Joyful Dance Laura Stanyer

Joyful Dance Laura Stanyer

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Dance into Joy

"Dance is such a profound thing. You take up space when you dance. You're in your body. You're alive. Dance is dangerous, joyous, sexual, holy, disruptive, and contagious and it breaks the rules. It can happen anywhere, at anytime, with anyone and everyone, and it's free.” Eve Ensler.


Dance is my passion and prayer; dance releases me into flow connecting to the joy of life. Moving rhythmically connects us to our vitality that we can dance into the innate joy of life; dance is a natural instinctive gift when we surrender to rhythmical movement we connect to our body’s inner wisdom and to healing and joy.

Our society and modern day living can disconnect us from our inner wisdom and our innate joy. Joy is our natural state of being, it may seem unexpected but when we face life challenges we still can experience joy. Our emotions are dynamic and transient, therefore we can choose to just focus on negative experiences or we can experience joy and negativity at the same time. Joy is an innate gift that resides within us all and we can connect to our joy at any time. Connecting to joy when encountering life challenges may bring miraculous insights that allow us to flow through the pain into healing and growth; joy can soothe us through our life challenges.

We can reconnect to the joy that resides inside our heart at any time. Scientific research shows the heart plays an essential role in our mental, emotional and physical well being; we have a thinking heart that releases its own balancing and regulating hormones. In the human body the heart is the strongest generator of electromagnetic fields that transmits information throughout the body and outside of the body. Research shows that positive emotions like joy create physiological benefits in your body and mind. There are wonderful healing benefits to releasing yourself from mind and ego, dance allows us delve into deep joy that resides within our hearts and joyful energy vibrates through us and out of us.

Dance connects us to Joy


Dance is a wonderful way to connect to our innate joy as dance lets us to move into and through deep emotions gaining new insights into our experiences. Emotions are not tangible they are energetic; energy in motion, it is not possible to truly connect with our deep emotions through rational thinking. Dance moves us beyond ourselves and connects us to our deep hidden emotions, it allows us to express ourselves in ways thinking does not, and dance enhances physical and mental well being and promotes emotional and spiritual well being.

There are many known health benefits to dancing including:-


  • Reduces stress and depression and promotes healthy sleep
  • Improves posture and muscle tone
  • Increases energy, vitality, serotonin and endorphins feel good hormones
  • Improves flexibility, strength, balance and endurance
  • Strengthen bones and boosts cardiovascular health
  • Increases mental capacity and improves mental health
  • Raises self esteem and enhances confidence
  • Creates powerful social and emotional bonds and generates the good feelings that come from lovingly connecting with other people


    Express Yourself and Passionately Dance

    There are many forms of dance, from Latin, to street and lindy hop to contemporary dance. Dance is integral aspect of human culture, rituals and celebrations; dance remains an integral aspect to our well being, there is no need to learn a specific dance style, our bodies have an inner wisdom and love to move and our bodies are constantly in motion; internal rhythms pulsate through us continuously.

    No matter what age, shape or size or fitness level, you can gain the benefits of dancing; you can move in your own home, play joyful upbeat music, and feel free to have fun, be silly and let inner rhythms move through you. When no one is watching you can let go of your inhibitions, have the courage to freely express yourself and rhythmically move.

    Dress up and dance, be playful and dance, sing, shout and dance because when we start to gently move, twist, stretch and shake; our bodies vibrate and breathe, resonate and release, realign and find balance, heal and begin to flow with life. Our minds become clearer and we reconnect to the earth, nature, the divine and the universe when we freely express ourselves.

    Dance connects us to joy it begins with rhythm, dance allows me to get out of my own way. As I dance I feel energy move through my centre, tremble down to the sloes of my feet, rise up into rotations of my hips, pulsate into the beating of my heart, expand in my lungs with each new breath, tingle to the tips of my fingers, I vibrate into the vitality of life. I move beyond myself and connect to the divine joy of life.

    Connecting to our innate joy through rhythmical movement gives us access to our inner wisdom and boosts our immune system, improve our mental health and lift our spirits. It is essential we let ourselves experience joy in motion. Dancing can help you to transform feelings, help you to overcome emotional blocks and move forward, grow in life and to affirm how wonderful it is to be truly present in the moment.

    Moving rhythmically eases muscular tension, reduces anxiety and increases energy. Moving spontaneously and sensually allows us to trust our inner wisdom and connects us to the divine. Expressing ourselves creatively through dance opens up new ways of thinking, being and moving beyond ourselves it is a work out for our soul.

    Dancing freely, expressively and passionately allows us to heal our body, emotions, mind and spirit. Dance, wherever you may be, do not pass up an opportunity to dance into joy.


    “Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great dancers because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” Martha Graham.

    Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Laurastanyer and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.

    Saturday 22 February 2014

    Out of the Silence


    “Movement reaches our deepest nature, and dance creatively expresses it. Through dance, we can gain new insights into the mystery of our inner lives.  Dance has the profound power to heal the body, psyche and soul.” Anna Halprin

    It is easy to be overwhelmed by our past traumas. The pressures of daily life do not seem to give the time or the space to allow for healing and recovery of past traumas. Health; balance and well being begins with connecting to our innate body’s inner wisdom.

    In stressful situations I have often forgotten to trust my intuition and become overwhelmed by worry.  For me dance brings me to a place of healing, when I connect to my common sense and start to trust my intuition and reconnect to the power of dance, I have stopped being overwhelmed, I find it easier to make decisions and it gives me greater sense of well being and joy.

    In my life experience all challenges, pain and suffering are powerful doorways to transform my life for the better.  My healing journey keeps revealing the wisdom of the body, through motion and dance has the natural power to heal all wounds and discover new insights.

    The body has its own inner wisdom that is within us all, we must trust our own physical instincts to guide us to find balance and well being.


    Through moving our body in rhythm and joy we connect to our vitality and when we connect to the felt sense we release physical tension and awaken and heal deeply hidden emotions. Connecting to the wisdom of our sensual selves we can unite and express our creativity and dance into the innate joy of life.

    Body’s Inner Wisdom
    Our body’s inner wisdom; our gut feeling, an inner knowing, the gentle sensation that expresses our inner truth, is our body calling to us and it is devoted to our well being. Our body’s wisdom is a fundamental part of us that guides us through life if we listen.  The gentle nudges of sensation; locked jaw, tight shoulders, stomach ache may be your body’s signals to gain your attention that all is not well to keep us safe.

    My stomach expressed my distress in physical symptoms when doctors could not find anything wrong. My body was shouting all was not well and was demanding me to ‘pay attention', not a physical problem but an emotional one and my body had enough. I gradually started to listen to my inner signals again, slowly taking tiny steps in the right direction reconnecting to my inner wisdom.

    Just because we cannot explain these feelings, doesn’t mean that we should ignore them according to scientific research, our instincts and body’s wisdom are more reliable in decision making, than our conscious brain. It can be a physical sensation, as sense, a knowing but it can be easy to dismiss and ignored due to the stress of every day life. Finding the courage to listen to these inner signals are essential for our healing, health and well being.

    When I have been disconnected from my body’s wisdom I have been in a continual state of anxiety and worry.  I would take on too much; I would not trust my ability to say no.  I found it difficult to trust my feelings and filled my time being very busy to avoid my feelings and the reality of the situation.

    Once I started to reawaken to my intuition and body’s wisdom I began to find answers to all kinds of challenges in everyday life, my mind, heart and energy received intuitive information that lovingly guides me.

    It is important to trust the power of love and your body’s inner wisdom when you encounter life challenges, Life gives us difficult times and they happen to all of us, it is important to find the courage to look deep within and find the blessings from difficult life experiences. When we experience life challenges it is vital to connect to your heart, your inner wisdom and the power of dance is an innate and joyful approach to explore healing and growth.

    Dance is the most natural form of human expression and an innate form of healing. With courage and common sense my intuition passionately continues to guide me in my dance practice, performance and healing work. I feel dance is our connection to divine spirit, the loving energy of the universe and it and allows us to connect to joyfully experience life.


    "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Albert Einstein

    Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Laurastanyer and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.