Are you taking to the new digital dancing stream like a duck to water? How is life in the virtual world treating you? What are you finding in our new ‘socially distant’ reality that’s worth keeping long-term?

Chances are more than good that you’ve found yourself in front of your computer staring into the mirror of a little tiled box on your screen, taking part in one of a gazillion different public classes or private meetings beamed directly into your private dance space.

Major shifts in culture don’t always happen incrementally, it often takes some cataclysmic upset to kick everyone off in a new direction all at once. What we’re seeing right now with our suddenly socially distanced world is a classic example of that.

Just a few short months ago I could count the number of Dance First member-facilitators who were proficient at offering online programs on one hand. To say that it’s been a crash-course for everyone else since the pandemic began would be a huge understatement. (For those of you using Zoom, here’s a handy guide to help with your audio put together by Berlin-based Soul Motion leader Jens Wazel)

My guess is that a lot of the long-distance dance and movement opportunities that are emerging in the wake of Covid-19 are going to stick around long after the lockdown is over. As restrictions start to lift by fits and starts in various corners of the world one thing is clear — in-person dance and movement classes are going to be among the last places to safely open up.

It’s one thing to allow workers back into offices and workshops where sanitation and distancing are relatively easy. It’s another to fill an enclosed space with active dancers who are breathing hard, sweating, and moving in close proximity with one another. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t really see myself dancing with my mask on.

As host of Dance Jam, I feel responsible for the great folks who come and groove with us each week. Knowing that one person with Covid-19, possibly asymptomatic, could come in and pass it on to a majority of the people in the room is chilling. So while I’ve been learning the ropes of streaming and DJing online, I’m looking at it as a long-term proposition.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Jonathan Horan from 5Rhythms. They’ve been putting a huge amount of work into setting up a world-class audio/visual streaming platform. One aspect that they’re thankfully prioritizing is the proper licensing of music and royalty sharing with musicians.

When you attend an online 5Rhythms Live class, 25% of your entry fee goes directly into the hands of the musical artist. They’ve worked out direct deals with over 2,500 artists so far. For the rest, they work with regionally-specific licensing bureaus to make sure that every artist receives their fair share.

Having grown up in a music-producing family, Jonathan understands the artist-facilitator equation better than most. Raven Recording , the label his late mother Gabrielle Roth founded with Robert Ansell is a cornerstone of the conscious dance world. So he’s adamant that facilitators play fair with the musical artists and groups that underpin their movement work. After all, as I put it, the conscious dance world is joined at the hip with the music industry.

I’m delighted to announce that you are invited to experience the 5Rhythms Live platform yourself! They’re generously offering a special promo code to you as a subscriber to Monday Love so you can try any of their packages for 50% off. They make it easy with daily, weekly, or monthly online class passes, and all classes are available for on-demand replay for 30 days afterwards.

Simply go to www.live.5rhythms.com and use the code CONSCIOUSDANCER when you sign up. This code is good until June 1st for any class on the platform. And make sure you plug your computer into your stereo or use good headphones, their platform boasts some of the best sound around!

Whether you are simply enjoying an online offering occasionally or dedicating your daily life to delivering quality content, be sure to keep all your ducks in a row, (probably not literally, like at my house, thanks to my daughter!) There’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to conscious connection in the online world, but physically distant though we may be, our hearts are open when we connect and move together!

Much love till next Monday!

M+

PS: We want to honor and acknowledge the great work and contribution to the field that Nancy Stark Smith made. Widely recognized as one of the primary innovators of Contact Improvisation and the founder of Contact Quarterly , Nancy had a lifelong influence and legacy far beyond those who were fortunate enough to dance with her. You are invited to read and post tributes on this special public page. Nancy, may you dance in peace…

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine