Although Beauty and the Beast was first written in the mid 1700's, many believe it is an offshoot of the ancient Greek myth Psyche and Eros, which makes it over a thousand years old, and for those of you who danced with me this spring, you will recall that Psyche, like Beauty, was also sacrificed to a beast by her father. Themes of loss and sacrifice run throughout the storied landscape of our lives and world and offer us a way to be with the wholeness of this human experience.

For 6 classes we will explore the initiatory paths of both Beauty and the Beast, their individual journeys and the symbolism of their union. We will look into the wounded aspects of the masculine and feminine within the psyche/soul and tend to the tender and broken places within our own hearts. We will travel into this age-old story through the dance and beyond the overgrown paths that lead to the enchanted castle, below the surface of daily life. We will consider the role of instinct and intuition in our lives and the ways in which we may have suppressed those wilder aspects of our true nature. We will ask ourselves questions about love and passion and the unconscious longings that move us along the path of our human experience. Through the practice of movement, we will endeavor to listen to the wisdom that rises from our unconscious depths as we dance our way into the Beast's Castle and eventually into the territory of the awakening heart. 

Class 1~ The Fall

Class 2- The Beast

Class 3- Beauty

Class 4- The Castle

Class 5- The Return

Class 6 -The Transformation

Live Storytelling with Sylvia Linsteadt

One of the things I am most excited to share is that there will be a live telling of this tale, and offered by my beloved friend Sylvia Linsteadt. Sylvia will be telling the tale of Beauty and the Beast one week prior to the start of this series. This event will take place on Zoom, on a Saturday morning, PST. There will also be a recording available for those of you who are not able to attend the live session.