Greenwich Rhythms has been happening at Greenwich West Community Centre for about eight years. It was originally founded by Peter Wilberforce, was run for some time by a group of dancers from the Greenwich 5Rhythms community, and is now taught and run by Sarah Davies.

5RHYTHMS®
5Rhythms® is a dance practice created in the US in the 1960s by Gabrielle Roth and practised today by many hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. The five rhythms are Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness. When danced through in sequence they make up a Wave. 5Rhythms® is a path of meditation, a tool of self-reflection, a celebration, a chance to play ... and much more. There are no steps; you just follow your body, allowing the inherent wisdom of yourself in motion to be your guide.

SATURDAY CLASS
The Saturday class runs every week, 11.15am–1.30pm, at Greenwich West Community Centre, 141 Greenwich High Rd. SE10 8JA. Both beginners and experienced dancers are welcome. Just come along – no need to book. You don’t need to be fit or to have any aptitude for dance. Everyone can do this practice. All dancers are invited to join us for lunch at the Fountain Food Court after the dance.

Cost
£14 / £11 low income / £8 concessions.

Getting there
Greenwich train and DLR stations are less than a five-minute walk away from Greenwich West. The 177 bus passes the building, and the 180, 199 and 386 all stop close by. Local parking is limited and expensive. The nearest pay and display is on Norman road, where there are also a few free parking spaces, much in demand.

What to wear and what to bring
Wear layers of comfortable clothes that are easy to move in. 5Rhythms® is done barefoot or in soft-soled dance shoes (no hard soles or outdoor shoes please). The floor is slippery, so socks are not advised. Please remove any sharp jewellery and watches that may catch or scratch. Bring a bottle of water to drink.

What to expect
The class starts with a warm-up to music, during which you are invited to move, stretch and dance in any way you like. After the warm-up, the teacher may offer an exercise or a theme, or they may move the class straight into dancing a Wave. In some classes the teacher will offer a lot of verbal guidance; in other classes the teacher may allow the dance to evolve without much spoken facilitation. At different times you may be dancing alone, with a partner or as part of a group.

People on the dance floor may be experimenting with being loud, big, bold, timid, intimate, self-contained. They may be moving in unusual ways or making unusual sounds. Whether you’re fascinated or scared, allow yourself to feel your response. It’s OK to move away if you need to. Trust your instincts and give yourself permission to experiment with how you respond. Let your reactions become part of your dance.

You are encouraged to bring yourself onto the dancefloor and start moving as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter what it looks like. 5Rhythms® isn’t about being a skilled dancer or having great moves. If you feel self-conscious (lots of people do at first), let that into your dance. Please stay for the entire class, even if it feels difficult. Remaining present with your difficulty and moving it can be transformative and is part of the 5Rhythms® practice. If you do have to leave early, it’s courteous to let the teacher know. Every teacher has their own style, so experiment with different teachers and try out different approaches to find out what works for you.

Finally, the dancefloor is a no-talk zone. Chatting distracts other dancers and can prevent them – and you – from dropping deeply into the dance, so we ask that you save your words for lunch after the dance!

LINKS
General 5Rhythms®
Gabrielle Roth / Jonathan Horan: originator of the 5Rhythms® practice, and her son and closest collaborator.
The Moving Center: centre for 5Rhythms® practice in the USA.
Sue Rickards: senior London teacher – site includes a comprehensive listing of 5Rhythms® classes in London.

CONTACT SARAH
If you have questions about Greenwich Rhythms, or you would like to be added to the email list to receive regular updates, please contact Sarah at heart@sarahdavies.org. For more information about Sarah, go to www.waveofenergy.co.uk.

Last updated 02/05/10