When I began offering free wellbeing sessions for dance teachers, on Zoom, during lockdown, in 2020, I didn’t think they would continue through into 2022. But here we are continuing with these lovely, monthly sessions.

The idea behind offering these sessions was to offer some support to dance teachers for their own wellbeing at a time when things were challenging to say the least. Also being able to be with other dance teachers who understand these challenges, was also part of the bigger picture.

Our January 2022 session had a theme of taking time to feel movement. In this way we each listened to our body, paying attention to what our body was telling us. This made for an interesting session. We often talk, in dance, about listening to our bodies – at this session we were really listening. Paying attention to feeling the gentle movement, what it was telling us and how it might guide our response offering a deeper opportunity to benefit from feeling the movement in this gentle way.

A while back we began having a theme to these sessions and this works well. Past themes have included focusing on spaciousness, energising and lightness of movement. Although we do similar gentle movements before some mindful relaxation and breathing each month, we pay attention to all that we do with the theme giving us a focus for the whole session. Working in this gentle way where we all do what feels right for our body on the day, encourages dance teachers to think of themselves and their own self-care, what they need that day to gently move, to breathe and to focus on their own wellbeing.

In previous posts, these free wellbeing sessions for dance teachers have been described in the following way.

The aim of these sessions is to provide an hour for dance teachers of all dance genres for some self-care through a blend of gentle but energising movement and mindful relaxation. At the session there is no pressure to perform. It is about doing something for yourself and each of us works at the level that is right for us on the day. Most of the movement can be done standing or seated and the mindful relaxation can be seated or lying down. It’s your choice.

Do you want to join us?

Dance teachers of all dance genres are welcome to join us for these free Zoom online sessions. You can use the Contact us link to request being added to the email list to be sent the Zoom link for the next session. Or you can leave a request in the comment facility of this post and you will be added to the list (you don’t need to give your email address as it is picked up as the one connected with your comment), or send me an email to sho at cpdfordanceteachers dot com (change this to the usual email format).

Whether you join us for one session or regularly you will be welcome. We’ve had dance teachers from around the world join us.

Dates for sessions in February and March 2022

Monday 21 February – 10am (UK, London time)

Monday 21 March – 10am (UK, London time)

I hope we will see you at the next Free session on Zoom.