‘When I first started free-movement dance with Hannah, it was for exercise purposes. I am a mum of 3 young children and just don’t seem to have a spare second for myself. I have recently gone back to work 3 days a week, after almost 3 yrs of being off. I walk to and from school 2 days a week but that is it. No other form of exercise. So I needed something to fit in with my busy life but that also motivated me. 

 We suffered a huge family tragedy in 2020 when my 2 yr old was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Everything stopped. Life as we knew it had been chewed up and spat out. 

This dance-programme was a way to help kick start a new chapter of healthier living for me -after a gruelling time looking after everyone else other than myself. 

In the very beginning of the programme, I felt shy and self-conscious. I danced and enjoyed it but felt nervous of being outside in a public space. As the weeks went on, I began to care less about this. I became more mindful of my natural surroundings - the colours, sounds, smells, the wonderful trees and wildlife I was dancing around were simply incredible. As the weeks went on I did not worry about the public (and even serenaded a dog-Walker) but became more enchanted by my surroundings. 

The nature, the attached and the music allowed me to feel. I cannot quite put into words how this programme has helped to heal the trauma I have experienced. It all allowed me work through what I was feeling and ‘dance it’. Some of the feelings I couldn’t label or explain- I just knew how they felt. I danced through them, with them and danced them out. It helped me regain more stability in my own being. I became energised and uplifted through the dancing and music. The more I danced, the more my soul engaged and the more I was able to regulate my emotions. 

Each week I felt less anxious and more ‘in the moment’- living more mindfully. I felt a deep joy in my core when I was dancing, the movement and the positivity cascaded over me in waves. Since my son’s diagnosis and throughout his treatment I have suppressed various emotions and stress. This programme has given me the opportunity to  acknowledge and process my feelings. It allowed me to express these feelings and dance them. Acknowledge them and dance them out. Shake them away. Or flow into them. Without knowing it, dance has enabled my to get fit but more importantly focus on myself as a whole and begin a journey of healing of the deepest kind. 

 Before I began (and really only a short time ago) I felt overwhelmed with life, in a ‘black hole’ that no-one else really knew or understood. Now I feel differently. The group has been like therapy for me. I feel connected to the other ladies in the group too. I felt safe to talk and express myself. To just ‘be’. To hear the music and, as Hannah always said, ‘dance you’ - this was a powerful phrase. 

 I looked forward to each session- not only for the music and dance but the others in the group. I feel a huge connection to them all. Having like-minded people that were open and shared their experiences too was just magical. It was inclusive and we all felt so supported. I have started to bring dance into my everyday- with my children, on my own. In the kitchen, in the garden. It makes me feel good. I feel in better health, I have more energy, I have lost weight and I feel comfortable in my own skin again. I have a long way to go regarding healing my emotional trauma but dancing is the beginning. 

 I cannot recommend this programme more. Hannah is an incredible human. She is kind and caring and full of positive light and energy. She listens and understands. She intuitively chooses music tracks that build energy and mood. She guided the group to become more mindful of surroundings but also of how our bodies connect to the earth. 

 The programme, although in the beginning was to help improve my fitness, had improved my wellbeing, my mindset and my soul. I will be forever grateful. 

 Thank you Hannah. ‘ - Maree