MOVEMENT CLASSES
Awakening The Energy in your Body
5Rhythms® Classes and Shows in New York
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5Rhythms® is a philosophy, perspective, performance art, and dynamic movement practice rooted in the principle that if you put the psyche in motion it will heal itself. Created by Gabrielle Roth and practiced worldwide, it is a map of exploring our consciousness through our bodies – inner and outer, forward and back, physical, emotional, and intellectual.
Hi Movers and Shakers
I’m Mark Bonder, a Movement Facilitator and Certified 5Rhythms® Instructor.
I’m passionate about bringing people together to dance, helping them become fully expressed, energized, and emotionally nourished in their bodies.
I take pride in curating music selections that elevate your sensory experiences, deepening your awareness and connection with your body, mind, and spirit.
Join one of my classes to experience the joy of being fully present and expressed in your own body.
FEATURED IN
About 5Rhythms®
Exploring The Unpredictable, Fascinating, and Wild Side That Yearns to Be Free.
“Wherever the 5Rhythms are practiced, a community is born to dance, to sweat, to change, to support, and to provide a safe space for each of us to shatter the ego.”
– Gabrielle Roth – Founder of 5Rhythms®
5RHYTHMS® CLASSES
Unlock your creativity with music and motion. A 5Rhythms® Movement Class is medicine for the body, mind, and spirit prioritizing individual’s organic flow over structured steps and sequences. All levels of dancers are welcome.
Guided 5Rhythms® Benefits:
- Express yourself in the way that feels good to you
- Increase your emotional awareness
- Unleash the inner child within and feel an increased sense of joy, aliveness, and freedom
- Release emotions and tensions held in your body and mind
- Feel grounded and increase your sense of inner and interconnectedness
Classes in-person and online. Co-ed. Ages (15+)
WHAT ARE THE 5RHYTHMS® OR 5R
FLOWING
In Flowing, we embrace the fluidity of our being. Channeling our feminine essence, this rhythm encourages surrender, teaching us to trust the guidance of our feet. It’s a dance of continuous motion, receptivity, and the natural swirls of circles and spirals, grounding us in an earthy connection.
STACCATO
In Staccato, we harness the bold clarity of masculine energy. This rhythm manifests as clear, defined movements, transparently expressing the heart’s desires. Whether dancing Staccato alone, with a partner, or in groups, it teaches us to step forward with conviction, deeply rooting in our feelings. It’s a dance of sharp starts and stops, dynamic expressions, and the fierce determination of lines and angles, igniting our fiery spirit
CHAOS
LYRICAL
In Lyrical, we gracefully transition from old patterns, diving into the seamless creativity of our soul’s dance. It’s a rediscovery of the enchantment innate within us. Floating in lightness, our movements become effortlessly expansive, a dance of elevation while remaining deeply connected to the earth. As ethereal as the air, we find ourselves in a transcendent state, wholly immersed and in harmony with the essence of trance, truly in ‘The Zone’.
STILLNESS
How Would You Like to Work Together Today?
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT 5RHYTHMS®
Know What to Expect and How to Prepare
While every class is different, each class will provide basic instruction in the 5Rhythms, whether that is the full wave (the 5Rhythms in sequence) or focusing on one or another of the rhythms and its energies. There will be a warm-up period, a teaching, and exercises for exploring the teaching. Teachers may use a variety of different kinds of music, or no music at all, to support embodying the rhythms. There may be a combination of individual, partnered, and group work. Some classes are more structured than others but all classes provide the opportunity to be moved by and with the 5Rhythms.
YES, absolutely! 5Rhythms is a practice with its own philosophy and perspective and each teacher brings their own embodied voice to support the practice and will of course engage in verbal feedback and prompts to guide the experience..
It is suggested that you dress comfortably in clothing that you don’t mind sweating in and allows you a full range of motion. You may want to bring a cover-up so you don’t get cold, and/or a small towel to dry off with. We dance bare-footed or in light-soled dance shoes. Bring a bottle of water and your curiosity. That’s all you need.
No experience or level of fitness is required to begin your 5Rhythms practice.
If you’re really deeply into your dance or if an instruction feels wrong for you, you don’t have to follow it. On the other hand this is a laboratory of sorts – you are encouraged to experiment trying things that break your patterns. If it’s unusual for you to try something new then you might see what it’s like to go along with the teacher anyhow. If it’s unusual for you to say no, then you might want to try doing so here.
The 5Rhythms is a simple and flexible practice that can be experienced by anyone regardless of their physical ability and challenges. Because there is no specific “routine” to follow you will be able to participate at your own pace, within your own capacity to move.
First of all remember that right on the other side of that terror there’s excitement. Take to heart that the 5Rhythms practice has the room for you to move with however you’re feeling. There’s nothing to get right and you can’t get it wrong so there is nothing for you to “do” except move in whatever way feels right in the moment. You will not be the first person to be so terrified that you just barely made it over the threshold of the door. Once in the room we will encourage you to move to your full potential and we will also give you the space to move into your potential from wherever you are. We welcome questions by email.
The most important thing is to be true to yourself. This might mean signaling to someone that approaches you, “no thanks” or just turning your back. We find it helpful to be direct & clear.
This is a movement meditation and while it’s great to be totally ‘present’ and absorbed in your own dance, most of us can’t sustain that state throughout. The teacher will offer you different invitations into this state but here are a few suggestions in the meantime:
1. Put your feeling into movement – whatever you’re feeling, put it in your dance. Dance your boredom or self-consciousness…. Exaggerate it, get fascinated by it – on the whole really being where you are is the best medicine.
2. Focus on any body part, such as your right hand, or left elbow, and let it lead your dance. You will find different body parts have very different dances for you and that you can find fascination in the smallest parts of this practice.
On the whole people can handle their own feelings and we advise you not to try to comfort the crying or soothe the angry. You might end up interrupting a very important and therapeutic process they are going through. The teacher and crew will keep an eye out for those who might need help. In general, if someone is “in it” they are exactly where they need to be. Please leave them there, and return to your own dance.
When you sign up for your online class, Mark will email you all the steps and guidelines right o your inbox. Please download Zoom prior to the start of the class and make sure it’s updated to the latest version. If you have any further questions about class, please reach out to mark.bonder@gmail.com and I will be in touch with you directly!
Engage Mark Bonder to Teach a Live 5R Class, a Workshop, or to Play Music in your Venue.