5Rhythms®

Do you have the discipline to be a free spirit? ~ Gabrielle Roth

“Dancing the 5Rhythms is a practice—a dynamic way to both workout and to meditate in the same breath. They teach us that life is energy in motion, freeing us from any fixed notions about people, places, objects or ideas.

They say that a picture tells a thousand words. One deep dance tells millions.
In dancing 5Rhythms you can unearth a freestyle movement vocabulary rooted in unexpected, fresh ways of moving—visceral and highly personal.

In dancing 5Rhythms you can track perceptions and memories; seek out gestures and shapes; tune into instincts and intuitions. They reveal ways to creatively express aggressiveness and vulnerability, emotions and anxieties, edges and ecstasies. They reconnect us to cycles of birth, death and renewal and hook us up to the spirit in all living things. They initiate us back into the wisdom of our bodies and unleash movement’s dynamic healing power.

In dancing 5Rhythms the body becomes our spiritual path.”

~ 5RHYTHMS GLOBAL

What are the 5Rhythms?

The 5Rhythms are Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness and together form a Wave. Just like the ocean, after one good wave we don’t all just go home! These are endless energies without a beginning or end as each rhythm seamlessly moves into the next.

The Rhythms are a path into the self ~ a spelunking service to the inner caves and crevices within the body so that we can dive in and come out onto the other side.

As we move through the 5Rhythms we may meet the unfamiliar, uncomfortable in one moment and find ourselves seamlessly sliding into home in the next beat. We might meet our inner judge in one rhythm and then dissolve into breath and bone in another. And then we dance again and again with curiosity and willingness to show up with whatever we got and allow it to change as we move.

Flowing

This is the root, the body, the underground connection with our feet on the earth and the internal intentions of the discovery of embodiment with fluid, continuous motion.

Staccato

Bringing the root and staying with the flow we can be the shoot, pushing through from the inner to the outer world, through and out of our hips: I AM HERE! YES! NO! Declaring from the heart the boundaries of our existence in this world, defining our container, exploring our heart connections and who we are today, here, now.

Chaos

Like the wildflowers suddenly budding across the prairie, grounded in the root and with direction as the shoot we can express in wild abandon our authentic being by letting go of what does not serve~ we let go of the head to shake out the trips and tapes that stop us in our tracks of our true knowing so our intuitive and creative wild selves can emerge.

Lyrical

And then the bloom, the perfume, the essence of our soul that lifts in the intoxication of freedom; the freedom to simply express our true nature. No apologies, no excuses~ surrendering to the beat from our wings and out our hands enlightening ourselves in the moment.

Stillness

This brings us to the moment where all life disappears into the divine, form disappears into breath. This is where the quiet invitation for us to get out of our own way so that we can simply allow Pure Now to express through us- to be breathed, to be danced, to be moved. Simply resting in the mystery until the roots stir once again.

“The 5Rhythms Practice at Be Moved Studio is a place I have always felt welcomed and held to be my most authentic self.

Even though I now live far away it represents a place that my body and soul recognize as home.”

~ E.K. Teacher, Argentina

“You didn’t really think this was about dancing, did you?” Gabrielle Roth

The Practicals

The Dance Floor

I consider the dance floor a sacred space as it holds your dance, your expression, your sorrows and joys.

  • Please take off all jewelry that can also break and send beads soaring through the space~ such as malas that are not individually knotted.
  • Please keep your eyes open. We have walls, open windows, other bodies in the room that can be a danger if you are not looking. Besides, this practice is not to be missed! Open your eyes and be a witness to yourself in the room!
  • We provide water to refill your bottles and cups for those without. Tea is available as well. Please leave your glass containers at home.
  • Barefeet or dedicated dance shoes only. Please do not wear your street shoes in the studio. If it is cold you may start in socks, but please remove as soon as you are able as these may be slippery and cause injury.
  • I always suggest dressing in layers, especially in all non-summer seasons.
  • Please keep all your belongings in the back room, shoes in front. Please keep socks and other layers off the floor and onto the window shelf.
  • Absolutely NO cell phones on the dance floor. If you are on-call, please let me know as this is an exception.
  • There is no talking on the dance floor. If you simply must chat you can go to the back room or foyer to talk quietly. ***
  • You are welcome to dance by yourself, with another, or with a group. Be respectful and aware of who is present. If someone wishes to dance alone, be aware of their non-verbal cues to indicate this. If you wish to dance alone, please simply acknowledge anyone that approaches you in the dance and use a non-verbal cue to indicate this.  Sometimes a simple prayer hands and turning away is an acknowledgement of I see you, and no thank you. ***

***Sometimes we talk together at the class. So of course talking is allowed then. Sometimes we exhaust the non-verbal cues to indicate we do not wish to dance with a partner and we must simply say No!. No talking does not mean taking away your voice when there is a deep protective need to speak. When we do partner work, it is each of our responsibility to recognize what we are comfortable with or not, and to have the right for that to change whenever and with whoever, and to speak up for ourselves.

The Practice
  • There are no steps to learn, the dance is whatever you bring to the floor.
  • Start where you are whether you are tired, inspired, bored, excited, embarrassed and allow it to change.
  • If you have a body, and you are breathing, you can dance. Maybe you have a full wild thrashing body dance or maybe that full wild thrashing body dance can only come from one baby finger while sitting in a chair, or laying on the floor. I only ask that you keep moving.
  • This is a specific movement meditation/conscious dance form called the 5Rhythms. We invite you to let go of all the other forms of movement meditation such as Yoga and Contact Improvisation during our practice. Release the technique to discover the unique!

“We are spirit enshrined in the divine mask of our bodies. The 5Rhythms practice teaches us to fluidly move between the self and the bigger picture. ” Laura Martin-Eagle

Children at 5Rhythms

Children are welcome at 5Rhythms classes. As the parent, please be aware that sometimes the energy can be strong and may (or may not) affect the babe.

We do have a family class that runs in 4-5 week sessions offered intermittently through the year. Please check back to our schedule or sign up for our newsletter for up-to -date information on these classes.

These guidelines will ensure a safe environment for you and your babes.

  • Keep your eyes open!
  • Keep your eyes on your babes.
  • Please do not run through the studio ~ and please ask your children not to run. Babies run/walk. It’s just what they do.
  • Please do not chase your children or any other children, and please ask your children not to play chase too. Please ask other adults not to chase your child.
  • Please do not allow your child to leave the studio room without you. There are very steep stairs just outside the dance floor doorway.
  • Please assist your child in getting water as it is a heavy container and could possibly fall.
  • The studio is always a no talk zone. The exception is always children. Please try not to have adult to adult talking. Encourage your child to speak quietly if possible.
  • If your child is tired, please set up a corner for them with mats, pillows or props if you wish. Please continue keeping an eye on your babes.
  • If you wish to leave early, please catch my eye, so I know that you are leaving and all is ‘OK’.
  • Children are amazing teachers. Be the witness.
CLASS POLICIES

These guidelines will ensure a safe environment for us all.

  • Class registration may close 1 hour before class start time. Be sure to sign up early!
  • Please arrive 5-15 mins before class start time.
  • Doors will be locked shortly after class begins.
  • Please bring your own water bottle.
  • Masks are now optional and welcome in our space.
  • Please read BMS community agreements. 
  • Please remove your shoes in the entrance area and keep all other personal belongings in the back room.
  • For the safety of our community, please do not congregate in the entrance area at any time and instead use the back room for all necessary personal conversations.

Click Here to Sign Up for a 5Rhythms Class

Be Moved Studio is a sanctuary of movement arts for those that are seeking a deeper connection to body, mind, spirit~ self and community in Lawrence, Kansas.

Come to our beautiful and spacious historic studio, celebrating over 20 years in the heart of Downtown Lawrence to experience vibrant, sacred, and heart-filled movement.

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