Michelle Chant

Feel the rhythm of your soul

Chakradance is a dynamic, moving meditation that balances and harmonises the chakras. The seven major chakras are the energetic gateways through which body, mind and spirit come together literally embodying the Soul. Using spontaneous dance, creativity and your imagination, Chakradance leads to an awakening -- a discovery of your true self. On a deeper level, it is also about healing and balance. By surrendering to the music of each chakra, we dance from the inside out, and find ourselves awakeningn and healing ancient hurts, expressing long-blocked emotions, and opening ourselves up to higher levels of spiritual connection than we thought possible.

Michelle runs monthly workshops focusing on one chakra each month - bookings are essential.

The Dance of the Ancestors (Base Chakra) | 18 February 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra
The dance of the base chakra draws inspiration from tribal dancing, as found in the indigenous cultures of Africa, Australia and North America. These tribal dances were linked to the issues of the base, including our roots, survival and grounding. In this workshop, emphasised movements of the legs and feet connect us to the solid earth. Many envisage dancing around an ancient campfire, bringing the primitive tribal dance to life. In this wild and raw dance, our innate instinctual self is reclaimed.

The Dance of Sensuality (Sacral Chakra) | 18 March 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra

The dance of the sacral chakra can be inspired by the feminine dances found in the Middle East, South America and Hawaii. Dances from these regions celebrated many of the qualities associated with the sacral chakra, including feelings, emotions and sexuality. This sacral dance can be slow and sensual, or flirtatious and erotic, with fluid movements of the hips and lower belly. Throughout this dance you may transform into a gypsy, a belly dancer, an ancient goddess, as you surrender to the serpentine movements of the feminine.

The Dance of Power (Solar Plexus Chakra) | 15 April 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra

To dance the solar plexus chakra is to call on the warrior dances of ancient Greece, Morocco, Spain, Mexico and Brazil. These warrior dances were masculine, powerful, athletic and virile, as they rhythmically mimicked the art of the fight. In this workshop, we enter the dance with dramatic movements, strong, purposeful and clearly defined. As the energy builds, movements can become more complex, even frenzied. Through this dynamic movement, the solar energy ignites, and our inner warrior emerges.

The Dance of Love (Heart Chakra) | 20 May 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra
To dance the heart chakra is to move with joy and compassion, reflected in dances from ancient Spain, Egypt and China. Many of these dances used exaggerated arm movements to gently whirl into deep states of joyful harmony. Other dances of China symbolized balance, where mimetic movements expressed the union of heaven and earth. In this workshoo, we draw inspiration from these dances, and move the arms to feel uplifted, light and free. Inspired by the whirling of the ancient ones, we dance a soaring journey of love, compassion and joy.

The Dance of Expression (Throat Chakra) | 17 June 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra
The dance of the throat chakra can be inspired by many ancient dances, where the voice and dance were woven together. The Greek word 'XOPOC' (HOROS), referred to both dance and song, and is the origin of the word 'chorus'. In Ancient Egypt, performers often danced while reciting poetry, while in Hawaii, chant and dance were combined to communicate the story. In Tibetan culture, mystical rituals performed by monks would combine chanting and sound (gyaling horns, symbols and bells), with delicate movements of the body. In this workshop we weave sound and movement to intensify self expression and creativity.

The Dance of Intuition (Third Eye Chakra) | 15 July 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra
At the third eye chakra, we can lift up into ecstatic and altered states of consciousness through trance dance. This practice is still common throughout the world, and existed in many of the ancient cultures of South East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. There were numerous reasons, ritualistic and medicinal, for entering into trance. In this workshop, trance dance is used to open the third eye chakra. Each dancer drifts into his or her own visual universe � images, colours, insights � the third eye has no boundaries.

The Dance of the Soul (Crown Chakra) | 19 August 2011, 7.00-9.00 pm | Om Shanti College, Griffith Shops, Canberra
The dance of the crown chakra is a devotional dance. Cultures from every continent have embraced some form of religious or spiritual dancing. In ancient Shamanic practice, dance was used to commune with the Spirits, whilst in Ancient Egypt there were certain ritual dances that were crucial to the successful outcome of religious rites. The Tantric Buddhists of Nepal have an ancient dance tradition known as Charya Nritya, a Sanskrit term meaning 'dance as a spiritual discipline'. In this workshop we open the gateway to the soul through a meditative sacred dance.