Biodanza: The Dance of Life + The Poetry of Human Encounter

Join us for an evening of movement, music, community, and heartfelt, intentional connection! Our “vivencia” (from the Spanish word “vivir,” meaning “to live”) will include a series of artfully guided dances and encounters designed to evoke core emotion and authentic expression. Together we will move, play, explore, and celebrate our collective aliveness. Come cast off the shackles of inhibition and swirl into the embrace of pure, unfiltered existence!

What is Biodanza?

The word “Biodanza” literally translates, from Spanish, to mean “The Dance of Life.” Founded in the 1960s by Chilean anthropologist and psychologist Rolando Toro, it is an elegant system of somatic and relational self-development that combines dance, music, archetypal gestures, and intentional connection to stimulate five lines of life force: vitality, sexuality, creativity, affectivity, and transcendence. It fosters reconnection with our vital instincts, our emotions, our bodies, and our in-the-flesh relationship with each other as dynamic, feeling human beings. Sometimes referred to as “The Poetry of Human Encounter,” it is truly a Masterclass in embodied Love!

About the facilitator:

Ashley King, M.S.Ed., Ed.M., LPC is a somatic psychotherapist who has worked with individuals, couples, families, and groups in private practice for the last 16 years. She is trained in the Hakomi Method (a method of mindful, somatic therapy) and AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy). In addition, she is a Circling facilitator (an interpersonal meditation practice), a sex and relationship coach, a meditation instructor, an intuitive energy healer and Reiki Master, a yoga teacher, and a Biodanza facilitator. Once hailed, “A catalytic invitation into vulnerability and connection,” Ashley is deeply passionate about the poetics of embodied relationship. You can find out more about her at her website: www.psychoalchemy.com

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Have you always wanted to learn actual dance choreography but felt too intimidated to walk into a dance studio?

This series was created for absolute beginners—no prior dance experience required.

This is a beginner-level modern dance class, building technique from the ground up. We’ll explore different ways of moving in & out of the floor through the lens of a simple warm-up phrase. Using our weight as inspiration and dropping the weight as an impetus for movement—how can we recycle this energy to spiral in and out of the floor? What is the right amount of energy / tone needed? How do we generate momentum? How do we control it?

We start standing with some spinal articulations and tai-chi inspired exercises, and then transition down to the floor--rolling, sliding, threading, spiraling, pushing—exploring different qualities of movement through the lens of a simple warm-up phrase.

We’ll spend time on all 4's connecting with our animal bodies, strengthening our upper bodies and firing up our centers. Moving in and out of the floor we explore off balances, riding waves of momentum, and visit some light inversions, using our weight as inspiration and dropping the weight as impetus for movement.

We'll have some technical exercises in center (plies, leg swings, big weight shifts, standing leg strengthening) building into a dynamic flow with expansive movement across the floor and jumps. The last 20-25 minutes of class will be dedicated to learning a choreography which we will build throughout the series.

This series is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of dancing but didn’t know where to start.
There’s no pressure to perform or “look good”—just a welcoming, no-judgment space filled with encouragement, exploration, and the joy of movement

Meet Your Teacher:

Tamar is a professional dancer, teacher, and movement lover originally from Lynchburg, Virginia. She has a BFA in Modern Dance Performance from University of the Arts, class of 2013. After graduating she performed with Kolben Dance Company and with various independent choreographers in Israel such as Ella Ben Aharon, Smadar Goshen, Shlomi Bitton, Shlomit Fundaminsky, Iris Erez, and Mami Shimazaki. She has been practicing & teaching the Gyrotonic Method for the last 10 years. She currently collaborates with Cardell Dance Theatre and teaches Modern Dance and Contact Improvisation in the Philadelphia area.

Tuesdays | Nov 11 – Dec 16 | 7:30–9:15 PM | Cocoon Philly

with Ashley King, M.S.Ed., Ed.M., LPC

If you’ve loved our open Biodanza workshops, this 6-week series is where the real transformation happens!

While drop-ins give you a taste of the practice, this closed series creates the consistency and safety needed to truly dive in. With the same group journeying together each week, trust deepens, movement becomes freer, and the emotional and relational growth expands with every session.

Join us for a six-week dive into the splendor of Biodanza — a progressive journey through music, movement, and connection. Commitment matters! The weekly structure allows us to deepen and grow together in vibrant, nurturing community.

Through guided movement and music, we’ll explore the power of Biodanza to (re)awaken emotion, recover instinct, promote self-expression, foster joy, invite intimacy, and cultivate affective human bonds. Whether you’re a seasoned mover or a curious beginner, this somatic journey promises a powerful experience that celebrates our shared aliveness. Come discover the magic of The Dance of Life!

What is Biodanza?

The word Biodanza literally translates to “The Dance of Life.” Founded in the 1960s by Chilean anthropologist and psychologist Rolando Toro, it’s a system of somatic and relational self-development that blends dance, music, archetypal gestures, and intentional connection to awaken five lines of life force: vitality, sexuality, creativity, affectivity, and transcendence.

This practice fosters reconnection with our instincts, emotions, and the body itself — as well as with one another through presence and movement. Sometimes called “The Poetry of Human Encounter,” Biodanza is truly a masterclass in embodied love.

Key Benefits

• Stress reduction & nervous system regulation

• Improved vitality & energy

• Greater emotional awareness

• Community & belonging

• Joy, connection, and freedom in movement
  
  

About the Facilitator

Ashley King, M.S.Ed., Ed.M., LPC is a somatic psychotherapist with over 16 years of experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups. Trained in the Hakomi Method and AEDP, she is also a Circling facilitator, sex and relationship coach, meditation instructor, intuitive energy healer, yoga teacher, and certified Biodanza facilitator. Once described as “a catalytic invitation into vulnerability and connection,” Ashley brings warmth, depth, and playfulness to every session.

Learn more at www.psychoalchemy.com.

JourneyDance is a guided, free-form movement practice that blends dance, imagery, and emotional expression. It’s not about choreography or performance - it’s about moving how your body wants to move. Through music and facilitation, participants are invited to shake off tension, awaken their senses, and explore emotion through embodied release and play.

In this special seasonal offering, Honeyed Descent, we’ll use JourneyDance to honor the natural cycles of letting go and renewal that come with autumn. As the veil thins and the year begins to turn inward, we’ll gather in a space to feel, release, and remember... moving through the ache of grief into the sweetness that lives beneath it.

Expect grounding, expressive movement, soulful music, and moments of shared reflection as we descend together into the tender underworld of the heart and rise again, renewed and alive.

No dance experience needed. Just a willingness to show up, move, and feel fully.

Meet your Facilitators:

Kaitlyn’s work lives in the intersection of spirituality, mycology, creativity, and the integration of Death in the sacred cycle of Life. The more she dives into each of these avenues the more she recognizes they are all languages describing the same phenomenon.

With the mycelial web as her greatest teacher and creation as her devotional practice, Kaitlyn weaves stories through visual art and immersive experience; embedding us into our ecosystems and sparking a remembrance of our interstitial and unique place in the expansive web of life.