"Spirituality of the Body" with Charmaine Warren and guests, December 1

As curator for Gibney’s upcoming Arts + Action Talk: Spirituality of the Body (Tuesday, December 1, 7pm on Zoom), I’m truly excited to hear from a panel of artists whose work illuminates spiritual ideas and values, where the body is the site of spiritual expression and practice. We will welcome Laurel Atwell, Shamar Wayne Watt, Ogemdi Ude, and iele paloumpis, along with moderator Charmaine Warren, for a conversation that I hope will be the first of many--in Gibney’s digital space and beyond--exploring this rich topic. I spoke with Warren--a beloved veteran dancer and creator/host of the popular YouTube series, Black Dance Stories--about her experiences with spirituality and her hopes for the evening’s get-together.

Eva Yaa Asantewaa: How have you experienced dance as a means of expressing or practicing spirituality?

Charmaine Warren:  Many years ago, I was introduced to Ashtanga yoga, and this young dancer would run to a full day of rehearsal after my early morning yoga class. Someone pointed out the difference in my dancing, and then I started to pay attention. The light of acknowledgement doesn't go off right away but, with time, as I grew old and began to "own" my practice, I knew that it was the inner reckoning; my opening to spirit that brought my two loves together. Later, too, learning more about my Jamaican tradition and spirit in the African way has further helped me wake each morning and give time to my own spirit before I share the day with anyone else.

Eva Yaa Asantewaa: As you see it, especially as a dancer, what is spiritual about the body? Or what is the role of embodiment in spiritual practice?

Charmaine Warren:  Again, I have to acknowledge growing older and experiencing life as the answer. I dance now because I feel ready inside, and being ready inside means that I am one with my spirit. I work to be one with those around me before we "move" together. I work to be one with the space that I will "move" in. That may mean holding hands, doing sun salutations or taking time to breath together--and, now, land acknowledgements!

Eva Yaa Asantewaa: What do you hope for this gathering of artists?

Charmaine Warren: Mostly that we have an audience that will be willing to listen, but that we will share tools that we all use to stay connected to spirit during these trying times.

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Come join us!

RSVP now for Arts + Action Talk: Spirituality of the Body here. It’s FREE!

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DISCLAIMER: In addition to my work on InfiniteBody, I serve, at Gibney, as Senior Director of Artist Development and Curation and Editorial Director. The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, strategies or opinions of Gibney.

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The music is playing me: the great Sonny Rollins explains

Sonny Rollins: 'You Can't Think And Play At The Same Time'
by NPR Staff, May 3, 2014

To heal, you have to move your body!

Restoring the Body: Bessel van der Kolk on Yoga, EMDR, and Treating Trauma (audio 51:23)
Krista Tippett, On Being, July 11, 2013

Human memory is a sensory experience says psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk. Through his longtime research and innovation in trauma treatment, he shares what he's learning how bodywork like yoga or eye movement therapy can restore a sense of goodness and safety. And what he’s learning speaks to a resilience we can all cultivate in the face of the overwhelming events that after all make up the drama of culture, of news, of life.

New Web site from Charmaine Warren

My esteemed and richly talented colleague Charmaine Warren is debuting her Web site. Visit and learn more about her multifaceted practices--dance, dance education, arts consultation, yoga instruction and writing on dance. Click here!

Brooklyn's new center for African/diasporan dance

Cumbe Dance | Center for African and Diaspora Dance to open in Brooklyn in early January 

Cumbe is the new home for African and diaspora dance in Brooklyn, bringing together – under one roof – classes and cultural education for dances from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean.

West African, Sabar, Congolese, Samba, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Colombian, Cumbia, Salsa, Tango, Hip Hop, Yoga and more.

Wow! Find out all about it: Click here!

Affordable yoga

Yoga’s New Wave

by Mary Billard, The New York Times, April 23, 2010

Downloaded Dog

Need a Yoga Class? Try Downloading One

by Lizette Alvarez, The New York Times, April 11, 2010

Keely Garfield's he(art)

The He(art) of Healing with Keely Garfield

A workshop for everyone!

Saturday, March 27 (2:30pm to 4:30pm)

Laughing Lotus Yoga Center
59 West 19th Street, 3rd Floor, at 6th Avenue, Manhattan

Fee: $20

Join Keely Garfield for a transformative afternoon! As an integrative therapist and yoga instructor, Keely will take you through an exploration in ways to enhance your optimal wellbeing and become empowered with the knowledge and confidence to improve your life through therapeutic yoga, breath awareness, meditation, reiki and essential oils.

"The land of healing lies within, radiant with the happiness that is blindly sought in a thousand outer directions." Swami Vivekananda

Contact Laughing Lotus

Moved by what she discovers

Returning to dance: what moves us?
by Ann Moradian, Perspectives in Motion, January 26, 2010

a paper presented by Ann Moradian at The World Dance Alliance Americas Congress -- "What Moves Us?" May 28-31, 2009, University of Wisconsin/Madison, USA

And speaking of K. J. Holmes...

Perhaps you read my previous post about K. J. Holmes's series of classes for Movement Research. Well, I've just received this nice update from the good folks at Movement Research:

K.J. Holmes is holding two additional yoga classes to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. All proceeds are donated to Partners in Health. We're so glad to support K.J. in this effort, and we hope to see you all there.

Here are the fine details:

Saturdays, January 30 and February 6
9:30-10:30am

$10 minimum donation

Movement Research at Eden's Expressway
Studio opens at 9am.

Back to the source

Embryological Foundations of Movement:
An Embodied Approach

with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

November 17-23, New York City

It is during our embryological development that our body begins creating its form. As tissues and structures develop, some remain with us, some are transformed into other structures and some fade into the background, no longer existing or recognizable as the original structure. As with all development, though the original processes are no longer with us, they have left us with deep-rooted patterns and templates that affect our movement, mind and spirit. In exploring the embryological developmental process, we discover the primal roots of our structure, perception, respondability and presence. The understanding and integration of these aspects of development give us a doorway into:

· Inner and outer processes (self and other) the embryonic disk and development of the front body (endoderm), back body (ectoderm) and middle body (mesoderm)

· Development of our central vertical axis (notocord)

· Development of the autonomic fluid rhythm

· Development of our organs and glands

· Development of our fluid system

· Development of the autonomic and somatic pathways of our nervous system

· The ground for cellular unity and cellular breathing

This workshop is for movers, dancers, yoga practitioners, bodyworkers, and those from other body-mind disciplines interested in unraveling the mystery of embryological development as it relates to cellular consciousness, movement, mind and spirit.

No prior experience with Body-Mind Centering® is necessary.

Location: Chelsea Studios, 151 West 26th St (between 6th and 7th Avenues)

Fee: $750

To register or get more information:

BodyMind Centering
info@bodymindcentering.com · (413) 256-8615

Yoga and dancing pornographic?

Bali Defies Fatwa on Yoga
by Peter Gelling, The New York Times, March 10, 2009

Update: Pink Empowerment Day

The following post has been updated with new program information:

Color it pink: a day for women's wellness

Color it pink: a day for women's wellness (UPDATED)

[Scroll down for updated information.]

Pink Empowerment--February 8, 2009--is a wellness day, dance concert and artist health fair presented by the Move for Breast Cancer Awareness (MBCA), sponsored by and located at Dance New Amsterdam, 280 Broadway, 2nd Floor (enter at Chambers), Manhattan.

Wellness Day
FREE ADMISSION
9AM-12PM

Drop by lower Manhattan for FREE classes and workshops including meditation techniques, rehabilitative yoga, and information on FREE or discounted Health Services. In anticipation of a full house given the FREE admission to our 2pm concert, we will be offering 20 confirmed reservations on a first come first served basis to Wellness Day participants.

Dance Concert
FREE ADMISSION
2PM

featuring works from

Monica Bill Barnes & Dancers

Alexandra Beller/Dances

David Parker & the Bang Group

Laura Peterson Choreography

Urban Bush Women

Christopher Williams

Ellis Wood Dance

Reception & Services Fair
FREE ADMISSION
3:30-5PM

Please join us after the performance for wine cheese and more! Our partnering organizations will be present with staff and materials to share with you available health services and resources to the dance community.

Partners include: Dance/NYC, [QuA²D], Fractured Atlas, The Dancer's Resource, and the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries.

Move for Breast Cancer Awareness (MBCA) is a project of the Queens Academy of Arts & Dance [QuA²D]

UPDATE

WELLNESS DAY
9-9:45am - Raising Awareness for Movement Teachers
A demonstration on teaching Iyengar Yoga to Breast Cancer patients/survivors by Bobby Clennell

10-11am - Prescreening and Prevention
Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered - Patricia Brett and Lisa Held from FORCE discuss genetic profiling
American Cancer Society - Mrs. Riker teaches how to perform a self breast exam
Woodhull Hospital - Oncologist ___ talks about genetic testing and resources at Woodhull

11:15am-12pm - Meditation class (all levels of experience welcome)

RECEPTION & RESOURCE FAIR
FORCE - Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries - Injury Prevention
Artist Access program at Woodhull Hospital
Libby Ross Foundation
Actor's Fund - The Dancers' Resource
Young Survivors Coalition
American Cancer Society
Fractured Atlas - Health Insurance options

Zahava: Body and Soul podcast

Zahava's mission encompasses not only dance as aesthetic expression but also its role in individual and societal healing. She writes, "My body has led me to teachers, rhythms, techniques, abandon, containment, ecstasy, erotic languid prayers, rituals geometry, discipline, storytelling and healing. Through these journeys I have found spirit guides, competition, self criticism, deep reverence, the practice of life in uncomfortable and pleasurable tempos." In this conversation, Zahava discusses her practice as a dancer and her understanding of how racism gets played out in our relationship with our bodies, the source of discord and of peace.

For a bio of Zahava and more information on her work, visit:

Love Making Dances

White Folks Soul--by Any Dance Necessary

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

MP3 File

Program Notes: Upcoming on "Body and Soul"

Zahava's mission encompasses not only dance as aesthetic expression but also its role in individual and societal healing. She writes, "My body has led me to teachers, rhythms, techniques, abandon, containment, ecstasy, erotic languid prayers, rituals geometry, discipline, storytelling and healing. Through these journeys I have found spirit guides, competition, self criticism, deep reverence, the practice of life in uncomfortable and pleasurable tempos." In this conversation, Zahava discusses her practice as a dancer and her understanding of how racism gets played out in our relationship with our bodies, the source of discord and of peace.

For a bio of Zahava and more information on her work, visit:

Love Making Dances

White Folks Soul--by Any Dance Necessary

Ailey's new yoga program

On Tuesday, October 7, The Ailey Extension, partnering with yoga instructor Porschla Coleman, launches a new weekly Tapas Yoga program. Tapas is a Jivamukti-inspired technique, and its name means fire or burning. All classes will be taught by teachers of color whose training has been sponsored by Russell Simmons. Coleman’s clients have included Simmons, Jason Kidd, and many other celebrities.

The Ailey Extension features dance and fitness classes--including Lester Horton technique, West African dance, ballet, hip hop, jazz dance and more. These classes are open to the general public for beginners and students of all levels of movement experience.

Porschla Coleman is a certified Jivamukti yoga teacher, philanthropist and model who received her yoga teaching certification at the world renowned Omega Institute. She chose to get her certification in Jivamukti yoga because it is considered the most respected practice in the world. She attended an intense 30-day immersion in yoga philosophy and scripture, the history of yoga, an introduction to Sanskrit, introduction to anatomy, and all aspects of Jivamukti Yoga. Porschla has been mentored by such great yogis as Sharon Gannon, David Life and Gabriela Bozic and believes that yoga is a life attitude, through which one learns to accept responsibility for his or herself and all the actions of one's life. She firmly believes that Yogis can make the world a more beautiful and more sincere place. In addition to her yoga teachings, Porschla sits on the Board of Directors for the Marsha Barber Community Center which is a community center being built in one of the hardest hit areas of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. Being from Mississippi, this charity holds a special place in her heart. Porschla is also the newest correspondent for Talk Radio News Service which will soon take her around the world to raise awareness of global humanitarian issues.

Tuesdays, 6:30-7:45pm

Click here for The Ailey Extension.

The Ailey Extension, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 West 55th Street at Ninth Avenue --212-405-9000

Just say Om!

Om, Sweet Om
by Amy Alexander, TheRoot.com, July 18, 2008

New yoga classes begin September 10

Seema Christie presents hatha yoga practice on Monday nights at 44O Studios, 440 Lafayette Street (near St. Mark's Place), Manhattan. Room 4G.

Monday evenings, beginning September 10, 8:15pm-9:30pm

This will be a nurturing, deep, relaxing practice, incorporating Integral Yoga and Swami Radha's teachings of insight through asana. Essential oils will be used to enhance the asana practice during the class in a subtle way to help focus and relax each student. Seema will also incorporate hands-on Reiki healing for students who are comfortable with touch. This class is appropriate for beginners as well as experienced practitioners. Please bring a mat and towel.

Suggested donation $15. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Give what you can--especially if it is just your presence in class!

Please confirm your attendance: seema_christie@hotmail.com.

As The World Turns

Talk about the still point of the turning world!

A Yoga Class's Path to Serenity Leads Through Times Square by Dalton Walker

Times dance critic Roslyn Sulcas weighs in on Invitations to A Dancer:

Tapping Out Fusion: Is That One Tutu Too Many? by Roslyn Sulcas

And, if you haven't, please see my June 20th review of Invitations to A Dancer.

Also by Sulcas, a very nice piece on Mikhail Baryshnikov whose Hell's Kitchen Dance performs this weekend at the Baryshnikov Arts Center:

Reflections on Baryshnikov's Latest (Not Last) Legs by Roslyn Sulcas