- Moving Resonance – 5 Rhythms : Introduction – Kundalini Dance Meditation – Ecstatic Breath -

- Sufi Dance Meditation – 5 Rhythms : Wave – Oneness Flow : Butoh – Laughter Yoga -

So come with us on an exploration of the body in movement, and find diverse and unusual ways of accessing your inner wisdom, opening your hearts and connecting with spirit.

8 classes, 4 teachers, 2 days, ONE unique event!

Day 1 – Saturday 2 June 2012

2:00 p.m. Opening

2:15 p.m. Moving Resonance (Syv)

3:15 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. 5 Rhythms – Introduction (Francesca)

4:15 p.m. Break

4:30 p.m. Kundalini Dance Meditation (Amber)

5:30 p.m. Break

5:45 p.m. Ecstatic Breath (Martha)

6:30 p.m. End of Day 1

Day 2 – Sunday 3 June 2012

9:30 a.m. Sufi Dance Meditation (Amber)

10:30 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. 5 Rhythms – Waves (Francesca)

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. Oneness Flow – Butoh (Syv)

2:30 p.m. Break

2:45 p.m. Laughter Yoga (Martha)

3:15 p.m. Closing Ceremony

3:30 p.m. End

Venue: Emily Hill, Studio 2, 11 Upper Wilkie Road, off Sophia Rd, Singapore 228120 (Near Little India / Dhoby Ghaut MRT)

Food: Do bring your own snacks for Day 1 and lunch for Day 2. Only light snacks will be provided.

Fee:$100 per day or $175 for both days

For enquiries, please email dance@eroscoaching.com.

ABOUT THE SESSIONS – In order of sequence

Moving Resonance (Syv)

Based on the sound technique called Continuum coupled with movements, this meditative method is a very easy yet powerful tool to increase mobility and bring physical or emotional healing. Using vocal sounds, vibrations are sent throughout your body and resonate at different levels. By using sounds with the breath and movements, you help the body to be more relaxed and flexible, to expand and to release physical tensions. Your mind becomes more focused and you can let go of mental stress and blockages. Moving Resonance helps you re-connect with the joy of moving and get a spacious sense of well-being.

Kundalini Dance Meditation (Amber)

Kundalini Dance Meditation is an active meditation technique developed by Osho that incorporates movement as a tool of awareness. The meditation has four stages, supported by acoustic music, including shaking, free dancing, stillness and silence. This technique is a unique combination of movement and stillness that allows release, energy flow, witnessing and conscious relaxation.

5 Rhythms Dance (Francesca)

5 Rhythms is a simple yet powerful movement practice that is open to everyone. There are no steps to learn, instead the aim is to find the dancer that lives in every body. If you can breathe then you can dance! Created by Gabrielle Roth, 5 Rhythms is a form of moving meditation that takes you through five rhythmic patterns or movement gateways, and has the power to catalyse healing on a deep level. Inspired by great music, from big beats to laid-back grooves, it can also be uplifting, exhilarating and great fun. The first session will provide an introduction to the practice, and the second an opportunity to drop deeper into the Wave as we move through Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness.

Ecstatic Breath (Martha)

Rapid-fire multitasking and work stress can cause your breathing to become shallow, bringing less oxygen to your brain, increased blood pressure, and a hyped-up nervous system. To center yourself on the intimate moment at hand and invigorate your mind, you just need to breathe. Taking conscious breathing breaks is one of the easiest things you can do to shift your experience and make it more fulfilling. Learn how you can live in ecstatic bliss every day, feeling more positive, supported by life, and enjoying each breath you take.

Sufi Dance Meditation (Amber)

Following in the heart tradition of the Sufis, this one-hour meditation technique utilises dance to bring awareness to our centre, finding stillness amongst centripetal movements. Uplifting music by Shastro accompanies the technique as we journey through repetitive dance that bring us closer and closer to our innermost self.

Oneness Flow – Butoh (Syv)

Both a healing and creative process, Oneness Flow is a personal journey through the rhythm of your body and the Universe. It is a great way to connect with yourself, with others and with the surroundings as a oneness flow through your own and unique dance. By letting go of your ego and daily consciousness, your body can find a new freedom in expression and in the way you perceive yourself. Oneness Flow takes you to a place where everything is possible again, where your body is not bound by any form nor judgment anymore, but is moved by your own memories, feelings and stories, where you can reach and express your emotions. So come and awaken your full body potential!

Laughter Yoga (Martha)

Suitable for people who are new to or curious about laughter yoga, this will be an easy and gentle introduction into the laughter yoga practice. Laughter is a great catalyst to get to know people, relax and have fun. Laughter comes easily and effortlessly through various playful exercises. There is little speaking throughout the workshop except in gibberish, just come along and enjoy!

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Syv Bruzeau went to Japan after university to explore Asia and its culture and never left this part of the world. After having opened and run a few vegetarian restaurants, her passion for providing joy and bonding people through food led her to healing techniques and movement therapy. She was trained by Japanese Butoh master Lee Rhizome and learned as well from Eiko and Koma, Katsura Kan, Natsu Nakajima and Tetsuro Fukuhara in New York City and Japan. She also studied Continuum, Feldenkrais Method and Physical Theater and incorporates those learning in her classes. Syv believes that movement can be a part of self-healing, self-discovery and creation. She wants to help people reconnect with their bodies, discover the infinite possibilities of movement and the freedom and joy it brings.

Amber Sawyer, PhD brings a unique perspective on healing and self-discovery through the combinatorial influence of scientific and ancient wisdoms. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, as well as is a Certified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, Certified Yoga Instructor, Yoga-Dance and Meditation Facilitator. She currently runs a home-based community centre, Satsanga, offering weekly active meditations, yoga, Ayurveda, kirtans and holistic retreats. Amber’s ‘research’ of the Inner Self continually leads her to the heart where she finds compassion and motivation for providing tools, techniques and a loving space for others to discover their own authentic nature. For more, www.singasatsanga.com

Francesca Mitchell began dancing 5 Rhythms in 1996, and after participating in many classes, workshops and intensive courses in Europe and the US, trained to teach in 2000-2001 with Gabrielle Roth and the Moving Center in the US. She taught in London and Brighton (UK) for several years before moving to Singapore, where she holds a weekly class at Substation. Her personal experience of the 5 Rhythms movement maps has shown her the power the work can offer for transforming ‘our suffering into art and our art into awareness’, and she is passionate about sharing that with others. For more info, visit www.danceyourselffree.com.sg or www.gabrielleroth.com

Martha Lee, D.H.S., is a Clinical Sexologist who conducts sexuality and intimacy coaching, runs sexuality education workshops, and speaks at public education events. She is a certified Laughter Yoga Leader. Her work includes reconnecting and becoming more comfortable with one’s body. Often cited in the local media, Dr. Lee was recognised as one of the ‘Top 50 Inspiring Women Under 40′ by Her World in July 2010, and one of the ‘Top 100 Inspiring Women’ by CozyCot in March 2011. For more, visit www.eroscoaching.com.

Venue: Emily Hill, Studio 2, 11 Upper Wilkie Road, off Sophia Rd, Singapore 228120 (Near Little India / Dhoby Ghaut MRT)

Food: Do bring your own snacks for Day 1 and lunch for Day 2. Only light snacks will be provided.

Fee:$100 per day or $175 for both days

Payment to be made before each workshop via bank transfer or paypal.

For enquiries, please email dance@eroscoaching.com.

Attend our Conscious Connecting workshop which is part of our Whose Your Daddy lineup in June with your partner, and learn lots in a safe and conducive space. Details can be found here!

Original Background score composed by Kiran Thakrar
http://www.kiranthakrar.com

Screen Academy Wales, Best UK Short Film – Iris Film Festival 2009
Jury Award, Best Short Film – Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2009

‘Diana’ takes place the day after the Princess of Wales’ death and follows Mohit, an Indian pre-op transsexual on an emotional journey set against the backdrop of a day that shocked a nation and will change her life forever.

Rejected by her family in India and working as a prostitute in London to pay for her hormone therapy, Mohit’s past continues to scar her life and she strongly relates to the isolation and loneliness suffered by the Princess. It is this connection that binds Mohit so closely to this iconic figure and ultimately acts as a catalyst in helping Mohit set herself free.

PLANE CRASH

We called it The Plane Crash

because it was sudden,

and unexpected

and a lot of blood came out

in the process.

We called it Plane Crash

because menstruation was hard to pronounce,

in P6, it still felt wrong to talk about down there

outside the school toilets we wondered whose

planes had crashed,

and if it had hurt

thanking our collective gods

that you couldn’t notice leaks

on our navy blue skirts,

My best friend Kim got it first.

The January of our PSLE year

We always knew she was the most mature

Mine didn’t come until December.

So my Primary Six involved a lot of

her patting my head saying

“oh, don’t worry, it will happen to you,”

and a lot of flipping through the health education books

to make sure of the I had not missed puberty yet.

Ten years later me and my five best friends

from primary school

reunite over vodka redbulls

some bar by the Singapore River

comparing I-phones,  entry-level positions,

and boyfriends, we don’t need code-words

and no one giggles when they talk about

what types of condoms they use, what their parents said when they found out,

the best places they had it, the ultimate kiss, how it felt the time you finally said yes.

They notice I’ve been quiet,

I haven’t mentioned my stead

Kim puts her arm around me, says,

“aw don’t worry one day it will happen to you,”

By which she means,

One day you’ll get a serious boyfriend

And he will fuck you

And you’ll know what it means to be grown up and 22.

And I feel about 12 again. Wondering if my plane would ever crashland.

I guess I missed the memo that 22 in the 21^st century was too old to have your hymen intact.

No wonder that guy after the party asked, you’re not a virgin are you?

When I said I said No Sex and No blow jobs.  But um…thanks for letting me sleep in your bed.

No wonder I felt I had to lie and say, of course not. I just don’t like sex.

And I thought life would be simple after it finally happened to me

After I got it over and done with at 24.

But after I Lost it, everything just got more complex.

First Shane wouldn’t kiss me coz he thought I was too experienced.

Then Matthew thought I was wild coz I’d been naked with his roommate.

And Pat thought I was freaky coz I’d told him about the threesome.

And Jason thought I was conservative coz I didn’t sleep around as much as him

And that made things weird coz we were in some kind of polyamorous relationship.

And just when I thought I’d never hear it again, he said,

Are you a virgin or something?

Its just…not…going…in.

You know this other girl I was with, hers was so big you could fit two in.

And I said,

I’m sorry I only lost it three months ago

I’m sorry I didn’t know not to use my teeth

I’m sorry I didn’t make you come

I’m sorry I only know how to come on my own

I’m sorry I don’t swallow

I’m sorry I don’t really enjoy penetration yet

I’m sorry we really have to stop my foot is just really cramping up in this…position

I’m sorry I can’t do it with my roommate in the same room even if it turns you on…

I’m sorry I haven’t learnt…

I’m sorry I have so little experience

I’m sorry—

No, fuck it I’m not sorry.

Because I thought I was supposed to enjoy this at least a little bit.

It just feels like my hymen is tearing all over again. What?

I am not too small you’re just unnecessarily big.

You may as well start to deal with it.

Because I’m not twelve any more.

I don’t need anyone to pat my head

tell me I did well, that I’ve grown up

that I’ve got it.

Because that movie 40 year old virgin was a comedy

And a lousy one at that

I’m not sorry I’m learning about sex at 24

Because there is no timeline to follow.

This is not a plane crash but a streamlined vessel

Yes, with wings.

Its not something that just happened to me

I decided on all of this.

Because I can decide where it goes, what it does

when it does and how

and no matter what

make sure it gets me high.

This is not a plane crash

But a streamlined vessel I happen to have

But a streamlined vessel that is very pretty

But says very little about who I really am.

This is not a plane crash

But a streamlined vessel I will carefully pilot

and treasure and care for under all circumstances.

Which is mine and all mine.

Whose passengers will line up and behave,

understand what a privilege it is to ride.

and bloody well treat with the utmost respect.

Published with permission by the poet Stephanie Chan.  She read this poem at the Opening Reception of Portraits of Defacement at Your Mother Gallery 91A Hindoo Road, Singapore. Organised by SlutWalk Singapore and Eros Coaching. Portraits of Dfacement runs till May 12. You can request for a private viewing by contacting Vanessa at +65 91254467.

This one goes out to all the girls who like to wear mustaches

by Stephanie Chan

This one goes out to all the girls who like to wear mustaches

Long long before the hipster bible said it was ok to

This one goes out to the girls who still like to pull ugly faces in pictures

Who still wear heart shaped stickers on their faces

Who think that Harry and Draco should have just got married in the last book.

And had babies together.

And the ones who think that men with kids are more fun to sleep with.

This one goes out to the girls who don’t do cuddling, the ones who don’t kiss

And the ones who only want to.

The ones who ask their one night stands

To go home before the sun is up, because hey, lets be honest

here, we’re strangers in the end and cuddling can be so annoying

sometimes, you know when one arm goes to sleep and you don’t

know what to do with the other arm then you find you even can’t move

coz he’s fallen asleep on it and you’re wide awake and then….

This is for the ones who value the use of their arms at 6 in the morning.

The ones who burp out loud and all aggressive-like just to see what will happen

the ones who fall over constantly, the ones who laugh too loudly, the ones who can’t cook

the ones who couldn’t cook till the day they decided they were sick of chips

and now can pre-empt Heston  Blumenthal’s every move.

This is for the ones without a one special person

In their lives, just two she’s in ‘complicated’

with, four she’s sleeping with on the side,

three of whom she still kinda fancies,

and that one extra special vibrator.

this one’s for the girl who finds that lightning will not strike if she finds herself

kissing both the girl and the boy goodbye at the bus stop

the morning after the night before.

This one’s for the girl who finds out that not only does lightning not strike

but she doesn’t even acquire any form of leprosy

when at 23 she tells her friends that yes, she still happens to be a virgin.

This one’s for the girls who used buy Cosmo magazine but now strictly

relegate it to toilet reading partly because its useful

whenever you run out of toilet paper.

This one’s for the girls who learnt right from wrong then went on to

write their own kinds of worship songs, who opened the rule book

but found it too long, so tore pages out of it to make paper mache

spaceships capable of flying into other dimensions.

This is for all of you who make up your own games

as you go along, who choose whom to kiss based on

their shoes or their hair, who have learnt to be that

little bit less afraid, who woke up and realised what

century they were in and thought, hell yeah,

who aren’t trying to be ladies, or lads

or Kate Middleton or Tyra Banks.

Who aren’t trying

Who are sometimes trying

Who are trying not to try.

Who just want to think.

Who just want to exist.

Who do exist.

Who do exist everywhere.

We are everywhere.

by Stephanie Chan

Published with permission by the poet Stephanie Chan.  She read this poem at the Opening Reception of Portraits of Defacement at Your Mother Gallery 91A Hindoo Road, Singapore. Organised by SlutWalk Singapore and Eros Coaching. Portraits of Dfacement runs till May 12. You can request for a private viewing by contacting Vanessa at +65 91254467.

Deej Juventin, the founder of Sex Coaching and Therapy in Brisbane, Australia, is available for sessions via Skype.

Although Deej works with people of all genders, sexualities and backgrounds, he is an expert in men’s work, supporting men to develop intimacy and relationship skills, to develop their ability to connect more with their bodies and access more pleasure, to develop more clarity around sexual identity, and to work through sexual issues or concerns, such as premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, erectile difficulty.

Deej is the President of the Somatic Sex Educators’ Association of Australasia. Besides working with individuals and couples, he offers professional trainings for people interested in working in the field.

Sessions are S$190 for individuals/ couples for a 60-minute skype session.

To schedule your first session, please email info@eroscoaching.com indicating three of your preferred dates and times for the skype session. (You may wish to note that Brisbane is two hours ahead of Singapore).