My Technique
My Ecstatic Dance practice has helped me to transform my life, and this inspired me to want to share it with others. Using my experience and personal insights, I refined my own technique into a very simple tool for people of all walks of life to understand and practice in their daily lives.
My technique gives you a flexible and easy way to get into a relaxed state so that you can explore your inner self, your authentic movement. The only thing you need to bring is a desire to relax and be open to taking the journey!
No steps to learn. No right or wrong way to do it. No experience needed.
Can be used on-demand when you need it, even on your own.
Can be practiced any time, any where.
My Inspiration
After getting my first taste of modern dance while earning a psychology degree, I pursued 7 years of Modern Dance training and became an avid clubber. I spent many hours in the 1990's goth and industrial club scene in NYC. I relished in the ability to express myself in any way I wanted (using free-form movement), in a manner that was uninhibited and free from judgement, and soaked in the intense energy that resulted from connecting with myself and other dancers. I experienced such an intense feeling of stress release, freedom, and empowerment after moving in this manner.
This inspired me to seek to replicate these feelings in a way that could be experienced on-demand, outside of the club scene. In the privacy of my home, I experimented with music genres, styles of movement, and rhythms to find what resonated with me the most.
My Experience
I discovered that moving in a natural way to the rhythm of music not only decreased stress, but also stirred up intense emotions that were previously buried deep within my psyche. This helped me slowly process the trauma that I experienced and take major strides toward healing and acceptance. In addition to getting an emotional release from the experience, I often gained deep insights about pressing problems that plagued me. As a result I felt more in-tune with my emotional, physical and spiritual states, my sense of who I was and what needed to be done. I firmly believe that catharsis was taking place. This empowered me to take steps towards experiencing my True Self, as well as a connection to an inner source of knowingness.
All of these experiences culminated in the creation of my own Ecstatic Dance technique that is simple, flexible and can be used on-demand, any time and any where.
My Dance Tribe
I later discovered Gabrielle Roth's 5 Rhythms (5Rs), which consists of dancing the 5 rhythms, Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness, in a sequence called a “Wave.” Having attended many of her classes and read most of her books, Roth influenced me to continue the pursuit of my own practice. While the 5Rs are more structured than my practice, there are many commonalities - such as the desire to help people connect with their bodies, emotions, and inner selves. I have been a member of the 5Rs tribe for over a decade and still dance with them as much as my schedule permits.