Recommendations - Dance/Movement DVDs

This weekend I'll be at Festival of the Goddess, a women-only event here in Central Texas.  I'm not doing a workshop or anything (I should be, but I ran out of time and energy to put one together), although my friend Metis is giving what I know will be an excellent chant workshop.  If you happen to attend the festival, come say hello.

I am often asked to recommend music for trance dance, so I thought I might periodically add reviews of CDs and artists whose work I use for such purposes.  Practically every Pagan knows about Loreena McKennitt, but there are many other artists out there and I discover new ones all the time.  Of course, what I consider the perfect CD to get my groove on to may be starkly different from what moves you, but still, it's a place to start.  I may even suggest playlists--being a mix CD maven I love creating ritual background mixes, and dance ritual discs are my favorites.

Today, however, I have a slightly different form of recommendation for you:  DVDs.

A great many people are interested in the idea of blending movement and spirituality; they feel in their bones that the body was meant to move, to offer its sweat up to the sacred.  This is a hard thing to find in most of today's "workouts," which are designed around the concept of losing weight and becoming "toned," whatever the hell that means to those of us for whom a six-pack is a party, not a life goal.

I personally demand more from my workouts than feeling the burn.  I want to feel the fire of the Divine move through me as I move. 

Freeform dance, of course, gives you the most room for your own spiritual expression, but I have found that just turning on music and saying "okay, dance your way to God" intimidates a lot of people.  Our body issues run deep and long, and often tangle around our feet when we try to dance.  People worry about looking weird, being laughed at, falling on their faces.  I worried about the same things myself, once, and truth be told the only way to get over it is to get up and do it. 

A little structure, however, can be a big help, especially if you want to combine your spiritual movement practice with something a bit more targeted toward cardiovascular health and muscle strength. 

For those without the funds or access to a Nia studio or other sort of dance class--and for those who are too body-shy to shake it with a crowd--I recommend three DVDs, discussed here in order of complexity and difficulty. 

The Wave - Gabrielle Roth

Gabrielle Roth is one of my favorite people in the universe, even though we've never met.  Her book Sweat Your Prayers introduced me to the idea of ecstatic dance, and I have a pretty extensive collection of her CDs.  She pioneered the Wave method, which takes five types of rhythms and allows the dancer to explore each one as part of a greater whole.  The Wave DVD is basically a videotaped version of one of her sessions, and aside from the basic structure of the 5 Rhythms and her voice-over suggestions about ways to move, it's totally freeform.  There are no steps, no routines, so your experience will be different every time.

This also means that people at any level of fitness and experience can work with the Wave with no problem. 

This DVD also comes in a box set with two other discs, the Inner Wave (slow, meditative) and the Power Wave (hard-core trance with faster music that is probably too intense for beginners). 

The Nia Technique - Global Unity - Debbie and Carlos Rosas

I love, love, love Nia, a method created to bring its adherents into the "joy of movement."  It's a combination of dance, aerobics, a bit of tai chi, and a bit of yoga, and altogether is one of the most fun, healthy, and healing forms of movement out there.  Nia emphasizes moving at your own pace, working at your own level, and seeking a more holistic way of being healthy.

I recommend finding a class if you can; the Nia website can direct you to instructors in your area.  I love the experience of dancing in a group, and at a Nia session you'll find all shapes, sizes, and ages of bodies, sweating and smiling.  The Global Unity DVD, however, is also fantastic--the music is great, the instruction clear, and Debbie and Carlos have a contagious enthusiasm for their work. 

Nia is structured like a regular fitness class with a warmup and cooldown, but also includes stretches of free dance to explore both the inner and outer space of the body.  It's an extremely Pagan-friendly form of movement, with discussions of energy and lots of natural metaphor.  The instruction includes advice on how to modify movements for joint comfort and more or less intensity.

Soul Sweat - Chantal Pierrat

Chantal is a Nia white belt, so it's no surprise that her workout DVD is very similar to Nia in its language and feel--the major differences are choreography and degree of difficulty.  Soul Sweat claims to be a workout for everyone, but really, a bit of dance background helps, and newbies will probably find their first time through a bit frustrating.  The DVD has a tutorial for those who have trouble picking up the routines; I have little trouble with them, but again, I have a history with dance.

Soul Sweat is absolutely beautiful, but very demanding.  Its dancers must be reasonably coordinated and have a bit of stamina, or know how to modify the movements for a less intense workout.  (This isn't hard--move your arms less, don't pick up your feet as high, et cetera.)  Everything from the music to the clothing is inspiring to me. 

The DVD features an hourlong workout that can be done two ways:  as "Quick Sweat," a 30 minute version that leaves out several songs, and "Deep Sweat," the full version.  There is also a 15 minute stretching/yoga session at the end that is pretty easy for beginners; I'm not terribly fond of yoga (it bores me) but it certainly feels wonderful after all that dancing.  Chantal's direction is clear, and it's obvious everyone in the DVD--just like with the Nia and Wave DVDs--is having a great time (instead of what I used to do during aerobics classes, mutter curse words and plot the slow death of the instructor).

I hope these recommendations are helpful to those wanting a little more than just a workout.  As Gabrielle Roth says, "If you don't do your dance, who will?"

Comments

[Hecate]

Thanks for the recommendations, Every Wednesday, I get together w/ several witches to dance to Roth's The Wave and to have a nutritious dinner. Great exercise and great spirit. I've used her DVD to raise energy for rituals, as well.