Follow your instinct it knows the way…
Hi, I’m Anya and welcome to The Body Instinct Blog where I’ll be sharing my thoughts, hoping to inspire and teach some of the lessons I’ve learnt over the years.
I’ve been telling stories through dance and movement for the past two decades. I gained my recognition after auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance USA which followed with Dancing With The Stars, Strictly Come Dancing and Headlining Broadway. Pretty special times for me, but today it’s not about that. Today, we are talking about the transformational power of movement. One of my favourite quotes which became my motto is:
“Dance is movement, and movement is life” -Ludmilla Chiriaef- Ballet Dancer
Most of us are familiar with importance of exercises for our physical and mental health, and the popularity of reality TV Dance has made us aware of how quickly our bodies can change when we are exercising through dance. And it’s always great when Science backs it up; dancing is a whole-body workout that’s good for your heart, it makes you stronger, and it helps with balance and coordination. A 30-minute dance class burns between 250 and 400 calories, about the same as jogging or swimming. The studies show that the quick changes of directions, accelerating and decelerating, stopping and starting challenges your body in a way that a straightforward run around the park never will. More of the little support muscles get activated and strengthened because your body moves in so many different ways. Let’s just say Dance is the way to go!
During my days working in a studio in Dance Time Square NYC and seeing many women move effortlessly on a dance floor and follow their partners beautifully. But to my surprise most of them wouldn’t be able to pick up some of the basic steps when they were dancing on their own in my class. So one day I stopped in the middle of the class and I (quite) literally asked:
“What is happening? Why are you struggling to pick up basic steps and connect them to music when I saw you on the dance floor a few days ago and know that you’re capable?
And when I got my answer I felt as if a lightning came through me or it was my AHA moment. The answer was:
“But Anya what you saw on the dance floor it wasn’t us dancing by ourselves we were following the lead of our partners”
That moment changed my approach to teaching forever and that’s how The Body Instinct program was born. I’ve realised that there was a separation between what they were taught and the freedom to express movement through your own body. 90% of my female students that come to me to learn how to dance actually feel disconnected with their bodies in real life first and in order to improve their dance, I focus on simple movements, combining breath, psychology and mindset in order to help them re-connect to their body. That’s how you build your confidence, your inner power and energy. I became so passionate helping women (and men) to connect to themselves, their instinct and a true meaning of dance. Since I was a young girl I lived by this quote:
“When a body moves, it's the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I'll tell you who you are.” -Mikhail Baryshnikov-
When we move and dance there is no barrier that we can put up. It is raw, intimidating and sometimes scary and that’s exactly where your transformation begins. It is a beautiful form of self-expression and I believe everyone has a dancer in them and everyone can tell stories through movement - we just need to have the right tools and courage.
See it. Know it. Feel it. Be it.
