We're Dancing in Person Again

As a practice where people closely connect and move with each other, we’re lovingly taking the following measures to ensure our ongoing health.

If you don’t feel well, have a fever, currently have COVID, or are within a 10-day window of exposure or infection please do not come to class. You are welcome to wear a mask.

Keep dancing! Dance in your living room. Dance in your hallway. Dance wherever you are. Dance is good for your body, mind and soul. The best thing you can do for yourself is to stay healthy and dance is your friend.

Uncertainty is a given. Keep the joy flowing; take a daily dose to help balance the uncomfortable.

What should I wear to class?

Wear loose, comfortable clothing so that movement is unrestricted.

Should I come early to class?

Coming early to class is a great idea. This allows you time to sign in, put your things away and arrive into class in an unhurried manner.

How should I prepare for my first class?

Come with an open and curious mind.

Do I need to dance barefoot?

Most people dance barefoot, though some people dance in dance slippers or dance sneakers. Please make sure the soles don’t streak the floor. Socks are not suggested after feet are warmed up because the floor can be slippery.

Should I bring a water bottle or anything else?

Bring a water bottle. You’re welcome to bring a towel or change of shirt if you want to have it afterwards.

Can I come alone?

Absolutely! You’re also welcome to bring a friend or two; whatever feels right.

Can I take a break during class if I tire?

Part of the 5Rhythms practice is recognizing when and how to best care for yourself. If you get tired, dance smaller, slower, breathe more deeply. If you want to move on the floor or in a chair, both are viable options. Staying connected to what and how you’re moving is the key. It may be as subtle as one finger, the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe, or as engaged as whirling, spiraling, or traveling through the space with clear and concise motions.

Do I need to attend regularly to experience what you describe?

As with any practice, the more regularly you attend, the more familiar your body becomes to and with its own embodiment, including trust, expansion, and compassion. Over time, it’s quite common for the dance to become a metaphor for life and for moments of movement to merge with fleeting reflections to drop profound noticings into your mind-heart-body.

What’s the structure of a class?

Source in Motion

This class begins with a gentle warm-up. People often begin on the floor, paying attention to the areas of their bodies and body parts that would benefit from focused attention. As the tempo and complexity of the music increases, people move into the rhythms of Flowing, then Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and into Stillness (these five rhythms comprise a Wave).

These explorations are guided in a variety of ways. No class is ever quite the same as far as the people who attend and what is co-created by what each of us brings into and through our dances. Every class ends with time to transition towards leaving the studio safely re-grounded.

Step into Yes!

In this rich monthly gathering of women, we dance together, witnessing and being witnessed, stepping into our potency without apology or excuses. After a warmup, one woman offers something to the group that has inspired her along her life’s journey. We try it on as a new possibility for ourselves. After the Ofrenda (Spanish for offering), we dance a full 5Rhythms Wave to integrate our experience and end in a circle as we transition back into our day outside.

How are classes different from workshops?

Workshops offer a specific focus around which sessions are designed to lead to a possible peak experience, or series of related revelations.

“Classes are the ongoing laboratory and crucible of showing up and dancing with what is moving through our lives and our bodies in strung-together moments of time.”

— Lisa DeLand