Body Magic Series

6 Week Embodied Dance/Movement Training Series MYSTIC MOVEMENT is only mystical because it's not a part of our ordinary awareness. It is in fact a -very practical- approach to enhancing the experiential aspect of dance that comes from a practiced understanding of technique as understood in the mind through, 1. ➳ conscious thought, and in the body through, 2. ➳ applied repetition: the third element is the mystic dimension. You could call it heart, feeling, emotion, soul, essence etc. 3. This third ingredient to dance is hard to classify because words can only suggest at that ineffable experience we have by grace on the dance floor: when the rhythm and sound of the music and the connection we have to our partner comes together to create a sensation of presence within us that gives us a feeling of sheer joy. We can experience these elements in no particular order. The connection may enhance the movements or the quality of the movements may enhance the connection. Or the steadiness of the mind may enable the feeling to process the movement organically. We are going to observe and explore how we can gain greater command and range in our movements, as within and so without and vice versa ⇄ Mystic Movement, abbreviated MM and rotated becomes 33; this represents the two trinities which make up partner dancing. 3-- Connection to mind, body, and spirit (within the self) → Body Magic Series (inner dance) 3-- Connection to self, other, and music → Freedom Zouk Series (outer dance) I've heard people describe dance as their therapy, their escape, the place to 'just be.' It can also be a context for observing the energies within oneself and another, thus growing and learning. It can also just be pure fun, letting go of the cares of the world. Whatever it is for you, the feeling of ★presence★ unites all these perspectives. Presence brings us all to a feeling of oneness as a tribe and connects us to our inner sovereignty as human beings. In this first series we will focus on the primary trinity which involves incorporating these movements and techniques within the dance of Zouk to prepare your own body to experience the delight of dancing to its greatest potential. After establishing a connection to our own bodies, we will then be better able to communicate and move with the other in the partner work of the second 6 week series (upcoming dates TBD.) ✪ Body Magic: Week 1: October 17th —Connecting to the Earth Planetary influence: Pluto & Mars Body areas of concentration: Feet, ankles, legs ➢ This first week we will work with our sense of gravity and connection to the Earth while moving and dancing. We will explore principles of pressure, contraction, control, conscious direction in space, weight transfer and rhythm. In each class we will explore the correlative Mindset practice associated with different centers of the body I.e. Solid thoughts, Groundedness, Strength and Resilience are all qualities of Earth, our feet and our legs which move us forward and keep us stable and rooted in life and in dance. Week 2: October 24th —Feeling the Water element Planetary Influences: Venus & Sun Body areas of concentration: hips and abdomen ➢ This week we will work on mastering the creative impulse that lives in the Sacral chakra and Solar Plexus. We will continue to explore the movement of gravity and weight transfer as it relates to informing the movement up the legs and into the hip axis. We will begin to explore lateral and circular movements. We will establish a strong, comfortable connection a partner, a sense of relationship; a safe, mutually supportive context for expressing our unique and shared passion and creativity, represented by the energies of these movements. ➢ We will practice relaxation within the movement in order to lead and follow with clarity. ➢ linking the timing and rhythm to the expression of creativity and self which live in the hips and lower abdomen Week 3: October 30th —The Flame Within Planetary Influence: Moon Body areas of concentration: Tuning into the feeling and sensations of the upper rib cage and chest. Exercises to notice how embodying our emotions can help us to feel authentic, cathartic, and fulfilled regardless of the feeling being positive or negative in a given moment. Observing how movement can be an objective and neutral way to focus and the energy we feel. Learning how all energy can be transmuted as raw material to fuel the artistic expression and power of our dance. ❖ We will approach linear and circular movement in the ribcage ❖ We will approach linear and circular movements with the chest Week 4: November 6th —“Speaking” the truth in the Air Planetary Influence: Mercury Body areas of concentration: Neck and Hands What informs the purpose of our expression? What desire? What wish? Is it to feel understood and seen? Or simply to feel and be present? What do we have to say? What do we want to hear? This week we will work with the awareness of our communications...from both perspectives of giving and receiving. ◉ On emotional, physical and mental levels, we are always communicating whether we open our mouths or not. ◉ To be able to express with justice and truth our human experience, we must invite it to come up and out from the preceding centers we’ve grounded. ◉ We will explore techniques of connection and communication within the body as well as verbally, exercising the throat and neck to relax, release and receive. Week 5: November 13th —A look from Above Planetary Influences: ⦿ Jupiter (Third eye) Element of Light, expansion from the darkness of ignorance into cosmic awareness - In the second to last class we will delve deeper into the intangible beliefs we harbor and how these attitudes create patterns that translate to physical results. - We will work with grounded our intentions as well as guiding our intuition through third eye meditation practices and observe how this impacts our movements. ⦿ Neptune (Spirit) - the energy above can be invited and embraced in our dance to create healing, harmony and balance for ourselves and our partners. Body areas of concentration: Third-eye, back of the head ▻ Working with the mind through a discipline of mantra and emptiness through attention to sensations can offer us grace in our inner and outer movements. ▻ Our ability to ‘let go’ of the ordinary function of the mind allows the void to be the vessel for reaching as yet unknown states of experience and forms. ▻ Grounded in the sensation of the body, maintaining a presence of technique and control, we can begin to work with the intention to release the mind, opening the channel for us to experiment with the more subtle psychic sensations of being in the ever unfolding presence. This is the essence of practicing Mystic Dance and Mystic Zouk. Result : ● We can manifest results simply by relaxing the mind and consciously directing presence for the purpose of expansion. Week 6: November 20th -- Integration and Balance Planetary influences: Uranus and Saturn ❖ Uranus: the collective, the unexpected, the shock that leads to awakening. ❖ Saturn: time, the structure and gravity from above that holds it all together. We explore different timing choices in our movements, observing traditional structure of Zouk music and other genres and tempos. Body areas of concentration: The Nervous System and: ~ Time ∞ Speed ~ Energy ∞ Matter E = MC2 (energy = mass x the speed of light squared) ✶ As an influence on the body, we can sense whether we have infinite time or limited time: ✶ Our relationship with time influences our entire nervous system and in turn our nervous system influences the clarity and solidity of our movements. ✶ We will focus on putting it all together and welcoming the unpredictability as well as the infinitude of dance expression. By accepting things just as they come with trust and patience, we will invite the light step of liberation to be ours. ✴︎✴︎✴︎ ▲Take Away From this Course▲ ▼▼▼ ❉ The mind can guide our expectations and create confidence through perceived results rendered from applying a particular formula. ❉ Solid foundations and techniques mastered through repetition enable our creativity and playfulness. ❉ When we roll with the unexpected and unknown in the process, we establish the known and reliable methods that work for us. ❉ How to work with all the elements i.e. movements, mindsets and feelings so that we can continue to explore with patience, clarity, and freedom— the deepening experience of complete JOY in dancing. The whole 6 week series (preferred): $60 earlybird, register before Oct. 1st Purchased after Oct. 1st: $66 Pay per class: $12/class This class series is intended for beginners of Zouk or even partner dancing in general. The broadly applicable content will also prove beneficial to the practiced dancer who may be seeking further techniques to go deeper within the experience of the dance. https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile or please pay @lena-siemiesz on Venmo to register.