THE MOVEMENT RITES
a transformational committed Open Floor series
Facilitated by Henry Fowkes
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance.” Alan Watts
NOTE: we are currently in our winter Movement Rites series, with the next series in Spring, August-September - all info below.
WHAT IS THE MOVEMENT RITES?
Traditionally a rite of passage is a community-led ritual marking an important threshold in a person/people’s life (i.e. birth, adulthood, eldership, death). In our modern western culture, many of us feel starved of community spaces to support us, to mark and move through life’s significant moments and grapple with our place in the world.
This series is a modern-day movement-based rite of passage journey: a transformative committed Open Floor series supporting your becoming.
Maybe you have a specific threshold you are currently moving through? Maybe the questions alive for you are of purpose and meaning? Longing to create or change something in your life? Yearning for a nourishing experience of belonging in community? Maybe your soul is calling to be met in expression? Creativity? Or maybe you are hungry to be more embodied? Curious to get to know your own ways of being in the world more deeply?
This series often calls people who feel hungry to deepen their embodiment in a committed group journey.
Together we create a safe space as a community. We deepen our journey each week through specific teachings to support you to move through a change process in a creative and embodied way.
MOVEMENT-BASED
In this movement-based series, we use Open Floor Movement Practice - a lively, creative, mindful free-form movement practice - artistic & reflective practices, and ritual to move with our inner terrain together and become more aware, flexible and resilient. Our moving bodies are our main resource as we cultivate our ability to be with change from within.
If you feel uncertain about your mental resilience or capacity to participate in this series, or have any other questions or concerns, please contact Henry to discuss if it is appropriate for your needs. Although this series is therapeutic and trauma-informed, it isn’t therapy.
This will be the seventh Movement Rites series.
Spots are limited.
SESSIONS
1. Tuesday 22/8 - 6.30-9.30 pm - Building the group web
2. Tuesday 29/8 - 6.30-9.30 pm - Body as instrument, dance as vessel
3. Tuesday 5/9 - 6.30-9.30 pm - The paradox of change
4. Tuesday 12/9 - 6.30-9.30 pm - Sweat Lodge (optional)
5. Saturday 16/9 (day-long) 10.00-5.00 pm - Grief and gratitude, two palms of the prayer of life
6. Tuesday 19/9 - 6.30-9.30 pm - Planting seeds
7. Tuesday 26/9 - 6.30-9.30 pm - Honouring and ending
LOCATION
Tuesdays @ Oratory Space, Abbotsford Convent (except for the sweat lodge on 12/9th which is @ CERES facilitated by SOTEMS)
INVESTMENT
Full Price: $599 (inc GST)
Early Bird: $499 (inc GST offered until August 11th)
Returning Movers from previous Movement Rites series gain 20% discount, email Henry for discount code.
FACILITATOR / GUIDE
Henry Fowkes is an internationally accredited teacher of Open Floor Movement Practice and is an experienced group facilitator and educator. Henry is often described as energetic, down-to-earth and warm. He engages groups with his relatable teachings, humour and legendary tunes. His approach is centred on what's alive in the present moment and a trust in people's innate resilience.
Henry is fascinated with rites of passage and the process of change. This body of work has been influenced by his study with Melissa Michaels and Bill Plotkin’s work in the U.S., The Rites of Passage Institute in Australia, and his ongoing study in Gestalt psychotherapy.
Henry is also a senior facilitator and trainer at the Groupwork Centre and studies Gestalt Psychotherapy. He has been teaching Open Floor since 2016 after studying intensively in the U.S. and Europe.
WHAT IS A SWEAT LODGE?
A sweat lodge is a sacred purification ceremony most often associated with Native American traditions. However, there are many such practices throughout the world; in South America and Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, Japan, Africa and Australia. Sweat lodges are a powerful ritual to connect to spirit, which we have included in all our previous Movement Rites series. This ritual is an optional part of the series, another outdoor ritual will be offer to anyone who preferred to not attend.
For more info about SOTEMS ceremony click here:
https://www.sotems.com.au/sweat-lodge
TESTIMONIALS
"Henry's spaces are always so held and safe for me. I always feel alive and brought into spheres where I can challenge myself and my edges in the body. His work is embodied and delightful."
~ Jessie, Artist
"The Movement Rites course has been an absolute blessing to be part of. Henry is such an authentic and grounded facilitator and the whole process has been fun, nourishing, supportive and filled with love."
~ Tessa, Helping Professional
"Bless you Henry for holding the space for a transformative experience, for me to move into eldership within community and experience the grief of what I must leave as well as the joy and excitement celebrating a new stage unfolding. A dance of love inviting my soul to bloom."
~ anonymous participant
"The Movement Rites has been one of the most enriching, grounding and healing experiences I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in. Henry Fowkes’ gentle facilitation allowed us explore so many dimensions of experience and be witnessed with compassion, and I walk away with so many embodied learnings I’ll treasure for many years to come."
~ Dennis, Musician
WHAT IS OPEN FLOOR MOVEMENT PRACTICE?
“Open Floor is not about learning to dance. It’s about dancing to learn.” Sue Rickards
Although sometimes hard to describe… Open Floor Movement Practice is a lively, life-affirming dance inquiry inviting us to track our thoughts, feelings, and habits and turn them into creative fuel. A place where our embodied experience is the main event.
Using a foundation of mindfulness and universal movement resources such as breath, grounding and centering; our aim is to use our movement practice to be fully embodied – physically, emotionally, and mentally. This simply means being at home in our body for the beautiful ride of being alive - present for anything and everything.
Open Floor is a free-form movement space with no dance experience required or steps to follow; an explorative, drug and alcohol-free space to fully express yourself, dance wildly or gently, and connect with yourself and others.
