5 Rhythms is a simple, powerful movement practice, a dynamic movement meditation. The Rhythms are: Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness. They are danced in sequence in what is called 'The Wave'.
Gabrielle Roth formed the 5 Rhythms after many years of working with people in dance movement. She saw that often people were more comfortable in one or two rhythms and yet if we are able to move through all five we are able to change patterns in our dance that can also echo changes in our lives.
With its roots in Shamanic traditions, the 5Rhythms is an open form, it is not choreographed, instead we improvise our own dance within the structure of each of the Rhythms. In movement, we explore the fluidity of Flowing, the focus of Staccato, the release of Chaos, the light of Lyrical and the emptyness of Stillness.
We move through whatever arises in the dance, knowing that everything that moves through us in life will also be there in the dance - so we learn to stay in the dance, to allow everything to move through us truthfully and fluidly.
5 Rhythms is a practice that anyone can engage in – whatever your size, shape, age or level of fitness. No previous dance experience is required. All you need is willingness, curiosity, and a desire to move and be moved.
Trailer by Jamie Catto for forthcoming documentary on 5 Rhythms.
"I can remember saying to a dance teacher once that I wished I could dance like her, and she said "then dance like you". You're not going to think yourself into clairty...there comes that moment when you just go, "I'm out of here!"...then we realise that the way out is in, we've to to fall into these bones, "What's going on?" "Who am I?"...
Gabrielle Roth: "The whole point is Embodiment, if we look at where we are today, particularly in Western Culture, where body and spirt have been separated and we walk around thinking about everything like taking heads, theres a billion miles of unexplored wilderness between the feet and the head of any given person. When we put the psyche in motion it will heal itself..."
Gabrielle Roth: "The reason we get trapped in self-consciousness is because we're paying attention to that little chattering mind that's going 'oh i'm too fat' or 'I'm not good enough' or 'I don't have the right clothes on' or 'I don't know any steps', and we listen to that. What I like to do is to drown that voice out with the beat. By doing the 5 Rhythm practice we are not only working out the body but the soul...."
Gabrielle Roth: "And now we'll begin the Rhythms, starting with flowing. Rooted in your feet, round, receptive, take a deep breath and let your breath move your arms. Rising with the inhale, sinking with the exhale, into the centre of your being. No effort. Continuous motion, never stopping, fluid, feminine, following your flow. Each movement giving birth to the next. And surrender your head to this dance, breathing deeply, round shoulders..."
Gabrielle Roth: "What's going on inside you? Whatever it is put it into your dance and go where it takes you. Let your weight shift down into your feet, relax your knees, let your head go, flowing place, feel your earthyness, your sensuality, breathe. Allow one foot to move, shift your weight, explore the space around you..."
Gabrielle Roth: "Chaos, follow different body parts into a deep letting go, letting go of everything, your thoughts, feelings. Spontaneous eruptions. No effort. Whimsical impulses. Shaking it out. Unpredictable. No effort, letting go. Focus on the space between the limits. Let an impulse move all the way through you, lighten up and let go."
Michael Stone: "Welcome to another edition of 'Conversations', I have a very special guest today, Gabrielle Roth is someone that I have known for many years, and really thrilled to have her on the show. She is the founder and creator of the 5 Rhythms moving meditaion work that we'll talk about today, it's all around the world, and recording artist and very creative person that's put together all kinds of things that we'll talk about today..."
Michael Stone: "Good afternoon and welcome to conversations. As I was saying I have Gabrielle Roth on today, she is an internationally renonowned theatre and music director, philosopher, movement innovator and has spent most of her life, for the last 50 years exploring the ecstatic experience of dance music and theatre. With her band The Mirrors she has released 18 albums that have touched the hearts and moved the feet of millions of people around the planet. She is revered in Europe as the Rave Goddess...."
