Finding joy ... maybe it's in a dance class, maybe it's in a flower, maybe it's in seeing whales!

 

🐋 I went whale watching this week 🐋

Every now and then in life, if we are lucky, we get to do or experience something that we've wanted to do for a long time. Last week, this 41 year old got to fulfill her inner 7 year-old's bucket list wish and go whale watching in Canada, in the Salish Sea. It was an incredible experience; we saw bald eagles, cormorants, jellyfish, tiny deer on an uninhabited island, wildlife conservation areas, and yes... a family of orcas! Three generations in one family, in fact: a grandmother, the mother, and the children (a 1 year old and a 2 year old among them). And on the 2+ hours back to shore I sat (and danced, as you can see) on the bow of that boat in absolute bliss. (Not many of you know this but I was brought up in a sea town and spent a lot of my childhood on and driving boats, partly for Dublin Bay Rescue, so it was just lovely to get back out on the water; the whales were a bonus!) The point of all this is: I think we all need to seek more joy. And it doesn't have to come from big bucket list experiences - this was a particularly amazing one and I feel immense appreciation for the person who made this happen for me. It can come from stopping to smell that wee flower on your morning walk, meeting up with a friend, or going to see the Barbie movie damnit, or attending dance classes with your besties! Joy is important. It doesn't mean we negate the hard stuff. But it's important to remember bring it alongside for the ride. To whit: 🐋 Danceypants is tonight at 7:15pm Youth Annex, Sebastopol Community Cultural Center Sign up here Danceypants is capped at 20 (and already almost half full as I'm writing this) so please sign up in advance if you can $15 online in advance / $20 cash on the door P.S. If you have been to Danceypants and want to join the Facebook group, here's the link. (You must answer the questions!) ~~~   🐋 expandance in person is next Wednesday July 26th 9am - 10:30am Sign up here in the same place as Danceypants $35 expandance is a small group class for exploration and creativity, and as such is capped at 6 people. This class is also currently half full; I recommend signing up soon if you would like to come! ~~~ Never been to expandance and want a taste from the comfort of your home?   🐋 expandance: the basics is tomorrow morning Tuesday July 18th ONLINE 9am - 10:15am Sign up here $20 THIS CLASS IS FREE for BIPOC and the trans community if needed; please e-mail rachel@expandance.com to request free access if this would help you attend. If you have any questions about any of my offerings, please email me! Here's to more joy... wherever we can find it. xo, Rachel

Register for Danceypants!

Register for IN PERSON expandance

Register for ONLINE expandance

“I did expandance this morning with Rachel Wynne. If you have been thinking about doing this, Do It! I am not a dancer, I don't exercise regularly and I have chronic pain. I loved the unconventional warm up she lead us through and the visualizations with movement. Afterwards, I felt relaxed and energized at the same time. Most notably, I was able to release a considerable amount of tension that I was carrying in my body. I did all of this a short amount of time and in a small space.” - B, California   you don’t have to be a dancer  you don’t have to be “fit” or look a certain way   all you need is zoom and you

Classes for cancer wellness

expandance classes for the cancer community (open to anyone, regardless of where you are being treated or where you are in the world, and also to survivors) are on:

Fridays
10:30am - 12 noon PST
(That's 1:30pm EST / 6:30pm GMT)
FREE and ONLINE

To register, please e-mail our cancer wellness program co-ordinator Sharon Doughty at Sharon.doughty@stjoe.org to get on the list. Other classes are also available free through this program, including Qigong, sound meditations, gentle yoga, patient support groups and art classes. Feel free to forward this to a friend who might benefit from having more community on their journey with cancer.

"Thank you, Rachel, for another wonderful class today. Your classes really help keep me going" - a participant in the cancer wellness classes

Online classes for the cancer community

 

"I thought it was going to be aerobic, but it wasn't... it was nice! I really liked this!"

I had a new person join us in our cancer wellness class this morning who said this. She came to say hi and ask what the class was about, but wasn't necessarily going to stay because "I just showered and did my hair and I don't want to get sweaty before my appointment" (She had a mammogram coming up).

 

But in the end, she stayed for the whole class and loved it. 

 

The thing with expandance is: If your body isn't in the mood to move much, or be high energy, that's likely not how you're going be moving that day. Other days you might have lots of energy, and it might end up being a pretty aerobic session for you.

 

The whole point with expandance is - we listen to our bodies. We listen to what they're telling us we need. So every time you practice, it's going to look different. 

 

AND it means that if you have resisted coming to expandance because "I'm not a dancer / I don't dance" - you no longer need that as a reason. Because the only movement you're going to do is what your body wants to do. 

 

If you are a cancer survivor, or currently in treatment for cancer, my Friday expandance classes are FREE for you. Come meet some absolutely stellar, amazing people - what have you got to lose? Email me at rachel@expandance.com if you're interested.

 

Friday classes for the cancer community - wherever you are

Every Friday 10:30am - 11:45am Pacific time

FREE for cancer survivors and those currently with cancer, as well as their full time caregivers

Over Zoom 

 

Classes are hosted by Providence (St. Joseph's Healthcare) in Northern California. You do not need to be a patient at Providence or St. Joseph's to attend these classes, nor do you need to be in the US. 

Class today

*** Free class for the cancer community ***

in collaboration with St. Joseph's Healthcare

Details: 

"Release and Restore"

When: Every Wednesday 5:30pm - 7:15pm (West Coast / Pacific time) 

Where: Zoom 

Cost: FREE

What we do: about 45 minutes of expandance - a mindful dance and movement meditation technique with me (all abilities welcome - I have modifications if you aren't mobile) and then restorative yoga with Sarah, which is easy and deeply relaxing and is accompanied by her sound journey with singing bowls.  If you don't want anyone to see you dance, simply tilt your camera up! You don't need any dance or yoga experience. 

You don't have to be a patient of St. Joseph's. The only criteria is that you are, or have been, on a journey to healing from cancer, and that you'd like a class that will help you feel wonderful and relaxed!

To register, please e-mail the lovely Sharon at Sharon.doughty@stjoe.org and let her know where you are at in your journey, and that you'd like to try our class, and she'll send you the Zoom link. 

"The movement and sound healing class was phenomenal! Absolutely magical...

The instructors were compassionate, professional, kind and so accepting...
I’m overwhelmed by everyone..
This class left me feeling more connected with my body and it completely eliminated my anxiety...I think my healing has begun..." - Tina 

"Yesterday I attended Rachel and Sarah’s Release and Restore class for the first time and it was wonderful!" - Kim

A little about the programs here. 

A little about Rachel here. 

A little about Sarah here. 

Free expandance for cancer patients tonight 5:30pm PDT

Release and Restore - free workshop for the cancer community

If you are living with cancer, a survivor, or a member of the cancer support community here in Sonoma County, this workshop is open (and free) to you. 

Please e-mail Sharon.doughty@stjoe.org to register

Next Workshop:

Wednesday February 19th 2020

5:30 - 7:30pm

in Santa Rosa, CA

September goings on!

Hello and happy September!

I'm just back from a great trip home in Ireland, so getting this out to you all a little later than usual this month. I missed you all in August! It was so lovely to see family and friends, and one in particular: I got to spend time with my dear old friend, fellow dancer and co-founder of expandance, Laurie Schneider! It's always incredible to spend time with those you creatively ''click'' with. If you haven't spent time with a creative friend recently, I highly recommend it. It's a balm to the soul.

Rachel and Laurie, expandance founders

Here's what's going on this month

We have a special free Release and Restore workshop for people living with cancer, Danceypants, another R&R workshop, AND info on my children's class at 6th Street Playhouse. Phew! Let's go!

Sarah Jenness of Bala Healing Arts

First up: Gentle Movement and Sound Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors

An hour of expandance movement with me, followed by  an hour of beautiful singing bowls and relaxation with Sarah Jenness of Bala Healing Arts.

"A re-treat that feels like a waterfall of nourishment" - Megan M.

Wednesday September 18th 5:30pm - 7:30pm 
At the Finley Community Center
2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa

*** This is a free workshop *** 

Please register with the organizer Sharon by e-mailing her at Sharon.doughty@stjoe.org

Next: Danceypants

As the great Lizzo says "Growing up is acting less childish and being more child-like" and I love this quote because being child-like can bring so much openness and joy into our lives. And to me, that's a big part of what Danceypants is all about. Join me and let's be silly.

Thursday September 19th 7pm 
At SoCo Aerial Collective studio (down the hall, in the back)
7231 Healdsburg Ave, Sebastopol, CA 
$15-$20 sliding scale 

Every time someone pays $20, we add $5 to the scholarship pot, to give a scholarship place to someone who needs a bit of help coming to class

Please pay in advance if you can, it helps us greatly on the night getting everyone checked in! You can pay by PayPal to rachel@expandance.com or Cash App $ expandance

Cash only on the door - No PayPal day of

Wear comfy clothes, and bring water.

As some of you know I am part of the faculty at 6th Street Playhouse School of Drama in Santa Rosa. Our term of classes at 6th Street starts this week! I'm teaching choreography once again for Musical Theatre Songsters, which is a class for 7-12 year olds on Tuesday afternoons. If you know a young thespian who might be interested, check out the info here (it's the third class down) and sign up, or e-mail Juliet at education@6thStreetPlayhouse.com to register. I look forward to dancing with your kiddos!

And lastly, Sarah and I are teaching another Release and Restore at her studio in South Sebastopol, California at the end of September:

A two hour dive into relaxation. First we'll move from within through Rachel's expandance technique - guided movement exercises, then we'll relax into restorative poses while Sarah's singing bowls wash over us in a beautiful sound bath

Monday September 30th 2019

6:30pm - 9pm
$45 payable in advance

*** Very limited space available. Advance booking only ***

No refunds; however, payments can be exchanged for another date or transferred to another person.

TO RESERVE: PayPal rachel@expandance.com $45

You will receive a confirmation e-mail containing the studio address (South Sebastopol) and parking directions.

"Release and Restore was exactly what I needed. It is true to its name: I was gifted with the space, safety, freedom, and encouragement to listen deeply to my body, contact my inner experience, and move and release what had been stagnating within; then, I got to melt into a warm, cozy sound bath while resting in regenerative yoga poses. Really, what more could I ask for?! I have been twice already, and will go again. Every time is a different experience. As a mom of a toddler, taking this time to care for myself is invaluable (not only for me, but for my family who receives a more grounded and rejuvenated me afterward!) and worth every penny. Thank you again!" - Erin

"A beautiful healing experience! Truly love your work! Thank you!" - Nicole

No dance, yoga or meditation experience required.