Conscious Dance Practices/InnerMotion/The Guidebook/Why I Wrote This Guidebook/ko

모든 것은 1993년 어느 밤, 시작되었습니다. 저는 열세 살의 활발한 아이였고, 생애 첫 레이브 파티에 대한 기대감으로 들떠 있었습니다. 무슨 일이 벌어질지 몰라 방에 서 있는데, 언니가 들어와 미소를 지으며 간단한 조언을 해 주었습니다. "그냥 눈 감고 음악에 맞춰 춤춰 봐." 언니의 조언을 따랐고, 그것은 제게 꼭 필요한 것이었습니다. 그 전에는 그런 종류의 음악에 맞춰 춤을 춰 본 적이 거의 없었지만, 그날 밤 전자 음악이 방안을 가득 채우자 저는 눈을 감고 몸을 움직이기 시작했습니다. 기분이 너무 좋았고, 순식간에 그 매력에 빠져버렸습니다! 마치 제 안의 무언가가 바로 그 순간을 기다리고 있었던 것 같았습니다. 당시에는 깨닫지 못했지만, 그날 밤은 제 남은 인생을 결정짓는 음악과 움직임에 대한 연결고리를 만들어 주었습니다.

From that moment on, techno clubs became my sanctuary and my school. Each night spent dancing introduced me to a vibrant community - a chosen family filled with inspiring people and transformative ideas. The powerful energy of Belgrade’s rave scene in the '90s provided the perfect backdrop for my growth and exploration. Dancing became more than just a hobby; it evolved into a vital practice, helping me manage stress, process emotions, and reconnect with myself. Even today, thirty-two years later, clubbing remains an essential part of my life, a cherished ritual for joy, release, and self-discovery.

For many years, I danced purely on instinct, without structure or guidance. That changed in 2016, when my journey took a powerful new direction thanks to my psychotherapist and mentor, Hana Stamatović. She invited me to one of her Open Floor workshops that offereda unique blend of movement and psychological exploration. From the very first session, I was hooked. I began to understand that dance wasn’t just physical,it could be deeply healing, transformative, and revealing. Hana’s teachings on embodiment, grounding, mindfulness, and emotional expression struck a profound chord in me, and I found myself carefully documenting every insight and exercise, eager to hold onto everything I was learning.

One unforgettable workshop became a turning point in how I related to dance. For the final session of our seven-week cycle, we were invited to come in costume as a way to embody and express a new version of ourselves that had emerged through the dance process. I chose to turn my hands into living reminders of everything Hana had taught me, covering them with symbols that formed a kind of “cheat sheet” based on the notes I had collected over the years.

"Cheat sheet" - November 6^th, 2019

At our next therapy session, Hana asked me, “How would you feel about becoming a teacher of a practice like this? You’re a natural. Both your parents are teachers, and your detailed notes, combined with your scientific mind, would make you excellent at it.” I laughed and said, “Nooo, that’s not for me - I can’t see myself teaching a group of people.” Yet, within three years, everything had dramatically changed.

When Hana passed away on November 4^th, 2022, our dance community was left heartbroken. She had a rare ability to guide people toward a deeper connection with themselves through dance. There was something extraordinary about the way she held space, it was calm, intuitive, and full of presence and love. She didn’t just teach movement; she helped people feel safe enough to be fully themselves. Through her work, many of us experienced breakthroughs we didn’t even know we needed. She was truly one of a kind. After her death, I felt a quiet but strong pull to keep exploring the knowledge about dance she had shared with me.

Dance notes I shared with Hana's dance community

As I searched for deeper understanding, I was surprised to discover a significant gap in knowledge  and there were very few comprehensive resources on conscious, intuitive dance. I spent hours digging through websites, articles, and videos, hoping to find something that reflected what Hana had taught us. I couldn’t find anything that captured the essence of her work. Then, at the Parallel Festival in September 2023, surrounded by beautiful music, nature, and a sense of belonging, something clicked. I would write the guide I had always needed and share this knowledge with others who might be searching too.

Fueled by years of personal notes, extensive scientific research, and relentless curiosity, I began pouring myself into this project. What started as a simple idea rapidly evolved into an ambitious mission - a comprehensive manual filled with techniques, exercises, and insights on mindfulness, embodiment, emotional connection, and transcending inhibition. Each session on the dance floor became a laboratory for testing and refining these ideas, deepening my understanding and bringing newfound joy to my own dance practice.

As my vision expanded, I realized I needed to develop new skills, especially in creating safe spaces, guiding groups, building trust, and understanding how movement can evoke deep emotional responses and altered states of consciousness. Then, in September 2024, once again at the Parallel Festival, I experienced another powerful insight: this knowledge wasn’t something to keep to myself, it needed to be shared widely. That realization inspired the creation of DanceResource.org - a non-profit, open-source platform for dancers, facilitators, researchers, and curious newcomers to explore movement as a path to self-awareness, healing, connection, and transformation. Determined to grow further, I enrolled in the Center for Integrative Development (CIR) in September 2024. A few months later, in December, I began mentorship with Alexey Kuzmin, an experienced teacher with over a decade of leading conscious dance workshops. Finally, in March 2025 - after twenty years in the IT world - I took the leap. I left my job to dedicate myself fully to the path of dance.

This guide is more than a manual; it is a testament to the transformative power of dance, a tribute to Hana’s legacy, and an invitation to anyone who has ever felt the pulse of music stirring within. My deepest wish is that through this practice, others will discover the boundless freedom and authenticity waiting to emerge from within their bodies - just as I did on that unforgettable night, all those years ago.

← InnerMotion | InnerMotion - The Guidebook | What Is Conscious Dance? →