Mindful Movement
social-emotional tools for dancers
"Mindful Movement" builds the exploration of body-led movement and social-emotional learning within dancers.
Movement exploration through various dance techniques, yoga, mind-body centering, dynamic alignment inquiry, breathing, and improvisation allows students to investigate their moving bodies.
Adding in tools like mindfulness techniques, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills through the lens of dance helps students not only express themselves through body movement but helps develop self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills allowing students to explore their thinking minds and feeling hearts.
Some aspects of a Mindful Movement class will be individual, while others will require students to collaborate and work as a team. The emphasis throughout the class is creativity and imagination, with each class consisting of a theme to explore the holistic experience of being a dancer.
Lesson Examples
Growth Mindset for Dancers
Participants learn the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset through the lens of dance. Participants engage with various journal prompts and improvisations to uncover their current mindset and whether it is helping or hindering their progress as a dancer. Participants gain tools to add to their daily habits to embrace a growth mindset for success.
Artistic Expression
Every participant receives a folder and notebook to use throughout the classes. Participants decorate with crafts to enhance their notebooks. How the participants approach this task may reveal their relationship to the creative process. It also creates an environment of individual exploration within a group setting.
Rest for Dancers
Participants learn the importance of rest and recovery through a physical, mental, and emotional lens. Participants will engage with their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that affect their rest and recovery journey. Gentle movement in coordination with breathing techniques creates the foundation of this class.
Choreographing & Improvising our Nervous System
Participants are introduced to the Autonomic Nervous System and its relationship to our dance experiences. Through creative movement development, participants learn about the Sympathetic Nervous System (stress response) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (rest and recovery). Participants improvise and choreograph in solo and group creations to embody the various states of our nervous system.
Testimonials
“I didn't reallly know what to expect entering this class, and I'm so happy that it's helping me so much! This is the best I've ever felt in years!!”
“My favorite thing we covered was the six states of your nervous system because it answered a lot of questions I’ve had. I also really liked doing different breathing techniques because I like to use them outside of class. I loved the meditation we did with the singing bowls as well.”
“The most helpful topic we’ve covered was noticing where I am in my nervous system.”
“I really enjoyed learning meditation & breathing techniques. Low key have loved any learning in general, especially about the nervous system.”
“The different states of the nervous system really help me identify when I need to fix my mental state. I've noticed I enter sympathetic when I procrastinate, so I’m trying not to anymore.”
“Learning about the nervous system has helped with my anxiety.”
“I loved learning about breathing techniques.”
“I love this class!”
“I have been having fun in these classes!”
“ I absolutely love this class, and it is the highlight of my week!!”
“Thank you for helping me be more aware of myself, so I can take care of myself better.”
“I think my favorite topic was the nervous system and my favorite activity was breathing/sleeping.”
“My favorite activity was the visual breathing exercises.”
“I loved learning about fight/flight/fawn/freeze and enjoyed doing sleep meditation.”