How to move (for non-dancers)

You don't have to have amazing coordination, or flexible joints, or fantastic rhythm. You don't need to be able to move all your limbs, or stand up, or remember choreography. Here are some starting points for you to get going.

Start with any movement

Tap your fingers, wiggle your toes, shrug your shoulders, write your name with your nose.

Try different directions

Push your arm forward and pull it back. Push it up and bring it down. Open your arms wide and then give yourself a hug. Take a few steps to the side, carefully step back, rock forward and back. How does each of these different directions feel?

Play with a movement

Do it faster or slower, make it BIG or super small. Can you do the same movement with a different body part? What is the opposite movement? How does a toe wiggle feel versus a stamp, a finger tap versus a whole arm circle?

Bring on the daggy dance moves

Pick some music you love, maybe something that evokes a movement memory. Be John Travolta, be Austin Powers, be Beyonce, be a stuck-up ballerina or a skater boi or a Jane Austin character. Do the sprinkler. Be silly, let go of your self-judgement and find your power.

Come to a dance therapy session

In dance and movement therapy sessions we will find different ways of playing with movement to help bring your energy levels up or down. We will connect movement with the breath to strengthen the connection between unconscious and conscious movement. We will take turns in following and leading movement to find what feels good, what is difficult and why.

The therapy space is a safe moment in your week to practice feeling and processing discomfort to complete the loop of negativity and reset the nervous system.

In this way, over time dance and movement can support you to creatively build (or rebuild) a healthy mind-body connection.