23 Jun Dancing with nature

Reconnect to Mother Earth through dance

India is a land of ancient dances; dances that are as much a part of the culture today as they were thousands of years ago. Barefoot dancers still pound the earth in reverence with each meaningful step they take as part of their classical dance form, whether practising the art of Odissi originating in India’s eastern state of Orissa, Kathak from the north or Bharatanatyam in the south.

Separated by hundreds of miles, these dancers are all united in Bhumi Pranam, a salutation carried out before they begin to dance in earnest to honour Mother Earth. To dance on upon her is considered a privilege and a blessing.

Whether she takes the form of the deep red soil of the subcontinent or the grassy meadows of Europe, dancing in her embrace is a joy that long-forgotten generations welcomed as part of their daily lives. To be part of a tribe meant not only to live, eat and drink together but to dance together in celebration and in sorrow.

Bring back the joy

Today the joy of dancing with nature is a rare occurrence for most of us. But with the summer sunshine comes a longing to be outdoors, whether its the excitement of a bustling festival or the simple bliss of pottering around the garden to the hum of the radio. When that music takes hold and your body begins to sway, something magical, something ancient and innate, may just unfold if you let it.

Dance and nature are two kindred spirits, so rarely united except when we dare to step out of our homes and offices, our buildings of bricks and mortar, and let our natural rhythms come to the fore in the open air.

Movements to reconnect the human spirit to Mother Earth are growing, with the rising popularity of sense walks, forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and the like. Dance too is re-emerging as a means to feel a sense of belonging to something more profound.

The universe is alive with rhythm

From the ocean tides to the courtship dances of nature’s animals, there is rhythm all around us. And indeed, within us, as we too are a part of Nature. Tapping into your own internal rhythm gives you the means to connect to the universal energy that flows through us all.

Ecstatic Awakening Dance™ makes all of this possible using freeform dance, the power of breath and transcendent tunes. At the School of Ecstatic Movement, all of our teachers are trained to hold sacred space, creating an environment free from judgement in which you can take your own personal journey towards inner bliss.

Learn more about Ecstatic Awakening Dance™ and dance to the beat of Mother Earth with the School of Ecstatic Movement.