For 'Yoga Dance' in Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth and Exeter Devon, welcome to yogadance.co.uk.

This Yoga Dance fusion has been developed by Michelle Wilkinson as a result of 15 years professional community practice. It combines simple yoga positions and natural human movement. The classical yoga positions are a blend of those which organically arise in early childhood like the the cobra and those which echo land and seascapes such as the mountain and tree pose. These yoga positions are gateways into breath/body structure awareness and authentic movement. 

Inspiration, scores and understanding arise from a combination of seasonal studio and on site explorations. The sites explored are to be found along the Jurassic Coast, mainly Exmouth area, East Devon heathland of Woodbury Common and Bystock and Wistman's Wood, Dartmoor which is pictured above. Yoga Dance Practitioner Michelle Wilkinson is currently on the Walk of Life Training in non-stylised and environmental movement programme with Helen Poynor. www.walkoflife.co.uk 

Human Movement Development from the pre-birth stage to upright stance and walking is fundalmental to this work. Taking time and space to contact and dialogue with body systems such as the bones and the organs are also an important part of Yoga Dance. Sources and insights are greatly influenced by Shiatsu Practice and BMC (Body Mind-Centering) pioneered by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. 

Yoga Dance helps to acess the vitality, creativity and joy for life that is a natural condition at any life stage. These stages include infancy, adolescents, adulthood, late adulthood and those people with dementia. Emphasis is given to moving in an easy and effortless way which can lead to joyful movement expression. This blend of Yoga Dance is therefore well-suited to participants who may have restricted movement or injuries. The Feldenkrais Method of awareness through movement underpins the Yoga Dance movements.

During the Yoga Dance individual/group sessions and workshops the important connection between the physical bodily sensations, emotional feelings and mental thoughts (images) are made . This three-way integration moves participants towards a fully embodied experience. Each participant is free to find their own relationship with this body of work and to move in ways which are appropriate for them.    

Yoga Dance activities are linked to Dance in Devon the county's dance development agency and therefore provides opportunities to become involved in events and projects such as World Dance Day and Landance. See gallery for images. www.danceindevon.org.uk   www.landance.org.uk

 

Yoga Dance was featured in the 2008 July edition of Soul & Spirit Magazine. Michelle Wilkinson is quoted as saying:

"Yoga and Dance help me to find my true-self in stillness and movement. They are stepping stones to being myself amid life's challenges."   

 Participants' Comments:

The simple movements make me feel so calm and relaxed. It is amazing how I can do things, that before I started , I couldn''t do at all. (Mat-based Session) 

One of the best days in a long time...fruitful, peaceful, relaxing and inspiring. It brought to the fore creativity and capabilities I did not think I had.(Full Day Workshop)

 

To find out more about 'Yoga Dance' sessions and workshops, please browse this website or contact Michelle today.