I just returned from presenting this year’s 5-day Program at Kripalu. We are a mixed-level group of 20. Many were beginner dancers, or new to bellydance, and were unfamiliar with my methods, yet by the end everyone was doing gorgeous, integrated, deeply felt, detailed, sumptuous undulations and shimmies — the kind of movement that usually requires 3 or 4 years to master. Several advanced dancer/teachers attending, who understood how long ‘natural-ness’ and somatic authenticity usually take, remarked on this. I was a little stunned as well. How could they all learn so fast, so deeply?

But the observable movement in itself wasn’t my greatest joy by any means. The movement indicated more — the Apparent is the Bridge to the Real.  I loved the softening within each person, and between people. An experience has made life better. It has helped us all feel more human. We are more connected to our embodiment. We are more connected to our spirituality. We are more connected to Source, to Unity beyond self. As a teacher, my greatest happiness comes from carving time for the unwinding of anxiety, for the mending of interior tears, for the listening to whispers of self, for discovery, and for the shedding of what prevents intimacy with the Beloved. This is putting art in “…service of sacred understanding.” Grand objectives. Yet not so much. They are closest to my heart. And I am blessed with people who welcome this opportunity. We find one another. Magnetism. And then happiness.

Once home, crossing the street to the post office, my legs flowed from my pelvis. Flowed. During the retreat, I couldn’t yet feel how the attentive inner gaze at fascia, at deep layers of hidden muscles, at organs, the sensing through to these diligent, mysterious rivers of my motion, at submersion in increasingly varied shapes of breathing would later deliver me across the street with such ease. My pelvis purrs over the land, spine rolling like water. The salubrious effect of Dancemeditation™ practices proves itself over and over to me.

First from Teresa Dunyati-Long, CDMT, and neruoscience PhD candidate, about moving with fascial awareness:
“I think you have got a dead eye bead on this! And its not only
the conditioning of the skeleto-muscular systems that is enhanced, but
also functioning of the entire nervous system. That is really the
thrust of my research — the somatic component of cognition, which
depends on the integrity of the cells that give rise to cognition.
It is so miraculous, Dunya! During Dancemeditation to an African-style
marimba band, I was able to see the links in the chain from the first
stirrings of matter out of a sea of golden and silver energy, how they
self-organize due to the interaction between the Void and the Energy
such that everything manifest occurs. It was a heady vision — I was doing Perpetual Motion fascia to the music. Massively powerful whole-brain vision induction technique combination.
Artists always get there first, Dunya, did you know that? I can show
you strong evidence even scientists would have to agree with….hence,
all our dance artists got to the right combination of techniques to
sustain mind and body in creative adaptability. You are definitely one
of the pioneers in this field.”

And this from Stephanie Rudloe, CDMT, about Dancemeditation practice with her new baby, Priscilla.
“The baby was quite remarkable yesterday; she joined me in Dancemeditation practice. I sat her on the floor in front of me & she did the first moves of the Opening Sequence – forward bend. Doing her own movement – mostly sitting up & with her own little shimmy rocking hand movement. Then it moved into some baby form of contact improv & then we both did our own thing rolling around on the carpet. She made it half way thru ‘Sufi Traveler’ (20 minutes) before wanting to nurse. Who would have thought Dancemeditation for babies?!”