Classes and workshops
OPEN FLOOR conscious dance
led by Sevanti
About Open Floor
Open Floor conscious dance is a deeply restorative, invigorating and empowering practice. There are no set steps to learn and there is no pressure or expectations: the movement journey is inspired by tuning into our inner resources such as grounding, centring, activating and settling, spacious awareness, contraction and expansion, and release – to name just a few.
We build resilience, get to know ourselves better, increase our physical and mental flexibility, and observe and express our emotional selves. Beautiful musical scores, silence and poetry are woven together to accompany our mindful embodiment via focused physical body ‘anchors’.
Starting with a warm-up and ending with meditation and deep rest, we enjoy a guided yet expansive exploration in a non-judgemental, inclusive environment where we begin to trust the body and the way it wishes to move.
For the next Open Floor class, see the live booking system below.
You can also experience Open Floor at Unity retreats.
Sevanti writes
“Having trained in ballet since the age of five and in contemporary dance at degree level at The Laban Centre, London, dance has always been my main passion, alongside yoga. I have danced 5 Rhythms, Biodanza and many other modalities, in addition to teaching my own style ‘Meditational Movement’ for many years.
“I am now so grateful to have discovered ‘Open Floor’ in the last few years and to be training in this life-enhancing form of conscious dance. It brings together all my interests and passions in such an accessible and coherent way.
“My intention is to create a supportive, healing environment to let ourselves release pressure and worry, tune into our physical and emotional needs, befriend our mind, connect with our spirit and restore ourselves in a celebration of life through dance.”
Sevanti has recently graduated as a fully accredited Open Floor teacher. Prices remain as affordable as possible.
“Join a global community where all are invited to experience mindful movement, self-discovery and the healing power of dance” – Open Floor International
Book your place(s)
To keep costs as low as affordably possible, Open Floor classes are priced on a voluntary sliding scale of £12, £14 and £16. For anyone with a Unity concessionary pass, there’s a discounted price of £12.
Please note that there is no Open Floor session in August 2024.
A fusing of interests
Sevanti’s life long passion for dance (contemporary, ballet, conscious and mindful movement) has led her to become an Open Floor teacher (currently in training). This practice is one that brings together all her passions, fusing her interest in therapeutic practices, meditation, yoga and natural movement along with her love of music and creating shared sacred spaces.
Open Floor offers a profound opportunity for deep awareness and healing for many aspects of our personal/collective lives and our ultimate relationship with our inner/ outer nature on the dance floor. This embodiment modality allows us to liberate and be-friend our mind, honour and express our emotions, explore a liberating range of possibility of natural movement and connect deeply with our soul. Inclusive, neutral accessible to all, we can feel so alive, joyful and free in dance.
Sevanti is passionate about leading in a way where everyone is genuinely welcome and nothing is forced, the dance floor offers an opportunity for deep connection with ourselves and others, self awareness and profound rest and rejuvenation.
Open Floor is for everyone
- Appropriate and accessible for all
- Just move as you want to, inspired by specifically chosen music, an inspiring theme, sometimes some words/ poetry
- Not a belief system/ religious or doctrine based practiced – we reconnect with our inner and outer nature, finding the wisdom and freedom within
- We welcome all cultures/ ages/ backgrounds/ physical abilities (people can move as they are able/ need to – with injury, restriction, pain…mats/ chairs/ other props are available
- We dance in a space which is fully inclusive, all are welcome!
Open Floor combines guided movement resources with open exploration
- Not too structured – no steps to learn / techniques to master
- Not too open – guided meditations and movement principles and themes
Open Floor is beneficial on all levels
- Transformative for all aspects; physical, emotional, mind and soul
- Space to grow, get inspired, connect with resilience, presence, awareness & intimacy
- Renewed sense of space in body, emotions, mind and soul by remembering our own inner wisdom and reconnecting with our own inner resources
- Healing space; An opportunity to ‘put ourselves back together’ by integrating and expressing parts of ourself we find hard to feel/ talk about
- Connect to creativity; A relaxed, fun, playful and imaginative practice which flows naturally rather than being forced
- Joyful release; A sense of belonging as we connect to each other through smiles, warmth and shared vitality
- A full spectrum of experience; Allowing the music to move our bodies through various music genres, e.g. strong rhythmic beats which unite a sense of tribal unity, balanced with the tenderness of a deeply touching music score which connects us directly to our hearts
“This embodiment practice allows accessible connection and a place to befriend, understand and express our mind and emotions through the body. Many find it easier to connect to ourselves through a movement practice rather than to be still and talk through our issues/challenges. Both also combine beautifully together.
“In an Open Floor session, we make space to be more present, we carve out essential time to be with whatever is stirring within which allows us to find perspective and therefore often connect more to solutions and inspiration.
“We can give ourselves a space to be who we are, with no pressure or expectation, on a dance floor that is held as a welcoming, non-judgemental space.
“We sense a more liberated body (feeling at home in our own skin), open heart (connecting with emotional intelligence), a vast, spacious mind and a sacred soul connection.
“Then, we may find that we can be a better version of ourselves and tune in to how we want to be of service in this life.
“The Open Floor dance floor is a metaphor for our every day life… the way we move, release, breathe…helps us connect to a calmer, more centred, resilient, loving place within us in daily life.
“We relate to others with more kindness and respect, we feel more of an ability to support others when we are in a more resourced place within.
“It is a practice where we can cultivate awareness, notice our habits and make new choices to respond from a place of awareness. When we repeat our practice regularly we have the potential to re-organise and develop our neural pathways in a healthier, more robust way.
“When I dance, I feel a joy that isn’t as accessible from other practices in life. This grows as the dancers get to know each other and a deeper sense of trust and belonging is formed. Open Floor is a space without expectation or structured rules, you can take a partner – or not, you can move or rest, the floor is yours.
“We invite the breath and the spirit through the body without grasping or forcing. We ground ourselves through the feet, connect with different parts of our bodies and drop from mind control and resistance into more fluidity and openness.
“This practice of movement meditation unleashes our creative potential. It can be deeply transformational.“
Sevanti also brings in aspects from her other passions, such as yogic principles (and always offers opportunity for a good warm up and stretch out), various meditations, sometimes some inspiring words or poetry, perhaps a sound bath and at times (in longer sessions) there may also be reflective writing and artistic expression.
More on the essence of Open Floor
The Core Movement Resources
The Core Movement Resources (CMRs) are the ABCs of an embodied movement vocabulary. They give us a simple, universally shared language:
- to explore and communicate our experience of life in these human bodies
- to resource ourselves both on and off the dance floor
- to help build capacity as dancers and as human beings
- to widen our window of presence
These are our Core Movement Resources
- Ground
- Center
- Spatial Awareness
- Expand and Contract
- Release
- Towards and Away
- Activate and Settle
- Dissolve
- Vector
- Pause
Open Floor shares deep roots with a wide array of movement modalities, and the Movement Cycle in particular draws inspiration and shape from Gestalt Awareness Practice (GAP) developed by Chris and Dick Price.
The 4 Continuums
We work with the 4 Continuums in Open Floor Movement Practice.
As we practice in Open Floor, we learn to move freely back and forth along the following 4 Continuums:
- Fixed and Fluid
- Include and Exclude
- Habit and Choice
- Absence and Presence
The 4 dimensions of embodiment and the 4 relational hungers
On the Open Floor we bring mindful, embodied movement to our lives as human beings. The ‘4×4’ is the terrain of all our teaching and all our dances. The Four Dimensions of Embodiment describe what it means to wholly inhabit our entire selves, and the Four Relational Hungers describe the elemental needs and passions that call us to move in the first place.
As you can see, the concepts and values behind Open Floor are thorough and inclusive of a vast spectrum of human experience; this allows us to fully explore ourselves, release what we no longer need so that we can open ourselves up to a more vibrant and joyful enjoyment of life!
If you would like any further detail, please contact Sevanti at sevanti@being-in-unity.com
A warm and friendly welcome awaits…just turn up and be yourself!