Dance, Healing, and Transformation: My Path to "Move In Flow"

My dance journey began with a sense of not quite fitting in. Surrounded by aspiring ballerinas, with a professional ballet dancer for a brother, I never felt like I belonged. I loved to dance, but ballet wasn't me. This led to a lingering misconception, that I wasn't a "real" dancer, until my mid-twenties.

At 24, I discovered the vibrant world of Latin dance. Brazilian lambada and then salsa ignited a passion I never knew I had. For five glorious years, salsa was my life. Then, a fellow dancer invited me to join a Samba for Carnival group, a community project created for Brighton's millennium celebrations. Five dance groups, five samba bands, 150 drummers, and 150 dancers parading through Brighton and Hove, culminating in a mass performance on the seafront – it was an unforgettable, life-changing experience.

Our group was fortunate to train with Romero, a teacher and principal dancer from the renowned Mangueira School Of Samba in Rio. Through this training, I was invited to perform at events like Notting Hill Carnival, the Mayor's Thames Festival, and other celebrations in London and Brighton. After three years of performing and honing my craft, my family moved to Cornwall. Unable to imagine life without samba, and realizing there were bands but no dance groups, I decided to create my own samba school. It was a long-held dream: to one day bring my own troupe to the London festival where I'd performed with Mandinga Arts back in 2000. A dream I finally realised in 2012.

This love of samba unexpectedly set me on a path I could never have foreseen. Founded in 2005, our community samba school welcomed everyone. Over the years, I witnessed the transformative power of dance, building not only my own confidence, but that of the women who joined us. It changed lives. There's something incredibly empowering when women of all ages and abilities come together in a non-judgmental environment, learning to express themselves through movement, improving their fitness, and boosting their mental wellbeing. Shy members often blossomed, eventually leading the parade with the biggest smiles.

We collaborated on choreography and performances, creating and wearing vibrant costumes, sharing the joy and excitement. The confidence gained inspired some members to train as dance teachers, pursue diplomas in dressmaking, and explore their passion for dance beyond our group.
My own love of performing expanded my horizons, including performances with other samba groups at the Battle of Flowers in Jersey and numerous appearances at Brighton Pride.

As I aged, health challenges made samba dancing as I once knew it more difficult. A hip injury eventually forced me to stop. I shifted my focus to coaching, training in various modalities as an emotional coach and therapist. But I missed the movement. I knew there had to be a way to combine my coaching skills with the power of movement to process emotions and connect with inner strength.
This need to dance and move led to the creation of my "Moving In Flow" sessions. More than just a dance class, it's a journey of storytelling and embodiment, exploring different emotions and connecting with supportive energies for daily life. Participants delve into a narrative, learning to feel specific emotions in their bodies, observe how they manifest, and then release them. This can be challenging, especially with so-called "negative" emotions, but I believe all emotions are valid and necessary. We embrace them, feel them, and allow them to pass, letting our bodies move in whatever way feels natural to connect with and release each part of the story.

Drawing on my coaching experience, I incorporate five archetypes into the program, providing practical tools for navigating daily life. If someone feels overwhelmed or disconnected, they can connect with a specific archetype for support. Carefully selected music enhances the emotional atmosphere. Every session culminates in a feeling of joy, upliftment, and empowerment. Even those initially apprehensive often find themselves dancing and moving freely by the end, like carefree children. It's incredibly rewarding to witness.
I envisioned "Moving In Flow" as the perfect component of a retreat, offering a setting for deeper self-exploration. In a small group environment, participants can delve into their feelings, explore new possibilities, and discover more supportive ways of being. No prior dance experience or specific fitness level is required. Participants simply move in a way that feels natural, guided by the emotions and examples I provide. It's a journey of self-discovery through movement, accessible to everyone.

Last year, I incorporated "Moving In Flow" into a retreat I co-hosted in Devon themed "Moving On From Grief and Loss." I was deeply moved by how participants embraced the process and trusted me to guide them through some profound and powerful emotions. The elation on their faces at the end was extraordinary, especially considering the retreat's theme.
This year, I'm using these sessions to help people connect deeply with their inner wisdom, overcome trapped emotions that may be holding them back, realise they are supported in daily life, and feel safe to pursue their chosen path. It's much easier to find the courage to take action when we're not weighed down by unresolved emotions.

To find out more about Move In Flow and the Retreats I am running this year visit the "Work With Me" page on my website.
Comments