Dance Health

The need to get things done and to cross off the proverbial to-do list is strong in so many of us. As dancers, especially, the need for perfection and excellence often goes hand in hand with those tasks, which can make it harder to accomplish them on time or put added anxiety and stress around getting those tasks done. How we interact and set goals has undoubtedly undergone a massive overhaul as we continue to operate in the times of COVID. Or perhaps it hasn’t and you find yourself overwhelmed, burned out and struggling to keep up. What happens when you feel like you cannot push yourself anymore? You do the opposite…move less to do more.

You might be confused, as my articles are often about how we can implement movement to enhance our mental health. That being said, it’s not always about moving more but instead moving better. It becomes moving with intention and learning to listen to what our body and mind truly need. When there is resistance and fatigue that is a sign to slow down, maybe even pause. Problem is when all we want to do is get things done, pausing is often the last thing we want to do. It can bring up judgment and guilt. It can make us feel lazy, unmotivated and perpetuate fear of getting even more behind than we already feel we are.

Many dancers have learned to override the internal sensations that urge them to stop and take a break for self-care or rest. This is when injury is at an all time high. So what can we do when we desperately need a break but feel the emotional toll this takes is worse than just pushing through? Consider these five tips.

#1. Slow down.

While that sounds easier said than done, here is one way to try it. Find ways to slow down the movement you are already doing. That way, you are not going cold turkey and doing the exact opposite of what your body and mind feel is necessary to survive. For my movers, that may mean focusing more on adagio, trying restorative yoga or taking jaunts around your neighborhood. If the idea of not moving makes your pulse race, then finding ways to move in a slower manner can be a good place to start. This can even look like eating slower, talking at a slower pace and pausing for moments of reflection throughout the day.

#2. Find moments of stillness.

This doesn’t mean you go from moving all day to sleeping on the couch. Keep in mind there is even movement in stillness. Your heart is beating, your lungs are expanding and contracting, and blood is flowing through your body. This doesn’t entail freezing in place or perfecting your #mannequinchallenge. It means bringing awareness to the micro-movements and subtle changes in movement that are happening involuntarily.

#3. Reconnect to your breath.

Breathing, when done in a certain way, can signal the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for the “rest and digest” reflex. One way to accomplish this is a 4-7-8 method of breathing. Breathe in for 4 counts, pause for 7 counts, and exhale for 8. This may need to be adjusted, which is totally fine as long as your exhale is longer than your inhale. This is what stimulates the vagus nerve, which is vital for regulation.

#4. Create opportunities to just be.

What does this mean? It is important to not make everything in your day about accomplishing a task or achieving a goal. Just existing in your skin, taking up space and acknowledging how you are feeling, while difficult, can be so powerful. Give yourself permission to just be and not do.

#5. Do things you want, not just things you need.

When was the last time you asked yourself what you wanted? This might feel indulgent or selfish, but it is okay to give in to your wants sometimes. Keep in mind that we are focusing on healthy decisions. Curling up with a good book, socializing with a friend, eating a delicious meal are just some ways to focus on impromptu actions rather than sticking to goals or always staying on task.

If the thought of slowing down or moving less creates more anxiety, know you are not alone. Remember, though, there are resources and individuals available to help you reclaim your time and energy. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. It doesn’t mean you are weak. Self-care is necessary, and during these challenging times, we should all be committed to taking care of ourselves so we can get back to moving with others.

By Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT, Dance/Movement Therapist.

Erica Hornthal is a licensed professional clinical counselor and board certified dance/movement therapist based in Chicago, IL. She received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago and her BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Erica is the founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy, the premier dance therapy and counseling practice in Chicago, IL. As a body-centered psychotherapist, Erica assists clients of all ages and abilities in harnessing the power of the mind-body connection to create greater awareness and understanding of emotional and mental health. For more, visit www.ericahornthal.com.

The post When doing more means moving less appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

These days, you may find it harder to stay present, especially when being in the moment reminds us that things are not what they used to be. The inability to be present can lead to a decrease in body awareness, which has a huge impact on our movement overall. As we continue to live in this pandemic and move into the colder darker months, it is even more important that we utilize movement for resilience and well-being. You may be wondering how changing your movement increases your emotional resilience. Let’s break it down.

Resilience is the capability to “bounce back” or overcome difficult circumstances. It is essentially elasticity of the mind. When you expand your movement and the aesthetics of that movement, you create more elasticity in the body. The mind and body are connected, so essentially elasticity in the body leads to elasticity of the mind. The more movement you have at your disposal, the greater ability you have to move through stressors in your life or just keep moving period, even when we you don’t know what the future holds.

You have the power to slow down, observe and take action. By challenging your status quo and moving outside your comfort zone, you create greater capacity to handle stress and the emotions that come with it. Think of it as your emotional gas tank. Adding to your movement profile, or all the movement at your disposal, creates a larger reserve, which means less breakdowns on the side of the road as well as less trips to the gas station.

When you increase your movement and body awareness, you get more emotional miles per gallon. So how do you maximize your emotional miles per gallon through movement to support resilience and overall well-being? Here are some tips:

#1. Bring attention to your movement. 

You are moving all the time, but so much of it is unconscious. In order to become more aware of our body, we must pay attention. You are already using your phone, right? So make it work for you! Set a reminder or alarm on your mobile device to check in with your body. How does it feel? What parts of your body are tight? Loose? What parts are you aware of, and what parts need more attention?

#2. Challenge your movement.

Engaging in the same movement pattern or habits doesn’t do anything for your body or mind. In fact, it can reinforce the “stuck” feeling you may already be experiencing. Challenging your movement isn’t about making it more difficult but rather uncomfortable. It is in the discomfort where you grow and change. Try a new way of moving, switch positions, “shake” it up! Notice what movement is safe and comfortable, and invite in the possibility or potential for something out of your comfort zone. Sometimes just the thought of this can bring on anxiety. It is important not to push yourself, but again challenge even the idea of new and different movements.

#3. Keep a movement journal.

Keeping a journal may not be your cup of tea, but it can be a great way to create awareness and support your mental health. You can participate in the Body Awareness for Mental Health Journal by asking yourself these three questions:

1. What is one sensation I am feeling in my body right now?
2. How does or will this (sensation) impact my mental health?
3. What ways can I manage or address this (sensation) to support positive mental health?

Here is an example:

1. I am feeling tension in my shoulders.
2. Tension in my shoulders usually means I am overwhelmed and taking on too much.
3. I will be careful not to add anymore tasks to my schedule and set aside time to connect with myself through a self-care practice (i.e. hot bath, quiet time, dance or yoga).

Try this in the morning as a way to start your day; setting an intention and paying attention to your movement and body will help hold yourself accountable before the business of the day sets in. You can also use a journal to keep track of how you are challenging your movement and how your body awareness is changing.

These are just small ways to increase your awareness through movement. But remember that small changes can have a big impact. Movement, no matter how small, can have a large influence on your overall well-being and more specifically your mental health.

Looking for more support?

My workbook, Body Awareness for Mental Health, is for you! Rooted in theories and methodologies from the field of dance/movement therapy, this workbook is designed for:

• Anyone looking for a more holistic approach to mental health.
• Individuals who have reached a plateau in traditional talk therapy.
• Anyone who has difficulty accessing and processing emotions.
• Anyone who is disconnected from their body due to trauma, anxiety and stress.

By Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT, Dance/Movement Therapist.

Erica Hornthal is a licensed professional clinical counselor and board certified dance/movement therapist based in Chicago, IL. She received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago and her BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Erica is the founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy, the premier dance therapy and counseling practice in Chicago, IL. As a body-centered psychotherapist, Erica assists clients of all ages and abilities in harnessing the power of the mind-body connection to create greater awareness and understanding of emotional and mental health. For more, visit www.ericahornthal.com.

The post Harnessing the power of movement for resilience and well-being appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

What makes you unique?

Is it a special talent of yours? Your look? Your personality?

“The world is so judgmental, and we all feel a pressure to fit into a mold,” shares Andrij “AJ” Deneka. “When you can showcase your individuality, it helps you stand out among others. It’s refreshing.”

Deneka is the founder of Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE, a fashion line and movement inspiring people to live as their authentic self. After years of dancing and modeling professionally while living in L.A., the Buffalo, NY-native is thankful for the opportunities he had but feels he could have accomplished more if he had the confidence to always be true to himself.

“From my past experience, when I wasn’t being my true authentic self, those moments weren’t as fulfilling. When I stayed true to who I am is when I felt better about myself and my accomplishments,” Deneka reveals. “We’re always going to have those moments when we feel like we didn’t fully embrace who we were, but recognizing it and having that understanding is part of the process.”

Deneka is currently a resident teacher at dance studios in Buffalo, guest choreographs for several studios throughout the United States, and is a judge for Spotlight Dance Cup and Thunderstruck Dance Competition. For several years, he noticed himself using the phrase Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE with his students, or using it as a special award at competitions. The phrase originally came to mind after he listened to a speech by one of his favorite artists, Janelle Monáe.

“One year, I choreographed an opening number and made all of the kids in the routine a pin that said Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE,” Deneka recalls. “The studio owner encouraged me to make shirts or clothing with the phrase on it and said she would buy it.”

In September 2019, Deneka, who also studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, took her advice and launched his own fashion line, putting his token phrase on t-shirts, long sleeve shirts and hoodies. It wasn’t long before people were asking for more products, including tank tops, joggers, sweat pants, pop sockets, lawn signs and bumper stickers.

“Yes, it turned into a business, but it’s more than that to me,” Deneka says. “What excites me is the movement aspect of it. It’s something I truly do believe in.”

Although growing up he felt he had a great support system of people who encouraged him to be whoever and whatever he wanted to be, Deneka felt he lacked confidence and wish he embraced his own uniqueness sooner in life. “I feel like with teaching, it’s important for me to remind kids to be who they are, not who they think society wants them to be, because it’s not always something I did myself. I was confident to a certain extent, but it didn’t click fully until after I left L.A.”

By using the phrase in class, he feels his students have realized that by being themselves, it will help them shine at their brightest potential. “There are so many talented individuals in the world, and when you’re not truly yourself, you’re just another number,” Deneka says. “When the phrase clicks with the kids, I noticed it gives them pride for who they are, not just as dancers but as individuals. It strengthens their everyday lives.”

As he travels for teaching and judging, he sees many students afraid to be who they want to be. “Regardless of age, sex, race, political beliefs, we are all different…and that’s the point! People all over the world are being ostracized for the way they were born or for what their religion is. I luckily was brought up in a family and a studio with pretty awesome people, but not everybody has that. I feel like Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE is broad enough that everyone can relate to and hope it inspires my students, or people in general, who are struggling.”

Recently, Deneka was inspired watching a woman accept an award who discussed how we are all made up of different cells and how it is a scientific fact that we are all different and that’s how we were put onto this earth. It inspired the second phase of his line that he calls Moleculary UNIQUE.

“Reminding ‘ourcellves’ of the intrinsic beauty of our bodies highlights the blend of sameness and diversity that comprises each of us,” Deneka posted to social media when he released his new products. “So often we reduce someone to one thing. We reduce someone to a stereotype, an object, their race, their gender…but we’re not one thing. We’re many trillions of things. So, next time you want to pay someone special a compliment, just tell them, according to science, you are a magnificent molecular masterpiece.”

As you take on 2021, find your confidence, tune into your individuality, and nourish your soul to its fullest potential. Individuality never goes out of style. and you are a magnificent molecular masterpiece.

It’s time to Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE.

To learn more about the movement, follow @embracewhatmakesyouunique on Instagram.

By Lauren Kirchmyer of Dance Informa.

The post ‘Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE’ in 2021 appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

Too much stress has come from the misinformation out there about how to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. This information deluge on diet tricks is heightened in the dance world.

As a dietitian for dancers for the past 11 years, and a former professional dancer myself, I’ve seen the real-life damage that these internet and fad diets do to a dancer’s instrument and mental state. I’ve worked with numerous dancers and athletes to undo fad diet damage and help get them on track with a way of eating that not only supports their energy levels and health, but also helps achieve a body that’s competitive for scholarships and contracts. I know that it’s possible to achieve results in a healthy way with a little thought and preparation. For a deeper dive into the different fad diets, check out the Dance Informa articles linked below. As we move into the holiday season and new year, I want to highlight here the top tricks that I know work.

Smaller, more frequent meals and snacks 

The first, and arguably most important, diet fad to avoid is going for too long without eating. I know that intermittent fasting is popular, but it backfires in the long run with added weight gain over time and compromises a dancer’s muscle tone, endurance and injury risk. Dancers will actually have an easier time losing fat but keeping muscle if they eat strategically 6+ smaller, more frequent meals/snacks per day based on their energy needs.

For example, if dance class is in the morning, eat a strong breakfast with the types carbohydrates that improve weight management such as rolled oats, whole grain toast and fruit. Studies show that people who eat breakfast have an easier time managing weight over time. When dancers switch to eating about every 3 hours with portion sizes crafted to meet their energy needs for the next 2-3 hours after that meal, it supports maintaining or building muscle tissue. It also reduces the desire to overeat later in the day because dancers aren’t famished. People tend to make smarter food choices when they aren’t starving. It’s very hard to avoid tempting cookies and fried foods when you haven’t eaten in six hours.

Focus on fiber

The second most important diet trick is to fill up on high fiber foods. These fill you up for less calories (and less money usually) but are packed with nutrients. Fiber is only found in plant foods, so make beans, lentils, peas, edamame, fruits, vegetables (particularly leafy greens) be the stars of your dietary plan. Let go of this outdated high protein, low carb fad. Of course, dancers need more protein than their non-active friends, but that doesn’t mean you eat excess protein with this mistaken belief that it will magically help with weight loss. What really works is filling up on a wide variety of plants. This takes a bit of planning and does require some food prep, but once you get used to bringing a container of carrots and apples for snack, having a large salad as part of your overall lunch and having 1-2 servings of roasted or steamed veggies for dinner, it will feel like second nature. The trick is not overdoing the oil, cream dressings or cheese as toppings for veggies. A little goes a long way.

Eating soups regularly has been shown to fill up study participants with less overall calories. Many soups can be nutrition powerhouses with beans and lentils, greens, carrots, whole grain pasta or wild rice like in a Minestrone soup, for example¹. Just limit the creamy soups.

Sugar 

Too much refined sugar can knock a hole in even the most carefully planned diet. Keep added sugars in beverages, baked goods and candy to occasional treats, not daily occurrences. (I’m looking at that fancy coffee drink that at only 16 ounces has twice the sugar as a king sized Snickers.) Many fad diets include fruit in the “sugar” category, and this couldn’t be more false. While fruit does have fructose (a type of sugar), it is also a good source of fiber and vitamins. Bottom line, eat fruit to fill that sweet craving while filling up on fiber, and keep refined sweets to occasional treats. Eating fruit can be a great way to have a filling snack between meals. It’s also hydrating.

Smart dietary fats 

Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, low fat diets were popular. These types of fad diets still come back in different forms today. They didn’t work mostly because people didn’t really eat as low fat as they thought they were and because fats were often replaced with sugars in the American diet at that time (and still today). Studies show that a diet with primarily unsaturated fats, found in plants like nuts, seeds, avocados and olives, for example, is better at helping people lose and maintain weight than a diet with saturated fats like butter, pork, beef, palm oil and even too much coconut oil. We should all be avoiding trans fats in foods like shelf-stable baked goods (like Twinkies, for example).

I tend to recommend about 25 percent of total calories from mostly plant-based fats for my clients, but it’s been shown that even moving from a 38 percent fat saturated fat diet to a 28 percent unsaturated fat diet will result in weight loss¹. You do not have to fear or avoid all dietary fats to have a professional-level dancer body; you just have to make smarter choices most of the time. Meaning have a palm full of nuts every day. Cook with a teaspoon of olive oil per serving, add seeds to your recipes and smoothies, add avocado to your meals. Avocado is actually high in fiber anyway. Enjoy plant-centric fat sources, and minimize saturated fats in butter, cheese and animal meats. I will never tell anyone to avoid grandma’s pie. You must eat her pie.

Additional strategies shown to work

Getting adequate sleep is essential. It has been shown that even a small sleep deficit can lead to increased caloric intake during the day and weight gain over time. Another key strategy is to have a solid hydration plan. Don’t just say you’re going to try to drink more. Make a specific goal such as 1-2 cups before each meal and 1-2 cups between meals and snacks. Adequate water intake and smart beverage choices can make or break a diet plan. Many sodas can have 20+ spoonfuls of sugar in them. Some studies show that hibiscus tea, green tea and ginger can aid in weight loss. Whether they do or do not, they’re certainly delicious and healthy.

Links to take a deeper dive into Dance Informa’s past articles on fad diets:  

How eating more, not less, leads to a healthy dancer weight

Intermittent Fasting: What dancers need to know about this latest diet trend

Why energy balance is the underappreciated secret to healthy weight and more energy

Keto Concerns: Is Keto Diet unsafe for dancers?

Paleo — good diet for dancers? Nutrition experts weigh in

Sources:

1. Greger M. How Not To Diet: the groundbreaking science of healthy, permanent weight loss. Flatiron Books NY, 2019

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RDN, LDN of Nutrition for Great Performances.

Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD 
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com
www.dancernutrition.com

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Welcome to dancing at home — with its daily distractions, endless child supervision, traffic, noise, limited space and likely no ballet barre or mirror.  You are probably also confronted with carpet,  hardwood on cement or tile on which to dance.

Zooming your dance class can be a dangerous proposition. The inappropriate floors available in your home, apartment, basement or garage can facilitate both injury and fatigue. They will certainly not help to develop technique or improve performance. There is hardly a floor in your home space that isn’t too hard or too slippery. It is simply not a dance studio.

However, there are a number of options that will turn a small area in your home into a temporary dance space and provide your dancer with all the safety benefits of a professional dance studio. It is not a luxury to protect their well-being.

For the dancer who has a relatively small space to work with and needs to quickly install and remove their dance floor, the best option is Dancestep Plus. It is a dual density foamed back flooring with a Marley dance surface. It is available with free shipping in 6.56′ widths by 4’, 8’, 10’, 15’ and 20’. It comes in black or gray and is ideal for all dance styles except tap (because of sound reduction). The dual foam backing acts like a floating subfloor, keeping the dancer safe from impact injury. Multiple pieces can create virtually any size home studio floor. The non-slip surface works especially well for ballet.

A tap, turning or ballet board is a very portable and easy-to-use at-home option. All boards feature a specialized floor surface over a subfloor, sitting on 3/4’’ cross link cell foam. In other words, it’s a mini floating subfloor system.

For those interested in a real wood option, we have Encore Home, an easy-to-assemble click and lock system requiring no tools. It features a real built-in floating wood subfloor and is available in prefinished oak or maple flooring – ideal for tap and ballroom. Encore also works well for jazz and contemporary.

If you happen to have space you can commit to your home studio, consider Springstep IV, our professional, floating prefabricated subfloor. For smaller spaces, no tools are necessary to assemble it; for larger spaces, a circular saw will be needed to stagger the seams and fit the room. Top the subfloor surface with the dance floor that is appropriate for how you dance.

All of your dance floor options are portable or transportable. Size is determined by your need and your budget. There are many possible ways to go, and a Stagestep rep would be happy to review your options.

Your safety is of paramount importance, be it in the studio, on stage or in your home. More information is available online at www.stagestep.com or by calling 800-523-0960.

By Randy Swartz of Stagestep.

The post Preparing your home studio for safe dance appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

Many would agree that these are uncertain times….uncharted for most of us. We don’t know what the future holds, let alone tomorrow. The landscape of performing arts and theater across the globe has changed, and there is no way of knowing what it will look like in the coming year. With dance studios and schools opening back up, there is hope for many, but with it often comes fear and anxiety. This and so many unanswered questions bring to mind the theme of uncertainty.

Uncertainty isn’t new, but our association to it these days is undeniable. The predictability of life, daily routines, even our communication is not what it once was. While that is not to say that we won’t get back there, we must acknowledge where we are now in order to move through this difficult time. It is even more pertinent now because we have grown accustomed to a new norm of social distancing and Zoom meetings. Emerging back into society and daily life outside of a virtual platform will most definitely bring out a new round of fears and anxieties for children and adults.

This begs the question, how can we move through uncertainty? More importantly, how can we do it authentically so we are validating our own experiences and not just doing what we are told or what we see others doing? Here are five ways to explore moving through uncertainty.

#1. Acknowledge its presence.

Take a moment to let that word “uncertainty” live in your body. Is there hesitation? Dissociation? Notice how it takes up residence. What parts of your body connect to a sense of or feeling of uncertainty? If this feels uncomfortable, you are not alone. The brain seeks comfort and familiarity, and thus our movement habits follow suit. When we safely find a way to challenge these ingrained habits of mind and body, we can explore the paths less traveled.

#2. Literally move it.

Feeling inspired to dance? Create a dance, a piece of choreography, a sequence of movement inspired by your own uncertainty. Notice the qualities of the movement, and allow this process to illuminate and express your own experience.

#3. Embrace uncertainty.

Feeling unsettled or uncomfortable by uncertainty? Try a little more exposure Find ways to add more uncertainty into your day. Not only can it be empowering to take charge of your uncertainty, but it will help you grow accustomed to the feeling. Examples are walking/driving a new path, exploring new forms of dance, and mixing up your schedule or routine so it is not so predictable.

#4. Find stability and grounding.

One of the best ways to manage uncertainty or the feeling that the ground is unstable is to tap into a felt sense of grounding, balance and stability. This can be done mentally as well as physically. You can mindfully focus on your breath and heartbeat to bring a sense of center and calm to the body. You can physically ground with your feet on the floor and a lifted posture. Lastly, try finding balance in your body through dance-based exercises that challenge your balance and encourage you to find your way back to center.

#5. Connect to certainty.

If sitting in or exploring uncertainty is too much for you, then a wonderful option is starting with certainty. Think of a time, place or even situation when you felt most certain, and begin to get a sense of what that feels like, emotionally and physically. Being able to bring that felt sense to times and places that feel uncertain can be a powerful tool to help manage the intense feelings that come up when you are feeling anything but certain.

Giving ourselves permission to feel a less than desirable emotion like fear or anxiety can help normalize the experience and make it easier to acknowledge when we need extra support during uncertain times. While social distancing, it is important to remain connected and find ways to do so. Creating a community where others feel the same fears and worries can help us feel less alone and validate our feelings in the process.

Most importantly, keep moving! The best and sometimes hardest thing to do through the challenging times is to simply find ways to move. This can be dancing, exercising, walking, breathing, meditating, talking…the list goes on. Remember, we are always moving. We just need to become aware of how we are moving and how it supports or hinders our current state of mind. We can all find comfort in knowing that as uncertain as these times may be, movement will get us through.

By Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT, Dance/Movement Therapist.

Erica Hornthal is a licensed professional clinical counselor and board certified dance/movement therapist based in Chicago, IL. She received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago and her BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Erica is the founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy, the premier dance therapy and counseling practice in Chicago, IL. As a body-centered psychotherapist, Erica assists clients of all ages and abilities in harnessing the power of the mind-body connection to create greater awareness and understanding of emotional and mental health. For more, visit www.ericahornthal.com.

The post Moving through Uncertainty appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.

“Dance came from the people and should always be delivered back to the people,” Alvin Ailey said. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a key part (but not all of) his legacy, works by this ethos. “Dance is for everybody,” asserts Cathryn Williams, director of Arts in Education and Community Programs at Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation. Amongst many other programs offering dance across the five boroughs of NYC, her department offers AileyDance for Active Seniors.

Through the initiative, senior citizens across NYC have the opportunity to move for better physical health, boost their brain health, and have a creative and expressive outlet. Dance Informa spoke with Williams and Amos Macahanic Jr., an Ailey Arts in Education and Community Programs teaching artist, Ailey Extension Horton instructor and a former Ailey company member.

Williams explains how the idea for AileyDance for Active Seniors began six years ago as part of a five-year strategic plan for the Ailey organization, developed under the leadership of Ailey Executive Director Bennett Rink. She shares how offerings in the program include movement classes, culminating performances for participants, and opportunities to see live performances of Ailey, Ailey II and The Ailey School’s Professional Division students. Williams emphasizes how with cognitive decline and mental/emotional effects such as loneliness, having a creative outlet is crucial.

Movement can be particularly powerful because even with forgetting details such as dates, “you don’t forget how you feel” and that it can be “profound to express your own stories through movement,” she believes. Machanic emphasizes how senior citizens are often (unintentionally) forgotten in our culture. “It’s so important to give them a voice and a creative outlet,” he believes. He notes that the program’s offerings can give people access to what the company can provide when mobility issues might limit them from visiting the theater.

Willams shares how she gives teachers a framework for the classes but also encourages them to make the classes their own within that framework. In fact, she sees it as their responsibility to “breathe life into” the classes. The framework, which Williams hopes to build into a curriculum, most often consists of a beginning check-in when all participants can share a bit about how they’re doing. Following that is often a verbal prompt for movement, such as “I remember a time when….” Williams recounts a meaningful instance of that prompt leading a participant to share how when very young, her family came to the U.S. through fleeing oppression in Soviet Russia.

Machanic describes using a “word wall,” allowing participants to each throw out a word or words as prompts for movement — such as “what do you think of with the word ‘dance’?” He works with Teaching Artist Heather Bryce, whom Williams says has used poems as movement prompts. Williams also describes “accumulation dance” as a technique that the classes employ, adding participants’ movements on top of one another to make movement phrases.

If participants are independently mobile, tableaus are also possible, she says. Teaching participants about aspects such as levels in space and movement dynamics also adds an educational component that keeps their brains stimulated, key for helping to fight off memory decline, she adds. Williams says that teachers also sometimes show videos of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancing iconic Ailey pieces such as Revelations and then teach the participants adapted versions of certain sections.

As other ways to keep the classes flowing and beneficial for participants, Machanic explains the importance of “keeping feelers out” for what students would enjoy and what would nurture them. For instance, if a participant says “ragtime” on their “word wall”, he and Bryce might discuss and say, “Let’s bring in ragtime for the warm-up”. He also underscored the importance of being flexible with the format, because classes can go in unexpected directions. To be most effective, the teaching artists need to make adaptations. Machanic also mentioned certain classes are for senior citizens and their caregivers, and some are for caregivers alone. These classes offer meaningful self-care for people who give so much, and need to refresh and refill to keep giving.

Then it comes to culminating performances, which Williams said importantly “validate [participants’] experience” and allow them to share with their family and friends. Machanic added that the performances also create community in assisted living homes, allowing different floors of residents to connect and to share. For him, it’s incredibly meaningful to see this community connect. It’s also special for him to see the growth in his students — physically, mentally, spiritually — from the first class to the performance. He also noted an important atmosphere of “no pressure” sharing, that’s it okay if someone misses a movement. “The goal is to see a light turn on in them — we know that’s the way in,” he affirmed.

What this kind of movement classes offer that fitness classes for seniors can’t seems to be a valid question. Williams believes that apart from the culminating performances and opportunities to see performance (live and via video), they offer the important elements of aesthetic engagement, imagination, emotion, and of narrative and personal story — while still offering the same important physical benefits (increased flexibility, strength, balance, and mobility).

Machanic underscored how these classes also remind all involved how “everyone has something to say,” and gives them a spiritually safe space to do so. In this line of thinking, a senior citizen reaching an arm can be as meaningful as a huge leap from a young, lithe dancer. All of that said, Williams was clear that the approach here stands apart from Dance/Movement Therapy, a formalized clinical field that works with and through set clinical goals as well as theoretical and empirical frameworks.

Several times, Machanic noted the joy and appreciation of participants. He believes that he’s seen them “come alive” and “transform before [his] eyes.” He also described seeing them “lift each other up”, which can be incredibly touching — such as a resident who was a former dancer helping older, less mobile residents. Machanic also described dancers attesting to practicing outside of classes, demonstrating the classes reaching far beyond the time they are held in participants’ lives. Williams recounted striking instances of the classes’ physical benefits such as a participant recovering from an operation far faster than her doctor would have thought.

In a longer-range vision, Williams would love to bring the classes to senior citizens in cities where the company tours, through residencies. Wherever it all goes, AileyDance for Active Seniors, under the umbrella of Arts In Education and Community Programs, is a key component of bringing dance back to the people — as Ailey believed, after all, it came from them. It lives in all of us, however young or old.

For more information on AileyDance for Active Seniors, head to www.alvinailey.org/about/arts-education-community-programs/aileydance-active-seniors.

By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.

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While the word “privilege” itself has been the topic of many discussions recently, the principle is not novel. I would like to share a hard lesson I learned a few weeks ago with my Dance Informa community. I have run a group on Facebook for over 12 years now — a group dedicated to advocating for and showcasing the field of dance/movement therapy. (Dance Therapy Advocates; I encourage you to check it out.) Since it is just a group and not a formal organization, I have never actively issued any public statements or taken a stand on any social causes or issues. As I thought about it more, I assumed that if I didn’t stand for any particular cause, that I stood for every cause; essentially, neutrality meant equality for all. After being called out in this group for not publicly using my platform to voice injustice, it got me thinking about my association with power and privilege. And in true movement therapy fashion, naturally I wanted to explore how this showed up in my body.

Throughout this online confrontation, I recognized defensiveness, shame, guilt and anger. I began to notice how my defensiveness was embodied, how it physically manifested itself. I noticed how being exposed made my posture shrink and how my need to explain myself or correct a mistake, unintentional as it may have been, left me feeling as if I was on the edge of my seat and jittery like I had ingested five cups of coffee. The shame, guilt and anger often associated with white fragility each had their own distinct embodiment. I wondered if I began to recognize these movement qualities when faced with such serious and difficult subjects like racism, could I harness this awareness and create a space for learning, growth and even change? If I can pause and notice what is coming up, I can then own my emotions and my inherent privilege.

In a webinar I recently attended, Carmen Marshall said, “Intention does not override impact.” To me, that suggests that no matter how good your intentions are, your words and actions still have consequences, and the impact of those “good intentions” finds its way to the receiver’s body.  I began to wonder how that impact was housed in the body. How had my words, or lack thereof, influenced someone else’s movement? The trouble with today’s communication is that I may not get to see that person’s body because most of these interactions are online. Since I cannot see the person’s reaction, I must try to empathize through self-awareness, putting myself in that person’s shoes and noticing how my body reacts and how my movement changes.

I’ve realized that it’s not just about recognizing your power and privilege but about using it. I’ve come to understand that having privilege may not be in my control. It may be something we are born into, but that doesn’t mean we are exempt from the responsibility that comes with it. In the words of Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Whether we realize it or not, it is up to each individual to self-reflect on the association with power. Just because we are not abusing our power and privilege doesn’t mean we are doing our part to recognize and dismantle it.

I began to think of this in terms of where I choose to move. Not only do I have the privilege to move and dance in this world, but I am seen by my peers, mentors and colleagues. This is not guaranteed to everyone — whether it is because of the color of your skin, religious affiliation, physical difference or gender identity, to name a few examples. Even how we move in this world, where we move, and who we move with without fear of harm or death, is a privilege.

With regard to privilege, I have been given permission to “sit in the discomfort” more times than I can count. The thing is that just mentally “sitting” in discomfort is not enough. It is vital that we allow ourselves to feel uncomfortable in our body. So how can we do that? Here are four steps to acknowledging the body’s response to power and privilege.

#1. Notice your posture.

Does it change when your power it challenged? What is your posture when you feel powerful or when you feel powerless?

#2. Recognize movement patterns around privilege.

Do you lean in (advancing) as if to fight or lean back (retreating) to run away? Notice how you engage in factors like space and time. Become aware of your relationship to movement when the subject of privilege is brought up. Do you shrink or “show up” in your body?

#3. Pause before taking action.

Allow your body and mind time to pause before jumping into action. Whether it is defensiveness or camaraderie, a breath to evaluate and notice your gut response can make all the difference in how you take action and how the action is received.

#4. Challenge and diversify your movement.

In order to increase empathy and understanding, find ways to build your “movement vocabulary”. The more we diversify our movements, the more able we are to sit in others’ points of view regardless of how different they are from our own.

Finally, if you find yourself being silent, notice what is under the silence. Fear of making a mistake? Looking foolish? Shame? These are all valid emotions, but unless we are willing to have these important conversations, those feelings will just continue to fester. We must be willing to sit in the discomfort and have difficult conversations in order to allow for growth and change. I thank all the individuals who challenged my role in power and privilege. I hear you and I move with you and I will not stay silent anymore.

By Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT, Dance/Movement Therapist.

Erica Hornthal is a licensed professional clinical counselor and board certified dance/movement therapist based in Chicago, IL. She received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago and her BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Erica is the founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy, the premier dance therapy and counseling practice in Chicago, IL. As a body-centered psychotherapist, Erica assists clients of all ages and abilities in harnessing the power of the mind-body connection to create greater awareness and understanding of emotional and mental health. For more, visit www.ericahornthal.com.

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