Based on the belief that the body, mind and spirit are interconnected, “conscious dance” is a psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote the integration of a person’s emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. It’s about honoring the body’s intelligence and paying attention to the body-mind-spirit connection. The human connection to body movement is ancient and may have even been one of the first ways humans expressed themselves to one another.
In conscious dance, a dynamic conscious movement-based process is set to world music. Most often, a guide or journey leader leads participants along the path of expressive movement and guided imagery. In addition, some ritual voice and affirmations can set the tone for a transformative experience. Conscious dance combines structured movement and freestyle elements that help participants to clear their minds, get into their bodies and release anything that no longer serves them. The practice is evolving very rapidly, and there are now more than 100 modalities of conscious dance. Its benefits of holistic healing and expression are backed by validated research, making it an essential fit for the spa wellness world, which is now increasingly focused on the complete concept of body, mind and spirit.
Conscious dance acts as a catalyst for each participant to celebrate the magnificence of their body and their life. It significantly improves quality of life by promoting the following benefits:
- Physical health and vitality. Dance is multi-directional, engaging a variety of muscles while working the cardiovascular system to strengthen the heart, burn body fat and increase oxygen for better circulation. It also can be very therapeutic in easing physical tension.
- Mental clarity. Dancing improves brain function on a variety of levels. Recent studies show how the endorphins and adrenaline that are released while dancing have a unique effect on the brain by blending cerebral and cognitive thought processes with muscle memory and “proprioception,” which creates a deep sense of satisfaction and oftentimes a “dancer’s high,” which clears the mind.
- Emotional expression. The key to emotional health is in its expression — a healthy discharge of emotion can create the space needed to shift away from an old story into a new possibility. What makes conscious dance uniquely different is that it encourages the expression of these emotions so that participants can learn to navigate all of their emotional states in a sacred container where expression is validated without judgment, thus supporting their emotional well-being.
- Spiritual connection and creativity. Creativity is the expression of the soul and imagination is a gateway to accessing anything one wants in life. Conscious dance is an inner exploration that inspires creativity by using the body, spirit and imagination, giving practitioners or dancers the freedom to dance from within and also with others in improvisational ways, which awakens natural creativity and inner power. The use of imagination allows them to drop into deeper realms of consciousness and access higher realms of knowing that are necessary for facing, clearing and transforming whatever may be holding them back from spiritual growth.
“Conscious dance acts as a catalyst for each participant to celebrate the magnificence of their body and their life.”
OFFERING CONSCIOUS DANCE
Dance associations such as Dance First identify more than 100 forms of conscious dance, ranging from ecstatic dance to somatic movement therapy. The structure of a conscious dance class varies depending on the form and facilitator. A class can last anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours. Participants do not need to bring anything with them and are asked to wear comfortable clothing for movement. Conscious dance classes are typically offered in a group class format, but select forms are offered in individual sessions. The price to participate may range from $20 to $45 for group classes and $80 to $150 for private sessions.
With an estimated 1,000 Dance First Association studio locations, many participants are finding that the power of conscious dance suits their search to move with intention and purpose for the overall integration of their body, mind and spirit. The rise of conscious dance marks a significant shift from dancing in a fitness class, nightclub or performance. It offers spas a unique opportunity to serve clients in integrating their body, mind and spirit in a holistic way.
While there are a variety of forms for conscious dance, several formats share one or more of these four key components:
- Opening Embodiment: If a facilitator is leading the dance, they may open up with a welcoming and intention setting followed by a warm up stage that helps participants get connected to their body through breath and light movement. In this warm-up stage, the facilitator welcomes participants and invites them into their body through breath and light movements to connect with their body. An intention can be set allowing participants to focus their attention inward while connecting to their heart, creating a supportive relationship between the facilitator, fellow participants and themselves.
- Expansion/Immersion/ Connection: As participants begin to slow down, let go and physically warm up, the facilitator may use rituals drawing on expressive movement, guided imagery and voice and affirmation to awaken participants’ senses and support more fluid movement. Participants are guided into connecting with themselves and fellow participants, all while being attentive to their mental and emotional state.
- Illumination/Shamanic Fire/Empowerment: As participants become aware of their thoughts and feelings they are invited to express them through movement, and to burn away any negative self talk. The facilitator can use other rituals to help participants access tools within themselves to release old blocks in their hearts or self limiting beliefs so that they can come into alignment with their essence, intuition and deeper love. This is the ultimate creative space for generating insight and inner work. The brain has an “a-ha” moment and the participant is fertile for new ideas and behaviors to be created.
- Celebration/Sensuality/ Manifestation: After a peak experience, which is a dopaminergic or endorphin rich process similar to a runner’s high, the facilitator may guide participants to move into a phase to solidify the information that is being processed. The empowerment phase is reiterating new ideas and adaptive behavior, which allows conscious neuronal firing for an entire ultradian cycle. In this space participants begin to relax into their sensual selves, allowing them to bring their energy down and inward, which helps them to create and manifest their dreams.
- Heart Integration: In this final phase, participants are guided to listen and connect with their heart, staying with and listening to their own deep emotional processing. Participating in this phase opens up their ability to receive, have divine realization and a deep connection to their spirit. As the dance comes to a close, participants are guided to return to the earth for deep rest and relaxation. Facilitators may close the circle by inviting participants to reflect on anything that they experienced or witnessed.
REQUIREMENTS AND MARKETING
In order to host conscious dance classes, a spa needs a room with space for movement, a sound system for music and possibly a handless microphone for the facilitator. Additional touches such as candles, diffusing essential oils or soft lighting to create the ambiance can further enhance the setting.
Conscious dance instructors can be found on the Dance First Association’s website (dancefirst.com) and Conscious Dancer Magazine. Spas should pursue facilitators who have references, insurance and current certification by an accredited organization or a university degree specializing in movement therapy.
Compensation for facilitators varies from $50 to several thousand dollars per event, depending on the payment structure (flat rate vs. percentage split) and the facilitator. Conscious dance classes can be marketed and promoted through dance associations and directories, health and wellness publications, or traditional advertisement and print literature.
