I love dancing. Not Ballroom or Salsa or Tango. I am not formally trained. I only touched into ballet briefly as a child and am not particularly knowledgeable on the dance curriculum or technically proficient. What I may lack in formal skills and rigorous knowledge I certainly make up for in terms of passion and enthusiasm, and a long term commitment.
From school days, as soon as I encountered groups of people getting together to listen to music, and to dance, I was hooked. Working life later took me off on a different course, but in the background the dance continued: in parties, clubs, gatherings, workshops, and other group settings.
Conscious Dance
20 years ago I discovered ‘conscious dance’; a free dance form that was done in the daytime, or early evening, without drugs or alcohol, no talking or pick-ups, a fusion of exercise, breathing deep, and musical joy. Just perfect!
In the last decade, despite a busy working life as a psychotherapist, it has become clear that I am on a new professional path: creating free dance spaces for everyone who aches to dance but never gets the right invitation. My dance practice, Flomotion, is a fusion offer born from my own life experiences on the dance floor, including club promotion, raves, personal growth workshops, conscious dance practices, discos, carnival, festivals, meditation practices…the lot.
Flomotion Dance
Now, every other week I lead a dance with a crowd of other dancers at Flomotion. My new book, Dance For Life, explains why dance is our ancient and important shared birthright, and it captures the experience though the voices of the many people who dance together at Flomotion. Here’s what some of them say:
“Stepping onto a dancefloor filled with other moving bodies is like diving into a cool swimming pond. I feel contained by a space crackling with aliveness. It’s an opportunity to tune into myself – what sensations are going on for me right now, where am I feeling this in my body? – and also to experience the energy of being with others. I have the opportunity to play with ‘me’, then play with ‘we’, and to enjoy the musicality that bubbles within me and around me. I relish the connection; on a plane I don't often experience in everyday life.”
“In our culture, spaces where we can be with others without talking are rare. To dance in such a space brings me a feeling of relief and freedom, especially when it’s led by someone who embodies authenticity and is highly skilled at creating a sense of safety.
There’s a relaxing of my usual patterns of protection and defence, allowing a connection with the other dancers that goes much deeper than I find possible in normal social situations. This creates a sense of true community and belonging for me. There’s something so joyful and healing about being witnessed without judgement and dancing in the presence of others in this way.”
“I find dance releases tension and it is brilliant to dance before doing a big presentation or running an event. It just loosens everything up, both physically and mentally. When creating an event or project I dance first, during and after! Dancing brings my work into pure flow. It removes the potential of overthinking, allowing physical embodiment of my art in the world.
Dancing helps me to feel connected, in touch with my body and free. When I am dancing, I am centred, and old patterns and worries feel manageable. When I dance I am in touch with the essence of life which brings everything into perspective. Dancing has also supported me along the peri-menopause journey, relieving a great deal of exhaustion and pain. Dance helped me to re-connect with my energy. It’s joyous too. Especially when a track I really resonate with comes on!”
Dance for Life
The book, Dance For Life, is in itself, like a dance. It starts with the fact that dance is an ancient form of human social bonding that ignited an important shift in our shared consciousness, creating the context for our astonishing evolutionary journey. What ignited our ancestors can inspire us today.
The book interweaves the voices of the dancers, with factual information and evidenced research about dance. It includes historical information about why dance disappeared from public life in the Western World during the early modern era, how it has bene rediscovered and has re-emerged, why dance is being used for health and healing today, what conscious dance is and the different types of practice. The book is also laced with my personal reflections and the shapes of my feelings as a conscious dance leader.
Dance Invitation
The motivation to write Dance For Life came entirely from my passion to bring people back to themselves through their moving bodies, and to create community around that. We know, beyond doubt, that dancing is good for mind, body and soul. We know that life holds may challenges and too many people are either isolated, unfit, or stressed, or simply yearning to dance if the right invitation arrives. Flomotion Dance is an accessible and simple antidote to these challenges.
This is your invitation. I want to spread the word about dance. I extend the invitation to you: however you find yourself, young/old, fit/unfit, experienced/inexperienced, you are warmly welcome to join the dance.
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