Embody Freedom Dance

Embody Freedom Dance is a free-form dance practice to ENLIGHTEN, EMPOWER and EXPAND our moment to moment experience of being alive. Each dancer moves in their own unique and authentic way while a space-holder (“dance instigator”) lightly guides the collective experience via intention, occasional verbal invitations and a few loose structures to offer targeted exploration. Music ranges from meditative to intense, playful to soulful, raw to sublime– all rhythms, eras and genres are fair game. Rebecca Foster presently serves as “dance instigator” for all Embody Freedom Dances.

No dance experience necessary– just a willingness to explore movement in whatever way is right for you (including stillness) and an openness to letting the dance surprise & delight you.

To learn about upcoming dances, join the Embody Freedom Dance email list at Contact / Connect.

Email communication averages once or twice a month; email addresses are never shared. Prefer not to join an e-list? All Embody Freedom Dances are also posted on the RI Conscious Dance Calendar as well as the RI Conscious Dance Facebook Page. 
Embody Freedom is aways an alcohol-free, drug-free, gadget-free dance. 

What happens at an EF Dance? 

  • Doors open: music begins; please use this time to arrive, move, stretch, breathe, meditate and/or dance so that we can open our circle together already landed in our bodies
  • Opening circle: review guidelines & boundaries, connect as a group, set our intention
  • Dance!: move as you wish, taking exquisite care of your heart / mind / body. Feel free to dance or crawl or fly or sit/lay still. Feel free to explore, ignore, adapt or deepen any invitations from the dance instigator as well as from fellow dancers. Please note that this is a participatory event, meaning if you are in the room (even if curled up in a ball by the door), you are part of the experience & an essential part of the whole.
  • Closing circle: connect as a group, share appreciation, prepare for transition back to our everyday lives with an expanded view, renewed aliveness and deeper confidence in our own unique / collective journey.
From participants: “Awesome. So well facilitated. Just beautiful.” ~ “Skillful & intuitive; draws from a deep well of knowledge and experience.” ~ “Playful; inspires healing in a joyful way.” ~ “Seamlessly includes and encourages all bodies…I always feel like I belong.” ~ “Deep.” ~ “Uplifting.”

All are welcome though this is an adult focussed event.

  • If you identify as a parent or guardian, see the NOTE ON KIDS.
  • If you identify as a male, there is a NOTE TO GUYS below as well.
  • There is also a NOTE TO EVERYONE re., nurturing a safe and sacred space for all dancers. 
“It doesn’t matter whether this is your first dance or your worst dance, your presence is necessary.” –Michael Molin Skelton

  *NOTE ON KIDS: If you have kids, give yourself a juicy break by getting a babysitter and then bring your kids to a local family dance. That said, ALL dancing humans are welcome so if you do have a kid who actively wants to come dance with you/us, here are some things to consider:

  • The dance and music varies a lot and can be intense and/or provocative and/or prayerful at times.
  • Embody Freedom offers space for authentic emotion, wild expression and deep exploration as well as physical contact/connection on the dance floor. Fellow dancers may dance in ways that could appear scary, weird, sexual or disturbing to your child.
  • You know your kid best– what they can handle, what’s appropriate for them, what might be distracting for other dancers, etc. Please come knowing that you may need to support, process and/or navigate what’s happening in the room for your child (and take space out of the room if and when needed).
  • Feel free to contact Rebecca at riconsciousdance@gmail.com ahead of time if you have any additional questions.

**NOTE TO GUYS: Please know that your presence is not only wanted, but essential. When the dance floor is our teacher, it is SO helpful for us to engage with the full spectrum of masculine as well as feminine (and non-binary) expressions. While we can each dance this spectrum within ourselves, it is a gift and a privilege (even if at times a challenging one) to dance in a community that reflects how we show up and connect with others out in the world. When we allow for the dance of our own vulnerability, awkwardness, grace and authentic power to emerge, the dance floor gets really juicy, sometimes a little messy yet blessedly alive with creative and transformative potential.

***NOTE TO EVERYONE: “Behave with beauty, connect with intention. The conscious dance floor is a sacred space, and we want everyone to feel free to express themselves. This is a space for everyone to feel welcome and loved. Racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, non-consensual touch (etc) are not tolerated. Thank you for helping us create a wildly awesome dance community by speaking up for yourselves & taking care of your dance family!” (words borrowed/slightly edited from ‘Get Down NYC’)

“Dance, and make joyous the love around you. Dance, and your veils which hide the Light shall swirl in a heap at your feet.” —Rumi

Join the Embody Freedom Dance e-list at Contact / Connect.

Check out the RI Conscious Dance Calendar and the RI Conscious Dance Facebook Page for more conscious dance options in the Ocean State!

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