I embarked on a journey to experience the healing power of dance & rituals...
I am Lene, a social worker, a gipsy, a dancer. I do believe that movement and dance has the power to not only change individual lives, but as well to change whole the world. I’ve been an activist for years, using community art, working for the Young Green political party and squatting with anarchists. What bothered me was that we wanted to convince people to live differently in a rational way, with words and ideas. I realised that we can’t change western society as long we stay stuck in our head, in the thinking, forgetting that we have a body. I feel the big change will happen when we start to move, to feel and to listen to our heart and body & gather in a circle again. When we become more aware of ourselves, our bodies and our lives, we would feel that what we eat is not good for our bodies or the planet and might stop supporting the capitalists industries that took over our lives. We would wake up from the dream state we are in, get away from our screen, look around us and really SEE the world and the people around us. The fear-creating media machine would have less grip on us. Imagine all what could happen if we start to move…
This is my story....
After experiencing glandular fever and a burn-out I quitted my job by the Young Green Party. I embarked on a long journey without a goal or project. But soon my path seemed to be connection through dance and music. In Japan I received Butoh classes of master Katsura Kan. I stomped my feet firm into the earth and danced myself in trance during day-long rituals, during the 6 months that I became member of several Melanesian tribes. I expressed my anger, my fire, my power during Haka dance in New Zealand and Kecak dance in Bali. I realised I am love and light during Sufi Dances with master Shabda Kahn.
I experienced all this amazing dances and rituals, but the big ‘AHA’ came only when I found a fox tail. Wearing the foxtail unleashed my wild potential. My wildness and pure power seemed to be contagious… I started to facilitate “natural movement & animal instinct” sessions in the wild nature of New Zealand. There, dancing nights long like madmen around massive fire on drum beats, I saw how people released there demons. I realized that western people and society could find contact, grounding and healing through connecting again with the elements, dancing again around the fire and celebrating again the cycles of life. Suddenly I saw the path I danced. I realized that leading people into their body, into the dance, into their rhythm, into their wild and pure selves, is my GIFT.
So I went to Bali to become a ‘5Elements Dance Activation Facilitator’. I learned Malaika’s powerful dance therapy method that has his roots in Ayurveda & Shamanism. I integrated this deep dive into the elements and my body during Vipassana with Buddhist monks. During the ‘Complete Femininity’ course that was part of my Tantra training at Agama Yoga School, I discovered the Goddess within myself and learned to embrace my femininity. I went back home to learn about my own Celtic roots & rituals. Apparently not all wisdom was burned with the witches. I gratefully recieved teachings of the druids of Ahawa. Currently I am studying ‘Dance & Movement Therapy’ at AgapeBelgium.
Back in Belgium I didn’t want to ‘talk’ about my spiritual journey. I wanted my family, friends and community to EXPERIENCE it themselves. I wanted to create community through dance. I wanted to help women to feel their beauty and the power of their regenerative cycle. I wanted to rise the feminine heart-centered energy to bring the masculine-dominated western society in balance. And so Kula Dance was born....
Read more about the dance rituals I experienced in different cultures on my travel blog.