dance HOME

“The body is an instrument of the spirit.”

_RUMI

Often people express their feelings of Biodanza and dance as, “COMING HOME”.

To many this can be interpreted in a somewhat spiritual sense, and while that is true, there is also another way to look at it.

Dance brings us back into our bodies. In that moment we connect with physical sensations and become more aware of the information our bodies are giving to us – both physiological and psychological. When we connect with our bodies we become aware of the tensions we hold, be they from stress of just armouring ourselves against life. When I become aware that my neck is in spasm, I can move to shift that energy. If I am in my head, disconnected from my body – every tension and ache becomes more intense. And often I am not even conscious of the downward spiral until it is too late and something gives in.

Our bodies also relay information regarding our emotional state. When we are connected to this and can know what we are genuinely feeling in the moment, we can engage with life more constructively – rather than always being in reaction. Dance distracts and suspends our mental habits and limitations for a while as we connect fully to the present – feeling and acting in what is presented to us now. To dance in the present is to suspend the memories and habits of the past and quieten the anxieties of the future.

Being here – now, as in the dance is a feeling of COMING HOME. There is far less stress, and we can create a beautiful and peaceful relationship with life when focus is on what is here, now. That is the experience of dance, to be here, now, and fully present – to be AT HOME.

_Christos Daskalakos

FUN dance

“Fun is an inside job.”

_Maria Forleo

Time to reclaim the word FUN and put it back into our dances.

This little word has for too long been associated with frivolity. It is a deep-rooted belief in our society that we need to be serious about life, we need to buckle up and work away, we need to be responsible. As if any of these are mutually exclusive. We can have it all and then lead a really enriched life.

Unfortunately, we also seem to think that fun and pleasure need to be earned. We need to work hard Monday to Friday and then we can let our hair down on Saturday night. Mixed up in this convoluted thinking lies the idea that dance is not something serious. It’s what we do on those Saturday nights or when we party. The idea that dance could form an integral part of our personal development seems alien to many people.

Somewhere in this also lies the idea that if we take life seriously, we cannot possibly be including the frivolities of fun and pleasure. How often do we assume the unsmiling face to be more intelligent, more serious, and more focused? Yet, it is possible to be having fun in whatever we are doing. It doesn’t take away from our intention, focus, and consideration.

So, if nothing else, dance can reconnect us with the innocence of life, to be at play, to enjoy, to have fun. To come together and dance opens up the channels of beautiful relationships which can add to the quality of our lives. To come together and dance opens up the channels to our inner child, releasing spontaneity and play. To come together and dance opens up the channels of our hearts so that everything we encounter in life, can be fun.

_Christos Daskalakos

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

“If you join the dance-circle, you have to dance.”

_Greek Proverb

I’m standing in the circle. I look around and feel a moment of joy. We will be dancing together for the next hour. We will be sharing the space, sharing the music, sharing our dance.


This is a circle of friends. Not the kind you share those traditional friendship moments with. These are friends who this evening are simply going to share life with you. Their life, your life, in ways we don’t normally express. In the circle, some faces are lit up in anticipation. Some faces still carry the residue of a challenging day. Some faces are neutral, expectant, like a blank canvas waiting for life to paint a picture.

The power of dance, the beauty of dance, the intoxication, is that it gives us the space for life to unfold. We can connect with joy, sometimes the pleasure of movement, and often the deep presence of connecting to our body. Everyone this evening will have their own unique experience. For some it will be to express their vitality. For others it may be the delicious moment of connection with others. And some may transcend into spaces so incredible, that only a smile and gleaming eyes can communicate the experience – words fail.

I’m standing in the circle. I look around and feel blessed

_Christos Daskalakos

BEING the dance

“Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order.”

_Samuel Beckett

I think that most of us would like to be creators of our own destiny.

So, how do we go about it. Usually with lots of planning, goal setting and action. Our focus is out there seeking a way to change ourselves, usually from the outside. The internet is full of good advice; exercise daily, eat healthy, tidy your space, tidy your mind, and so on. Everything well-intentioned and can’t be faulted. However, when we set up these external goals of action, we can become deflated when we don’t achieve them. Without internal motivation and determination, we soon falter, drift off, forget.

The key to achieving all those new year resolutions is not to look outside but to go inside. There we can connect with our own self, our dreams, and our aspirations. Going inside will also mean we connect with the gremlins, stories and emotions that inhibit, put up resistance, and simply get in the way. When we recognise these we can gently set them aside and move on to creating magic in our lives.

Going inside is not just about meditating or contemplation. It’s about feeling, moving, and creating. When we dance we can embody our internal landscape. Through the dance we can navigate around thoughts, limiting beliefs, and debilitating emotions. Our creative movements in the dance allow us to feel into change. We are literally moving, not only physically but in every way. Dance is integrating and it creates the perfect space for transformation. As our body moves and changes through space, so can everything else. We embody a state of being – not just doing. This opens up the space for us to become the creators of our own destiny.

_Christos Daskalakos