Dance transmutes emotion

There are times in life when we feel all knotted up. This happens when we hold onto emotion, either because it feels overwhelming or because we don’t understand what is happening. Emotions are generated through changes in the body. When we are not able to ‘read’ our body, we sometimes don’t know what we are feeling – or worse, that we are feeling. Being able to check in with the sensations in our body is a good way in checking in how we are doing. At some level we are able to feel into certain situations much easier and even better that rationalising them. This intuitive way of knowing is as valid as the best thought out plans. Always balance!

When we dance we automatically are able to feeling ton what is going on in our body and carefully navigate any emotions. We transmute our emotions through dance by literally moving them. We can change our heart rate, stimulate peace and regulate our breathing through the dance opening up the possibility to shift emotions so that we are better able to address them – not bottle them up till we explode.

Dance awakens connection to the body

• Are we always aware of what is going on in our body?
• How aware are we of how we are moving?
• And, do we realise our postures and movements directly influence our experiences?

I was ‘hobbling’ across my studio the other day in pain caused by sciatica. Suddenly I realised that my body was hunched over, my movements erratic and generally I felt miserable. In a flash I decided that this has to stop NOW! I pulled myself up and shifted gears from slow shuffle to purposeful strides across the space. To cut a long story short, I have been very consciously ‘overriding’ my body for the past week and I have noticed a dramatic reduction in pain. Movement and determination have started to shift my experience – I feel the mastery of creating my own reality through my body.

This would never have been possible without the awareness of body and how it is moving and interacting with life. It seems symbolic that in the middle of my dance space I came to a realisation based on my all too sensitive connection with my body. But what a gift! This story would not have been possible without dance. How many people live life from the neck up – in their heads? How many people have limited awareness of self and their world? How many people accept life this way?

Almost evangelical in my mission, I see the difference I can make in the life of people. And what joy! To be able to dance life – not just endure it.

Dance always feels liberating

Deep down I feel that Dance has always been and always will be life-affirming. We dance for joy, we dance to celebrate, and we even dance on solemn occasions. I know from my own experience how I use to dance to free me from negative thoughts and even constricting emotions. Music and movement give me the chance to feel the freedom of choice. Either I can remain in a dark place, or I can dance myself out into the light.

Dance is liberating on so many levels.

The wonder of dance is that this experience is embodied, it is real, it is happening in this time now. It is not conceptualised as a good idea, or pocketed somewhere to be taken out and dusted at a later time.

Dance lives in the NOW, and dance liberates in the NOW – there is no waiting……

Creativity always emerges through the dance

• Do you ever know where the dance is going to take you?
• Do you ever know what will emerge once you start dancing?

My very first encounter with formal dance was through an improvisation workshop. Who would have ever imagined that the expressive flow unleashed on that day would lead to a lifetime of dance? And yet that is the amazing thing with dance – it connects us directly to our creative self allowing us to give full expression to feelings, thoughts and actions that would otherwise have lain dormant.

This is existential creativity – expression of self. We don’t need paint and canvas or chisel and stone. We ourselves are the medium of expression, we ourselves are the art! This is the wonderful lesson that dance teaches us. How to live and be our glorious self in this world!

Sometimes I even dream in 'DANCE'

I am so used to seeing the world in terms of movement and energy that I am sure that sometimes I even dream in DANCE.

Dance as a language.

Dance as a way of being.

Dance as experience.

The many layers and nuances of what is dance is a real fascination and when people say that life is a dance I fully get what they mean. I just love exploring the power and beauty that is dance.

I just have a passion for teaching dance

I love that I am able to share my own experiences based on everything I have learnt along the way in my own life. I have been so fortunate to have been exposed to some of the leading teachers, choreographers and thinkers in the world of dance – both local and international.

When I start to share I am always amazed at this accumulation of knowledge and wisdom that I have received and am able to pass on. When I see the delight and joy my teaching brings into the life of others I realise that somewhere along the line we are all a link in the beautiful chain called HUMANITY and at some level we are obliged to share what we know, so that the life of others is expanded and becomes richer.

That is the privilege of teaching.