Description
Part of the BDN Teachers Toolkit. If you subscribe to our toolkit you get access to this session for free and to the recording for as long as you subscribe. There is a list of scheduled talks included below.
If you do not subscribe to our BDN Teachers Toolkit you can pay for the session separately. It is only available live – there is no access to the recording. Book before 18/9/26 to get the Early Bird rate.
Somatics Explained: Getting to know your body and how that can help you and your students
Sunday 27th September 2026
16.30 – 17.30
Zoom session
This is part talk, part movement – please be in a suitable space.
17.30 – 18.30
‘Somatics Explained’ will be followed by a networking session. A chance to discuss issues that arise and also find out what other BD teachers are up to. Just stay on the link and meet up with other Bellydance teachers.
Anne explains: I am Anne Kingston and I have been dancing since the age of 4, more recently my focus has been on somatic movement and improvised dance and in 2021 I graduated with a MA in Dance and Somatic Wellbeing: Connections to the Living Body and became a member of ISMETA (International Somatic Movement, Education and Therapy Association). As some of you already know I am a qualified Body Groove facilitator and have been a teacher/ trainer/performer of Egyptian and North African dance for many years. I currently teach weekly classes in somatic movement, bellydance and also improvised embodied dance at the Harmony Hub in Chorley, Lancashire and at various festivals around the UK and on my bespoke Moroccan desert trips. www.annekingston.com
So, what is Somatics? Basically, and this is a direct quote from Thomas Hanna, movement specialist and founder of the word Somatics. “It is the study of self from the perspective of one’s lived experience, encompassing body, emotion and spirit”. You may be wondering why/how that can help you as a dance teacher and I hope what I can offer it some insights into how are ‘somas’ (bodies) work in wholeness and where that information can help us develop and expand our own awareness and those of our students. During our session together there will be a bit of listening to me waffle on, some open discussion where we get to hear each other and a few practical somatic movement ideas to try together.
Below are the BDN Toolkit sessions planned for the year. Remember you get access to all of these and the recordings if you subscribe.
22/11/26: Dorte Evelyn: The magic of metaphorical teaching: Discover how metaphors can fix technical flaws.
24/1/27: Jamilah Aziz: From China to Birmingham: mistakes, lessons learned and practical ideas to get started in new areas.
14/3/27: Katie Alyce: Teaching across the board: Skills for every space you teach in ……. regular classes, private sessions, zoom, festivals and pre-recorded content.
16/5/27: Tevec Ibrahim: Teaching Turns and Spins: Practical techniques to help your students achieve smoother, more confident and dynamic movement.
Click here to subscribe to the BDN Teachers Toolkit.
