From the Practice

Everybody is talking about EMBODIMENT, but what is this Embodiment?

The easiest way to understand embodiment is to look at the elements of the word embodiment… it actually spells out what it is:

EM is emotion, being connected, aware, and expressing your emotions

BODY is being physically present, connected, and aware of your connection with the body, physical sensations …

I is a spirit… being aware of this aspect of you

MENT is mentality or mental capacity - mind

So … 

Read about how dancing can help rid us of shame and negative body images. 

Shame is something we learn, not something we are born with. The association between shame and the body is deeply ingrained in us.

 DANCING trains us to move out of the mind and into the body, which helps us remove negative perceptions of our bodies. Naming our shame, observing (instead of judging) our experience, owning our experience, moving through (not around) our emotions, and choosing a story that serves us can help us heal our relationship with our bodies... 

Yesterday during my Dance Alchemy session at Radiantly Alive Bali a strange thing happened in the transition between the first part (warming up workshop) and the second part (open dance floor for a free & authentic dance expression)…  my computer froze. 

For the first part of the session, I’m running on my iTunes …I create always a new playlist for the power of complete awareness, and energy, activating full body capacity, and opening up so the dance can happen through us… and then ... 

As a facilitator of any kind of movement workshop, it is important to quickly establish trust, connection, playfulness, and flow. Doing so will not only create a positive and dynamic atmosphere instantaneously but will help the group feel safe enough fully let go and be present to the magic of the session as it unfolds.

So now that you know how important it is to establish quick trust, connection, playfulness and flow, you are probably wondering, how on earth do I do it? 

Well, stay tuned because I’ve got some answers for you… 

So you’ve received your certification and are officially a dance movement facilitator. What next? It’s time to lead your first dance movement session, that’s what!

Here are the top four things I believe a facilitator needs to prepare for their first dance movement session.

1. Define your goal

2. Set up a structure

3. Craft a playlist

4. Perform a preparation ritual

Check out my latest blog post for more detailed information on how to perform each of the steps listed above. 

The world needs more dance movement facilitators! 

Studies show that when we dance, we're releasing endorphins which are naturally occurring hormones responsible for making us feel good. It also improves blood circulation and reduces stress levels. So if you're ever feeling down or stressed out, a good way to snap out of it is to put on some music and start dancing! You'll be surprised at how much more energized and relaxed you'll feel after just a few moments. 

Now imagine how good it would feel to help others access that joy. Now you can! Dance movement facilitators create a container where ... 

All the movement and flow inside of us, on the physical, mental, and emotional levels, or outside of us in the world and in the universe … are all running on these three basic qualities. 

The 1st movement quality and the most natural movement is the Circular–Rounded–Spiral…movement of the body, or even on a smaller scale, on a molecular level, or on a larger scale, like galaxies and the universe. 

The opposite of this quality is Architectural movement, which means that it comes from the mind, it’s constructed by ourselves, it’s predicted. So, what we make in our life is usually architectural, because it’s mind driven. 

The 2nd movement quality is ...

Good morning everyone:) 

My best way to start a day is a vibrational alignment ritual which includes free dance expression, to feel into universal support, and to begin to trust, that when you put things out into the world, there is a karmic force that is coming back to you and is supporting you in achieving what you want to achieve.  

What is your favorite daily ritual? 

So grateful to have such amazing opportunities in my life to meet amazing creative people and to exchange:)  

Short dance improvisation inspired by a dancer from the Dayak tribe in Borneo - Muh Sauqi. 

First, he danced his traditional dance and then I responded with echo improvisation, on what I saw and felt. And traditional Dayak music was live remixed by Vlad Mohilny.

Breathwork is the buzzword these days. Because there are many breathwork modalities out there, it can be hard to decide which one to start with. In my experience however, I have found that combining breathing AND movement techniques from various methods including Pranayama, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong is the most potent medicine, a medicine I’ve packaged into one powerful recipe I call Core Energy Activation.

In my latest blog post, I explain all the ingredients to this breathwork recipe as well as share more about Core Energy Activation so that hopefully you can start using it during your sessions as a dance movement facilitator. 

Here’s a question: “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

If you really ask yourself this question, you can’t help but feel uncomfortable. The question tends to make us aware that fear of failure keeps us from attempting great things, and life gets dull. Amazing things stop happening. But if you can get past that fear, impossible things suddenly become possible.

So by asking “What if I could not fail?”, we create a mental landscape in which ... 

The world needs more dance movement facilitators! 

Studies show that when we dance, we're releasing endorphins which are naturally occurring hormones responsible for making us feel good. It also improves blood circulation and reduces stress levels. So if you're ever feeling down or stressed out, a good way to snap out of it is to put on some music and start dancing! You'll be surprised at how much more energized and relaxed you'll feel after just a few moments. 

Now imagine how good it would feel to help others access that joy. Now you can! Dance movement facilitators create a container where ...