Welcome to 5 Rhythms Dance Space with Jo Hardy

Practical Information

Welcome to this Dance / Movement space. The class runs each Monday (including Bank Holidays) from 7.30pm to 9.45 pm.To receive occasional news updates about the class you are welcome to add your email address to the email list when you pay for the class.

This is an open/ drop in class with a wide range of experience in the practice of 5 Rhythms dance. If you are new to the 5 Rhythms I would be grateful if you could come over to me by the sound desk during the warm-up to say hi, and also to meet me at the end so we can reflect on how you got on and I can try and answer any questions you might have. Also please read Practicalities and Considerations’ below before joining the class. If for any reason you need or want to leave the class earlier than 9.30 could you let Robert know (I will introduce him at the start of the class).

What are the 5 Rhythms?

The 5Rhythms comprise a simple movement practice designed to release the dancer that lives within all of us, no matter what its shape, size, age, limitations and experience. No special skills are required, just a courage and willingness to step onto the dance floor and move with who and how you are moment to moment. To find your dance is to find yourself, at your most fluid and creative. While the practice itself is the essence of simplicity, it has the capacity to catalyse deep healing and creative expression. It can teach us to listen to, trust and learn to follow the wisdom of the body

The primary teaching of this work is: ‘If you put the psyche in motion, it will heal itself’. The 5 Rhythms are flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness. They come together to create the Wave, a movement meditation practice. Rather than having steps to follow, each rhythm is a different energy field in which you find your own expression and choreography, thereby stretching your imagination as well as your body. Each rhythm is a teacher and you can expect to meet different and sometimes unknown aspects of yourself as your dance unfolds and your practice of the rhythms deepens over time.

The 5 Rhythms are a body of work developed by Gabrielle Roth over the last 40 years or so. They are a series of healing maps for the body, heart, mind, soul and spirit that provide a lifetime of self-discovery and a path to awakening.

What to Expect.

Between 7.30pm and 8.00 pm there will be music playing. This gives you time to arrive and warm up. Use this time for yourself, to stretch, move and let your day begin to drop away. We all use this time differently according to our need and our movement background. It's fine if you do not consider yourself a 'dancer', and if you do have a movement background just bring your own way of moving. The class size varies but usually is between 45 and 75 people.

At around 8.00pm I will begin guiding/following the class. This will be a mixture of teaching the 5 Rhythms, offering simple suggestions and following the energy of the group. The rhythms themselves are gateways to literally thousands of different movement landscapes. Like the body, they are alive and designed to catalyze your movement expression in the moment. You are different every time you walk in the room, so is the group and so is the teacher. Therefore, each class holds completely unique possibilities.

In each class there is always a wide range of experience in the 5 Rhythms work from first-timers to those who love the 5 Rhythms practice and have been dancing for many years. Each of us sometimes experiences a session as easy, comfortable, transformative or simply great fun and at other times the experience can be more challenging when we perhaps experience resistance, boredom, inertia or simply cant get out of our thoughts and into the dance. Sometimes emotions can open inside us through the dance. This is because putting the body into movement can open and release things we are holding in our bodies. It all changes - from minute to minute and week to week. Begin to practice staying open to how you feel, whatever it is, and letting yourself start to breath and move with how you are.

I know it can seem unnerving/exciting when you first begin coming. Despite how it looks, not everybody knows everybody - though as time goes by this practice does catalyse our ability to be open and honest with ourselves and one another. There's no rush for anything. Take your time, go with what works for you. We're all different and that's to be honoured and celebrated. If at any point any of my instructions/suggestions are really not right for you please respect your own guidance primarily. At the same time, if you have the space and curiosity, the invitation is to explore my suggestion and/or your response to my suggestion through the movement.

People may be experimenting with being loud, big, bold, timid, intimate, self-contained, dancing small and inwardly or big and expressively. It's fine to move away from or towards someone - give yourself permission to experiment in your own way and at your own pace. I invite you to practice giving respect to other people and their process and practice giving yourself the same.

Everybody has come for a first time! If you can, speak to someone (or two or three) at the end of the session, especially if you notice that you're feeling anything (shy, weird, exhilarated, etc). Ask questions and perhaps tell them a bit about how you are. You are also welcome to speak to me at the end of the class or email me if you wish to give me feedback on how you experienced the class.

Practicalities and Considerations

  • It is best to wear loose comfortable clothing with layers that you can take on and off as your body heats up and cools down.
  • Please wear dance/exercise shoes or have bare feet as wearing socks on the Civic Hall floor is slippery and can be dangerous.
  • Please be responsible for the well-being of your body. Be mindful and respectful of any injuries or physical and energy limitations you may have. Also, as you dance, please keep your eyes open enough to not bump into others.
  • Drink plenty of water both during and after the class. It is best if you bring your own water bottle to the class although water will be provided for those who forget.
  • It really helps me and the class if you don't chat in the dance space. If you need to speak with someone, you are welcome to do so out in the hallway / foyer.
  • Chewing gum can be dangerous whilst dancing. It's also a good idea to remove jewellery and watches, especially if they're sharp or may catch.
  • This is a no alcohol and no drug space in the interests of the intention of this particular space.
  • Anyone who has been drinking or taking drugs will be asked to leave the class.

Contacts and Links

Should you wish to contact me after the class my phone number is 01803 849199/ 07905 493956and email .

For information about this dance space and local events :