Dancing Isis Dance!

Posts Tagged ‘Workshop’

Sensing our way through the Chakras, we acknowledge our deep & potentially transforming Feelings

Feeling where that takes us now today through Movement & Dance

Dancing the expression of what we feel & Sense

Sensing our truth in the Feeling

Feeling the need to Dance

Dancing

SensingFeelingDancing

SensingFeelingDancing the Chakras is an ongoing Dance Movement ritual that is run in eight-week cycles. It began in 2004 and was originally called Raqs Chakra. Each week one Chakra is featured begging at the Base Charka and dancing through each of the seven bodily energy centres till we reach the crown, culminating at the eighth Chakra – the Soul Centre above the head.

What Yvonne had to say

“Thank you, Maria, for providing an exquisite space in which our inner feelings, our inner life really, can be explored and expressed through dance.  I’m finding this experience tremendously purifying and healing. Each week, as another Chakra becomes enlivened and strengthened, the process has assisting me in my journey from fragmentation to wholeness.”

These dance journeys are a Dance Movement process for people who love to move, physically, spiritually, emotionally & mentally.
There is no right or wrong way, just your way.
The space is held for you to explore your inner dancer.
Come & journey the many aspects of each Chakra either over an 8-week cycle, or one day or a three-hour workshop.

I work with guided meditation, Imagery and music. as a vehicle to align to each of the 7 Chakras, the central channel and the Left and the Right channels. Bringing into focus aspects that my draw out your personal inner dance that can then be explored through your outer dance. Using Somatization, Movement, Dance, Sounding, Drawing, Writing & Authentic Movement as a vehicle for you exploration.

It is your choice how deeply you journey; whatever that choice is I will support you in this journey

What Yvonne had to say about SensingFeelingDancing the Charkas 2009

“Thank you, Maria, for providing an exquisite space in which our inner feelings, our inner life really, can be explored and expressed through dance.  I’m finding this experience tremendously purifying and healing. Each week, as another Chakra becomes enlivened and strengthened, the process has assisting me in my journey from fragmentation to wholeness.”

I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop about dancing with the bones of the body.

After seeing my own drawings of the pelvis looking like a strange butterfly and the ribs a birdcage it was a real eye-opener. I have belly danced for 6 years but never really thought about the bones, just about muscles and weight etc. So it was good to bring it back to fundamentals of anatomy, and what moves when we do.

Also the simple principles of weight transfer with a bounce, rather than just ‘pushing up’ with the hip I really appreciated – because while I sometimes move into that step, I had never considered that much of our dancecan be broken down into those two simple movements. It frees things up a lot.

I did find the ‘bounce’ helped in the Yasmina workshops today (and more to go tomorrow). Also DEFINITELY for a performance I did in a show last night, I did a character stint as ‘Fifi Abdo’ complete with dark wig and scarf in big bow on my head, totally improvised to some great music I’d found that morning, HEAPS of bouncing and none of it choreographed. Definitely far more liberating! And a whole lot of fun

Thank you! The day was very worthwhile, and I enjoyed dancing with you.

Love & best wishes,
Vicki
Thanks again,

I would love to give you some feedback regarding the workshop! (I have been thinking of this everyday) I gained so much out of it and I think it took a week to really sink in. Since then I have not been able to stop dancing and I have a new perspective about moving my body and also a total revival of curiosity and need to learn more! I have been spending lots of time on the net and just a lot of time moving in a new way which feels really beautiful.”

I started my classes again on Monday night in a new venue that I sought out with great lighting and fantastic mirrors and sound system and the women loved it and had a great time. I also had a great time and was able to pass on new knowledge which really caught the imagination of some of the women. I just feel more enthusiastic and I think more privileged to be sharing this ability to feel as you do when you dance in this way. I think I could just rave on for ages and ages about it!

I just want to thank you again and to tell you that I become so energised and peaceful after attending workshops with you and I am still buzzing from it! It has been great to read your newsletter and read your ideas and feel your love of the dance.’

Sharon Stephens, Summer School

Geelong

Initially I’d been a little apprehensive, aware that part of the workshop involved performing in front of my peers (actually people I hold in high regard) and teaching them a dance technique. Having participated in a few of Maria’s gatherings in the past, I recalled the safe, non-judgemental space she creates and knew that this would be a valuable experience for me personally and as a dancer/teacher. I let go of my fear of intimidation and embraced the anticipation.

We were an intimate group of eight and with very different styles of dance and ideas (something to celebrate) and as I’d hoped, Maria’s calm, vibrant ways had us quite relaxed. Informative discussion and exchange of ideas flowed. Movement awareness increased as we studied skeletons and physically related them to our own bodies. Maria’s knowledge of anatomy and movement is enlightening. Learning about such things as Alexander Technique immediately freed areas in my body. She has the ability to take you within your dance and within your self where you can experience the internal source of each movement rather than the external outcome. Maria admits that this can be very challenging and is sometimes confronting, but to those who are open to accepting it and willing to work to integrate it, it is amazing. It changes all aspects of your dance experience.

Although this virtually means I’ll have to unlearn so much of what I’m already familiar and comfortable with, I can clearly see the truth in it when I watch Maria dance. Someone commented that her dance holds all the elements – Her feet are connected to the Earth like tree roots and fire is in her belly. Her dance flows like water and she radiates through the air. My desire has altered from “I want to look like that”, to “I want to feel like that”. If only I could wake up tomorrow and be so within my core and my breath, radiating outwards in my dance. For me this will take time, work and commitment to make it my own, although in ways it has been manifesting in me for some time.

My turn to dance came late on the first afternoon by which time we’d all become quite comfortable amongst each other and I wasn’t feeling at all concerned about dancing in front of the women sharing this journey with me. The music commenced and suddenly I experienced a severe attack of nervousness. No matter how calm my head was with the whole idea, my body certainly wasn’t and I began to shake and feel completely uncoordinated. I didn’t enjoy my performance at all. The final beat couldn’t come fast enough. Immediately after each of us danced we were asked how we felt. I felt like vomiting! (This was purely my experience. We all felt differently after performing.) Feeling this way had completely thrown me as I usually don’t have nervousness about me at all while I dance. As I began to verbalise my experience I realised that I don’t consider myself a performer. I’m completely uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. When I dance publicly I am very much of the mind that I’m dancing with people. Even though essentially they are spectators, I feel that they are sharing in the celebration of the dance. Perhaps this is why I feel connected to the Tribal, Gypsy aspects of belly dance rather than the Cabaret style. (Which I also admire.) I cherish the gathering of women in a sacred space, the experience of self discovery and growth, the sharing of a life journey which occurs when women come together to share this dance. As a teacher, to witness a woman blossom from inwardness to self acceptance, then self appreciation and beyond. It is such a catalyst. But that is a whole other story…

As we began to teach each other movements it became apparent that collectively, as a group of teachers, we had pretty well all been taught and were teaching ‘externally’. This still appeared beautiful but didn’t encompass the essence of Middle Eastern Dance. It wasn’t being expressed from within and after an education in the difference it was apparent. Maria gently coaxed us away from what we all felt comfortable with as our own personal dance and had us experimenting with different ideas and open minds. An opportunity to explore our own dance style with the aim of improving the quality of our way of being. Maria along with others is concerned that if Middle Eastern Dance continues to be taught the way it so often is these days, as a Western ‘external’ activity, it will lose the very essence of what draws us to it in the first place. It’s very much about being and not doing. Just thought I’d also mention that for days after the workshop I experienced a great sense of clarity and centredness. Lovely!

Lisa Craigen, Barwon Heads

Sumemr School

Dear Maria,
I am writing to you to thank you for the amazing workshop that you taught at my studio in late January this year. I was in a very stuck space, both as a teacher and a dancer. I needed an injection of inspiration, which I got from your workshop. I gained a deeper insight into you and how to connect the dance much closer to my body than ever before. Your ability to make bones and muscles, mind and emotion all connect as one totally blew me away.

Techniques like the Shimmy and the Egyptian walk have been the hardest for me to teach to my students, but since doing your workshop, I have utilised the way you break moments down, and my students and I are doing the best shimmies ever!

As the day went on and I started to absorb more of what you were saying, I began to understand that the more loose and relaxed my bones and muscles were the more vulnerable my mind and body became to the music.

This concept gave me a whole new insight into improvisation, which is truly the art of the dance, expressing yourself freely in the magic of the moment. From this vulnerable state the dancer transforms the music from sound into a visual tangible feeling form, therefore justifying the music. This is where the journey begins for the dancer and the audience.

In this space there is an abundance of movement, whereas, if the mind takes over, there are limits to what the body can do. When our negative inner talk takes over, the dance becomes a stressful experience and Belly dancing is not meant to be stressful.

I also especially love the way you really focus on the belly being our dance centre. I think for me this is what inspired me the most. It brought me back to my body and my feeling centre. I can quite easily lose my centre; a lot of stress everyday and running a business can be over whelming. When I move my energy to my belly and dance from there, my feet instantly become heavier and I feel more grounded. This felt really good and I felt more present in the moment and my dance became more natural, not so contrived.

I am an Oriental Dancer, not a Folkloric Belly dancer at all. Some people make the mistake of assuming that what you do only applies to a particular style — well it doesn’t.

I am defiantly applying the things you taught me and my students are benefiting a lot
.
I think you are really onto something and I have no hesitation in recommending you for workshops and private lessons. Thank you for your passion and true care and respect and love of the dance

Sincerely with love

Melissa Cristina
February, 2004

Hi Maria
Thanks for your reply.
My experience on Saturday? For me – a 51-year old woman from a very constrained Anglo background, it was a very confronting decision to attend a trance workshop! However, over the past few years I’ve been trying to challenge myself in relation to voice (singing workshops) and body (dance classes, yoga etc) For me, it was both challenging and incredibly exciting.
I had momentary glimpses of its potential for transformation at a deep level, followed quickly by my ego wanting to check what others were doing -
‘Do I blend in?’ Am I better / worse than others?’ ‘Do I look ridiculous?’ etc etc….
Your gentle yet confident voice and instructions, combined with the music were a wonderful gift for participants. So, I want to challenge myself some more with your work.
Warm regards
Jill  March 15, 2005   After Trance Dance Workshop at  Pt Fairy Festival 2005