time: 3 to 4 hours, including approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of active play time

Players: 3 to 9 players

Facilitators: one

Written by Evan Torner
Organized by Tom S. Tea
Admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

When

September 2, 2023, from 2–7 PM

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: Hell Is Other Vampires”

Salon du Larp House: Velveteen Hearts

A collection of assorted stuffed animals sit of a bed facing the viewer, as if waiting patiently for play to begin.

Join us on June 17, 2023!
|| Click here to register to play! ||

Updated: The title of this work-in-progress larp has changed from “Batting Hearts” to “Velveteen Hearts”

As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen.

A day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.

If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.

―Winnie the Pooh

What

Children at preschool enter the land of make believe with their stuffed animal companions. This is a physical play experience, where players literally enact childsplay and wind through the rambling-dream logic of stories children tell. How does the child’s inner life come through make-believe play with their stuffie? When hardship comes and fears threaten to overwhelm, who supports who and how? Leave this game feeling a little more grown-up and a little more connected to childlike parts of yourself.

Written and Organized by Jon Cole
Admin Support by Olivia Montoya, Katherine Shane

This event is a playtest. Velveteen Hearts isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. There might be some missing pieces or rough patches in play. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Saturday June 17th, 2023, from 1 to 4pm

Continue reading “Salon du Larp House: Velveteen Hearts”

Larp House Presents: Club Felis

Club Felis / A Larp House event / May 12, 2023 6-10 PM / Caydence Records & Coffee / 900 Payne Avenue St. Paul MN / Reserve your place right meow!

CLUB FELIS:
Everybody Wants to be a Cat
~~~ REGISTER HERE ~~~

Cats of the Twin Cities, come gather and play at our very own nightclub: Club Felis. Here the stray cats and posh house cats mingle. They flirt, play, drink milk, and enjoy their cat mint. In particular they participate in or enjoy watching the Cat of the Year competition, which is held “every week.”  For one evening only, Caydence Records & Coffee in Saint Paul, MN will host the hottest night club in the Twin Cities for all things cool cats and hot jazz: Club Felis!

“Welcome all you cats and friends to Club Felis! Not everyone is welcome here, but you are! Are there any dogs among the audience maybe? Not so? Are there any mice among the audience? Not that either? But can everyone who belongs to the family of cats raise their paws and give me a resounding MEOW! Tonight we will announce who is the deserving winner of the Cat of the Year award! Those of you who want to brave the competition should talk with Agent Orange. Apart from that, enjoy the milk and other extravaganza. You have been here before, so you know what the deal is. Please welcome Scat Cats! (music!)”

– George – master of ceremonies at Club Felis

All Swinging Cats, show off your talents, sing/yowl your heart out, or jump into the Scat Cats improv jazz jam, playing awesome pick up standards. Scheme with your friends, disdain your enemies, and use impeccable cat logic to prove YOU deserve to help decide who wins Cat of the Year this week. Because everybody wants to be a swinging cat!

line art of a cat playing a trombone, and a cat playing a drum kit

The 4 W’s

Who

Presented by Larp House Role Play Collective and the Make a Scene Scenario Festival 

Organized by Micah Amundsen (they/them), Jamie Bordewick (they/them),  and Katherine Shane (she/her).

And hopefully attended by you!

What

Club Felis is a Nordic style larp by Martin Brodén, Ada Fredelius and Anna-Karin Linder about cats living in the city and meeting in their very own nightclub: Club Felis.

Players: 20-40 players

Run Time: 3 hours, including about an hour of prep time to don your cat ears, practice your cat moves, and get your Cat of the Year talents or karaoke hits to our very own Club Felis music & talent team!

Where

Caydence Records & Coffee, 900 Payne Avenue • St Paul MN

Metro Transit route 64 with 14, 30, and 32 stops nearby. Street parking available.

When

Friday May 12, 2023, from 6-10 PM

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: Club Felis”

Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest

It’s 1925 and some experienced grifters—hustlers, sharps, and general crooks—gather to teach a group of younger, less-experienced con artists the tricks of the trade. Of course everyone brings their own bag full of secrets, and sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running…

Professors teach their signature cons, honed over years of practice, to promising new comers.

Students can gain experience, insight, and possibly a mentor as they learn various cons.

And as anywhere old and young gather, stories will be shared, grudges aired, and feelings bared.

What

Charm School is a game about being low-down dirty-rotten crooks who exchange tips, stories, and grudges. Sometimes the best con is the one you don’t even know you are running.

Run Time: 3 hours, including 90 minutes active play time
Players: 6–10
Facilitators: 2, who play as well
Tone: Self-serious characters played in a light-hearted way

You might enjoy this game if you are a fan of such films as: The Sting, The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Now You See Me, Catch Me If You Can, The Brothers Bloom, or the Ocean’s Eleven franchise.

Written by Jason Morningstar
Organized by Kevin McIntrye and Kelley Vanda
With admin support from Katherine Shane and Jon Cole

This event is a playtest. Charm School isn’t totally finished, though it will be a complete play experience. There might be some missing pieces or rough patches in play. If this game sounds interesting to you even though it is not in its final form, we will be very glad to have you join us!

When

Saturday March 25th, 2023, from 1 to 5 pm Continue reading “Salon du Larp House: Charm School playtest”

Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival

The hands of person with pale skin wearing blue uses blue clay on a rustic wooden table to create molds for silver charms.

A rural village craftspeople prepare for the annual Harvest Festival. At the festival each craftsperson will present their proudest works to other members of the community as a symbol of gratitude, forgiveness, or apology.

During the day, you sit with an elder perfecting your craft and seeking advice from your peers about your personal life. At night, wander the cozy streets of the hamlet to visit with other villagers to put that advice into practice (for better or for worse). After the third day, we will celebrate the Harvest Festival and give away the things we created.

What

The Harvest Festival is a pastoral game about interpersonal conflict and support networks. Inspired by Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, join us to live out a hygge cottagecore fantasy for one afternoon.

Written by Marshall Bradshaw
Organized by Jon Cole

When

Saturday January 7th, 2023, from 1 to 4pm

The fingers of a person with pale skin delicately manipulate wet clay on a pottery wheel. The hands are wet, covered with shiny clay.

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: The Harvest Festival”

Larp House Presents: Glamourous Night

People dance in a dimly lit room. Two move lean into one another, sharing weight. One person the the foreground thrusts out an outstretched hand to another person.

In the old, old, half forgotten times, magical beings spin helplessly through realms of music and magic. Tragic are they! These wizards, fae, humans, and magical animals do not see that they already possess the power to change themselves. To take control of their vulnerable situation, each group dominates the minds of the others in turn, each more wickedly than the last. Mind control scars both the leader and the follower, but each has a chance to heal. In the end, only True Love can redeem them and break their bonds. When they have the chance to escape, will they want to?

What

Glamourous Night is an immersive game about hurting others, and having a chance to redeem yourself for 8 to 30 players. It is an abstract, mostly non-verbal game that is played to music. Players use two movement techniques to resolve their characters’ conflicts, either mutual spell casting or mind control. Players will be on their feet and moving during most of the three hour workshop and the two hour game.

The setting is a fantastical medieval Europe where all the folk tales are true. The characters are powerful magical beings who go on an accidental journey between dimensions. They are tempted to mind control each other before escaping, scarred. Only True Love can break mind control bonds and redeem their actions. Finally, each character decides which of the three dimensions they will make their new home.

Written by Jon Cole
Organized by Steve Stolpman and Jon Cole

When

Saturday January 28th, 2023, from noon to 5pm

Read on for more details!
Continue reading “Larp House Presents: Glamourous Night”

Larp House Recommends: Voting (updated)

Woman megaphone, caption: VOTE Make Your Voice Heard

 

The year is 2022, and it is a world of darkness. The lives of marginalized people are threatened by the cruel and the violent. Unjust social structures grow increasingly brazen in their oppression. Systemic inequality runs unchecked.

Will you sit idly by as selfish monsters assault those less powerful? Or will you stand and be counted among those who demand a more considerate, nurturing, inclusive society? Your chance to play the most important role of all.

What

Democracy, a live-action exercise in civic responsibility for millions of participants

When

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Where

At your local polling place

Registration

You can check and make sure you’re registered to vote with the Minnesota Secretary of State.

If you haven’t registered yet, it’s not too late. In Minnesota, you can register at the polls, but be sure to bring current proof of residence.

This event works better when you bring friends. Talk to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to attend this event! Sign up for get out the vote canvassing together!

Continue reading “Larp House Recommends: Voting (updated)”

Larp House Presents: College of Neraidology

girl lying in grass examining something with magnifying glass

This event has been cancelled.

Dearest Members!

We are thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity to advance the burgeoning field of Fae Studies! The Minnesota College of Neraidology is seeking scholars and observers to take part in a field trip to determine the nature of faerie activity. A possible colony of Fae has been reported in the backyard of a home in Richfield. We will gather (with the homeowners’ generous permission) on Saturday, August 29th at 1:00 PM for a one hour Site Inspection followed by a shared discussion of findings.

Data may take many forms and we recognize that creative extrapolation is a key part of the scientific method in regard to neraidology. In particular, we wish to know:

  • What species of faerie dwell in the area (sprites, gnomes, leprechauns, brownies, etc)
  • What habits they may have (dances, mushroom tending, animal husbandry)
  • What locations they favour (hidden hollows, man-made structures, natural wonders)
  • What tools, items or trinkets they have used (coloured stones, unusual feathers, shiny items)
  • Is this in fact a true fae colony, or merely a neurotic homeowner plagued by sparrows and mice?

Once the hour is complete, all participants are expected to present their findings to each other and form a cohesive theory to present to the College. We expect that the work of all participants be given equal weight.

To ensure the safety of students, faculty and guests, and of our delicate subjects of study, strict rules for masking will be required to prevent accidental Fae Inhalation and observers will be asked to maintain 6 feet of separation to avoid trampling evidence.

Further details as to the location of the study site will be provided if your application to the observation team is accepted.

Sincerely,
Sir Francis Cobblesworth
Dean of Neraidology (Faerie Studies)

What

A special socially-distanced adaptation of Royal College of Neraidology, a whimsical outdoor game about faerie studies for three to six players.

Written by Ivan Nevill
Organized by Katherine Shane

When

Saturday, 29 August 2020 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Rescheduled: Saturday, 12 September 2020, from 1 pm to 4 pm

This event has been cancelled.

We will set aside Sunday as a rain date.

Where

A private home in Richfield, Minnesota. Details will be provided to registered attendees.

Registration

Continue reading “Larp House Presents: College of Neraidology”

Larp House Workshop: Larp Jam ONLINE

Mason jar labeled "Larp Jam"

Have you ever seen a reality TV cooking competition? Each team has to cook up a larp using a secret ingredient. Then the “dishes” are rotated between teams of chefs, who have to keeping working on a “meal” they didn’t start.

LarpJam is great for roleplayers, people interested in game design, and folks who like collaborating in small groups.

In a matter of hours people with no larp design experience can create awesome, fully-playable larps!

What

LarpJam, a collaborative game-design workshop where you create your own live action roleplaying games, for 6 or more participants

Designed by Jon Cole

Facilitated by Katherine Shane

This LarpJam will be run completely online! We’ll use real-time collaboration software like Google Hangouts and Google Docs. You’ll need to have an Internet-connected device that can run these applications, probably something with a keyboard so you can chat and write at the same time, and a webcam.

When

20 March 2020, from 6 pm to 9 pm, CDT Continue reading “Larp House Workshop: Larp Jam ONLINE”