Integral Sustainability Education
Movement Awareness Program
Contact Improvisation
Contact improvisation, a dance form first developed in the early 70's in America. It was one of a number of enterprises during the late '60s and early 70's in dance, theater, therapy, and athletics which were trying to realize a redefinition of self within a responsive, intelligent body. Contact improvisation also formed part of social experiments in egalitarianism and communality occurring in many kinds of social and political organizations.
In order to perceive contact improvisation as culture, it is necessary to move away from pervasive notions of mind and body which radically separate dance from other kinds of activities and events.
Contact improvisation is most frequently performed as a duet, in silence, with dancers supporting each others' weight while in motion. Contact improvisers use momentum to move in concert with a partner's weight, rolling, suspending, lurching together. They often yield rather than resist, using their arms to assist and support but seldom to manipulate. Interest lies in the ongoing flow of energy rather than on producing still pictures, as in ballet; consequently, dancers doing contact improvisation would just as soon fall as balance.
The participants in contact improvisation have characterized the dance as an "art-sport," a dance form which simultaneously provides a communal movement experience for the participants and an example of movement behavior for the audience. The dancers in contact improvisation focus on the physical sensations of touching, leaning, supporting, counterbalancing, and falling with other people, thus carrying on a physical dialogue.
All this is a quote from "Sharing the Dance" by Cynthia J. Novack
Authentic Movement
The form of the Authentic Movement practice is very simple - the person closes eyes and moves, following impulses of the body – finding the way "to be moved", instead of "moving". Such way of movement allows us to open the access to our own deep experiences, thoughts, feelings, imaginations. The body becomes the conductor to the world of the unconscious mind, "tells" and "shows" the stories which are stored in us. And we learn to live through each movement, to make clearer our experiences, feelings, images, realize them for ourselves, to find our own sense and wholeness of presence. Also, in Authentic Movement we learn to see the movements of the Other – without judging, estimating, projecting or interpreting.
This form was born after a long way of experimenting, inspired by Jungian Analysis – the Active Imagination. In Authentic Movement there is a structure of two people (one is mover and the other is witness) and each of them is witnessing his own process. Nowadays this practice is allowing a practitioner to develop himself through contacting with his own unconscious mind, and at the same time interiorizing a role of a non-judjmental witness, that allows the person to fully face what he feels and needs, and let himself to express it without blocking or suppressing himself.
Authentic movement is a powerful practice of self-development, where the practitioner is the only master of his own process. It teaches us to fully be ourselves, to face our own issues and to give a non-judgmental feedback.
Biodanza
Biodanza is a system for Human Development. Through Music, Dance and Encounter with others, we create a "vivencia" an intense positive experience that affects the ability to fulfil one's full potential.
Biodanza was created in the 1960's by Philosopher Rolando Tore from Chile. Rolando saw humanity in a crisis and trauma after world wars and created a system implemented globally to recover our Human qualities.
Biodanza encourages organic renewal, reconnecting to our body and its instincts and opening of the heart.
The class "vivencia", is a safe space to research and experience the authentic human communication, expression and personal connection to the body and to All that is.
It is fitting everyone, there is no need to have background or to "be a dancer".
In Biodanza we learn to trust respect and listen to the body, the other and the deep wisdom in everything, through a playful and joyful experience, we reduce stress, and increase:
Presence
Creativity
Vitality
Unity with the Universe
Joy
Sensuality
Caring for the other
And generally better experience of the world and connection to the endless changing dance of life!
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is considered the most comprehensive of yoga traditions, combining meditation, mantra, physical exercises and breathing techniques. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is also known as the Yoga of Awareness; its focus is on self-awareness and delivering an experience of your highest consciousness. The technology of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is a science of the mind and body, to elevate the spirit, which has no boundaries, no discrimination. Therefore it is for everyone. In the ancient tradition that is yoga,
Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is a householder path; that is, it has always been practiced by those with families and jobs as opposed to a renunciate’s path of celibacy and removal from society, which was the usual path of a yogi.
The primary objective is to awaken the full potential of human awareness in each individual; that is, recognize our awareness, refine that awareness, and expand that awareness to our unlimited Self. Clear any inner duality, create the power to deeply listen, cultivate inner stillness, and prosper and deliver excellence in all that we do.
Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is probably the most formalized style of yoga currently taught throughout the world. In any class, anywhere in the world, you can expect it to include six major components: 1) tuning-in with the Adi Mantra, 2) pranayam or warm-up, 3) kriya, 4) relaxation, 5) meditation and 6) close with the blessing song, “May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You”. Kriyas are complete sets of exercises that are performed in the sequences given by the Master, Yogi Bhajan. They can be simple short sequences or they may involve vigorous, even strenuous exercises, and strong breath techniques such as Breath of Fire, which challenge and strengthen the nervous and endocrine systems and test the will of the practitioner beyond the limitations of their ego.
Qi Gong - Awakening your light bodies
Ancient wisdom integrates with the new knowledge for self-development through special breathing exercise and energetic movements. Everything is energy. And we learn to play with it and meet the different densities in our bodies, from our solid structure to the gentle energetic light that we are.