Where are you on the Social Location Wheel?

From what I know of the community of people both interested in my offerings and that work with me, the majority of you are White-bodied, able-bodied, CIS gendered (female) and while I know of a number of you identify as LBGTQ+ the majority are heterosexual. Oh, and Middle Class - welcome to my world.

A world that reflects the privileges that are afforded to me because of where I am placed in my ‘Social Location’.

To know more about this I recommend starting here.

I have a shit load of privilege and thefore power. Which means most of you, whether you are aware of this or not, do as well.

What this also means is that for those of you who identify as Brown or Black bodied (BI&PoC), disabled, neurodivergent, non-binary, LBGTQ+ or elsewhere Class wise - everytime you step on to a virtual or in-person dance floor with me you are taking an additional risk - alongside the vulnerability I know nearly everyone experiences when they show up to a conscious embodied movement space - where your sense of safety and feeling included is more compromised, from the outset.

If you’re reading this and you identify within one or more of a marginalised identity, thank you for being here. For trusting me to the extent that you do.

The resources on this page seek to educate and help create a safer more inclusive environment for you to come dance in and be part of.

If you read my monthly newsletters, many of you will already know that I am committed to both doing my own inner work around the privileges I hold and to use them well and to create safer, more diverse and inclusive spaces where I am in a position of leadership.

Thank you for taking the time to be here, read and learn with me.

I hope you are willing to feel at least a bit uncomfortable and discover something new about yourself. If you don’t find this interesting and essential, you might want to find someone else to study embodied movement with.

In April 2019, at the end of CCC19 (Climate Change and Consciousness Conference) I understood, not just cognitively (with my thinking mind) but with my whole being, the relationship between the oppression and exploitation of Indigenous peoples and their land with the extreme state of our planet. This was new for me.

Later that year, having attended an 8 month course on Transformational Leadership I announced my commitment to decolonising the Conscious Dance Movement (how arrogant, absurd, naive, bold, inspiring etc..). One month later George Floyd was murdered and Black Lives Matters reentered the world stage.

I’ve since participated in a number of different courses to educate myself more - links are below.

As a White-bodied, Cisgender (my gender identity is the same as the sex I was identified as being at birth), heterosexual, educated, economically secure, able bodied woman I have a ton of privilege. I consider it my responsibility to use that privilege for the benefit of others who’s lived experience - more often than not the result of systemic exclusion of anyone ‘different’ - means they have had to swim upstream in the river of life rather than having it flow with and for them.

As a Jewess of 5th generation Eastern European immigrants, I have had first hand experience of exclusion, disgust and being ‘othered’. This informs me.

As someone with an invisible disability of a speech impediment which I developed aged 9, I know what it’s like to be overlooked and underheard. This also informs me.

If you read my monthly newsletters, many of you will already know that I am committed to both doing my own inner work around the privileges I hold and to create safer, more diverse and inclusive spaces where I am in a position of leadership. I consider it my responsibility to use that privilege for the benefit of others who’s lived experience - more often than not the result of systemic exclusion of anyone ‘different’ - means they have had to swim upstream in the river of life rather than having it flow with and for them.

My hope is that the resources on this page inform and inspire you to understand where you sit on the Social Location Wheel and to grow your awareness, curiosity and courage.