“5Rhythms transcends dance—movement is the medicine, the meditation and the metaphor. Together we peel back layers, lay our masks down, and dance till we disappear.” 5Rhythms

Last Thursday I went to my first 5Rhythms meditative dance session with my friend Sarah and absolutely loved it. The two hours I spent dancing without caring what I looked like were incredibly liberating. Here are my top 5 reasons for trying 5Rhythms

1. Dance without caring what you look like

All I can say is, I’m glad my 5Rhythms experience was not caught on camera because I was really going for it — flailing my arms around in the chaos section, rolling about on the floor during the flowing part and generally, just not caring at all about how I looked. Other than in the comfort of your own home or whilst incredibly drunk, when else do you have the excuse to fully let loose without being judged?

2. Meditate without sitting still for ages

One of the reasons I’m writing a post about 5Rhythms is because, for me, the experience was incredibly meditative. Afterwards, I felt much calmer, my voice was softer, my whole body felt lighter … I felt like I’d been meditating in nature for two hours, but having loads of fun in the process.

“It is our intention to create a bridge between the momentum of meditation and the action of art — and it is our prayer that as we move, our ripples reach into the heart of the world.” 5Rhythms

3. Let go

I didn’t go to 5Rhythms for a particular purpose, other than pure curiosity, but if I did need to let go of anything, I couldn’t think of a better place to release stuff. At the end of the session, we all sat in a circle to discuss how we felt and a fair few people talked about how their experience allowed past problems to bubble to the surface.

When you sit in meditation, you can experience a similar thing. However, I get the impression that the combination of dance, music, connection with others and meditation combined, is probably a more powerful form of release.

4. Being at a rave in a Church Hall

I have never danced so hard outside of a party, night club, festival and I’ve never danced as if I was at rave in Church Hall with candles and fairy lights. This in  itself just made me happy. If you live in London, go to St Luke’s Church, just off Caledonian Road on Thursdays — you won’t be disappointed.

5. Make connections with people

I danced with a few people I’d never met before. However, during the lyrical/ stillness period towards the end, I found myself moving slowly on the floor and then without thinking, I started to dance with a guy to my left. There was nothing sexual or romantic here — if anything, it felt quite spiritual. It was certainly the first time I felt like I had made a connection with a complete stranger through dance alone which was pretty inspiring.

Rainbow Rhythms on the Peep Show

Finally, this post wouldn’t be complete without an excerpt from the Peep Show. If you’re from the UK, you might be familiar with the Rainbow Rhythms episode of the Peep Show.  If you’re not, I needn’t say any more, just watch the following short clip — it’s a parody of 5 Rhythms.

What are the 5Rhythms?

The 5 Rhythms are as follows: Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, Stillness. The following explanations were taken from the 5Rhythms website where you’ll find details of upcoming classes all over the world, the history of 5Rhythms and more.

5Rhythms music by Gabrielle Roth

More about 5Rhythms

“Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms® were continually inspired by her homebase in New York City where she founded The Moving Center® in 1977. With over 400 certified teachers worldwide offering cutting edge core instruction through an ongoing curriculum of classes, workshops, and trainings — the 5Rhythms has grown to a global community born to dance, sweat, change, and support.” 5Rhythms website, who we are

Image source: 5Rhythms website