Founded in early 2018, this project is the vessel through which I teach about the brain mechanisms of dance in a fun, engaging manner so that everyone can access and get the maximum benefits from dancing. Oftentimes, the focus in dance science and dance education is turned to the body, leaving behind it's connection to the mind and brain. Understanding the brain mechanisms in dance can improve performance, make classes more inclusive, prevent injury and optimize both learning and teaching.
In the workshops I provide the theory in a dynamic fashion, always applying it to practice promoting embodied cognition and equipping dancers with easy-to-apply techniques. In a fast-paced world where we are often disconnected from ourselves, my focus is to use the body as a tool of learning and give the what and the how in a practical and interesting way.
Part of the workshops is dedicated to initiating conversation and exchange insights. Experiencing and sharing experiences leads to greater knowledge that includes subjective and objective aspects of knowing.
My approach is based on scientific evidence-based knowledge, my background in dance (performing, teaching), coaching, and professional mental health experience. By being embedded in academia and being an active student, I keep up-to-date with the most recent information in a constantly changing neuroscientific field.
In this way I have been helping dancers and dance teachers all over the world for the past two years through 1-1 sessions and various workshops with the following key aspects: dealing with injuries, neurological recovery, overcoming struggles (memory, equilibrium, learning difficulties), improving dance environments and teaching techniques, improving mental well-being, improving dance skills, and using dance for healing purposes. Whilst my focus is on dancers, the audience is often broad leading her to also assist parents, psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, doctors, dance science students who are keen to know more about the brain, movement, body dynamics, and how to better apply it in their practices.
From this project, I have developed my own evidence-based method called Dance Integrated Healing which enhances all the healing properties of dance.
Snippet from a presentation for the Dancer Wellness Summit in Canada.
Intro
Snippet from the neuroscience of dance workshop.
Snippet from the attention skills workshop.
V a l u e s
Behind the Neuroscience of Dance, it is me: a teacher, dancer, and dedicated neuroscientist who is dyslexic, pansexual, pagan, and from mixed ancestry. One of the main purposes of this project is to make dance classrooms more inclusive to anyone. I highly believe that everyone can and should dance and it is our duty as teachers to make them welcome and guide them in their journey and for this, we need to do better than just teaching movements, we need to embrace various teaching techniques, be aware of social issues, be receptive, listen, adapt, provide safe environments. With this said it is clear where Neuroscience of Dance stands, by LGBTQIA and BLM and anyone that doesn't will not find a place within this project neither will be welcomed. Student's well-being is more important than your prejudice. I defend that diversity is needed, that diversity does not mean more or less than, that connection between differences is the key to many powerful things and even life itself. I further support that dance is medicinal and should always promote connection and well-being and if it doesn't you are doing it wrong. As dancers, dance teachers, dance researchers we must be inclusive, kind, empathic, supportive, otherwise, we are not only dishonoring dance but we are defeating the purpose of practicing it.