CLASSES – Energy Medicine & Dance with Sheila Peters

Stretch/Body Awareness Classes

We are born with great physical flexibility but lose it if we do not keep stretching our spine and limbs throughout our lives. This is true of our energetic bodies as well. This class promotes flexibility that resonates with our individual bodies, increasing range of movement in a gentle, highly effective way from the inside out. Using techniques derived from dance, Feldenkrais, breath and somatic work synthesized with energy medicine principles and exercises, students leave class feeling elongated, physically and energetically grounded, with a pervading sense of serenity.

Energy Body Tune-up Workshops

Connect to your inner power and wisdom. Restore and balance your body’s natural energies. Through guided energy medicine movement/breathing exercises, you calm your central nervous system and repair your biofield. Observe and become aware of your physical, emotional, and energetic bodies’ natural rhythms. Discover your innate ability to ground and gain access to universal and earth energies.

“Sheila lead us through a profound and effective class entitled: “Gaia Rising – Stretch Energy Workshop.” She was positive, articulate, and clear with directions on foot placement, neck movements and torso. It’s been almost 20 years since I felt my hip joint release. Her precise movements also eliminated the pain in my shoulder blades–a tough place to release stuck energy. Thank you!” DM

“Every time I see you, you radiate and look younger! I LOVED the class and your fabulous teaching style. The class was a perfect melding of energy and body work. Felt great after and you have inspired me to work on myself. Did ankle/foot work this a.m. as part of my DER and will do it again tonight with the goal of getting the energy moving and dissipating the swelling. Thank you, thank you, thank you (just wish I could come more often)!” ND

Jazz Dance

Energetic and uplifting, jazz classes are designed to limber up the body from head to toe. Students gain increased muscular strength and flexibility, learn body isolations, and pick-up the basic jazz movement vocabulary. These classes are known for getting you “out of your head and into your body” in a fun, exciting, enthusiastic yet comfortable atmosphere. Each class is 1 1/2 hours. Suggested clothing options are jazz or yoga pants and close fitting T-shirts or leotards with socks or jazz shoes.

Choreography & Collaboration Workshops

Dance performers develop mastery of their bodies as evocative instruments. Their outlook is one that cherishes ephemeral expression. Dancers understand that creativity is not separate from play. These qualities help the dancer to be more effective in non-verbal communication, intra-group dynamics, and creation with others. These are skills that they develop through physical practice and experience.

Collaborative groups who embrace these qualities experience a deep sense of trust and more positive interactions. Competition (of the type which hampers progress) is replaced by openness to the suggestions of others. Working groups are able to circulate innovative ideas and easily select those which are best without devaluing individual contribution. They are more productive, often with less effort.

Using dance exercises and choreographic techniques, non-dancers can hone their collaborative skills. Creating a dance together can be a model for any group interaction; applicable to collaboration in the classroom, the conference room, or on the playground. The dance experience leads to embodied understanding of how to best work and play with others.

Pulling from Social Construction, Performance Theory, Embodied Cognition, Positive Psychology, Neurology, and 40+ years of combined professional dance experience, Sheila Peters leads workshop participants through a set of movement based challenges designed to improve participants’ physical awareness and interactive skills.