This week’s Dance First Member Spotlight is from Jean Trewhella, founder of Movement Insights.
Dear dancers,
I first experienced JourneyDance with Toni at the Wild Women’s Retreat in 2016. I loved how JourneyDance blended the witness/mover modality with transformation and fun, ecstatic dance. Toni’s teachings resonated with me in a deep and soulful manner, and I knew that I had found a movement discipline that would work within my own path. After treating myself to module 1 of the embodiment teacher training to get a deeper insight into my own practice, it was clear that there was no turning back! I was sold! I went on to take module 2 and module 3, becoming a certified JourneyDance teacher ready to bring the power of JourneyDance to others!
My dance practice, Movement Insights, is formed from a wealth of diverse experiences and stylistic traditions. I studied dance as an undergraduate to balance my Physics major at Antioch College. Dancing was almost a physical representation of physics – all movement and natural laws of rhythm and harmony. The pairing made sense to me then and still does today.
As I progressed through life, I continued to explore many different dance modalities, including 5 Rhythms, Open Floor, Contact Improv, Authentic Movement, Azul, Ecstatic Dance, and many more. I raised 2 children, broke barriers as a female technical executive in a Fortune 500 company, am a practicing Episcopalian, and a graduate of Mama Gina’s Mastery Program in the School of Womanly Arts. Over the years, I have built my practice in studios and dance halls. I have been fortunate to work with some very talented people and share their energy even as they share mine.
I was just about to start a weekly offering in Saratoga when the pandemic hit. All of the spaces I’d considered renting were shut down, and everything was moving outdoors. I switched gears and started looking for an indoor-outdoor setting to build my own studio in. I found Malta commons was walking distance from my home. The business park had plenty of open rental areas and a cobblestone walking area between shops. The location was perfect for a COVID-aware studio. I used the downtime to start Movement Insights LLC and built a 2600 sq foot studio space, part of which I rent to an Artist and French horn instructor.
Today, I’m ready to open up my practice again and get my teaching going. I’ve incorporated a sound system, TV, external camera, and high-speed internet into my usual toolkit of scarves, art materials, and (now) masks and sanitizer. I’ve run several successful online and in-person offerings since my studio has been completed. I’m excited to announce to the Conscious Dancer community: I am OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!
Are you ready to get back into the groove of things? Come dance with me!
