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Community Conscious Dance Plymouth(also know as "Ecstatic Dance" etc)
ADVANCE BOOKING ONLY! - Sorry no walk-ins.
PLEASE BOOK YOUR PLACE BY GETTING IN TOUCH - [email protected]
OR - if you are on our WhatsApp group just use the link posted there to book yourself in.
Venue -
Oxford House Community Hub. 29 Manor Street
PL1 1TW - to the left of The Clarence pub.
https://goo.gl/maps/ae1cJHHpTETtQLZg6
We are in the large studio - lots of room to move and a great floor to dance on. We usually dance barefoot. We are looking into 16 people max.
*Times*
Doors open at 7.00pm
The session finishes by 9.15 pm
*Please arrive before 7.15 pm at the latest, so we can start promptly*
*Cost*
Payment is by a donation on a scale from £0 - £15+. Donations are made discreetly at the door or paid online. We don't want money to be a barrier, therefore you are very welcome to come for free. If you have a disposable income, please donate accordingly, what feels right to you, and how much you value the space. If you are able to donate more to help the space thrive and allow others to come for free or smaller donations, that would be also very welcome. A helpful guideline might be to think about what would you be willing to pay for the session if this would be a fixed fee session. The main aim is to cover all expenses and allow more sessions to take place.
We hope it will be by the community for the community and that more people will step in as we go along and help us run the space in a variety of ways. Please get in touch, if you are interested in doing so.
*Transport*
We encourage you to use green transport whenever possible.
Bike - coming on your own bike, there is a fence in front of the studio, where you can lock your bike to.
Beryl bikes - the nearest docking station is Frankfort Gate, Cross Western Approach and then a 3-minute walk along King Street to Oxford House. Beryl bikes are fun and easy to use - download the Beryl app for details.
Bus - lots of buses stop at Western Approach (outside or opposite the old Toys R Us depending on the direction of travel), a 3-minute walk along King Street to Oxford House.
Or another option is a bus stop on Union Street, at Palace Theatre (buses 21 Spark, 21 A Spark, 21 B, 806, 2 mins walk from there.
Car - there is no private car park for the venue. Most streets around Oxford House have no parking restrictions until 11 am, then 2 hours free (i.e. free parking until 1 am). Please check the signs though as some areas are strictly residents only. (Tip is to park at Clarence Pl - https://goo.gl/maps/UXcna1yJUQy6ZNaB6)
*What to bring*
Bring yourself exactly as you are on the day. Soft shoes and socks if you don't want to dance barefoot. Dress in comfortable layers, so you can adjust your temperature accordingly. Bring anything you like to wrap yourself up before or after or when resting. Plenty of water to drink, (refill at the venue - and if you like bring blankets, rugs, sheepskin, and cushions to sit or lie on and wrap yourself up.
We recommend coming with as full or empty stomach as you need to have the energy and ability to move your body comfortably.
*Afterwards*
We welcome feedback, either after or later via phone, social media, email. Feedback is a valuable source of learning for us both. We can’t do it without you. We might need your help with editing posts and making leaflets .
*What is Conscious movement & dance?*
A body-based, mindful and ancient practice designed to connect you to within, with whatever is present at that time and it is calling for your loving attention to be with, move with, and dance with. To connect with the simplicity and complexity of being alive through movement.
You can think of the word conscious in many ways, one of them is that we are moving our body together with our heart and mind without taking any mind-altering substances, we are with what is. It is a drug-free space, including alcohol.
Our version of conscious dance is inspired by 5Rhythms® and other conscious dance practices, you can find out more online. (e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5Rhythms, https://www.freestyledancealliance.org.)
*Our take on it*
We are longing to co-create a community of a movement and dance space with a diverse group of people, from all walks of life, abilities both with or without previous experience.
We invite you to bring yourself as you are with all the aches, joys, longings and sorrows. All your parts with their stories and needs, all is welcome on the dance floor to go on a journey within. We move and dance on our own in a solo practise, while surrounded by other beings on their own journey. You are invited to feel into your body, emotions and the music and to flow with it as it moves you. You are welcome to be in your own flow of movement while lying, sitting or standing, creating exactly what you need at any given time. You can do the practice with open or closed eyes.
The music moves through different energies - you can match the energies with your dance or do whatever works for you.
There are no steps to learn, no right or wrong - you just follow your own movements.
We only have one main rule - don’t talk on the dance floor - because it is a meditation, a chance to focus on what's happening at this moment, a chance to marvel at what your body can do.
It is an adult space - over 18’s only, please.
*Accessibility*
We would like Conscious Movement and Dance to be a loving and welcoming space available to all regardless of ability, life experience, budget, social & dance skills, age, gender identity, sexuality, class identity, nationality, language, neurodiversity, faith, etc.
We are learning how to work with trauma and neurodivergent sensitive practices, we have our own experience and needs around it. We are aspiring to co-create a safer, more courageous & inclusive space as much as we are able to do and for as many people as possible.
We welcome your thoughts, feelings, needs and ideas about it, as we are creating this together.
The venue is accessible with a little help. There is a ramp which can be put over the 3 steps at the entrance (see photo) and used for wheelchair users and people with a variety of mobility needs, there is an accessible and gender-neutral toilet. There are chairs to sit on.
*About us*
*Leona (she/they)*, originally from The Czech Republic. I moved to Plymouth in October 2022 and I didn’t find any Free flow/Conscious dance sessions here. I wanted to continue with my personal practice which I am still developing. I was searching around and found Ian who used to run these spaces pre-Covid, and here we are, starting our collaboration. Let’s see where it will take us. I have worked with people of all ages for over 20 years in a variety of settings in two different countries. Over the last several years, step by step I have been exploring the world of dancing and movement as part of my life and healing journey and discovered that free-flow movement does wonders for my heart and nervous system while dancing with my own self-consciousness . And I wanted to share my love for it with a wide diverse community of Plymouth, especially with people who otherwise might not have access to it. Creating strong diverse communities together through many means, i.e. via play, creativity and movements while interacting with the inner and outer nature makes my heart and soul sing.
*Ian (he/him)*, Originally from Essex, Ian is an experienced musician, teacher, DJ and (untrained!) dancer. He taught some partner dance before starting Plymouth Conscious Dance in 2019.
*Format*
1. Opening circle - come together to check -in and welcome everyone with a little intro to set up the holding container and to co-create a courageous and as safe space as possble for us all to practise, ask questions, et (15mins)
2. Main practice - we dance on our own without guidance for about 70 minutes, you can rest anytime you wish & need to.
3. Closing circle - we come together to ground ourselves in a circle before we open the space for a brief and optional sharing about anything that wants to be witnessed and heard in the space. (10-15 mins)
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Oxford House Creative Hub, 115 Oxford Road, Oxford, OX4 2ES, United Kingdom,Oxford, Oxfordshire
