Open Body Practice I have designed Open Body as a movement and expression practice conceived for every level of ability. Everyone is welcome to attend this guided tour of our most indispensable human instrument: our body. Fun, humor and attention to yummy sensory detail blend together in a playful and loving class in which writing, journaling and sound are all part of the process. The inner child will find a great space in which to come out and play while the inner critic will be booted swiftly out the door. Please join us as we play, visualize, write, laugh and dance the wave on our way to an improved and happy relationship with our bodies and with one another.
I teach a movement class called Open Body which fosters intimacy and connection within groups, because sometimes we truly need more than mere conversation about making connections - we actually need to connect! Open Body facilitates that connection making practice in a safe and fun environment of play and mutual appreciation.
Open Body offers an exploration of playful movement, dance and writing from the body in an intimate, inspiring setting. Drawing on my decades of experience as a writer and more than ten years of study in tai chi, qi gong, and 5 Rhythms dance, as well as newer studies in clowning and Soul Motion, I bring patience and compassion to our movement practice. Rather than disciplining the body for what it is not, Open Body seeks to nurture the more subtle energetic gifts of spiritual connection as well as celebrating the unfettered joys of the human form. Come have a joyful, non-judgmental play date with yourself.
Notice: I am actively looking for one or more SLO county venues in which to host this class on an ongoing basis. If you have a good space to suggest for me, please do let me know!
I am especially looking for a floor which will be supportive to our tender joints and bones, such as a sprung floor or at least not a concrete floor hiding underneath a thin veneer. Thanks!
People Are Saying....
August 15th I was honored to be a featured guest teacher at the awesome Creativity Club at the Joslyn Center in beautiful Cambria. One attendee had this to offer after the class....
"I took Tobey Crockett's Open Body class on 8/15/09. I left the class feeling calm but also invigorated. The exercises were varied and involved dance and balance, ball work, art work with the non-dominant hand, and sharing about the memories brought up by the art work.
I had never taken a class even remotely like this and really loved it. I would leap at the chance to do another Open Body class."
Rita Smalling
Tucson, Arizona
Suggested Links (my teachers...)
John Turner's Baby Clown at The Clown Farm on Manitoulin Island, Ontario
Lucia Capacchione's Expressive Arts Therapy and Visioning Coaching in Cambria & Texas
Jo Cobbett's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and Movinground in Los Angeles and beyond
Michael & Anneli Molin-Skelton's Spiritweaves in Los Angeles and elsewhere
Vinn Marti's Soul Motion on Maui, Esalen & everywhere
Zuza Engler's Transformative Dance in the Bay area
Writer Juan Felipe Herrera performs at The Ruskin
Suggested Reading
Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Visioning: Ten Steps to Creating the Life of Your Dreams by Lucia Capacchione
The Creative Journal by Lucia Capacchione
Clowns by John H Towsen (out of print)
Improvisation for the Spirit by Katie Goodman
Crazy Wisdom by Wes "Scoop" Nisker
Tricks of the Trade by Dario Fo
Deep Play by Diane Ackerman
Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art by Stephen Nachmanovitch
Sweat Your Prayers: Movement as Spiritual Practice by Gabrielle Roth
Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem-Making by John Fox
Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death
edited by Yoel Hoffmann