Rosen Method Movement Intensive

By Jane Malek, Rosen Method Senior Bodywork Teacher and Movement Training Teacher

Each day of the five day movement intensive begins with a movement class. It is important for students to attend complete one hour classes in order to integrate the movements. Everyone has many opportunities to explore their limitations as well as experience greater freedom as they move.

Usually, after a short break there is time for sharing, to hear what has happened to people during the movement class. The teaching unfolds from following people's experience of how the movements effect them. It may be a simple experience, such as feeling more upright, instead of slouching the shoulders forward. One women said her upper body always felt so heavy, as if she was collapsing in the middle. When she became aware of this and felt upright and open in her chest, then she could show herself more. Her face was beaming as she felt what a difference it made. She experienced both the limitation and the opening, so now it was a clear choice for her towards functioning more fully.

People come to the intensives both for personal growth and for teacher certification. Those who want to become teachers practice teaching a segment of a class. Everyone learns from experiencing the theoretical underpinnings of these apparently simple movements and the components of teaching a class are introduced. 

Some characteristics of Rosen Method Movement are: 

• pausing long enough between movements so people experience the natural breath
• opening the chest and feeling the inner stretch and ease in the diaphragm; doing the movements long enough so they are felt in the body but not for too long that one becomes tired
• using music to support the movement; and moving all the joints so the synovial fluid continues to lubricate the joints

When students begin to teach, they realize that it is a lot more difficult than it appears. The practice teaching is a creative opportunity for exploring the movement in-depth and developing teaching skills in a safe, nonjudgmental environment.

A reference library of books relating to Rosen Method is available for the use of participants.