What to Expect in Class?
If you are new to conscious dance here are a few tips to help you feel at home...
It is normal to feel a little nervous or self conscious on the dance floor. With time this will ease.
My classes and workshops all have a few words of guidance in the warm up stage to help you settle into your body and connect with yourself.
There will be a guided exploration of a particular theme using the body to explore and investigate. There will be plenty of time for you to sink into your own dance and do what you need to do on the dance floor.
Sometimes you may be asked to pair with others or work in small groups. Again this can be daunting however being witnessed as you are, without judgement or expectations, can be one of the most powerful healing experiences on the dance floor.
In some workshops we will use art to further explore the creative process and the link between mind body and spirit. Art has a way to tap into the unconscious and can be a way to express what is often too difficult to put into words.
SOME MORE TIPS...
( Courtesy of Joanne Winstanley )
Dress code is whatever you feel comfortable to really move in. Layered clothes are good to adjust if your body gets too hot or cold. Bare feet or soft dance shoes are recommended. Bring water to drink and leave it on the side.
Keep moving. As we move we stir things up. You may hit places of fatigue or discomfort. Even if you can only tap your toes to the beat stay in motion until something changes. It will!
Pace Yourself – Listen to your body, it’s energy levels and any limitations. Stretching yourself beyond your usual zone may be good, but don’t push.
Practice Silence – Let’s face it, dropping into meditation isn’t as easy we think. This movement meditation is a chance to drop down below the words, below the social chit-chat and to speak with our bodies. Everything that’s going on inside is fuel for your dance. If you can’t resist speaking please go outside and allow others their chance to drop in. Turning your resistance into a dance is a way of consciously participating.
Practice Respect. Is your partner sending you signals that they want to be left alone? Do people have to dance around while you stop for a chat on the dance floor? Are you so absorbed by your own enthusiasm, swinging yourself or another through the air that people have to take themselves out of their meditation in order to not get whacked by one of your limbs?
Mindfulness is a basic tenet of this movement meditation. Mindfulness respects our own bodies and sharing space with others.
Stay present. Your body is the place to be. Are you one who’s always going for a drink, to the bathroom? Distractions are always available, but not really new.
