I am sharing a dance practice for embodiment and everyday resilience. It's nothing new, but here are the parameters I use for myself and in class. I invite you to give it a try on your own or join me on Sunday mornings—this is how we end every Pilates and Play class. All are invited to dance it out together, even the fencing class waiting for the room after us! Here's the story:
Most of us know how it feels to do a little dance for whatever reason—a moment of freedom, release, or celebration. Last year, I experienced a profoundly moving performance in Aarhus, Denmark, choreographed by Icelandic dancer Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir. Her piece, When the Bleeding Stops, explores the ageing female body and the silent emotional journey of menopause.
The dance practice at the heart of Lovísa’s piece began while she was recovering from an injury: take a 20-minute walk without headphones or distractions, notice what song naturally pops into your head, then return home and dance freely to that song, recording your experience (Covid times). Lovísa started inviting others into this daily solo dance practice. Initially daunting for many, and uncomfortable for some, it became an empowering daily ritual—a space for emotional processing, creative expression, and personal growth. You get the idea from the short video below:
Inspired by this performance and practice, we close each Pilates & Play class similarly (no video recordings and all genders and nonbinary individuals are welcome). Each Sunday morning, we dance it out to a song offered by someone in class. Cheesey, soulful, or joyful—yes, please, all of it—we just move in all the wonderful ways our bodies can and our daily lives rarely allow. The more people, definitely the merrier!
If you're in Los Angeles, I warmly invite you to join us this spring. Find more information about my class here: www.stephanieellison.com/classes
For more, here are insights from Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir and my colleague, filmmaker and dancer Marie Hallager Andersen: More on the Project.
I hope you'll join me on Sundays or explore this meaningful practice in your own way, because we all need more resilience through joy and bodily experience.