Healing Dance

Healing Dance is a synthesis of Watsu, Trager Work, WaterDance, and pure movement. It combines the freedom, scope and 3 dimensionality of WaterDance with the safety and nurturing of Watsu. The approach is based on the healing power of movement and how the body naturally moves in water. The movements are hydrodynamic and spacious, featuring over twenty different undulating wave movements that integrate the body and release blocked energies. Quiet embraces, releases, tractions, smooth transitions and massage are all woven together in an unending flow. Life and movement re-enter the body.

(For a full description of the work or to purchase videos, see http://aquaticwritings.tripod.com)

With over twenty five years experience in ballet, modern and free movement exploration, Alexander brings an exceptional insight and creativity into aquatic bodywork. In 1990 he began to develop The Healing Dance, bringing the joy and exhilaration of the dance into the therapy pool. Since then it has been taught in the United States, Brazil, England, Germany and Switzerland. In 1999 Alexander and Inika created Healing Dance Above and Below from old material of Alexander's and new material they created together, bringing the flow of Healing Dance to the underwater work.

Healing Dance

In Healing Dance the entire session takes place above the surface of the water, yet it elicits many of the same responses experienced in a WaterDance session. The giver enjoys the pleasure of her or his own dance, bringing the grace of movement to the receiver. The form follows the natural tendencies of the body moving in water in a variety of waves, circles and figure eight’s with the legs free to experience the sensation of the water flowing past. Positional sanctuaries, releases, creative stretches, and transitions, including the Vortex and Matador, are part of this level. Students learn the principles of relating and mirroring, moving by example, generating a rhythmic field, and applying advanced body mechanics to be able to travel smoothly across the pool to create “virtual currents”.

Advanced Healing Dance

Advanced Healing Dance builds on the moves and positions already learned in Healing Dance and adds in spirals, new bodywork and mini-sequences, including Seaweed II for working the upper body, Arabesque and Tango for their strong stretches and flying circles, the tender, low key Chagal, and stepwork. Also included in this class are exercises to help students improvise in their work. Ideas for sequencing a Healing Dance session are discussed, and the concept of channeling movement is explored.

Healing Dance Above and Below

This class is designed to bring the principles of Healing Dance into the underwater experience. Maintaining flow above and below the surface is integral; the material explores how to smooth out the moment of submerging and surfacing. When rhythm, movement shape and body position are pre-set at the surface, the receiver experiences a less radical change at the moment of submerging. The coursework begins taking Watsu’s Basic Moves under water and extends this idea to the whole session, introducing a variety of takedown moves from the repertoire of the Healing Dance. From the feedback of practitioners working with Healing Dance Above and Below we know that it is indeed making going under possible for people previously unable to allow themselves to be submerged. Taking the moves below the surface becomes a fluid dance, bringing the receiver to a place where there is no need of breath and bringing the giver to a joy in movement and presence. This class offers a toolbox of moves that are simple, elegant and intriguing to enrich your experience in the water.