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. 

expandance membership UPDATE!

 

For those of you waiting on news of the expandance BETA membership - we are SO CLOSE to launching and I'm SO excited. If you've taken an expandance class, private session, workshop or retreat with me in the past and would love anytime access to an ever-expanding vault of expandance practices, this is the membership for you!

Come be a founding member of this membership for a monthly price of less than the price of one class, and you'll get:

• to have a say in shaping this membership
• to keep that monthly price for as long as you're a member - even when we open publicly at a higher price point
• to be involved in a fabulously supportive global community of like-minded people
• anytime access to transformative, healing, fun classes

I'm looking forward to sharing this with you! If you have yet to register your interest, please e-mail me at rachel@expandance.com and I'll put you on the Potential Founding Member list

expandance February workshop - nurturing the longest relationship we have

 

A good reminder...

Andrea came up to me after Danceypants the other day and reminded me of this: the longest relationship we will ever have in our whole lives, is the relationship with ourselves, and our own body.

And when you think about it like that, isn’t it worth looking at what we want? What we desire? How we want to be treated by us? How we want to love? How we want to talk to ourselves, what tone we use when talking to ourselves and our bodies.

We’ll be looking at a lot of this in this month’s workshop. Over two Tuesdays - February 7th & 14th - we’ll explore finding and reconnecting with those places inside of ourselves where we can unabashedly love. (Doesn't that sound awesome?!) Each session will include breath work, expandance movement meditations, artistic expression and integration through a restorative practice.

This is going to be a truly lovely series, great for anyone wanting to get in touch with themselves and their bodies, but especially great for you if:

💕 you tend to seek validation or love from others and want more tools to find them within

💕 you have struggled with self acceptance and want to wholeheartedly accept more of who you are, as you are now

💕 you’re ready to be kinder to yourself

"A re-treat that feels like a waterfall of nourishment." - Megan Marie, CA

TUESDAYS February 7th & 14th
11am - 12:30pm pacific time
(that's 7pm - 8:30pm for you Irish / UK peeps)
$60 for the whole thing
SIGN UP HERE!

If you sign up and then find that you can’t make one of the classes, a recording of the class will be provided to you ♥️

"Thank you, Rachel, for another wonderful class today. Your classes really help keep me going." - B

"Rachel is a brilliant instructor, her depth of knowledge is communicated with sincerity and ease. The Zoom sessions are hugely fulfilling." - Charles L, U.K.

*** limited number of spaces available ***

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

COMING SOON: expandance membership

 

People who are on my mailing list already know about this

COMING SOON

 

The first ever expandance membership!

This is a membership for people who have already taken an expandance class, retreat, workshop or private session in the past and would like to:

• have anytime-access to expandance classes and workshops online
• be FOUNDING MEMBERS in this 3 month BETA
• have a say in shaping the membership for future expandancers

I've had a positive and excited response to this so far; thank you! I'm working on it at the moment on the back end and hope to have the sign-up window open before the end of the year, so that we can start in January. If you are interested in being a founding member and haven't yet told me, please just e-mail rachel@expandance.com and let me know.

Membership will include:

* Access to an ever-growing vault of expandance practices, with a new class added each month
* One live Q&A with me per month, where you can ask me anything about the practice or give feedback about the membership
* A private FB group (different from this one) for you to build community with fellow expandancers around the world and brainstorm, with me, ways to build the membership in the ways that you'd like
* All for the price of one class / month 

 

"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

 

"I have worked with therapists on and off throughout my adulthood. I have always enjoyed dance and danced much of my adulthood for exercise, but more meaningfully as a fun, liberating, empowering and spiritual practice! Rachel's capacities and tools are among the most impactful and transformative I have ever experienced. In each of two 90 minute sessions, I felt and saw things that will carry me closer to the Me and Life I want. She has so much to offer!"

- A.H., Oregon

 

 

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November classes

 

Happy Samhain, friends! we're making soup, the veil is thin, come out to dance, you're welcome in

Hi Friend! Summary: 1. Danceypants is every Monday in November 2. expandance open class is on November 9th 3. Cancer community classes continue every Friday 4. There's a free thing at the bottom of this post Thank you to those of you who came to the Danceypants birthday class! We had great fun, and ended it with a game of ''keepy-uppy'' with balloons - which turned out to be quite the cardio workout, what with the added laughing and screaming in delight :P Reminder: There's no Danceypants this Monday, Halloween! 🎃🍂 Blessed Samhain and Dia de Los Meurtos 🧡🍂 Good news though: There's Danceypants in Sebastopol EVERY MONDAY IN NOVEMBER! Sign up here for all 4 weeks at once - even if you end up missing one, you still won't pay any more than if you paid for three at the door. And for my expandance people: Wednesday Nov 9th 9:30-11:00am pacific time on Zoom (That's 5:30pm - 7pm Irish time) ~~~ in the comfort of your own home ~~~ $30 An expandance class to ease our nervous systems, release stress, get back in touch with our boy wisdom and joy and unlock our creative juices. Give this gift to yourself (or a friend!) SIGN UP HERE As always, there's more info on the website Love, Rachel   NOVEMBER 2022 REGISTER for CLASS

So I couldn't have let my birthday month pass without giving you all a gift. Here it is: A 50 minute FREE expandance practice, recorded live just this morning as I was teaching for Providence. In this class we cover:   ✹ Breath work ✹ Moving from different temperatures in the body *** NEW EXERCISE *** ✹ Moving from hands and feet connection (a grounding exercise) ✹ Art ✹ A Dance for someone passed ✹ Restorative ✹ Closing Feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone interested in expandance who would like to try it out before coming to class. This particular class is a good one for anyone ''going through it'' right now. (And also even if you're not). Click here for the class. Reminder: If you are dealing with cancer at the moment, or are a survivor, or you are a caretaker of someone with cancer, we meet every Friday at 10am PST over Zoom to connect and do our expandance practice together. You do not have to be mobile for this class and can listen in from anywhere in the world. These classes are free to the cancer community. To sign up or for more information please e-mail our coordinator Sharon.doughty@stjoe.org

Danceypants in Sebastopol, California

Danceypants is back, baby!

This Monday and most Mondays.

At the Youth Annex

425 Morris St, Sebastopol, CA 95472

7:15pm - 8:15pm 

Come get your groove on in a welcoming, friendly space. As always, we keep all the big windows open, and there's a nice cross breeze :) Please sign up in advance* at expandance.com/classes

See you there!

* Please note: From September onward, payment at the door will be increased to $20. Online advance sales stay the same at $15. 

 

 

Hair! Classes! Private Sessions!

 

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Thank you... Thank you, all of you locals who came to see Hair the musical at 6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa, CA. We had a sold-out run, with extra performances added, and some great reviews.  (One even said "Rachel Wynne’s choreography is vigorous and uninhibited" which was rather nice of them!)  Check out my interview with Gay Sonoma here.  I truly enjoyed working with this fabulous cast, and our director Aja Gianola-Norris. Everyone worked so hard on this show and brought everything they had to the stage.  It became even more relevant and poignant as the musical went on, as Russia invaded Ukraine during our run, and Hair is a staunchly anti-war show.

March expandance classes: Open class: This Friday March 11th  11:30am - 1pm Pacific In Ireland that's 7:30pm - 9pm  REGISTER HERE Sliding scale $10 - $25  Pay here Free for BIPOC and undocumented immigrants ~~~ Open to all regardless of dance experience ~~~   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 Classes for the cancer community, through St. Joseph's Healthcare - Providence:   Friday mornings: March 11th, 18th, 25th 10am - 11am Pacific ​ Friday afternoon: March 25th 2:30pm - 3:30pm *** This class will focus on breathing, meditation and relaxation *** ​ St. Patrick's Day  Thursday March 17th 10am - 11am  To register for any of the classes for the cancer community, e-mail Sharon at Sharon.Doughty@stjoe.org and let her know you'd like to take my class As always, there's more info on the website. And if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me by responding to this e-mail.  expandance is a class for everyone - even if you've never danced before.   Private sessions I am opening up availability for a couple of private sessions per week. If you are wanting to go deeper with your own practice, move through something you've been stuck in, find greater bodily awareness or self-acceptance, get centered, get more in tune with your intuition, or just move your body in a safe and supportive space, a private expandance session is a great place to be.  A client of mine in Oregon shared this about our work together: "I have worked with therapists on and off throughout my adulthood. I have always enjoyed dance and danced much of my adulthood for exercise, but more meaningfully as a fun, liberating, empowering and spiritual practice! Rachel's capacities and tools are among the most impactful and transformative I have ever experienced. In each of two 90 minute sessions, I felt and saw things that will carry me closer to the Me and Life I want. She has so much to offer!" - A.H., OR Sessions can be 1 hour or 1.5 hours, and can be over zoom or in person in Sonoma County.  1 hour  $100 1.5 hours $150  E-mail me to book - before I even sent this e-mail out, someone nabbed the Thursday morning slot!  Note: Sessions canceled within 48 hours of session start time are charged in full.  See you soon! - Rachel