In this months 'Kitchen Catch-up' we talk to CHAKRADANCE™ creator, Natalie Southgate, about the primal practice of dance and how free (expressive) dancing affects our physical and spiritual health and encourages natural creative and sexual expression.
Q Tell me a bit about
your childhood passion for dancing. Was it the
typical sing into the hairbrush and bob along to
ABBA type stuf or something quite
different?
I was a very shy and introverted child and so my mum sent me to dancing lessons at 4 years old to see if this would help bring me out of myself. Within months I was singing and dancing on stage and trained in dance for the rest of my childhood. I have danced all my life (everything from choreographed tap and jazz classes, shamanic dance, elemental dance, clubbing) and now of course, CHAKRADANCE™. I always feel like I connect back to the real me whenever I dance.
Q. How does free
dance help to let go of anger and frustration and
all the shitty stuff that drives a mum mad? (Are
you a mother yourself?)
I am a mother of two (a 3 year old girl and a 10 month old boy) and need dance more now than ever! We store a lot of anger and frustration in our bodies and dance can really help to shift and release this energy. I recently ran a workshop for a group of mothers who all have physically disabled children who need full physical and emotional care. These amazing women found it really difficult to move their bodies as they are holding so much emotion. In CHAKRADANCE™ we work really gently to release emotions so that it is not overwhelming. There were some tears from the mums, but also a sense of connecting back to themselves. The organizer commented that they all looked like they had just walked out of having a 3 hour massage after the workshop. Dance is healing!
Q. What makes
'CHAKRADANCE™' more effective/ powerful that
dancing around your loungeroom to your favourite
hits?
CHAKRADANCE™ is more of a dance practice for the soul. It is really about reconnecting back to our true self. The classes therefore have a very sacred feel; like a dynamic moving meditation.
Although we use spontaneous dance, the classes themselves are very structured.
We use the map of the chakra system to explore the many different facets of ourselves (from instincts, sexuality, power, love, communication, intuition, spirituality)
We dance in a darkened room with our eyes closed which helps to journey inwards. It can almost feel like a waking dream. It’s not about performance; its about dancing from the inside out and expressing and exploring the different parts of ourselves.
The music also plays a key role in CHAKRADANCE™ as each track we use has either been written or selected to resonate to a particular chakra. The music acts as a kind of vibrational medicine. It has taken me 10 years so far in getting the music selection to where it is today and it is a job I will continue for the rest of my life. I can’t hear a piece of music now without feeling where it pulses in my body; without feeling the impact is has on my chakras.
We use our imaginations throughout the whole practice. We use guided imagery to tap into the chakras. Each chakra has specific correspondences (colour, element, animal etc.) which work on a symbolic level and help lead us into the energy of each chakra. A lot of people see images in their minds eye while they are dancing, or recall memories, or gain insights. Some experience, feelings, emotions or physical sensations. It’s an organic unfoldment of what’s inside.
Q. Are your classes
dominated by women? Do you think women, by nature,
are more attracted to and benefit more from, free
dancing than men? How? Why?
Yes our classes are dominated by women, although my male business partner, Douglas Channing, was so moved by CHAKRADANCE™ that he quit his career in advertising to join me in growing CHAKRADANCE™. I think men and women equally benefit from CHAKRADANCE™, but unfortunately a lot of men feel too embarrassed or nervous to come. We have a few male teachers now which I think may help us attract more men in the years to come.
Q. Does Chakradance
'balance' youir chakras. If so, explain how this
happens and how we benefit.
I think we all get stuck in our patterns and routines and over time begin to operate predominantly out of 2 or 3 or even 4 chakras. (There are 7 major chakras). This throws our lives, relationships, health etc. out of balance. In CHAKRADANCE™ (through the use of the dance, music and imagination), it is like we put a spotlight on to each chakra, illuminating each part of ourselves, and we get the chance to explore: is this chakra an overactive and dominant part of ourselves that needs calming? Or is it a buried, dormant part of us that needs to wake up? In CHAKRADANCE™, we begin to shift our energy and become more conscious. We are always striving towards integration and balance.
Q. Dancing is a very
ancient and natural form of expression that's been
used for many different reasons. Can a woman use
dance to re-awaken her natural sexual
self?
Absolutely! The sacral chakra is really all about our sexuality, sensuality, feelings, pleasure, eros! When we dance the belly chakra, we open up to this part of ourselves. A lot of women (and men) can feel uncomfortable here when they begin, but by exploring this energy in a safe space through dance and music, our natural sexual energy can be awakened. Many say that they felt like an ancient goddess when they surrendered into the dance.
Q. How are creative
expression and sexual expression related in the
chakra system within the body?
Our sexual energy is very related to our sacral chakra and our creative expression is linked to both the sacral (as in the ultimate creative expression of creating children), but also in our throat chakra, from where we express our creativity (whether that be painting, singing, or the creative way we choose to dress ourselves.) Working directly with the throat chakra can really activate our creativity. (The simple humming technique works wonders for this chakra!)
Q. What happens in a
'CHAKRADANCE™' class? What should participants
expect?
Everyone always comments on what it feels like when they arrive. The room is darkened, lit only by candles, the music is soft and it smells great. Many say it has a womb-like feel. It feels safe.
Each class begins with a short meditation and we always give you some information about CHAKRADANCE™, and about the chakra we are working with, so you know what to expect.
The majority of the workshop is like a guided moving meditation with dance and music. We complete the workshop with a creative exercise based on mandala art and always have time for sharing and feedback at the end.
Although CHAKRADANCE™ is done in a group, it is very much a personal experience. Each journey is unique. Each time you do it, it can feel different.
Q. What do you love
most about CHAKRADANCE™?
What a hard question as CHAKRADANCE™ is so central to my life. I feel like it keeps me on the path (even whilst having children, moving house, juggling work and family life). I try and dance daily if I can (we have a book out with a 15 minute guided CHAKRADANCE™ CD attached) so I try and find at least 15 minutes for me each day. Every time I CHAKRADANCE™, I feel like I reconnect back to the inner me, the soul me. Every time I CHAKRADANCE™ I get new insights, something makes more sense. It helps me release, to feel, to breathe, to be awake to life!
Anything else you can think of...
Being a mum, I am now
starting to use CHAKRADANCE™ with my children and
can see how much it seems to be benefiting them.
We are now in the process of developing workshops
for children and are hoping to eventually get it
into schools. I know I would have loved to have
been shown this kind of stuff when I was a kid.
Keeping the creativity alive, finding spirituality
within, deepening imagination. Anyone who
is interested in kids workshops, please
let us know.
Top
