Acting "As If"- Telling an Emotional Story through Movement

The focus of tonight’s class is exploring the third stage of FreeDance: Act “As If.” In this stage, we play with expression of our feelings and emotions through movement. In essence, we tell an emotional story through our dance.

We will be invited to listen, dance and tell yourself a story to stimulate and connect to your emotional body. Give yourself completely to playing “pretend” and safely find a place of comfort in all the sensations that arise when you allow emotions to be part of who you are.

The body is designed to feel a full spectrum of emotions. When you are conscious of your emotions, you become an interactive feeling partner with your body. This stage reminds you to integrate your full range of feelings into your movement and experience of Nia.

Our dance will be inspired by the Voice of FreeDance from the perspective of the emotional body:

“To your emotional body I offer the ability to be real, to be authentic in ways that help you express yourself organically. In my dance, all desires, feelings, and emotions, your light and dark sides, are welcome and encouraged. Dance my dance and discover how freeing it is to let your emotions run freely.”

Allow me to hold the space for you to play and explore. See you tonight at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

FreeDance Stage 1: Anything Goes

For the month of July we will be exploring and playing with expanding our personal movement vocabulary through the 8 stages of FreeDance.

Each stage provides an opportunity to witness your movement, change or tweak habits, and release any limitations or fears. Allow yourself to go through the process of emptying your mind, connect with body sensation, be stimulated by the music, and move in new expressive ways.

The focus of tonight’s class is the first stage of FreeDance, which is “Anything Goes Movement Wise.”

Voices of FreeDance

To your physical body I am the freedom vessel that allows you to do exactly what is most spontaneous and organic to you. Use me to free up any constraints so that your movement includes all gestures – mime, emotional expression, dance, walking, sitting, singing, playing and exploring.

To your mental body I offer a way into the creative void of consciousness. The place where everything is possible, where unlimited potential resides. My unbound, open, and playful way of thinking gives you free reign to explore and create with absolute mindfulness.

To your emotional body I offer the ability to be real, to be authentic in ways that help you express yourself organically. In my dance, all desires, feelings, and emotions, your light and dark sides, are welcome and encouraged. Dance my dance and discover how freeing it is to let your emotions run freely.

To your spiritual body I offer the permission to sit back and be taken into the unknown as a way to explore new heights of freedom and expression. Play and exploration is my way. I love to take you to the playground of all playgrounds – the unexplored moment.

Adapted from Nia Technique online resources

Embrace this invitation tonight to be spontaneous, theatrical, and expand beyond your movement habits. Listen deeply to the your body. Allow your movements to evolve organically. Quiet your mind and move freely, following your own whims. FreeDance is the art of interacting with the music to express what you deeply sense. It’s truly about movement your way and your body’s way!

I will be using a shorter version of the special 80-minute indepenDance day routine. I wish we had 80 minutes to dance tonight but we’ll have to make the best of 55 minutes of bliss ☺

Join me tonight for a journey to a playground of unexplored moments! Allow me to be your movement co-pilot. Class at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.