About the AVAdance Philosophy
AVAdance focuses on how you relate to the world and perceive the fullness of being alive in a positive, life enhancing way. Created as Michelle's personal and professional trademark, AVAdance utilizes the tripod of authenticity, vibrancy, and awareness as a paradigm.
AVAdance is a wholisitic philosophy that informs the artisitic and educational programs designed by Michelle Ava. The paradigm of AVAdance is Authentic Vibrant Awareness, three concepts that together facilitate creative expression, personal growth and spiritual awakening. Through her extensive studies in dance and spiritual practices, Michelle developed these core principles as a framework for approaching dance and emphasizing the connection between dance and life.
Employing improvisation as a point of view, AVA technique facilitates the discovery of greater ease, joy and depth in embodied experience.
The AVA Paradigm
AUTHENTIC is
unique
real a human experience
organic
truthful
Authentic is the action of being in the moment.
Why is authenticity the first principle is your philosophy? Authenticity is our source energy. Through the course of life we often lose touch with the essence of who we are. We need reminders along the path to stay grounded, centered and real and to come back home to who we are.
How does one "be" authentic? By being yourself. On a physical level, it is a recognition of how you feel in the present and that is informed by where you are in your own personal evolution. Authenticity is relative to your personal journey.
Why do you think it's important to be authentic? For me it's imperative to be true to oneself. Ultimately it's more beneficial to everyone- to yourself, your family, your community, and the world. We lose touch with our essential joy and goodness. Being accepting of what you are is authentic. If you fight against that, you hold yourself back from your potential.
What if I am not all bubbles and sunshine? Authenticity includes a recognition and ownership of the shadow- the contrast of who we are, the complexities of who we are- is a combination of light and dark. It is the acceptance and inclusion of exactly what is right now. Own it.
If someone is expressing negativity, are they authentic? You can be authentic by default. But that's why authenticity is combined with vibrancy and awareness- it is the combination of these that allows for positive energy and personal growth.
VIBRANT is
lively
energized
empowered
intentional
expressive
Vibrancy is energetically expressing the fullness of who you are. Vibrancy is a positive manifestation- it's being alive, involved, and engaged fully- and feeling who you are completely. Vibrancy is energy with intentionality.
Why Vibrancy? Vibrancy is walking your walk, talking your talk, and dancing your dance.
How does one "be" vibrant? First be still, be silent. From this place, vibrancy bubbles forth. Align, center and utilize your essence to radiate wherever you are.
What does one need to do to "be" vibrant, then? To be vibrant you have to be emotionally, physically and spiritually balanced. You have to own who you are and be willing to exude your whole self out in the world.
AWARENESS is
mindfulness
insight
observance
wakefulness
openness
stillness
pause
spirit/ spirituality
Awareness is a an expanding of the notion of self in relationship to other beings. It is a broadening of consciousness to include your relationship to your surroundings. Awareness is a moving from the inside out, synthesizing those connections and transcending the obvious.
How does one "move from the inside out?" It starts with listening from within. You must be awake, centered, and grounded.
Why is there an emphasis on broadening? Awareness keeps coming back to seeing your existence as something bigger than yourself. There is an expanded consciousness and sensitivity and openness- how we as individuals fit into the world.
Why is Awareness last? In addition to being its own principle, awareness merges the other two qualities and gives them more clarity. Another way of looking at it is that "authentic" and "vibrant" modify awareness. Are you aware in an authentic, vibrant way?
© 1998-2010, Michelle Ava/AVAdance, All Rights Reserved
