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Workshop: The Missing Link in Dance Training - Brain IntegrationThis workshop is designed for teachers, dancers and clinicians will all find this session illuminating as a new topic is brought into the dance community. It will enable participants to experience first hand the difference in simple movements, such as a parallel rise, both before and after an experience to enhance brain integration. The effects of stress, not just on the nature of self-talk, but on the “in the moment” movement abilities, will surprise and inform participants who may never look at sickling, hyperextended knees or neck tension the same way again!
This presentation will be an illuminating session that will surprise and inform participants who may never look at sickling, hyperextended knees or neck tension the same way again! The term “Brain Integration” refers to open pathways and active linkage between hemispheres across the corpus callosum/brain bridge. There are also pathways connecting the brain stem, cerebellum and limbic system (emotional brain) with the thinking pre-frontal cortex. Theory will be shared and noticing skills will be guided through easy activities. Our dominant eye, ear, hand, leg and brain hemisphere will be explored to understand how stress affects our unique brain profile, functioning and performance. A selection of integrative movements will be shared and experienced, including before and after for such basic skills as a parallel rise.Without integration across the corpus callosum a dancer is unable to achieve peak performance, including suffering through poor coordination, muscle tension leading to injuries, and inflexibility. “Un-integrated” dancers will also find core support elusive and suffer a host of typical dancer struggles without apparent reason as the active reflexes interfere with intended movement. Dancers will appear to never “remember” a correction that has been given numerous times, causing frustration and lowering of self-esteem in the dancer. After 15 years as a dance teacher, I began to question why some dancers had struggles and why others seemed to possess “talent” and ease. Curious, I began research, training and ultimately certification into the process to fully mature developmental movement patterns during a somatics based dance class, as the foundation for reaching full technical and artistic potential. This work assisted greatly but there were still blockages in many students, including myself. Now, after extensive training, profound personal shifts of mind-body and certification in Brain Gym and Rhythmic Movement Training and years applying in the studio, I believe I found the final missing piece I had been searching for and now I am eager to share with the dance community and see if we can make so many of the struggles and injuries of our students be no longer. |
Mariah Jane-Thies |
Mariah-Jane Thies has a long and varied background in music and dance, with a recent specialization and certification in Brain Gym and Rhythmic Movement Training (integrating the primitive and postural reflexes). She expertly pulls threads from all areas of her training to create her unique syllabus and teaching methodologies for “The Radiant Dancer”, focusing primarily on ballet and modern for ages 3-18.
Mariah-Jane’s teaching career spans 30 years, including 10 years as artistic director of her own dance studio in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She has trained dancers in ballet, modern, musical theatre and jazz. Mariah-Jane is a registered Royal Academy of Dance teacher, mentor and supervisor. She holds a dance teacher degree from Grant MacEwan College and is a certified (Williams) Evans Laban based Modern teacher. She is also a licensed Brain Gym consultant/instructor and a Rhythmic Movement Training consultant. She is a presenter and speaker at numerous international conferences including the Body-Mind Centering North American Conference, the Educational Kinesiology International Conference (2018 in Germany!), Healthy Dancer Canada Conference, Dance Science and Somatics Conference, CANASK International Conference and World Congress of Dance. Mariah-Jane is most excited about presenting twice at the upcoming IADMS conference in Helsinki, Finland including an extended version of her Brain Integration material from the Healthy Dancer Canada 10th Anniversary conference. Mariah-Jane is thrilled to return to education to complete her master’s degree with the culmination of a book entitled: “Missing the Point(e)?: How your use of feet affects all your dance technique.” She is excited to share this information via a blog, receive and incorporate feedback, and then move to a hard copy publication upon completion of her masters. |