Alex Svoboda
Alex Svoboda, dr. sc. je učitelj svjesnog plesa, voditelj i osnivač freedomDANCE, škole i metode plesne meditacije i svjesnog pokreta osnovane 2009. godine. Poznat je po razvoju pristupačnog, ali dubinski orijentiranog pristupa meditaciji temeljenoj na pokretu koji integrira utjelovljenje, emocionalnu svjesnost i osobno istraživanje.
Alex Svoboda živi u Londonu i predaje međunarodno kroz tečajeve, radionice, duhovne obnove i programe obuke učitelja.
Pozadina
Alex Svoboda živio je i radio u Rusiji, Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama i Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu. Studirao je na više sveučilišta i fakulteta te završio doktorat. Prije nego što se u potpunosti usredotočio na svjesno kretanje, radio je kao analitičar i menadžer u velikim međunarodnim organizacijama, uključujući globalnu konzultantsku tvrtku za menadžment McKinsey & Company.
Uz svoju korporativnu karijeru, Svoboda je radio kao sveučilišni instruktor i kao voditelj korporativne obuke, iskustvo koje je kasnije utjecalo na njegov strukturirani, ali iskustveni stil poučavanja svjesnog plesa.
Trening plesa i pokreta
Alex Svoboda trenirao je izravno s nekoliko pionira modernog svjesnog plesa, uključujući:
- Anna Halprin
- Gabrielle Roth (osnivačica 5Rhythms)
Također se usavršavao kod drugih istaknutih učitelja u području svjesnog plesa i pokreta. Njegov rad je pod utjecajem somatske prakse, improviziranja pokreta, meditacije i iskustvenog učenja.
Svoboda je također naveden kao Open Floor učitelj i povezan je sa širom međunarodnom zajednicom svjesnog pokreta.
freedomDANCE
Alex Svoboda is the founder and principal developer of freedomDANCE, a method of dance meditation built around a repeating structure known as the freedomDANCE Cycle:
- Opening
- Transformation
- Freedom
The method emphasises spontaneity, absence of choreography, and movement as a direct pathway to awareness beyond habitual thinking. freedomDANCE is designed to be accessible to people without prior dance or meditation experience, while still supporting deep personal and emotional exploration.
Through the freedomDANCE School, Svoboda trains teachers and supports an international network of practitioners. As of the mid-2020s, the school includes approximately 25 core teachers and trainees and offers programmes in multiple countries as well as online.
Teaching philosophy
Svoboda frequently describes freedomDANCE as an opportunity to experience different dimensions of freedom, including physical, psychological, and relational freedom. In his own words, each class offers:
- “Freedom for the body to take over.
- Freedom for the mind to notice and accept what is happening inside ourselves and around us.
- Freedom to open to something bigger, something that transcends everyday ideas and calculations.
- Freedom to be yourself and share yourself with others.”
His teaching style is characterised by guided improvisation, carefully structured movement journeys, use of music and soundscapes, and an emphasis on presence rather than performance.
Teacher training and professional affiliations
Alex Svoboda has led freedomDANCE teacher training programmes since 2014. These programmes are fully accredited by the International Conscious Movement Teachers Association (ICMTA). He is an individual member of ICMTA, and freedomDANCE teachers and trainees adhere to the ICMTA Code of Ethics.
Reception
Participants frequently describe Svoboda’s teaching as grounded, present, and transformative. Publicly shared feedback highlights his clarity of guidance, musicality, emotional sensitivity, and ability to support both individual and collective processes.
Selected participant statements include:
- “You have real, soft, palpable presence… When you speak, I listen. It’s always worth it.”
- “I felt stretched in a really beautiful way — dancing outside my usual patterns.”
- “Your workshop was a marathon of the heart and soul.”
- “I left feeling more fully human.”
