Thank you, 2022. Here's to 2023!

 

THANK YOU! Friends, thank you so much for moving, grooving, healing and howling with me in 2022. I'm so grateful for all of you - our expandance and Danceypants communities are only what they are because of what you bring to the dance floor. In 2022 I... ✨  Choreographed “Hair” for 6th Street Theatre. "Rachel Wynne’s choreography is vigorous and uninhibited" - Cari Pace for Aisle Seat Review ✨ Celebrated expandance becoming a registered Trademark - yeah baby! That R in a circle is ours, finally! ®®® ✨  Was interviewed about choreography for Gay Sonoma ✨  Taught many Danceypants classes in Sebastopol and got to meet so many new and fabulous friends (you!) ✨  Taught online expandance classes to five different countries around the world, as well as in-person private sessions here locally  ✨  Started working on the new expandance membership ✨ Continued to codify and record each exercise in the expandance canon - we're now at over 65 exercises And Laurie (co-founder of expandance) ✨ Opened her own Pilates and Slings studio in Derry, Northern Ireland (Yes, she's a real Derry Girl!) ✨ Was awarded and undertook artist residencies for expandance on both sides of the boarder ✨ Kept me focused and motivated in continuing to develop the expandance technique and practice from 4,000 miles away 2023 will bring: ✨  The launch of our expandance BETA membership later this month - stay tuned! I'm working on the back-end techy stuff and will let you know when registration opens in the next couple of weeks! ✨  More Danceypants classes! And I've some some fun Danceypants-related ideas up my sleeve ;) ✨  More expandance classes and workshops, possibly even a retreat (ideas in the works) ✨  And who knows what else? I'm excited and very much looking forward to how expandance (and I) can grow this year and connect with more of you all Thank you all for your support of my work; whether you came to a performance, worked with me in theatre, came to a class or had private sessions... you are not only showing up for yourself, your body and your mental and emotional health by moving, you're also supporting a small, single-mum-owned business that in turn supports me and my 5 year old child. p.s. I made a couple of videos on the Instagram page this past week with clips from a lot of my expandance classes throughout 2022 - check them out: Part 1 / Part 2

We're back with Danceypants on Jan 9th! New year, new routine, new pink posters 😀 I’ve missed all your smiling faces and I can’t wait to sing along off key with you all again while we shake our bits, Sonoma County 💖 Remember: it’s cheaper to sign up online! Registration is now open here. Most* Mondays *always check the website schedule - holidays may affect class dates 7:15pm - 8:15pm Community Center Youth Annex 425 Morris St, Sebastopol, CA 95472 USA EASIER: SIGN UP FOR THE WHOLE MONTH AT ONCE HERE. My little one dancing with abandon in one of the studios I use for expandance private sessions here in Sebastopol A poem for the new year I saw this last week and wanted to share it with you all... Why do we start a new year, with promises to improve? Who began this tradition of never-ending pressure? I say, the end of a year, should be filled with congratulation, for all we survived. And I say a new year should start with promises to be kinder to ourselves, to understand better just how much we bear, as humans on this exhausting treadmill of life. And if we are to promise more, let’s pledge to rest, before our bodies force us. Let’s pledge to stop, and drink in life as it happens. Let’s pledge to strip away a layer of perfection to reveal the flawed and wondrous humanity we truly are inside. Why start another year, gifted to us on this earth, with demands on our already over-strained humanity. When we could be learning to accept, that we were always supposed to be imperfect. And that is where the beauty lives, actually. And if we can only find that beauty, we would also find peace. I wish you peace in 2023. Everything else is all just a part of it. Let it be so. - Donna Ashworth

Last class of the year

 

Join me for the * last * expandance * class * of * the * year *!

~~~ Wednesday Dec 29th 2021 ~~~

11am - 12:15pm Pacific time

(2pm Eastern time; 7pm Irish time)

Shake off the old year (yes, it's an actual thing and our cells need it!) and create space inside you to face the new year with openness and from a centered place. 

We'll also do some intention setting, and as always, our restorative practice to settle our nervous systems. 

expandance classes help...

• you feel more alive in and connected to your body
• release stress and anxiety *and* replace it with trust 
• build resilience
• you connect with your intuition
• the creative spark reignite!
  
  

AND we only spend a tiny % of class actually at the screen - most of it is off screen (yes! You are free to put your video off AT ANY TIME while moving. I want you to feel comfortable!) 

FREE for BIPOC

~~~ Open to all regardless of dance experience ~~~

Special holiday sliding scale $10-$25 for everyone else. 

REGISTER HERE for the zoom link and I'll see you there!

- Rachel 

December class, gratitude, and connection.

 

Let's connect and get warm this Decembrrrrrrr...

Happy Holidays, Blessed Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa! Thank you so much for supporting expandanceduring a year that was so difficult for so many of us. The theatre I work at has been dark since March, the studios I teach in closed, so teaching expandance for you all has been my primary creative focus and outlet. You showing up to class has helped me continue to be ''dancer Rachel'', when it felt like 36 years of commitment to dance was all suddenly for naught, so thank you. It has also helped me remain connected to my body, to my practice, and to you, my community. Even though I didn't get to choreograph the planned 2020 spring season this year, or teach Danceypants, I've taught more expandance classes than in any of the other 15 years of expandance prior.  Now it's the holiday season, and even though this one is different than most, to say the least - one thing that stays important is connection. Connection with family and friends may be limited to Zoom calls for many of us, but connection within is always available, whenever we choose to take the time and listen. I hope you will continue to join me in class to connect within, move, stretch, create, release and restore, and connect with your #globalexpandancefamily!  This month I am offering two donation based classes, and one extended workshop in which the extra time will give us an opportunity to go even deeper. Put these three classes in your calendar now! And remember to register for each class, so I have an idea of how best to tailor the class for YOU! And donate, because that's just nice.  Friday December 11th 9:30am Pacific (5:30pm Ireland) Friday December 18th 9:30am Pacific (5:30pm Ireland) Both Friday classes this month are 1 hour and donation based ($5 - $25 suggested) Saturday December 26th  10am Pacific (6pm Ireland)  Saturday 26th workshop is 1.5 hours and is a sliding scale of $15-$25 - please pay in advance  * You must register for class to get the Zoom link. It takes 10 seconds - you'll just be asked to write in your name and e-mail address * *** No dance experience required *** You don't need much room to move, and you can come with body ''stuff'' / injuries / pregnant / tired etc. Everything is welcome. I have over a decade of facilitation experience and 20 years teaching dance under my belt.  Donations and payments to: Venmo / CashApp expandance or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/expandance Thank you  Friday classes are FREE for BIPOC and undocumented immigrants, regardless of what country you're currently in, and workshops are sliding scale. December 2020 Sign up now! REGISTER for Fri 11th REGISTER for Fri 18th REGISTER for Sat 26th

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