October workshop and a new show

 

October: the birthday month 

Hey friendlios!

October is "Birthday Month" in our household, (yep, we're ALL October babies!) ...and as such, October is a busy one. What with birthday planning, working on writing expandance curriculum and choreographing for a show at Cinnabar Theatre, I'm only teaching expandance *just once* this month, on zoom.

So if you're wanting some expandance, this is the class to come to 
It's 1.5 hours, so we can dance more, draw for longer, and delve deep into our restorative practice. MmmMmmMmm, AmIRight? #bliss 

Tuesday October 19th
10am-11:30am Pacific
(That's 1pm East Coast and 6pm Ireland / UK)

REGISTER HERE! 

~~~ Find or reconnect to your intuition
~~~ Have a bit of a boogie
~~~ Calm your nervous system

When you walk into an expandance class, you’re saying yes to an invitation to come home to yourself. This practice lives at the intersection of creative expression and somatic healing.

expandance is about spaciousness, permission, and connection.
expandance is a creative space.
It’s also a healing space.
… Which makes it a sacred space. But, don’t worry, we make sure not to take ourselves too seriously...

Because really, expandance is a playful space.

When you give yourself permission to come into this space, you get to welcome all the disparate parts of yourself home. You get to show up exactly as you are and be curious about what you’ll discover.

Let me know if you've any questions at all by simply replying to this e-mail; I'm happy to answer even the smallest questions. 


REGISTER HERE

And PAY HERE

expandance classes are FREE for BIPOC and undocumented immigrants, wherever you reside.

Hey, Sonoma County! Come see what I've been working on:

Dancing Lessons

by Mark St. Germain

Dates
October 15, 16 & 17, 2021
October 22, 23 & 24, 2021
October 29, 30 & 31, 2021
Special Streaming Video on Demand Oct 29-31, 2021

Director: John Browning
Stage Manager: Ross Tiffany Brown
Set Designer: Wayne Hovey
Costume Designer: Donnie Frank
Choreographer: Rachel Wynne

Cast
Jessica Headington as Senga Quinn
Trevor L. Hoffmann as Ever Montgomery

Entertaining and charming! We meet two highly offbeat characters, a Broadway dancer and a science professor coping with physical and emotional challenges as they forge an unexpected friendship in this heartfelt play. Filled with laughs and the intricacies of the human condition, we witness their journey of discovery and personal triumph as they come to realize that sometimes the most profound experiences can occur when least expected.

TICKETS HERE

 

SOLD OUT: A Moment of Self Care

Join us Monday January 28th 2019 

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.

"When I walked into the studio on Monday evening for ExpanDance, I didn't know quite what to expect, but I had a feeling I was going to experience something special. 

As the experience unfolded, I could feel the women in the room slowly open their hearts to the moment, the movement, and the music. Rachel's gentle and playful invitations to move with heart inspired deep surrender, and joyful expression. 

Following the vibrant dance exercises, Sarah guided us gently into a restorative yoga session - Within the first few breaths, I could feel myself relaxing deeply as Sarah played her unique array of instruments guiding us sweetly into a state of ease and bliss. It was so so lovely. We moved through three or four restorative asanas and each one was so delicious. 

The combination of dance, yoga and the sound healing was divine and I can't wait to gather with this group of women again next month."

- 

Lindsey Dyer, A Moment of Self Care, December 2018

No experience necessary. Mamas welcome! We are both mothers and have safely taught our classes to pregnant and post-partum / nursing mothers. 

South Sebastopol, California. Address upon registration.

This event has very limited space; please pre-register at rachel@expandance.com
$45 Payment reserves your space, and is non-refundable but transferable: if you cannot make it, you can give your space to someone else.

December Danceypants is next week!

A Moment of Self Care

Join me and Sarah Jenness for two blissful hours Monday November 19th.

Dance from within with guided expandance movement meditations from me, then enjoy restorative poses whilst being bathed in a sound bath led by Sarah. Sound luxurious? Sound like something you might need before the family arrives for Thanksgiving? Come re-set your nervous system and leave feeling refreshed and deeply relaxed. 

Space is very limited; please pre-register at rachel@expandance.com 

Next 3 classes, Sebastopol, CA

My greatest lessons from expandance have ultimately been about fearlessness. The meditative technique goes beyond other types of sitting or moving meditation I've practiced. That is, it accesses deep awareness, calm acceptance, and loving-kindness...and also manages to make me feel like a better communicator and more confident in general. This technique has allowed me to give myself permission to take risks...at work, at play, and in my relationships with other people.

- Erica Frankel, New York

First California expandance class, and "Album Dance"

We had a lovely class this morning at Dance Underground in Petaluma, California.

Today was a sampler class - I taught 30 minutes of ''Album Dance'' (a new class I'm starting up soon) and 30 minutes of expandance technique, before heading in to consult with a local theater company on some choreography for an upcoming show of theirs. 

First California expandance class!

And so, to Album Dance. You know, one way I've come to know lots of great music over the years is by hearing it in class, or stumbling across it while looking for something to dance / choreograph / teach to. Usually in a dance class you move to a playlist of carefully selected songs compiled by your teacher, and I often hear a song and think "That's a great track, I wonder what the rest of the album is like". So I thought it might be a fun idea to teach a series of dance classes to entire albums, so if there's an album you have been meaning to hear / get into / or just love, let me know, Sonoma! 

Coming to a town near you, Spring 2016! Watch this space :-)

Dance for musical improvisers

Are you on a musical improv team? Yay!

Are you a fabulous singer and an incredible improvisor … who secretly quakes at the thought of dancing on stage? Do you find yourself rooted to the spot for your spot songs and shutting down on your opening numbers? Did you see "Blank - The Musical" and think "I could do that… if only I could dance like that!"

Do you feel like a dunce dancer?

All is not lost my friend. 

It's going to be ok. 

I've been improvising movement on stage since the age of 12, and I'd like to share with you some of what I've learnt from studying improv, dance improv, choreography and direction in the 20 years since. 

Things like:

* Interpretation of musical style - what gift did your pianist just give you, that you can turn into movement?  

* How to bring details from your scene into your choreography

* Back line choreography

* Movement inspired by your location / the driving emotion of the scene etc

* Spot song / duet / trio choreography and spacial relationships

* Motifs - call back your moves!

* How to listen to your team mates on a whole new level - with your BODY! 

* Creating dynamic stage pictures

Stage picture, you guys. 

… AND how to do all this without having to think about it!

Let me help you elevate your musical improv.

Book a rehearsal with me today: rachel@expandance.com 

*** Currently I'm in NYC. I'm happy to travel to give workshops too - let's talk! ***

expandance is coming to Canada!

Good news, everyone!

After Ireland, India, New York, and Costa Rica, 

expandance is coming to Canada for the first time 

1 day workshop in Vancouver, B.C.

Saturday August 2nd 2014

10am - 4.30pm
Location: Centro Flamenco, 102 - 2083 Alma St., Vancouver, British Columbia

Early bird special - before July 27th: $100

Thereafter $125

Book here now! 

"When I first began performing improv, stories and character pieces, I had a tendency to overthink things. Studying the expandance technique with Rachel helped me become a more grounded, confident performer. Years later, I still use many of the techniques I learned from Rachel to prepare myself before a performance."

- Sarah Rainone

"There are so many things to recommend about Rachel's course it's hard to know where to begin. First of all, she helped me remember that I have a body as well as a mind. Like a lot of people I suppose, I find myself locked inside my head far too much for my own comfort. expandance teaches you how to feel and experience your body in a way that's both profound but totally joyful and light. I loved the way that expandance incorporates play and gives you permission to let your inner freak out. Since doing the course my days feel that bit more spacious and my body feels my own again. Rachel is a wonderful teacher: encouraging, empathic and great at intuiting where your head's at. Before expandance, I couldn't ever imagine myself running around a stage like a little kid in front of others. But one of the real joys of the program is that it teaches you that it's not only okay to give

yourself permission to open up in this way, it's also really, really good for you.

 "You don't have to be a dancer to do this. All it takes is a willingness to test your boundaries and to put your faith in others, but most of all in yourself. The rewards are enormous." 

- Paul Willis, NYC,

2014

Get into the expandance technique; watch your life change.

My greatest lessons from expandance have ultimately been about fearlessness. The meditative technique goes beyond other types of sitting or moving meditation I've practiced. That is, it accesses deep awareness, calm acceptance, and loving-kindness...and also manages to make me feel like a better communicator and more confident in general. This technique has allowed me to give myself permission to take risks...at work, at play, and in my relationships with other people.

- Erica Frankel, New York

Working and performing with Rachel Wynne and expandance was an experience that has informed my professional dancing career in ways that I still am discovering. The centering and mindfulness exercises she incorporates into her process have not only become part of my daily warm up routine but also manifest in my daily life in a beautifully subtle way. As a director and choreographer, Rachel has a collaborative and wonderfully open minded and creative approach, trusting in the expandance process to lead us to our movement solutions and vision. As a healing modality, I feel that the expandance technique is wonderful for anyone looking to gain more awareness of their body, move through mental or emotional blocks that may have manifested physically in the body (for example as injuries or chronic conditions) and as a meditation practice. I highly recommend bringing her to your company or studio!  

- Hunt Parr, Dance Artist / Yoga Teacher, New York & Alaska

Dancing with expandance taught me how to listen when I improvise, and thereby connect with my center - the creative, intuitive god-self - through movement. With the help of Rachel’s expandance technique training, I experience deeper, less cerebral impulses and I create dance in the moment that is spontaneous, free and connected. expandance has helped me to take meditation from just formal cushion practice, to the art of movement.

- Matt Cichon, Yoga Teacher / Dancer, New York & Japan

TO BOOK A SESSION or WORKSHOP for your group in New York e-mail rachel@expandance.com or visit this page for more info.