Spontaneous dance workshops to balance the chakras.
By Wendy McCready
Appeared in Nature & Health Magazine

The other night, in a candlelit studio, I danced for two hours straight with 15 people I'd never met before.

It wasn't a party, there was no conversation, food or drink - and I loved it.

Developed by Natalie Southgate in 1998, CHAKRADANCE™ is a spontaneous form of dance that draws on a fusion of philosophies and musical styles. It aims to balance the chakras - the energy centres which, in Eastern tradition, are the gateways to integrating mind, body and spirit.

With a 15 year-long background in dance and extensive qualifications in psychology, CHAKRADANCE™ came to Southgate as a natural way to blend these two areas of her talent and passion: healing and movement. She believes CHAKRADANCE™ is a totally new form of dance workshop, one where "the focus is on personal experience rather than performance". There is no 'right' way to CHAKRADANCE™, as everyone has their own rhythm and movement: "By surrendering to the music and dancing from the inside out, we free our natural energy flows and feel more fully alive."

Musical Rhythms
I was to attend the final session of a 9-week course, one that would cover all seven chakras. Over the previous weeks, participants had worked their way up the body's chakras; today we would work down, aiming to leave the workshop feeling grounded.

The lights were dimmed, the candles lit, then Southgate demonstrated how sound resonates with each of the chakras by playing the tone that corresponded with each one. I actually felt a vibration in the precise part of my body that had been described as corresponding to each chakra. Then the music started: It was loud, with tribal rhythms and could be felt as well as heard. Each track was directed at a different chakra. I quickly abandoned any self-consciousness - no one was the slightest bit concerned about how I looked. With my eyes shut a lot of the time, I found myself making repetitive rhythmic movements; my mind felt clear and my thoughts were wide-ranging.

While CHAKRADANCE™ is a unique experience, it did remind me of many things. It was a little like that stage of a good party where everyone is excited, dancing and enjoying themselves. It was also like an exercise class, in that someone was leading us, even though it was completely unchoreographed. There were some yoga elements thrown in too.
On the night I went, I discovered that a wide variety of people from far-ranging backgrounds - advertising, finance and television, for starters - had decided to try CHAKRADANCE™, and the reasons for their interest were equally diverse. For some, it offered a vigorous, freeing aerobic workout; others saw it as a way to deprogram from the day's stresses, or to activate their body's healing abilities.

Sally - by day an investment banker - was completing her fourth CHAKRADANCE™ workshop. She had, for some time, been undergoing counselling to help deal with issues dating back to her childhood, and her therapist had recommended CHAKRADANCE™ as a healing, centring activity. I also spoke to Luba ("I'm not a gym person!" she laughed), who described coming to the sessions feeling "head driven", and being able to leave feeling "body driven". Luba found that the freedom of movement and the chance to surrender herself to the music gave her a feeling of release that lasted for several days after each session.

How did I feel after my session? As though I'd had a real work-out, on mental, spiritual and physical levels. I was also very tired, but in a positive way: My day had been particularly gruelling and frustrating, and the CHAKRADANCE™ had completely cleared my mind of these worries, as well as being great exercise. That night's sleep was the best I'd had in months.