Conscious Dance Practices/Biodanza/da

Biodanza er et system af bevægelse, dans og oplevelsesmæssige øvelser, der er designet til at understøtte menneskelig udvikling, følelsesmæssig integration og forbindelse til livet. Navnet kommer fra det græske bios (liv) og danza (dans), der betyder "livets dans".

Biodanza praktiseres verden over gennem regelmæssige klasser, workshops og langvarige træningsprogrammer. Den understreger affektivitet, vitalitet, kreativitet, seksualitet og transcendens som centrale dimensioner af den menneskelige oplevelse.

Oprindelse

Biodanza blev skabt i 1960'erne af Rolando Toro Araneda (1924–2010), en chilensk psykolog, antropolog, digter og maler. Toro udviklede Biodanza, mens han arbejdede med psykiatriske patienter, universitetsstuderende og samfundsgrupper, og trak på forskning inden for psykologi, biologi, antropologi og uddannelse.

Systemet udviklede sig som et svar på social fragmentering og følelsesmæssig undertrykkelse og fremsatte bevægelse, musik og menneskelige møder som essentielle kræfter til at genoprette sundhed og mening.

Kerneprincipper

Biodanza er baseret på flere nøgleprincipper:

• Vivencia — en intens, levet oplevelse i nuet, der integrerer sansning, følelse og bevægelse.

• Affektivitet — evnen til at forbinde, knytte bånd og føle empati med andre.

• Integration — harmonisering af krop, følelser, instinkter og identitet.

• Menneskelig forbindelse — dyrkning af tillid, tilhørsforhold og relationel tilstedeværelse.

Rather than focusing on technique or performance, Biodanza prioritises experience, feeling, and authentic expression.

Practice

A typical Biodanza session consists of a sequence of guided movement exercises performed to carefully selected music. Exercises alternate between:

• activation and relaxation,
• individual and group movement,
• expressive and integrative phases.

There is no choreography to memorise. Movements are simple, natural, and accessible, supporting participants in reconnecting with their innate capacity for movement and expression.

Verbal guidance is minimal; emphasis is placed on music, movement, and direct experience.

Lines of vivencia

Biodanza organises its exercises around five fundamental Lines of Vivencia:

• Vitality — joy, energy, and the instinct for life.
• Sexuality — pleasure, desire, and sensual presence.
• Creativity — expression, innovation, and imagination.
• Affectivity — love, empathy, and emotional bonding.
• Transcendence — connection beyond the individual self.

These lines represent innate human potentials and guide both class design and long-term development.

Music and movement

Music plays a central role in Biodanza. Selections are chosen for their emotional resonance, rhythmic clarity, and capacity to evoke specific states of being. Movement is seen as a biological and emotional response to music rather than an aesthetic act.

Teacher training

Biodanza is taught by facilitators who complete structured, multi-year Biodanza Teacher Training programmes. These programmes are offered through officially recognised Biodanza schools and follow a common international curriculum, while allowing for regional and cultural adaptation.

Global community

Biodanza is practiced in many countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. International organisations coordinate training standards, research, and collaboration among schools and facilitators, supporting a global community rooted in shared principles and practice.

Relationship to conscious dance

Biodanza is considered one of the foundational practices within the broader conscious dance and movement field. It differs from improvisation-based practices by using a structured sequence of exercises, while sharing common ground in embodiment, emotional awareness, and non-verbal exploration.

External links

• International Biodanza Federation: https://www.biodanzainternational.com/
• Biodanza Australia: https://biodanza.com.au/
• Biodanza UK: https://www.biodanzaassociation.uk
• Biodanza Biocentrica: https://biocentrica.com.au
• Biodanza Spain: https://escuelasdebiodanza.es
• IBFed Biodanza: https://www.biodanza.org