Dancing Waves... 5 Rhythms™ Movement Workshop
with Jan Lee at Oasis Holistic

“When we dance, The Journey itself is the point As when we play music, The playing itself is the point And exactly the same thing is true in Meditation Meditation is the discovery that the point of Life is Always arrived at in the immediate moment ” - Allan Watts

5 Rhythms™

The 5 Rhythms™ is a simple yet profound kind of dynamic meditation. We will work with the premise that "the easiest way to still the mind is to move the body" (Gabrielle Roth). No previous experience of this practice, or any other dance form is necessary. Anyone in a body, willing to allow energy to move, is welcome! This is not dance for performance or perfection. Its nature is therapeutic, creative and ultimately spiritual: we are dancing with or towards divinity.

On the way we may encounter various emotional states; our meditation is to stay focused on body and breath, and to move with, and through these energies, not denying or suppressing. The work is also greatly enjoyable; we can celebrate the joy of rhythm, of music, of connection with ourselves and each other. It can be fun, also catalytic and moving. We dance to bring spirit into matter; to unite our breath and spirit with our body and mind. We dance to release whatever is in need of release, in need of expression and freedom and celebration and to bring ourselves 'home'; vital, open, alive and present, in a dynamic, breath-full state of stillness.

Any size, age (sixteen plus for adult workshop) and physical fitness level is embraced. Jan has worked with people with physical and mentally challenged people; the work will fit to suit your individual abilities; there is no pre requisite for this workshop, other than willingness to move... and be moved, to be true to yourself, to dive deep, take yourself lightly, explore, and release the dancing spirit that lives within us all... come dancing!

About Jan Lee

Jan Lee became an accredited teacher of the 5 Rhythms™, in 2001, following a training with Gabrielle Roth at The Moving Center, New York. Prior to this, she studied for 10 years in Europe with Susannah and Ya'acov Darling Kahn, teachers and directors of The Moving Centre School, UK. Jan has a background in other dance forms, including ballroom, latin american and stage dance. She is also a comedy theatre performer and entertainer.

Additionally, she has studied massage in Thailand and England, is a Reflexologist and intuitive counsellor. She loves writing and all forms of creative expression. She is also passionate about animals, and their welfare.

Jan divides her time between the UK and Thailand, where she has been working both managing a small restaurant and resort in Koh Phangan, teaching yoga and studying Thai and ayurvedic yoga massage, feeding elephants, dogs, cats and a monkey!

She believes in following ones heart, finding spontaneity and humour in both the sacred and profane; and finds dancing the Rhythms a great container for this.

• 5 Rhythms™ Introduction
  The introductory evening talk will introduce people to the 5 Rhythms™ movement practice through a simple explanation of what it is, how it differs from other forms of dance, movement and active meditations, what the benefits of the practice are, and what you can expect from attending the forthcoming workshops and classes.  There will be a short participatory movement session for everyone who attends, as 5 Rhythms™ is an experiential rather than academic activity.  There will be time for questions and feedback.
  
  Duration: 1 1/2 hours including dance session
  
  Date:
  9 March 2007 (Friday)
  7.30pm to 9pm
  
  Fees:
  No charge
  
  
• 5 Rhythms™ Workshop (Adults)
  The adult workshop will start with warm ups at the beginning of each session.  No previous experience is needed, and anyone above the age of 16 is welcome.  We will explore the 5 Rhythms™, finding movement and expression through the different energies of flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness.  This is know as 'dancing a wave.'  We will work both with and without music, and will take time for talking circles to share our feelings and experiences. We will dance alone, in partnerships and in groups.  There may also be opportunity for writing or other creative expression that comes out of our movement. Please wear comfortable clothes that allow freedom of movement and layers for warming up and cooling down.  You will need water to drink and please bring a notepad and pen.
  
  Duration: 3 hours each day, 2 days

  Date:
  10 & 11 March 2007 (Saturday & Sunday)
  1.30pm to 3pm, 4pm to 5.30pm

  Fees:
  $245.00
  

• 5 Rhythms™ Workshop (Teens 13 to 16 years)
  We will start warming up the body at the beginning of each session and then explore the rhythms individually, and also how they follow on from each other and form a 'wave' of movement.  There will be different styles of music which we will dance to, and we will find our favourite rhythms, forming small groups for each rhythm.  We will see how different rhythms make us feel and play with ideas about how we find each rhythm in our lives, what colours, animals or people  we would include in which rhythm. There may be opportunity for related artwork or writing. Anyone is welcome and no previous experience of movement or dance is necessary.
  
  Duration: 3 hours each day, 2 days

  Date:
  12 & 13 March 2007 (Monday & Tuesday)
  11.30am to 1pm, 2.30pm to 4pm

  Fees:
  $205.00
  

• 5 Rhythms™ Workshop (Children 3 to 5 years)
  Here we will work with lots of different ways of moving our bodies through playing and being creative. We will stretch and curl, balance, find different ways to travel, hopping, leaping, jumping, running and moving very slowly and very fast. We will learn to dance through the 5 Rhythms™ in a way which will be fun, improvising and using our imaginations, which animals
  and creatures in the natural world move in a flowing way?  Which ones move in staccato?  Which rhythm does the city around move in? We will find our favourite ways of moving and enjoy dancing to music, using up lots of energy and ending with a quiet and relaxed body and mind.
  
  Duration: 1 hour

  Date:
  14 March 2007 (Wednesday)
  10.30am to 11.30am

  Fees:
  $45.00
  

• 5 Rhythms™ Workshop (Children 6 to 8 years)
  These workshops will use the 5 Rhythms™ as a basic map for exploring
  and expressing our creativity, enjoying the fun and freedom of dance and
  seeing how the different rhythms apply to ourselves and the world around us.
   They will be tailored to suit the needs of the groups and their ages.
  
  Duration: 90 minutes

  Date:
  15 March 2007 (Thursday)
  10.30am to 12pm

  Fees:
  $70.00

• 5 Rhythms™ Classes (from 16+ only)
  We will practice the 5 Rhythms™ movement map as a follow on from the
  weekend workshop.  However, those who have been unable to attend will still
  be welcome to join in.  Dancing the 5 Rhythms™ can be addictive!, and those
  who attended the weekend will probably be keen to follow up with these
  classes to enhance energy, expression and stillness of mind through moving
  the body and finding freedom from tension.
  
  Duration: 90 minutes

  Dates:
  12 March 2007 (Monday) 7.30pm to 9pm
  14 March 2007 (Wednesday) 7.30pm to 9pm
  15 March 2007 (Thursday) 7.30pm to 9pm
  16 March 2007 (Friday) 7.30pm to 9pm
  17 March 2007 (Saturday) 5.30pm to 7pm
  18 March 2007 (Sunday) 5.30pm to 7pm

  Fees:
  $30.00 per class / $28.00 per class for workshop participants / $150.00 for 6 classes

Please call 64422881 or email info@oasisholistic.com to register by 2 March 2007

What to bring / wear:
Loose comfortable clothes, in layers, for sweating, and cooling down
Extra change of clothes if necessary
Minimum jewellery
No watches
Bare feet or very light dance shoes

Venue:
Oasis Holistic
Block 10 Selegie Road #01-50,
Selegie House
Singapore 180010

Phone: (65) 64422881
email: info@oasisholistic.com
web: http://www.oasisholistic.com

"To Erika and Jan,

Just wanted to thank you again for the most glorious weekend - felt totally reborn, revitalised, regenerated and many other 're's as well!

Although I love to dance, I am very much an enthusiastic amateur and I I was a little  apprehensive about 5 Rhythms before the workshop began. I wondered if it would be all new-agey and hippy-trippy without much substance, and being a little self-conscious I was worried that I'd have to bare my soul to strangers before I was ready.

To me, 5 Rhythms is not self-indulgent or superficial at all! It has a rock-solid structure from which to let go and explore your body, how it moves and what happens when you move it in certain ways, with particular intentions.  It takes focus and effort and certainly fits the definition of moving meditation but it goes further than this. In a gentle, yet profound way, it brings  you face to face with yourself - both your transcendent beauty and those places where you're still stuck.

By using 5 diverse musical rhythms and moods, 5 Rhythms takes you on a journey each time you dance it.  And as your body moves honestly, in response to the music and the mood it engenders, there is no way it can lie - everything you need to deal with comes up to greet you - sometimes it's scary, often it's joyous, and it can be painful, ecstatic, frustrating, thrilling and utterly grounding. The best thing is, it's all so real and it brings you to you, in the present - and we are so hardly ever there.

This sounds extreme but one weekend of 5 Rhythms has changed me and given me a glimpse of what it is like to be whole - I'm hoping that by continuing to dance, this glimpse slowly becomes my reality, all the time :)

Just wanted to make sure you know how grateful I am that  you appeared in my world! And right at the perfect time. "

- Jaki Fisher
Participant, 5 Rhythms™ Workshop in June 2006 with Jan Lee