I often bang the drum for what Biodanza IS but I’ve never written about what it IS NOT and how it’s distinct from the many other amazing conscious dance forms there are in the world. So this post offers a few bits in that vein for clarification / inspiration purposes.
#1: Biodanza is NOT a place to do your own thing. Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE doing my own thing on the dance floor! But that’s not why I brought Biodanza to RI in 2018. While there’s no choreography and each song offers us an invitation to explore an aspect of who we are in our own unique way, there is a carefully curated arc to our exploration and that arc is not “just about me”. In the words of founder Rolando Toro: “You could do 5 rhythms alone but there is no Biodanza without the other.” Yes, individual consent is embedded into every dance and one of our primary aims is recovering/ building/ honing our own internal compass. But we refer to Biodanza as “the poetry of the human encounter.” While that absolutely includes encountering ourselves in new ways, the process of reconnection with self rests in the rich and fertile ground of connection with our fellow human beings. What emerges through our iterative dances with one another are webs of connection and community that lay at the foundation of true individual & collective wellbeing.
To me, regularly setting down my “own personal dance agenda” in service of this aim is not only a gift to myself, it’s what I believe the world is most deeply hungering for… 
#2: Biodanza is NOT a great (physical) workout. There may be several moments in a class in which you find yourself out of breath or with perspiration on your brow but these bursts of energy help set the stage for deeper exploration, nourishment and rest. If you long to vigorously sweat your insides out while dancing, better to head to Nia, “Sweat your Prayers”, an ecstatic dance or even a contra dance. Instead of physical release, Biodanza trains us in stretching our heart’s capacity to connect (yikes!) while strengthening our inner compass, our boundaries and our courage to take initiative in service of our deepest longings. For me, it is the spirited “gym” I go to —no spandex required— for somatic training in self regulation, human connection, vital energy & belonging within the web of life.
I love shaking my tail until my feathers come off too (WHEE!) and I know well the glow of the universal dance, regardless of its name. That said, I have come to trust that when I emerge from the unique arc of Biodanza, the diversity of cells in my body will feel nourished, resourced and renewed and my (strong & mighty!) heart will be beaming with gratitude. 
#3: Biodanza is NOT a group portal to S#X. Yup, I actually heard this once and it makes me SO sad that simple human contact– the embrace that we long for from our very first breath– gets pigeonholed into our culture’s obsession with sex. Sexuality is an essential aspect of being human and it’s one of five core energies of life that we integrate within and through our dances together. What’s more, we get to explore the underlying currents of sexuality & desire like we do everything else in Biodanza: with progressivity, self regulation, and in feedback with ourselves and each other. When tricky stuff comes up on the dance floor (which often reflects the same tricky stuff that comes up in our lives) it offers us an opportunity to see old patterns, practice new boundaries and test new waters within a safe group experience in which everyone is fully clothed and consent is foundational. I’ve been dancing Biodanza for a decade now and it’s true that I’ve had some wicked fun, sensual & sexy dances over the years as well as some of the sweetest cuddle piles ever. But if Biodanza is a portal to anything, it is to falling in love with life. 
#4: Biodanza is NOT just a happy smiley happy dance. It’s true, Biodanceros are known to smile a lot, but it’s not a mask we paint on our faces to please others. Rolando Toro designed Biodanza to reestablish the conditions that nourish life. Instead of trying to “fix what’s broken in humanity” Rolando sought to affirm and rebuild “what’s right about humanity”. Through both playful & tender dances we rediscover our essential wholeness and the reflection of our own beauty in the eyes of our companions. In that process our deeply patterned fears of connection can arise, resistance might emerge and tears may fall, which all get to be held within the container of our human connection. We gather to FEEL our humanity, and we welcome all of it— our happy, connected, playful bits but also our grief, disconnection, aversion, confusion or despair. The extraordinary gift of Biodanza is this: when we feel “all of it” within a carefully tended & embodied container of warmth, connection & belonging we steadily regain the joy that is our birthright as human beings. And that, for me, is definitely something worth smiling about. out. 
Visit my “Biodanza: The Dance of Life” page for more info about what Biodanza IS.
Read my “Biodanza Monography” (presented for certification in July 2025) for a window into my personal Biodanza story vis-a-vis the theoretical model.
<<VISIT THE BIODANZA RI COLLECTIVE’S NEW WEBSITE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FOR CLASSES IN RHODE ISLAND.>>
Embody Freedom 