Temenos Dance Collective Podcast

Julia is a lover of dance. She began dancing at parties in her teenage years. In the 1980s and 90s, Julia co-ran clubs and raves in London. She developed a workshop exploring the rave experience called Spirit in the House. For the past 3 decades, Julia has practised as a Transpersonal Psychotherapist, with a special interest in the wisdom of the moving body and exploring body symptoms. She is a Certified teacher in Open Floor movement practice and Ecstatic Dance. She a member of the International Conscious Movement Teacher's Association (ICMTA), and runs regular Flomotion and Open Floor dance sessions in London. Julia writes regular blogs on themes connected with dance such as Dance and Defence Against Loneliness, What is Dancing with Awareness in the Body, Community Dance and Dance Movement Psychotherapy. Visit https://www.flomotion.dance/ for more information.  Or follow Julia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flomotion.dance/ 

Kathryn Dickason is a scholar and journalist based in Los Angeles. She specializes in Western medieval Christianity, with particular interests in dance, iconography, gender, French literature, Dante, and medievalism. More recently, she has developed a secondary research area in contemporary ecstatic dance. Dickason holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University and also served as a residential research fellow at the Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University. Her first book, Ringleaders of Redemption: How Medieval Dance Became Sacred (Oxford University Press, 2021), explores the sacralization of medieval dance in Western Europe. Currently, she is writing a long-form profile on Max Fathom, the founder of ecstatic dance, as well as her second book, tentatively entitled Wheeling Incarnation: Medieval Dance in the Visual Arts.  Link to Numen article: https://brill.com/view/journals/nu/72/2-3/article-p207_4.xml   Link to magazine article on ecstatic dance that I co-wrote:  https://therevealer.org/the-sacred-steps-of-ecstatic-dance/   My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-dickason/

Lindsay Jay is the founder of Flow Dance Meditation, a music-guided movement practice rooted in embodiment and nervous system awareness. With a background in large-scale movement and community creation in the UK, and now based in Ibiza, Lindsay’s work bridges conscious dance and mainstream wellness. She is also the founder of YogaFit Retreats, and her work is shared internationally through retreats, facilitator trainings, and online practices. Flow Dance Meditation was created from a personal inquiry into safety, presence, and staying connected to the body, and continues to evolve as a living, embodied practice. Upcoming events:  • Jan 18–23: Sacred Spiral Retreat — Sufi Whirling & Flow Dance Meditation (Morocco)  • Feb 1–5: Flow Dance Meditation Facilitator Training — Bali  • April 15–17: Flow Dance Meditation Facilitator Training — Ibiza  • April 19–26: YogaFit Retreats — Ibiza You can explore guided practices, upcoming events and training information at: 👉 https://flowdancemeditation.com ⸻ 🤍 Stay Connected Follow Lindsay’s journey and reflections on Instagram:  • Personal: @lindsayjay_loves  • Flow Dance Meditation: @flowdancemeditation

Osara is a father, DJ and embodiment facilitator with Welsh, Scottish and Sámi roots. Raised on free parties in Wales, he began DJing as a teen, learning early what community, courage and dance music can do. He uniquely braids ancient and future technologies and sound: drum, shakers and yoik-inspired vocals with organic, underground and electronic dance music. Creating transformational dance journeys that are ever responding to the spirit of time, community and place. His palette spans 140, african rhythms, percussive heavy club music, jungle, techno, world bass, folktronica and all kinds of experimental edges. It is deep, driving and heart-opening, willing to meet shadow as well as celebrate light. He is one of the leading Ecstatic Dance DJs in the UK and the first and longest-serving resident at Ecstatic Dance UK in London. He started Ecstatic Dance Bristol almost seven years ago then founded Ace Collectiv a few years later. Ace Collecitv creates alcohol-free, high-production experiences that move with the seasons and weave dance, music, art,  ritual and community. Club-level sound and lighting design are an important part of the medicine. Osara has produced community events that have seen the first appearances in Bristol of the Huni Kuin and Yawanawá (indigenous people from the Amazon Rainforest), as well as the Umbanda group, Roça de Ogum, from São Paulo, Brazil. Beyond the decks he mentors artists, facilitators and community builders who want to lead with integrity and craft. Influences include nature, animism, mysticism, plant medicine teachings and the global cultures that shape sound system and club music, as well as his own Celtic and Sámi lines. With the intention of creating more spaces for authentic movement, expression, empowerment and connection. Ace Collectiv presents:NYD 2026 - Midwinter FestivalThu 1 Jan 2026 | 11am - 9:30pmThe Mount Without, Bristol🎟 Tickets & Info:https://dandelion.events/e/nyd-festival-2026 Osara instagram.com/osarasound soundcloud.com/osarasound linktr.ee/osarasound Ace Collectiv instagram.com/acecollectiv dandelion.events/o/acecollectiv  

Tim Barnes is a dancer, DJ, DIY motorcycle mechanic and horse back adventurer with more questions than answers. He uses embodiment as the palette of his artistry and is committed to walking his talk. From a nothing to shout about background, the 5Rhythms practice shook his world in 2012 and offered the opportunity to tune into the beat of a deeper mystery. Coming to the practice after years of travelling, years of uprooting, years of trying to find himself, the rhythms offered a place of stability and excitement in equal measure. A structure to be unstructured. He believes our bodies are bodies of wisdom, and when we use them as such we can transform and transcend. To find out more about Tim visit his website or follow him on Instagram

Toby Gillingham is a somatic researcher, facilitator and practitioner. He has studied as many physical art forms as he possibly could: including vinyasa yoga, Capoeira, Brazilian Jiujitsu, physical theatre and improv. He is constantly searching for the deeper truths offered to us by the physical worlds of our bodies. He is the founder of Mana and Wak - a retreat centre in Hertfordshire where he is offering a program of events that push the limits of what people think is possible to discover with their bodies through the power of physicality. To find out more visit:  https://www.manaandwak.com/ or follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mana.and.wak/ 

Simonetta Alessandri is an Italian dance artist and a somatic educator based in London. She applies the Feldenkrais Method to dance and movement training and to performance-making. She teaches Contact Improvisation, Improvisation, Choreography and Contemporary Technique at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London Contemporary Dance School, at Goldsmiths University and in other Universities in UK. She teaches internationally and has been a guest teacher in Germany, Colombia, UK, Norway, Israel, Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Taiwan and India.  Her work is informed by more than 30 years of dancing, teaching and choreographing. As a choreographer, she has created pieces for dance companies, students, large scale opera, improvised performance and site-specific works.  She has also done movement direction for theatre. She taught for more than 20 years in Italy and kept Contact Improvisation alive in Roma for 10 years with her classes and jams. She was one of the few dance practitioners in Italy who began working with Contact Improvisation in the 90’s.  She obtained the Post Graduate Diploma at London Contemporary Dance School, she is a qualified teacher of the Feldenkrais Method and she holds the Teacher Certificate of the Royal Academy of Dance. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is one of the founders of CI@Goldsmiths, association of dance artists dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of Contact Improvisation in London and UK. Follow her on Instagram: alessandri_simo_ Follow her on Facebook: Simonetta Alessandri Check out the CI @ Goldsmiths website: https://www.cigoldsmiths.com/ Check out the London Contact Festival: https://www.cigoldsmiths.com/londoncontactfestival  

Part 3 of a 3 Part Series. Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe with Christian de Sousa & Felix Oram. Part 3: Morning Medicine Join Christian and Felix as they discuss and share a selection of beautiful and inspirational tracks that have deeply touched their souls. If you enjoyed the podcast and would like to listen to the tracks featured in full please check out the Spotify playlist. This podcast emerged from the creative springs of a project titled Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe, which is happening on Saturday 7th June 2025 at the beautiful Amadeus Centre in west London (Warwick Ave tube). To join Christian and Felix for a very special 5-hour dancing journey into sound where they will be weaving together diverse musical lineages: leaning into conscious dance maps, underground subcultures and the time-honoured human ritual of communing in rhythm, melody and togetherness, please use the link below. All bodies welcome. To book your tickets hit the link below: https://www.temenosdance.com/event-details/music-is-the-healing-force-of-the-universe Bio: Christian de Sousa is a DJ, dancer, facilitator and artist He holds dance spaces in Devon, London, Internationally and Online.  He also offers a membership called The Home Dancing Project and broadcasts a monthly deep radio show called Transmission. Find all his work at www.glimpsesoflight.art Follow at:  https://www.instagram.com/_glimpses.of.light_/ https://www.facebook.com/polartaoist/ DJ FX10K (aka Felix Oram) has been DJing since the 1990s in clubs, conscious dances & underground scenes.. He worked in the music industry for many years, running a record label and working in Matthew Bushwhacka’s recording studio. He is the founder of Temenos Dance Collective, an innovative conscious movement project offering safe, wholesome and inspirational movement experiences in London.  To keep up to date follow Temenos on Instagram or join the WhatsApp group.

Part 2 of a 3 Part Series. Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe with Christian de Sousa & Felix Oram.  Part 2: Electronic Dance Revolution. Join Christian and Felix as they discuss the electronic dance revolution of the early 1990s and share some of the tracks that had the most impact for them at that time. If you enjoyed the podcast and would like to listen to the tracks featured in full please check out the Spotify playlist. This podcast emerged from the creative springs of a project titled Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe, which is happening on Saturday 7th June 2025 at the beautiful Amadeus Centre in west London (Warwick Ave tube). To join Christian and Felix for a very special 5-hour dancing journey into sound where they will be weaving together diverse musical lineages: leaning into conscious dance maps, underground subcultures and the time-honoured human ritual of communing in rhythm, melody and togetherness, please use the link below. All bodies welcome. For additional information on this event and to reserve your place head to the website via this link. Bio: Christian de Sousa is a DJ, dancer, facilitator and artist He holds dance spaces in Devon, London, Internationally and Online.  He also offers a membership called The Home Dancing Project and broadcasts a monthly deep radio show called Transmission. Find all his work at www.glimpsesoflight.art Follow at:  https://www.instagram.com/_glimpses.of.light_/ https://www.facebook.com/polartaoist/ DJ FX10K (aka Felix Oram) has been DJing since the 1990s in clubs, conscious dances & underground scenes.. He worked in the music industry for many years, running a record label and working in Matthew Bushwhacka’s recording studio. He is the founder of Temenos Dance Collective, an innovative conscious movement project offering safe, wholesome and inspirational movement experiences in London.  To keep up to date follow Temenos on Instagram or join the WhatsApp group. If you'd like to purchase the book mentioned in this episode: Techno Rebels by Dan Sicko here is a link.

Part 1 of a 3 Part Series. Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe with Christian de Sousa & Felix Oram.  Part 1: Early Inspirations. Join Christian and Felix as they share some of their early musical inspirations and discuss the influence and impact it had on them. If you enjoyed the podcast and would like to listen to the tracks featured in full please check out the Spotify playlist. This podcast emerged from the creative springs of a project titled Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe, which is happening on Saturday 7th June 2025 at the beautiful Amadeus Centre in west London (Warwick Ave tube). To join Christian and Felix for a very special 5-hour dancing journey into sound where they will be weaving together diverse musical lineages: leaning into conscious dance maps, underground subcultures and the time-honoured human ritual of communing in rhythm, melody and togetherness, please use the link below. All bodies welcome. For additional information on this event and to reserve your place head to the website via this link. Bio: Christian de Sousa is a DJ, dancer, facilitator and artist He holds dance spaces in Devon, London, Internationally and Online.  He also offers a membership called The Home Dancing Project and broadcasts a monthly deep radio show called Transmission. Find all his work at www.glimpsesoflight.art Follow at:  https://www.instagram.com/_glimpses.of.light_/ https://www.facebook.com/polartaoist/ DJ FX10K (aka Felix Oram) has been DJing since the 1990s in clubs, conscious dances & underground scenes.. He worked in the music industry for many years, running a record label and working in Matthew Bushwhacka’s recording studio. He is the founder of Temenos Dance Collective, an innovative conscious movement project offering safe, wholesome and inspirational movement experiences in London.  To keep up to date follow Temenos on Instagram or join the WhatsApp group.

Alex Forster is an audiovisual adventurer and a creative communicator who produces deep, soulful soundscapes and evocative, heartfelt films. His career began at the legendary Abbey Road studios, and has lead him across the globe to work in European mountains, Indian beaches, African deserts and beyond. He has collaborated with artists from iconic bands such as Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and Faithless, and worked for renowned organisations such as the BBC, Oxfam, and the Sonar Festival. Alex's unique blend of talents brings a bespoke, immersive experience to every project. His ability to speak several languages and connect with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures has enabled him to contribute to inter-cultural and often socially and environmentally conscious projects around the world. Whether through music or film, Alex's creations serve as a bridge, connecting cultures and ideas in a symphony of sonic and visual harmony. Fluent in both music composition and video production, Alex excels in projects that combine the two, creating a seamless blend of audio and visual storytelling. His expertise in digital audio workstations, coupled with his passion for organic sounds, live looping and improvisation, allows for a uniquely flexible and personal approach to music production. As a filmmaker, Alex's style harnesses the beauty and majesty of nature, crafting moving images that not only capture the eye but also touch the soul. His music creations and live performances range from meditative soundscapes to ecstatic dance-floor grooves, drawing inspiration from the sights and sounds he has gathered on his global journeys as well as decades exploring movement practices on the dance floor. As a multi-instrumentalist skilled in both improvisation and music technology, Alex is able to craft bespoke soundscapes and immersive sound journeys that deeply resonate with participants at his events, offering a uniquely personal and profoundly memorable experience. "Music that moves, images that inspire" encapsulates Alex's approach: creating audiovisual narratives that are not just experienced but deeply felt. His contributions to social and environmental causes through his art demonstrate a dedication to making a meaningful impact. With awards and accolades affirming his influence, Alex Forster remains a beacon of inspiration in the intersection of music and film, inviting audiences to explore the depth of human emotion and the beauty of our world. To find out more about Alex's work visit his website: www.alexforster.net Buy his music on BandCamp Listen on Spotify Follow him on Instagram

For this episode we sat down with Mackenzie Amara.  To find out more about her work visit her website, follow her on Instagram, or check out her Linktree. Here is a list of some of her upcoming workshops: Black Tent Wild Apocalypse Mackenzie Amara Bio: Mackenzie is a writer, researcher, consultant, & 5Rhythms® teacher. By vocation she is a Jungian analyst-in-training & Clinical Psychology doctoral student. By design she is a collection of fractal, holographic cells dancing around some strange attractor for the sake of who knows what to live an insignificant, mythic life reflective of the mysterious vital spark within her. She identifies as a series of memories & unverifiable subjective experiences of self-hood to which she is rather fondly attached. She has a penchant for scholarship, the occult, pedantic erudition, morbid humor, grandiosity, nihilism, & semi-responsible hedonism. Born in the shadow of New Age culture into a fractured family system & the subjective experiencer of (arguably) extreme early childhood trauma, her life’s work is to heal psychic wounds — her’s & other’s — to ensure that she & others become strong enough to contend with the unconscious quicksands & transpersonal abysses which lap at the periphery of developing consciousness. She is an emergent property of Being playing at becoming sovereign. ​ Educational Background: Mackenzie is a Diploma Candidate at the International School of Analytical Psychology in Zurich, training to become a Jungian analyst. She is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Saybrook University in Oakland, CA. Her research interests include psychedelic psychotherapy, psychedelic integration, dream analysis, mythology & symbolism in clinical practice, and the application of nondual teachings to human growth.    She holds a Master's degree in Clinical & Counseling Psychology from Columbia University & a Bachelor's degree in Psychology & Spiritual Experience with a minor in Child & Adolescent Psychology from New York University. She is certified in Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (The New School & Center for Optimal Living), 5Rhythms® (The Moving Center), and Holistic Psychology (The Open Center). 

For this episode I had the privilege of sitting down with Tasha Blank. Tasha is a celebrated international DJ, somatic practitioner, teacher and founder of The Get Down, The Drop, BODY LVNGUAGE and global leadership academy Powerhouse DJ School (PhDJ). A student of somatic healing, shadow work, story and ceremony, her nervous system-based approach to transformation through movement is a wild invitation into your most powerful expression. She’s known for liberating hips in New York City’s most legendary clubs (Cielo, Output, Verboten, House of YES), the world’s wildest festivals (Envision, Lightning in a Bottle, Burning Man, Wanderlust, Beloved), and museums, churches, helipads, boats, roving desert ships, forests and mountaintops everywhere.  She kicks off each set with a moment of silence and invocation. "Even for folks who've never seen a giant club get totally quiet and take a pause, it's an important part of the experience. When a crowd trusts each other enough to be still together for a few minutes, you can take them anywhere."  From there, Tasha's sets are richly varied. Rooted in house music and invariably uptempo and uplifting, they include everything from garage, R&B, soul, hip-hop, amapiano, pop, techno and plenty more. To find out more visit https://www.tashablank.com/ https://www.phdj.dance/ https://www.instagram.com/tashablank/  

Turning the tables somewhat on the usual format, Temenos founder Felix Oram becomes the interviewee and relinquishes control of the microphone to the capable Daniel Levin. Daniel thought it would be nice to offer Temenos Dance Collective listeners the chance to learn more about the man behind the project. It's been over a year since the very first episode in which Felix talked about his vision and concept for the project and much has happened in that time, so this is a refreshing update. Enjoy.

For this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with the founders of the Unbound Moving Arts CIC: Nikki Ashley Richard Wiltshire Morag Donnelly Unfortunately due to connection issues Morag dropped off the call so most of the interview is with Nikki & Rich, but rest assured I will get Morag back on for a one to one interview in the Autumn. Unbound Moving Arts are a social enterprise offering creative and healing meditative explorations in the form of movement, dance, art, sound and yoga - nurturing strong mental and physical health within the local community, and those online.  To attend any of their events visit https://bookwhen.com/unboundmovingarts To learn more about Unbound including to view our videos - visit their website: https://www.unboundmovingarts.com/ To follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unboundmovingarts/ To sign up to their Monthly newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/hyiVTb Some Upcoming events: I n t i m a t e || P a t h w a y s - 5Rhythms & L i f e s e n s i n g Workshop 26 & 27 July - The art of dancing toward the intimate with Nikki and Morag  Simply Being Garden Sessions in Brockwell Park - Mon 5 Aug; Mon 12 Aug; Mon 19 Aug; Tues 3 Sept; Tues 10 Sept Check out the Bookwhen schedule for a full rundown of all their events!  

Based in Cornwall, Katie is a freelance performer, teacher and facilitator with over 15 years’ experience in contemporary dance and physical theatre. She has worked with companies such as Gecko, Punchdrunk, and VOXED, and with choreographers such as Akram Khan (London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony), Tom Jackson Greaves, Fin Walker, Aletta Collins, James Cousins and Dam Van Huynh. Alongside performing, Katie has also worked extensively as a teacher and facilitator in various educational, professional and community settings. She has taught in primary and secondary schools, been a guest lecturer for vocational dance institutions and universities such as London Contemporary Dance School, The Royal Ballet School and Falmouth University as well as teaching professional dancers in company and open classes. Whatever the setting, Katie loves to share her expertise and passion for dance and theatre, and hopes to inspire and enable people to discover a love for their own movement, creativity and expression. In 2023 she founded Nos Danza Presents, a project dedicated to sharing the joy and transformative power of dance with people from all walks of life. www.katielusby.com IG: @nosdanza

For this episode we sat down with Nico Allen. Nico is a certified 5Rhythms teacher based in New York City. He began his 5Rhythms journey back in 2016 and finished his training in 2021. He runs a weekly Monday night class in NYC called Body Werk and describes himself as a 'movement catalyst'. To connect with Nico check out his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/bodyw_rk/

In this episode we sat down with Richard Batts, the co-founder of Ecstatic Dance UK, the organization responsible for hosting the legendary Sunday morning dances at the Baths in Hackney Wick, London as well as Evening Sessions on Wednesday nights, plus regular retreats and events. We talked about Richard's journey and discuss the state of the Ecstatic Dance scene in general. Here all Richard's links to check out his mixes, follow him on Insta or buy tickets to EDUK events: Instagram: @ecstaticlifer & @ecstaticdance.uk SoundCloud: Taoro Music EDUK: Linktree

In this episode I sat down with Julie Stuart from Atlanta, Georgia (USA) to talk about her work as a 5Rhythms teacher in the south east of America. Julie has over two decades of experience as a facilitator supporting organizations and individuals to navigate complex change using deep dialogue, large-scale visual mapping and embodiment practices. She is a certified teacher of the 5Rhythms and of the Non-linear Movement method created by Michaela Boehm She designs and guides transformative workshops which explore the intersection of sensuality, intuition, art and movement and has been dancing the 5Rhythms since 2010. To find out more about Julie's work visit her website - www.juliestuart5rhythms.com

Dominik Schnell is the founder and developer of the HeartWave, a practice that supports us to connect to the deepest parts of ourselves through dance. Each session taps in to our collective wisdom as we journey in and out of relating, in and out of shadow, in and out of our fear. Above all HeartWave is a deeply liberating exploration of our inert yearning for belonging, connection and togetherness. Dominik has been passionately engaged in dance for two decades, exploring performance, contemporary, contact dance as well as many forms of expressive dance workshop styles. He draws from his experience as a facilitator, combining dance, tantra and process work. It was a pleasure to sit down with him and learn more about his process and his work. Dom is based in Forest Row, East Sussex and holds monthly HeartWave sessions there. To find out more when they are happening you can join the WhatsApp group - https://chat.whatsapp.com/HVAn4y7geSWHRdP1wHJKSn or visit the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/HeartWaveDance/

In this, the second interview with Christian de Sousa, we take a deep dive into the core 5Rhythms and Movement Medicine teachings. A rare opportunity to go further into the philosophy and foundational principles of both practices. Christian is one of the most recognised names on the UK conscious dance scene. His Sweaty Thursdays night at St Peter's in Vauxhall ran for 14 years and is widely acknowledged as one of the most important dance spaces, touching the lives of thousands of dancers across the capital. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with him to discuss his life, his journey and his current creative endeavours. This interview is part 1 of a 2 part series. In the next interview we will go deeper into Christian's work and explore the teachings and philosophies that he utilises. All Christian's work can be accessed through his website: https://glimpsesoflight.art/   Current Invitations:    The Way of the Dancer (new programme of movement teaching 2024) https://glimpsesoflight.art/cat-movement/wayofthedancer2024/   The Dancefloor Jedi Project (membership service offering resources for dancers)  https://glimpsesoflight.art/dancefloorjedi/    Transmission (free monthly deep radio) https://glimpsesoflight.art/transmission/ (1st Thursday of the month)   Bio here: https://glimpsesoflight.art/bio/    A Short Film about Glimpses of Light is a 6min film exploring the essence of my work: https://glimpsesoflight.art/image/video/

An interview with Alyssa Jurewicz- Johns from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Alyssa is a somatic therapist, and embodied arts therapist and is about to graduate as a 5R teacher. We talked about her journey into movement, her experience dancing in the USA, her creative projects and much more. Check out her website to learn more https://b3productions.com/ Or connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b3_breathbodybeats/ https://linktr.ee/b3.productions

Emma Leech has been dancing the 5Rhythms movement meditation practice for over 30 years. After diving into the practice for her own self healing from trauma of grief she took the path as a teacher of the practice and trained with Gabrielle Roth, qualifying in 2001. Since 2001, Emma has travelled to different parts of the globe (and London’s suburbs) taking the dance to disadvantaged communities in prison, addiction recovery centres and even children living in the slums in Kolkata, India. Working with such a disparate range of communities has helped her to expand her teaching skills and insight into all walks of life, keeping her plugged into a reality of human survival where the dance can be of real service. Emma is recognised for her theatre work, not only working with actors and companies to help deepen their connection to themselves, but also through classes and retreats. She is honoured to be one of just three teachers in the world who are an apprentice to teach Gabrielle Roth's 'God Sex and the Body' map. It is the diversity of the 5 Rhythms practice that holds her passion and she is still excited to be working with a movement language that heals and transforms human suffering into moving art.​ It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Emma to discuss her journey and her work. https://www.emmadance.co/ https://www.instagram.com/emmakristinared/

For this episode we sat down with Ajay Rajani. Ajay is an accredited teacher of the 5Rhythms who trained with Jonathan Horan, son of Gabrielle Roth, in 2014. He was born in Africa with Indian roots and grew up in London, England where he thrives in a diverse, multicultural community speaking five international languages. His spiritual journey began over 20 years ago with a strong practice of seated meditation and this continues to inform his 5Rhythms teaching where he inspires embodying the moment and allowing your body to be your greatest teacher.     Ajay hosts a weekly 5Rhythms class at Colet House in west London every Thursday and regular workshops throughout the year.  For more details and information visit: https://www.5rhythms.com/teachers/Ajay+Rajani https://www.colethouse.org/5rhythmslondon

Christian de Sousa is one of the most recognised names on the UK conscious dance scene. His Sweaty Thursdays night at St Peter's in Vauxhall ran for 14 years and is widely acknowledged as one of the most important dance spaces, touching the lives of thousands of dancers across the capital. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with him to discuss his life, his journey and his current creative endeavours. This interview is part 1 of a 2 part series. In the next interview we will go deeper into Christian's work and explore the teachings and philosophies that he utilises. All Christian's work can be accessed through his website: https://glimpsesoflight.art/   Current Invitations:    The Way of the Dancer (new programme of movement teaching 2024) https://glimpsesoflight.art/cat-movement/wayofthedancer2024/   The Dancefloor Jedi Project (membership service offering resources for dancers)  https://glimpsesoflight.art/dancefloorjedi/    Transmission (free monthly deep radio) https://glimpsesoflight.art/transmission/ (1st Thursday of the month)   Bio here: https://glimpsesoflight.art/bio/    A Short Film about Glimpses of Light is a 6min film exploring the essence of my work: https://glimpsesoflight.art/image/video/

Olivia Olla Palmer is without question a leading light in Italy's conscious dance world. In addition to being the first certified 5Rhythms teacher in Italy she has played a central role in helping to evolve Italy's conscious movement scene. She is qualified to teach the 5Rhythms WAVES & HEARTBEAT levels, she is a mentor for the Spaceholder program and a mentor to new certified 5Rhythms teachers.  In addition to regular classes she founded the Midsummer Festival an annual summer event that brings different conscious dance modalities together in the beautiful Umbrian countryside each year for a 10-12 day gathering. She also organizes annual Easter and NYE events. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Olivia and learn more about her journey and her work. For more information visit her website https://oliviaollapalmer.com/en/ https://oliviaollapalmer.com/en/midsummer-festival/ NOTE: the interview was recorded online and there are some audio glitches in places.

Richard is the organiser and founder of the Emerging Hearts Contact Improvisation Camps and has been hosting community spaces since the early noughties. He discovered Contact Improvisation in 2006 and has trained with many international teachers including Lisa Nelson, KJ Holmes, Nita Little, Andrew Harwood, Benno Voorham, Martin Keogh and Ray Chung. It was a pleasure to sit down with Richard to learn about his journey and discover his passion for community building.

Tim Barnes, one of a new breed of 5Rhythms teachers that completed their training in the post Covid era, is a Bristol based teacher that runs a weekly class the Tuesday Vibration and hosts regular classes and workshops in Bristol and London. Tim's passion and charisma shines through in his work, and it was a pleasure to sit down with him to find out more about him. To find out more about Tim or connect with him check him out on Insta and social media. He also has a Mixcloud page so you can check out his music.  @timbarnes5rhythms @thetuesdayvibration https://www.mixcloud.com/TimBarnes5Rhythms/

For this episode I had the privilege of sitting down with the living legend that is Rick Nodine. Rick lives and breathes Contact Improvisation and is internationally recognized as one of the leading teachers of CI. We talked about his years of study in contemporary dance, his journey to becoming a teacher and much more. To find out more about his classes and workshops visit https://www.ricknodine.com/ or follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricknodine/ @ricknodine

In this episode I sat down with Harriet Waghorn to talk about her creative projects and the role that contact improvisation plays in her work. Harriet is an international Director, Choreographer and Dance Artist. Harriet’s choreographic credits include Netflix, BFI, Sky Arts, Vice, Nowness and internationally exposed viral dance films ‘Abaddon’ and ‘Edifice’ which collectively have views of over 12 million. As a pioneer in her hybrid movement language combining ballroom and contemporary dance her work exudes passion, sensuality and connectivity in movement, in 2022 she was nominated for the “Women in Dance Leadership Award” and in 2021 Harriet was awarded one of 3 prestigious places with Akram Khan Company for Artistic Development in choreography with her company EDIFICE (co-directed by Carmine De Amicis). Harriet works in theatre, TV, film and commercials, and has worked as a choreographer, mentor to artists such as Michaela Cole, Raff Law and Sadie Frost and with brands including Adidas and The Savoy, London. Harriet has trained in Motion Capture and studied Film Direction at NFTS.   Based in London Harriet is additionally the co-founder and director of EDIFICE dance theatre alongside Carmine De Amicis. EDIFICE was founded in 2015 and creates works for the stage, film and immersive experiences touring international and throughout the UK. EDIFICE’s unique combination of ballroom and contemporary makes it different from any other company working in the UK offering works that challenge ideas of gender, sexuality, and form.     As a performer Harriet has worked with  artists including International artist RAYE, Ekat Bork, The Riptide Movement, Nzobella and companies including Shobana Jeyasingh and Tavaziva Dance and has performed at The Royal Opera House, Sadlers Wells, Edinburgh Festival Hall, TATE Modern, Serpentine Gallery and has toured internationally. To find out more about her work visit her Instagram or website: https://www.instagram.com/harrietwaghorn/ https://www.harrietwaghorn.com/

Interview with Temenos resident DJ Dwayne Gumbs (aka DJ Gumbo). Founder and director of the Diverse Voices charity and head of Foresight Films, Dwayne is a writer, film director, musician and DJ. He sat down with Temenos head honcho Felix Oram to discuss all things conscious dance and to discuss his latest creative dance project. 

We welcomed Alexa Ledecky (aka DJ LEXX) on to the podcast to talk about her journey into conscious dance, the Powerhouse DJ program and her Bristol based Soft Butch club night. Alexa will be playing at the Temenos Dance Collective on Friday 29th September 2023. To learn more about Lexx check out her Instagram pages @alexathedicewho (https://www.instagram.com/alexathedicewho/) @softbutchbristol (https://www.instagram.com/softbutchbristol/) @powerhousedjschool (https://www.instagram.com/powerhousedjschool/)

In this episode we meet the super talented Sophie Bolton to discuss her journey into conscious dance. Sophie has been working as a conscious dance facilitator and DJ for nearly a decade and has firmly established herself as one of the most dynamic and explosive DJs on the Ecstatic Dance scene. We explored a wide range of issues, including boundaries for women (and how to manage them on the dancefloor), dancing with children and making dance accessible to all. Enjoy.

An interview with Jason Rowe, 5Rhythms teacher and dancer. Jason has held his Thursday Wave class for nearly 12 years in north London and has gone on to become one of the most recognised and respected 5Rhythms teachers in the UK and Europe. He hosts regular 5Rhythms workshops throughout the calendar year and is active in supporting the evolution of the practice to give opportunity for every BODY to dance. https://www.5rhythms.com/teachers/Jason+Rowe He sat down with Felix Oram to discuss his journey into conscious dance and his work and passion for the 5Rhythms.

A conversation with Jody Paterson. Jody is a true conscious dancer, someone that goes deep into his process when the opportunity presents itself. He met the Temenos host, Felix Oram, at the start of 2023 and their mutual understanding of the need for movement and community set them on a path to a profound friendship. In this interview they explore the significance of dance and how it facilitates community and spiritual development.

A one hour interview with the awesome Julia Samel. Julia is the founder and promoter of the conscious dance festival Rumble and the creator of Moving Connections. She also runs the long standing Forro Family night in central London with her brother, Andy, every Saturday. She is an inspiration and tour de force of the conscious dance world in London and it was an absolute pleasure to interview her. https://www.movingconnections.co.uk/moving-connections https://www.rumblefestival.co.uk/ https://www.forrofamily.co.uk/  

An interview with the wonderful Iona McNeil - founder of Ecstatic Playground, and conscious dance facilitator and entrepreneur.

An interview with the Sue Rickards. A 5 Rhythms teacher for over 35 years, Sue is the longest standing teacher in London and possibly the UK. She trained with Gabrielle Roth and more recently went on to help develop the Open Floor program. A legend of the conscious movement scene and a wonderful person to boot. For more info visit her website https://www.acalltodance.com/

The first episode of a new Podcast exploring the world of conscious movement. In this episode host Felix discusses the concept behind Temenos and the importance of conscious movement.