What is Conscious Dance?
Conscious dance is a form of movement and self-expression that goes beyond just physical exercise or entertainment. It is a practice that combines elements of dance, mindfulness and personal exploration to promote physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. It can be lightly facilitated or guided with great intention to build deep awareness & inquiry.
Conscious Dance is an embodiment practice, a moving meditation and often a community:
An awareness building, creative, guided, therapeutic, free-style dance and movement space for all bodies.
A space for you to do your dance as only you can.
Conscious dance is a form of movement and self-expression that goes beyond just physical exercise or entertainment. It is a practice that combines elements of dance, mindfulness and personal exploration to promote physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. It can be lightly facilitated or guided with great intention to build deep awareness & inquiry.
Conscious Dance is an embodiment practice, a moving meditation and often a community:
An awareness building, creative, guided, therapeutic, free-style dance and movement space for all bodies.
A space for you to do your dance as only you can.
There are a variety of styles and approaches to Conscious Dance, with many being inspired by Gabrielle Roth's work of the 5Rhythms, each with its own philosophy and practices. The 5Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Open Floor, Soul Motion, the 360 and Azul are some examples, plus Dance Temple, although it is more like Ecstatic Dance as generally there is only facilitation at the beginning and end.
Usually practiced to an eclectic range of music with the DJ/Facilitator
creating curated sets or working with the gift of live musicians.
The intention is conscious embodiment, by means of dancing.
There is no getting it wrong or right as there are no steps to follow.
Can be done in a group setting or alone, indoors or outdoors.
It can be a creative outlet, a place to tune into spirituality and a space for connection,
with self, with the other and with community.
Dancers are invited to notice, listen and follow their own response to the music,
while tuning into the guidance of the facilitator and the energy of the group.
Dancing freely, while being held, offers participants both insight & release.
In the dance, what is living inside of us has room to be seen, explored and released.
Self-regulation and co-regulation happening again and again.
Our bodies hold our life's experiences and our physical expressions can be a way to
navigate and understand the wholeness of our being.
All are welcome to join, regardless of physical ability, age or experience.
Usually practiced to an eclectic range of music with the DJ/Facilitator
creating curated sets or working with the gift of live musicians.
The intention is conscious embodiment, by means of dancing.
There is no getting it wrong or right as there are no steps to follow.
Can be done in a group setting or alone, indoors or outdoors.
It can be a creative outlet, a place to tune into spirituality and a space for connection,
with self, with the other and with community.
Dancers are invited to notice, listen and follow their own response to the music,
while tuning into the guidance of the facilitator and the energy of the group.
Dancing freely, while being held, offers participants both insight & release.
In the dance, what is living inside of us has room to be seen, explored and released.
Self-regulation and co-regulation happening again and again.
Our bodies hold our life's experiences and our physical expressions can be a way to
navigate and understand the wholeness of our being.
All are welcome to join, regardless of physical ability, age or experience.
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"Dancing the 5Rhythms is a practice—a dynamic way to both workout and to meditate in the same breath.
They teach us that life is energy in motion, freeing us from any fixed notions about people, places, objects or ideas." -Gabrielle Roth Creator of the 5Rhythms |
Both Conscious & Ecstatic Dance offer participants space to practice embodiment, generally Conscious Dance is facilitated with a trained facilitator and Ecstatic Dance will have some facilitation at the start and finish with the DJ providing a journey. Ecstatic Dance is generally not facilitated, offering dancers space to do their dance without guidance.
Dance Your Ability is a non profit organization, that trains people to hold spaces for outreach populations to benefit from an experience of Conscious Dance,
facilitated with group movements guiding the way.
5Rhythms "is a movement meditation practice devised by Gabrielle Roth in the late 1970s. It draws from indigenous and world traditions using tenets of shamanistic, ecstatic, mystical and eastern philosophy. It also draws from Gestalt therapy, the human potential movement and transpersonal psychology. Fundamental to the practice is the idea that everything is energy, and moves in waves, patterns and rhythms."
Dance Temple is a mix between Conscious & Ecstatic Dance. There are Dance Temples across Canada, with lots on Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands.
These communities vary and are not officially affiliated. Salt Spring Island, Victoria, Cowichan & Mid Island/Nanaimo generally follow the same format:
Opening & closing light facilitation with a dance set following an arc.
Dance Your Ability is a non profit organization, that trains people to hold spaces for outreach populations to benefit from an experience of Conscious Dance,
facilitated with group movements guiding the way.
5Rhythms "is a movement meditation practice devised by Gabrielle Roth in the late 1970s. It draws from indigenous and world traditions using tenets of shamanistic, ecstatic, mystical and eastern philosophy. It also draws from Gestalt therapy, the human potential movement and transpersonal psychology. Fundamental to the practice is the idea that everything is energy, and moves in waves, patterns and rhythms."
Dance Temple is a mix between Conscious & Ecstatic Dance. There are Dance Temples across Canada, with lots on Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands.
These communities vary and are not officially affiliated. Salt Spring Island, Victoria, Cowichan & Mid Island/Nanaimo generally follow the same format:
Opening & closing light facilitation with a dance set following an arc.
