About 5Rhythms®
Created by Gabrielle Roth and practiced by tens of thousands worldwide, 5Rhythms is a philosophy, perspective, performance art and a dynamic movement practice rooted in the principle that if you put the psyche in motion it will heal itself. Movement is both the medicine and the metaphor, reaching across all languages, cultures and age groups to transform suffering into art, art into awareness, and awareness into action. Wherever the 5Rhythms are practiced, a community is born to dance, to sweat, to change, to support, and to provide a safe space for each of us to shatter the ego's hold and awaken the juicy, unpredictable, fascinating, edge-walking, rock star part of ourselves that yearns to be free.
Each 5Rhythms Waves class is an opportunity to drop into this dynamic practice of the way energy moves in the body. Through the rhythms of Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness we will explore the qualities that enable us to access a deeper relationship to the intelligence and freedom of the body.
Using an eclectic mix and variety of soundscapes and beats from all over the planet these deep surging powerful rhythms can be both an invitation to awaken to our truth and an outrageously fun opportunity to move the body and dance. You can't get it wrong. It is for anyone, any shape, any level of fitness, any level of dance-ability. All you need is a body, a pulse, and a willingness to move.
Please wear loose comfortable clothes (layers recommended). Refrain from wearing jewelry or heavy perfume. Wear a soft dance shoe or barefoot and please bring a bottle of water. There is a no alcohol and no drug policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I need experience or some minimum level of fitness?
A. No experience or level of fitness is required to begin your 5Rhythms practice.
Q. I have/had an injury. Can I still do 5Rhythms?
A. The 5Rhythms is a simple and flexible practice that can be experienced by anyone regardless of their physical ability and challenges. Because there is no specific “routine” to follow you will be able to participate at your own pace, within your own capacity to move.
Q. What happens in a 5Rhythms class?
A. While every class is different, each class will provide basic instruction in the 5Rhythms, whether that is the full Wave (the 5Rhythms in sequence) or focusing on one or another of the rhythms and its energies. There will be a warm-up period, a teaching, and exercises for exploring the teaching. Teachers may use a variety of different kinds of music, or no music at all, to support embodying the rhythms. There may be a combination of individual, partnered, and group work. Some classes are more structured than others but all classes provide the opportunity to be moved by and with the 5Rhythms.
Q. Do the teachers talk during class?
A. YES, absolutely! 5Rhythms is a practice with its own philosophy and perspective and each teacher brings their own embodied voice to support the practice and will, on occasion, engage in verbal feedback and prompts to guide the experience..
Q. What do I need to bring to a 5Rhythms class?
A. It is suggested that you dress comfortably in clothing that you don’t mind sweating in and allows you a full range of motion. You may want to bring a cover-up so you don’t get cold, and/or a small towel to dry off with. We dance bare-footed or in light-soled dance shoes. Bring a bottle of water and your curiosity. That’s all you need.
Q. What if I’m REALLY terrified?
A. First of all remember that right on the other side of that terror there’s excitement. Take to heart that the 5Rhythms practice has the room for you to move with however you’re feeling. There’s nothing to get right and you can’t get it wrong so there is nothing for you to “do” except move in whatever way feels right in the moment. You will not be the first person to be so terrified that you just barely made it over the threshold of the door. Once in the room we will encourage you to move to your full potential and we will also give you the space to move into your potential from wherever you are. We welcome questions by email.
Q. What happens if the teacher says “take a partner” and I don’t want to?
A. The most important thing is to be true to yourself. This might mean signaling to someone that approaches you, “no thanks” or just turning your back. We find it helpful to be direct & clear.
Q. What if the teacher gives an instruction I don’t feel like following?
A. If you’re really deeply into your dance or if an instruction feels wrong for you, you don’t have to follow it. On the other hand this is a laboratory of sorts – you are encouraged to experiment trying things that break your patterns. If it's unusual for you to try something new then you might go along with the teacher anyhow. If it’s unusual for you to say no, then you might want to try doing so here.
Q. What do I do when I get bored, feel really self conscious, busy-headed or judgmental?
A. This is a movement meditation and while it's great to be totally ‘present’ and absorbed in your own dance, most of us can’t sustain that state throughout. The teacher will offer you different invitations into this state but here are a few suggestions in the meantime:
1. Put your feeling into movement – dance your boredom or self-consciousness…. Exaggerate it, get fascinated by it – on the whole really being where you are is the best medicine.
2. Focus on any body part, such as your right hand, and let it lead your dance. You will find different body parts have very different dances for you and that as your dance becomes more varied it will absorb you more and more.
Q. What should I do if someone seems really upset?
A. On the whole people can handle their own feelings and we advise you not to try to comfort the crying or soothe the angry. You might end up interrupting an important and therapeutic process they are going through. The teacher and crew will keep an eye out for those who might need help.