Janet Thompson is working with students of the Wellesley College community to create a website honoring Mary Starks Whitehouse as an alumna and as a pioneer in developing Authentic Movement. Janet seeks writings about how Whitehouse has inspired the work, creativity or growth of authentic movers throughout the world. Do you have a poem, art piece, writing, word of thanks you would like to contribute?
Please forward directly to Janet at: janetthompson@comcast.net or Roberta Whitney at: rhwhitney@earthlink.net. Although contributions will be taken as they come, students are especially interested in submissions on or before 30 NOV 2008. Thank you!
Roberta Whitney
Welcome to the Authentic Movement Community Blog!
Mary Starks Whitehouse Web Contributions
"AM is about not Knowing"
This summer from 13th to 17th of August International Gathering on Authentic Movement took place in Vienna, Austria. People from different countries: Brazil, Norway, Russia, Austria, Ukraine, Holland, Germany, Switzerland got together to practice AM. Initiative of organizing an International peer group (without a leader) belonged to the wonderful and hospitable people- Isaias and Clarissa Costa who invited us all for the practice of Authentic Movement in the Therapeutic Center "Gersthof".
It was mutually enriching experience for the practice AM, for personal and professional development. We clearly felt the importance of this meeting, the process and the connectedness.
Every day meeting yourself and the others we received new experience, new embodied understanding, went through the stories of the present and created the stories for the future.
The peer group experience was quite new for the AM community in Russia and certainly it was interesting to observe and participate in a such process of the group without a leader. Attention to details, tolerance – these are the other lessons of this meeting.
"My trip to Austria was following the flow. Everything: deeply touching Meetings that were happening, the process of Authentic Movement itself, magic of Vienna and responsiveness and care of the space in the Center "Gersthof" nourished me and the process that led me further. After that I traveled around Austria, to its towns and Alps allowing the new impressions, awareness and people to come into my life and get close to myself". Irina Muterperel.
"For me Authentic Movement practice is a moment of bigger awareness of myself in life, in the relationships with myself and with the others. It was important for me: the experience of being, connection in the group, contact, following the flow of the present moment – authenticy which the space brought up. Vienna gave me the feelings of beginning, inspiration and trust in the process". Elena Starikova.
"The Meeting in Vienna became for me incredibly refreshing and inspiring event. It is the meeting with the old, tenderly loved friends and meetings with new interesting people. It is the comfort space of the Center "Gersthof" and supporting atmosphere allowing to deepen into the own process. It is a lot of movement and long midnight talks about Dance and Movement Therapy and more… And the most important was the feeling of connection to the community. As I told on the ending circle: "I feel as some part of me came back that was lost and which I missed a lot"." Julia Morozova.
The other wonderful event following from AM International Gathering was the workshop "Authentic Contact" led by Brazilian participants Guto Macedo and Soraya Jorge, where the object of research became Contact Improvisation and Authentic Movement. It seems that Contact Improvisation can be enriched with the practice of witnessing, the "present moment" meeting and safety that gives AM. Guto and Soraya are the pioneers in this field of Authentic Contact; we wish them further advancement in their research and ideas.
The experience that we received in International Group of AM can provide the base for the going on AM projects in Russia and SNG countries. The following Gathering 2009 is scheduled in Brazil and 2010 in Russia.
© 2008 Irina Muterperel, Elena Starikova, Julia Morozova 21.09.08
First published in Russian Dance/Movement Therapy Association Newsletter
germaine fraser said...
It's so great to hear international voices! Thanks for letting us know of your very interesting experiences and invite me next time! (I'll come!)
warm wishes from a safe-to-come-out, about to reclaim her country (finally) American. Germaine
PS. I think a book should be written on your title alone. It says it all. If you need contributors, let me know.
Saturday, November 8, 2008 8:12:00 PM EST
Thank you so much for your comment! So let the international AM community be strong and grounded in inspiring meetings, new understandings and books with meaningful titles!
Irina
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:45:00 AM EST
It was mutually enriching experience for the practice AM, for personal and professional development. We clearly felt the importance of this meeting, the process and the connectedness.
Every day meeting yourself and the others we received new experience, new embodied understanding, went through the stories of the present and created the stories for the future.
The peer group experience was quite new for the AM community in Russia and certainly it was interesting to observe and participate in a such process of the group without a leader. Attention to details, tolerance – these are the other lessons of this meeting.
"My trip to Austria was following the flow. Everything: deeply touching Meetings that were happening, the process of Authentic Movement itself, magic of Vienna and responsiveness and care of the space in the Center "Gersthof" nourished me and the process that led me further. After that I traveled around Austria, to its towns and Alps allowing the new impressions, awareness and people to come into my life and get close to myself". Irina Muterperel.
"For me Authentic Movement practice is a moment of bigger awareness of myself in life, in the relationships with myself and with the others. It was important for me: the experience of being, connection in the group, contact, following the flow of the present moment – authenticy which the space brought up. Vienna gave me the feelings of beginning, inspiration and trust in the process". Elena Starikova.
"The Meeting in Vienna became for me incredibly refreshing and inspiring event. It is the meeting with the old, tenderly loved friends and meetings with new interesting people. It is the comfort space of the Center "Gersthof" and supporting atmosphere allowing to deepen into the own process. It is a lot of movement and long midnight talks about Dance and Movement Therapy and more… And the most important was the feeling of connection to the community. As I told on the ending circle: "I feel as some part of me came back that was lost and which I missed a lot"." Julia Morozova.
The other wonderful event following from AM International Gathering was the workshop "Authentic Contact" led by Brazilian participants Guto Macedo and Soraya Jorge, where the object of research became Contact Improvisation and Authentic Movement. It seems that Contact Improvisation can be enriched with the practice of witnessing, the "present moment" meeting and safety that gives AM. Guto and Soraya are the pioneers in this field of Authentic Contact; we wish them further advancement in their research and ideas.
The experience that we received in International Group of AM can provide the base for the going on AM projects in Russia and SNG countries. The following Gathering 2009 is scheduled in Brazil and 2010 in Russia.
© 2008 Irina Muterperel, Elena Starikova, Julia Morozova 21.09.08
First published in Russian Dance/Movement Therapy Association Newsletter
germaine fraser said...
It's so great to hear international voices! Thanks for letting us know of your very interesting experiences and invite me next time! (I'll come!)
warm wishes from a safe-to-come-out, about to reclaim her country (finally) American. Germaine
PS. I think a book should be written on your title alone. It says it all. If you need contributors, let me know.
Saturday, November 8, 2008 8:12:00 PM EST
Thank you so much for your comment! So let the international AM community be strong and grounded in inspiring meetings, new understandings and books with meaningful titles!
Irina
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:45:00 AM EST
Second Year Anniversary
Elizabeth Reid
We are celebrating our second year anniversary of the Authentic Movement Community website this month, and the first year anniversary of the AMC Blog as of last month, and something new is happening. A number of people when they are updating their listing in the Authentic Movement Community Directory are asking to pay for a number of years ahead and including a contribution with their update. This is a very touching vote of confidence for our work as a group. I guess it seems to some that we might be around for a number of years.If you look through the Directory many who are participating have over 20 years doing
the practice. Is their long term commitment influencing our web site. Everyone who signs up to be part of Directory or communicates with me in any way expresses so much gratefulness that our web site exists. I feel the same way... kind of amazed and grateful to have this easy way to be connected with others who
share the same practice.
The web site averages about 500 different visitors per month from all over the world and has consistently for the past year. The Blog has had over 8,000 visits in one year.
Do you wish we could do something more with the web site and blog? Once again I
want to apologize for the learning curve on the technical glitches that happen with
the web site. I try my best to avoid mistakes, but because the technology is always
changing, sometimes glitches will just happen. Last month the blog letter error
was something I had no idea could even happen, but I keep learning..... and learning.
But also because things are always changing, maybe you will see something on another
web site that you think we should have. Or maybe there is something that you are
dreaming about that you could let us know about. Maybe you have something to contribute
to the Blog. Maybe you will want to announce your next event through the web site.
We so appreciate everything that comes.
Thanks to all who read and add to the Blog, who participate in the Authentic Movement
Community Directory, who list on the Events and Resources pages, and who contribute.
Your energy keeps the web site a lively place.
Looking forward to our future!
Dear Elizabeth and community,
A Big Open Arm Open Heart Thank you for everything and for your good words and feeling in your recent posting.
Just before opening this email I opened one from Unity saying to pay attention to experience one has when someone apologizes to you. Then - bingo! - your apology for technical errors last month.
Thank you so much for your conscientiousness.
Happy Happy Anniversary!
In Gratitude,
Roxanna
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