About:

5Rhythms® * What to Expect * Diving into the Practice * Claire

“Shed the past, forget the future and fall into the moment feet first."

--Gabrielle Roth

What are the 5Rhythms®?
The 5Rhythms® comprise a simple movement practice designed to release the dancer that lives in every body, no matter what its shape, size age, limitations and experience. To find your dance is to find yourself, at your most fluid and creative level. While the practice itself is the essence of simplicity, it has the power to catalyze deep healing and creative expression. The primary teaching of this work is: If you put the psyche in motion, it will heal itself.

The 5Rhythms® are:
Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness. They come together to create The Wave, a movement meditation practice. Rather than having steps to follow, each rhythm is a different energy field in which you find your own expression and choreography, thereby stretching your imagination as well as your body. Each rhythm is a teacher and you can expect to meet different and sometimes unknown aspects of your self as your dance unfolds and your practice of the rhythms deepens over time.

The rhythms are the foundation of Gabrielle's body of work. . .
. . . a series of maps for the body, heart, mind, soul and spirit that provide a lifetime of self-discovery and a path to awakening. The 5Rhythms® practice starts you on that journey and is the place to which you will always return. See a recent interview with Gabrielle Roth.

What happens on the dance floor? / Top
In every class or workshop, there is always a wide range of experience in the 5Rhythms® work - from first-timers to certified Wave addicts. In any given class, the teacher will be following the energy in the room. So, while the essential map is one of five rhythms, the teacher might take the class through the entire Wave or focus on just one rhythm or one facet of a rhythm.

The rhythms themselves are gateways . . .
. . . to literally thousands of different movement landscapes. Like the body, they are alive and designed to catalyze the dancer's movement expression in the moment. You are different every time you walk into the room, so is the group and so is your teacher. Therefore, each class holds completely unique possibilities.

How do I start? / Top
Go at your own pace.
Be responsible for your own body - stay aware of injuries and limitations.
Keep your eyes open to stay aware of others.
Dance barefoot or in dance shoes only - no socks on the floor.
Move how you feel and stay open to changing.
Know that everything that is alive has a dance,
- and your only task is to find and express yours.
Wear dancewear or loose, comfortable clothing.
Bring a water bottle.
Enjoy your self! - Excessive seriousness may slow you down.

Claire Alexander
Claire Alexander is a 5Rhythms® certified teacher and has been offering classes and workshops in this practice since 1994. She is also trained in Somatic Experiencing and combines the two practices of these gentle and magical healing modalities on the dance floor. Claire is adept at creating sacred space where dancers are invited to discover and authentically express their passions and vulnerabilities. Her open, intuitive teaching style encourages dancers to deeply engage with the transformative nature of this practice.

Claire is a Moving Center trained teacher in the Waves and Heartbeat maps. She has produced workshops and taught the 5Rhythms® in Texas and California since 1994, and has cultivated a thriving movement community in Mountain View, CA since 2000. In addition to her work with Ecstatic Productions, Claire joined the Moving Center School teaching staff in January 2007.

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