Contemplative Dance Practice

Since August, I started offering open sessions of Contemplative Dance Practice (CDP) and Somatic Movement once a month. After having three sessions, I am grateful for the consistency of engaging in this practice with others and I’m looking forward to future sessions. 

CDP was created by my teacher at Naropa University, Barbara Dilley (barbaradilley.com). The basic structure of CDP includes an opening sitting meditation, followed by a Personal Awareness (movement) practice, then a second sitting meditation, followed by Open Space (movement) practice, ending with a short sitting meditation for closure. I have added a Somatic Movement practice at the beginning of the session to help participants connect to their sensorial awareness, prepare the body for exploring physical possibilities, and to ground into the dance studio we are sharing. The level of presence and introspection by the end of the sessions has been healing and stimulating to witness the capacity of a collective experience to harness a subtle web of connection.

After the last two sessions, I have reflected on the growing potential of this monthly offering to provide a consistent space to explore my own movement individually with others and, also, collectively. Let me clarify this statement. During Personal Awareness practice I am surrounded by others exploring their movement and presence in the studio, yet, I will not directly engage with them while I explore my somatic awareness and movement impulses. During Open Space practice, however, I am expanding upon my personal awareness practice in tandem with others allowing for influence from their movement choices and even engagement to dance together directly or indirectly. Exploring the layers of possibilities contained within the contemplative dance space deepens my investment in this practice by continuing to track my tendencies and resistances both as a meditator and a mover while participating as a community member. As Barbara states, “CDP offers a place to observe and research, alone and together.”
 
Contact me if you would like more information and to join future sessions in San Francisco.