This week’s Dance First Member Insight is brought to you by Sarah Sadie , founder of Studio Sadie in Madison, Wisconsin. Dance First members are sharing their insights and inspirations during this troubled time, as well as how they are coping. Plus links to live streams and online offerings for you.

Dear Conscious Dancers & Beloved Community,

What a remarkable event we are currently experiencing as a global community. As I am sure many of you do, I need to remind myself several times a day to take a pause and ground myself. I use this time simply to breathe, to allow the present moment to expand in my awareness, to feel my body and observe how it is reacting—and interacting—at this moment.

Those of us who regularly dance, move, and connect with our bodies already have a variety of tools and techniques to share. We’re invited to step into leadership in whatever ways call to us, in whatever circles we are part of, to guide others into building similar connections. The openness of this invitation within this transformational moment in time allows us to work towards building whatever new world we envision. More than anything, it is a call to create!

Even as I write this, I’m aware that, for some of us, such a radical invitation feels like too much to handle. I feel it myself, also. Recently, a participant in one of my small groups shared that she shifts between feeling “like a thin-skinned balloon” and the embodiment of “warrior mode.” That resonated with me in a very tangible way. We aren’t always warriors. But, we aren’t always balloons, either.

Please be gentle with yourselves during this ongoing experience. Whatever you are feeling, know that it is okay. Experience your emotions. Simply…be.

At my Studio, we hold a space for both of these extremes (and everything in between) in our weekly Qoya classes. Dancing together gives us each an opportunity to experience and explore the wisdom and truth of our bodies on any given day. We take time in our classes to share with each other. Witnessing each other’s truth is a sacred act, opening us to the possibility that something new will emerge, some deeper understanding, from between any two voices.

Starting at the end of the month, we’ll also be running New Orientations. New Orientations is a distinct offering designed to give participants a way to gently move from reaction to response, transitioning from fear, anxiety and alarm to the quiet curiosity of what might come next. It gives participants the space to examine what small next step they might take next.

What calls to you in this moment?

The answer can be as big as a dream, or as small as five minutes by the window with a cup of tea. I believe the answers (and the questions) we collaborate to create will always be more precious than those we find alone.

If you feel called to explore these ideas, you can find more at the Studio’s website: https://studiosadie.world/new-orientations.

Sign up for our mailing list!

And join in for Qoya during Covid, virtual classes online.

Be well. Stay well.

xo

Sarah Sadie

Founder, Studio Sadie